Your March 2024 meal plan
Your March 2024 meal plan
Beets, Barbies, Boursin, Broccoli and a bonanza of alliterations
Whoa, it’s March already. I’m quite ready for daylight savings to kick in this weekend, are you? I truly don’t know where February went - it felt shorter than ever despite the extra day! What have I been up to? Plenty. I (beta) launched The Vegetarian Reset Lab with my first 10 participants. I wrote this article for Eating Well, which was then picked up by…wait for it, The New York POST, quite at home in the company of headlines like Size Matters and Diarrhea-inducing Stomach Bugs. :) And I was honored to guest-author a piece for the wonderful
community, which continually inspires me - both by its content and its participants. If you haven’t signed up, make sure you do!Thank you for your feedback on Weeknight Simple. It means a lot that you make the time to tell me what you’re looking for. I learnt that 6 recipes per month may well be too much. 99% of you did not get to all 6. A majority of this audience is cooking for 1 or two people, so leftovers go a long way. Some of you suggested including an easy breakfast recipe to mix things up, as the dinner recipes sometimes felt complicated.
Keeping this in mind, this month’s meal plan features 5 recipes, instead of 6. Still 20-30g protein per meal, and 30 plants when you make all 5. While these are all dinner mains, I may start replacing one by a breakfast dish, some months. It sometimes takes more effort to make things simple :) Your feedback goes a long way, so keep it coming (even if it stings a little!).
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On the Menu for March
Barbie Pasta w/ Beets, Boursin & Broccoli
This fabulously pink pasta was all the rage on social media last month for Valentine’s Day. While I am admittedly late to the party, I think I’ve made my own unique contribution to the Mattel franchise. If you’re like me and find prepping beets to be messy, this recipe makes excellent use of precooked packaged beets. I do away with seasonings in the sauce by using Boursin, the addictive French cheese (which you can replace with feta, goat or vegan feta). I also give it a dusting of parmesan and breadcrumbs for some crunch. This is a convenient make-ahead dish that stores well and is also delicious eaten cold on a warm spring day. I debated calling it Baked Barbie Pasta w/ Blended Beets, Boursin & Broccoli, but fortunately for you, decided otherwise.
PS: Am I alone in finding the Barbie movie meh?
Braised Cabbage in Cilantro Broth w/ Noodles and Tofu
While this starts out as a comforting cabbage stew, the flavor is considerably brightened up by an entire bunch of cilantro! Give this one a shot, it’s an easy weeknight dish and I’ve already made it four times in the last 3 weeks with the excuse of recipe testing.
Herby Hemp Tahini Bowl w/ Cauliflower, Farro & Pistachios
A high-protein hemp+tahini dressing, lightened up with cilantro and vinegar, rounds out this easy salad bowl. With a pitted Mejdool date and tangy pickled onions thrown in for flavor and texture - this is the perfect meal-prep friendly lunch or dinner. If storing in lunch containers, start with the dressing at the bottom so the toppings don’t get soggy. Add Greek yogurt to the base of the bowl for even more protein.
Savory Pancakes with Beet-Peanut Chutney
I use the high-protein flatbread batter from last month’s meal plan in this recipe. The pancake is modeled after a South Indian favorite, Uthappam, which is essentially a thick fluffy dosa with ginger, chile and a few veggie toppings. Blended beets make another appearance in the chutney, and I think you will appreciate how different they taste in this recipe compared to the pasta.
PS: The High-Protein Pizza was definitely the most polarizing recipe from the Feb meal plan - some of you loved it and made it twice, while others said it was their least favorite! I did incorporate some feedback into this new recipe, where I lighten up the batter a bit to make the pancakes. If you try it, be sure to tell me what you think!
Quinoa-Edamame Pilaf w/ Greek Yogurt
I developed this recipe when my parents were visiting last year. It is a simple pilaf that uses ginger, chile and lemon for flavoring, inspired by a South Indian rice-based dish called chitranna. Edamame adds some heft and the dish features plenty of color. Mix up the veggies as you like!
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