Meal Plan Monday (actually Tuesday). Whatever.

Okay. So my week got off to a rocky start, due to last week being Suck Fest 2010. Anyway! I've decided that from time to time I'll post my weekly meal plans. Thrilling, no? Shut up. You're stoked.

Anyhow! Here they are - I know you've all been waiting with baited breath.

Monday: Taco Soup (this was frozen, as in "in my freezer", as in - I didn't have to make a damn thing, woo!) and homemade honey wheat bread with homemade strawberry freezer jam.

Tuesday: Cranberry bean tacos and watermelon salad.

Wednesday: Sloppy Sams, tomato salad

Thursday: Spaghetti with roasted tomato sauce

Friday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup

As ever, unless I'm baking - I don't measure. So, here's the "method" for my meals of deliciousness.

Taco Soup
Start by sauteing a couple cloves of minced garlic in a splash of olive oil. To this, add your stock. I use a 70:30 ration of veggie stock to bean stock (bean stock being the leftover cooking liquid from my weekly pot of beans). To this, add some passata or salsa. Throw in some oregano, pepper, chili powder and cumin. Bring this to a simmer and start adding your "taco" stuff. I usually add corn (frozen is fine, fresh is better in season), cooked beans of some variety and leftover cooked rice. I let this simmer until everything is nice and warm and the stock has reduced a bit. Before serving, a hit it with a squeeze of fresh lime. I top each serving with crumbled tortilla chips, diced avocado, and a dollop of "sour cream." It would be good with cheese, but oddly I prefer it without. Go figure.

Sloppy Sams
I have modified this recipe to my taste and for my dietary restrictions - no onions and vegetarian Worcester sauce.

Roasted Tomato Sauce
I make this in bulk. It's super easy. Take a few pounds of good tomatoes. Slice them in half - I use roma tomatoes. Put them on a baking sheet (make sure it's lipped). Sprinkle over some minced garlic, herbs of your choice and drizzle with olive oil and a splash of wine (or even sherry). Put in a 400 degree oven and roast for about 45 minutes. Dump this mixture into a big pot, and then blend up with an immersion blender (or blend in batches in a traditional blender - be CAREFUL!). That's it. This freezes well. It's also the basis for my tomato soup.

Tomato Soup
Start with some Roasted Tomato Sauce. Add some veggie stock wine or sherry - whatever you used the first time around. Simmer for a while. Add a splash of cream - real, coconut or soy. Simmer for another minute. Serve.