Meal Plan for December 18-24
Twinkle lights and cozy nights
Hello!
I hope you are doing well. This is a wonderful and busy and happy and sad and challenging and joyful time of year. I definitely feel all of it at the same time. Cooking at these times is honestly sometimes a huge hassle but also a way to create a little order and know I’m doing something meaningful. You might not relate to this feeling at all, but then again you might.
I am planning on not publishing a newsletter next week, and I also might skip the week after. We just won’t be on normal eating and cooking schedules after this week for a while, so we will see. You can always access older newsletters and try out a recipe that you missed! Here’s the meal plan for this week.
Quick Links
lentil soup, flatbreads // stir fry // pasta, salad // falafel, pitas // chocolate caramel crackers, baked brie
Weeknight meals
Turkish red lentil soup with layered yogurt flatbreads
This soup is new to me, but we all loved it. It was kind of a mix between a soup and dal but very simple. I love the inclusion of a little bit of rice to thicken the soup. (I’m also realizing that this is my third red lentil dish so far and I apologize for the lack of variety. I guess I just really like red lentils?)
The flatbreads are definitely an extra thing and if you don’t have time, store-bought naan would be great. We love these buttery goodies though. They require a little resting time, but I usually skip the second rest and just roll them out and cook them in the order I started and it’s always worked out well.
Stir fried green beans and ground pork
This recipe comes from Small Victories by Julia Turshen, but honestly I have no idea what the original recipe even says (before I read it again to share with you all of course). We have made this so many times that I could make it with my eyes closed. There are never any leftovers.
The things I do differently from the recipe as written: I use a full package of ground pork (1 lb) and with the added quantity of meat, use up to a full cup of chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, add in a crushed clove of garlic, a little sesame oil and sesame seeds on the top at the end and always serve with chile crisp or sriracha.
You could substitute ground chicken or turkey for the pork, but I would use a little more oil for cooking if you do.
For vegetarians, rice with spicy sauteed green beans and a fried egg is
Lemon pasta and citrus beet salad
This pasta is super easy and very tasty. A little indulgent with the cream and gruyere, but the kind of indulgence I am very much into.
I usually make the salad more basic than the one I’m sharing: just beets, citrus and avocado with red onions that I’ve soaked in the citrus juice and a very simple vinaigrette. The addition of goat cheese (so good with beets) and pistachios make this a little extra special. I would include red onions next time though because I missed the extra something they bring.
We weren’t able to get the variety of citrus she recommends, so we used navel oranges and grapefruits and it was great.
Weekend Meal (Special Christmas Edition!)
Falafel dinner with homemade pitas
This has been our Christmas tradition for a while now, and I look forward to it every year. Homemade falafel is special. It’s time consuming and deep frying makes it a little inconvenient, but the result is so delicious you can’t believe it.
This falafel recipe is not the one we use (I can’t find that one online!) but it’s almost the same, we just don’t add in the turmeric or carrots. I’m curious though about how that would taste!
I love making homemade pitas. It’s so fun to watch them puff up in the oven and these usually have a pocket, which is rare in store bought pita.
To complete the meal, be sure to have plenty of veg to eat it with: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion. Also tzatziki and tahini sauce. And feta cheese.
Treats
This is my ideal holiday appetizer! Serve it with crackers and apples, maybe drizzle some honey on top. Absolutely perfect.
This is a fun thing to make and a great treat to bring to neighbors.
Something to listen to
Off Menu podcast with Mel Giedroyc.
The ultimate trifecta on this episode : James Acaster & Ed Gamble hosting the lovely and hilarious (and my husband’s weirdest celeb crush) Mel Giedroyc. Every episode of this show is fun but this one is pure joy.
One of my favorite Christmas albums. Fun to mix it up after listening to a lot of Bing Crosby and such.
Long cherished Christmas album. The sad songs even sadder this year after Mimi Parker’s passing. RIP Mimi.
Wishing you a peaceful and happy week!
Emily