Menu Oct 26 - Nov 1, 2026

Monday: Dinner with friends

Tuesday: Broccoli Gnocchi
Ingredients 1 pk GF gnocchi 4 ¼ cups broccoli (1 medium head broccoli) 1.5 cups onion 1 pk fava bean tofu 1 can white beans, drained  1 TBS dijon mustard 2 TBS nutritional yeast 1 tsp garlic powder (or fresh garlic) 1 cup Follow Your Heart Parmesan cheese salt and pepper to taste, we used thyme salt

Instructions
1.Chop the onions and add to a casserole dish along with the gnocchi. Season with a little water, salt and pepper. Place in the casserole dish you are cooking the recipe in and put in the oven at 180℃/356℉ for 10 minutes.
2.Meanwhile make the cheese sauce by combining the tofu, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and blending until smooth.
3. Cut the broccoli into small florets.
4. Remove the onion and gnocchi from the oven.
5.Add the drained white beans and add the broccoli to the gnocchi and leeks. Mix.
6.Pour over all the tofu cheesy sauce and top with vegan cheese.
Bake for 15- 20 minutes.

Wednesday: Chickpea and Kale Stew with sourdough bread

Thursday: Falafels with roasted vegetables

Friday: Melis Minestrone Soup with sourdough bread

Saturday: Mexican vegetables with rice and beans or leftovers

Sunday: Spaghetti

Menu October 19-25th

I will be out of town part of this week, so i will be fixing some on my son's favorites for while I am gone.

Monday: Dinner with friends

Tuesday: Vegan Pizza using Sunday's leftover sauce from the lasagna

Wednesday: Lo Mein
We used Millet Ramen noddles

Thursday: Baked Vegan ziti
This is from Costco Connection October 2026 altered to fit our needs

8 oz GF pasta, cook according to directions on box
1 red bell pepper
10 oz mushrooms
1 zucchini
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups pasta sauce
1.5 cups Good Planet Mozzarella
1/2 cup tofu ricotta
1/2 cup Follow Your Hear Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
Place the vegetables in a large casserole dish with the spices and 1 TBS of water. Bake about 10 minutes
Remove vegetables from Dish
In casserole dish layer half pasta, sauce, vegetables, ricotta, and mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining. Top with the parmesan cheese. Bake 20 minutes and garnish with fresh basil.

Friday: Vegan Alfredo with a side of broccoli
We used pinenuts instead of cashews and fava bean tofu

Saturday: Loaded Mexican Rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

Menu 10/12-10/18

 Monday: dinner with friends

Tuesday: Spicy stir-fried oyster mushrooms lemongrass and sugar peas

Wednesday: Eggplant Minestrone Soup
While we still have eggplant we made this again. We used vegan ground beef, added 3 cups of cannellini beans, a can of tomato sauce, 4 extra cups of broth, 2 jars of tomatoes, plus the fresh tomatoes and 2 tsp of Basil Salt. 

Thursday: leftovers

Friday:  Chik'n Tortilla Black bean Soup
We used Abbott's chik'n

Saturday: Vegan Gumbo

Sunday: Vegan GF Lasagna
Using fava bean tofu/hemp ricotta, Good planet mozzarella, Follow Your Heart Parmesan, vegan sausage and GF noodles. 
Ricotta
1 pk of drained fava bean tofu cut into pieces
1/2 cup hemp hearts
2 TBS nutritional yeast
2 TBS olive oil
3 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp basil salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic
Pusle all ingredients in a food processor until it is crumbled. 

Italian Caviar

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup chopped green olives
• ½ cup chopped black olives
• 1 package of Fava Bean Tofu 
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini
• ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, basil, oregano, parsley...
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

• minced garlic cloves to taste
• Salt, to taste 2 TBS olive brine
1 TBS nutritional Yeast
1 tsp dried oregano

Add everything to a bowl, toss, and serve with GF sourdough bread or GF crackers!

Tofu Burrata

 This is my favorite go-to appetizer recipe served with GF sourdough bread
Tofu Burrata: A Simple and Delicious Plant-Based Recipe for Any Occasion

Tofu Burrata

Tofu burrata is a vegan version of the popular Italian cheese dish made with tofu in place of traditional burrata cheese. This recipe is a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional burrata cheese that is suitable for those following a plant-based diet or looking for a healthier option.

Prep Time5minutes mins

Cook Time30minutes mins

CourseAppetizer

CuisineItalian

Ingredients

  

• 1 block of extra-firm tofu, we used fava tofu
• 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 cups of cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup of basil chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut the tofu into small cubes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, mix together the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Sprinkle this mixture over the tofu cubes.
• Bake the tofu for 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden brown and crispy.
• While the tofu is baking, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.
• Once the tofu is done baking, add it to the pan with the tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Serve the tofu and tomato mixture over a bed of cooked pasta, rice, or quinoa. Garnish with the chopped basil. Enjoy!

Fermented Salsa

We love fermented foods, why not salsa? This is amazing and will be our go-to salsa.

Ingredients
8-12 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4-6 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic
1 bunch cilantro, destemmed and chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
2% salt by weight

Add everything to the food processor and pulse. Weigh the vegetable amount in grams. Add 2%  Kosher Coarse Salt, also in grams. Add all the ingredients to a 1/2 gallon mason jar and stir. Add a glass weight, using an airlock lid for fermentation. Check daily after 3 days until day 5 for desired fermentation level. Day 5 refrigerate the fermented salsa. It is good in the refrigerator for 3 months.

Menu 10/5-10/11

Monday: dinner with friends

Tuesday: Tamale Pie
We used lentils and mushrooms instead of ground beef, Good Planet cheese, and vegan cream corn
We used this enchilada recipe 

Wednesday: Lentil Gnocchi 
Ingredients:

17 ⅔ oz GF gnocchi (1 packet fresh gnocchi)
4 ¼ cups Cherry Tomatoes 1 cup cooked brown lentils
1 ⅗ cups fava bean tofu
1 tbps dijon mustard
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tablespoon basil pesto (vegan/ homemade)

Instructions
1.Add the gnocchi to the casserole dish along with the cherry tomatoes. Drizzle over a little olive oil, salt to taste, and optionally sprinkle over garlic granules and chili flakes.
2.Put in the oven at 180℃/356℉ for 15 while you get on with making the cheese sauce.
3.Make the cheese sauce by adding the tofu, nutritional yeast, miso and dijon mustard to a blender and blending well.
4.Remove the gnocchi and tomatoes from the oven. Squish the now slightly roasted tomatoes a little bit to release their juices.
5.Distribute the cooked lentils over the top of the gnocchi and tomatoes.
6.Pour all the tofu cheesy sauce over the top of the lentils and gnocchi.
7.Dot the pesto over the top
8.Bake for 10 minutes. Check the gnocchi is cooked through.
9. Serve immediately with extra pesto on top should you want more of it!

Thursday: Bil's Birthday dinner

Friday: Pumpkin Black Bean Chili with Pumpkin bread (we used flax eggs, GF flour, and pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts)
Ingredients
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable broth
1.5 TBS smoked paprika
1 TBS chili powder
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp cayenne

Directions
Water sauté the onion and garlic. add the remaining ingredients. Cover the chili and simmer for 45 minutes. Season to taste 

Saturday: Loaded Mexican Rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

GF Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

A friend sent me a recipe for sugar free pumpkin muffins. I really like to make sourdough, so we altered the recipe to use sourdough.

Ingredients
1 cup sourdough starter discard
1 can pureed pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped dates, soaked in water for about 20 minutes
2 TBS date water or if you want it sweeter add 2 TBS of maple syrup.
1 cup GF flour
1 cup Oat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Top with and additional 1/4 cup soaked chopped dates and 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately and then combine
bake at 350 for 30 minutes
It made 20 muffins

Menu 9/26-10/4

 Monday: Dinner with friends

Tuesday: Lentil Chili with Engine 2 corn muffins

Wednesday: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Thursday: Broccoli Vegan Mac and Cheese

Friday: Eggplant Minestrone Soup
We used vegan ground beef, added 3 cups of cannellini beans, a can of tomato sauce, 4 extra cups of broth, 2 jars of tomatoes, plus the fresh tomatoes and 2 tsp of Basil Salt. 

Saturday: Mexican over rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

Protein Bar

We made these for our protein bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/8 cup sesame seeds
1/8 cup dried blueberries
8 medjool dates soaked for 20 minutes in water
1/4 cup cacao powder

Directions:
Toast the seeds and allow to cool
blend the seeds to a powder in a food processor
Drain the dates and add to the food processor
add the dried blueberries and cacao powder
line a Pyrex dish with parchment paper and press the dough into shape
Allow to set for at least an hour and cut into serving pieces

Basil Bloom Vinegar

 

Basil blossoms
White Vinegar

The easiest way to remember the ratio is 1 part basil blossoms to 3 parts vinegar. So if your jar is 1/3 full of basil blossoms, use 3 times that amount of vinegar.
Add your basil blossoms to a clean jar and cover completely with vinegar. Let it sit on your counter for 1 week, giving it a shake whenever you remember.
Strain the vinegar and set the blossoms aside.
Basil Blossom ‘Capers’
We are using the blossoms that have been soaking in our vinegar for the last week! To preserve the blossoms, gently rub them between your fingers and slide the little blossoms off into a clean bowl.
I ended up with about 1/3 cup of blossoms, so I added 1/2 tablespoon salt and transferred them to a clean jar. Fill the jar with half of your blossom vinegar and half water, making sure the blossoms are completely covered. Press out any air bubbles, seal, and store in the refrigerator.

Menu 9/21-9/27

Monday: Dinner with Friends

Tuesday: Falafels, roasted vegetables, and golden potatoes

Wednesday: sourdough pizza

Thursday: Vegan Chili Mac and Cheese

Friday: Sweet Potato Chorizo soup
We are having a tough time finding a fennel bulb for the White Bean Onion Soup

Saturday: Mexican over rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

Menu 9/14-9/20

 Monday: Dinner with friends

Tuesday: Broccoli Cheddar Soup with sourdough bread
We pureed a can of chickpeas for added protein

Wednesday: Harvest Salad
We used a butternut squash and added Fava Bean Feta. We added pumpkin seeds instead of pecans.

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Harira Soup

Saturday: Mexican over rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

Gluten-free Sourdough bread

 

We used the King Arthur recipe in a Romer Topf terracotta pan, following King Arthur's steps through step 5.

We soaked the Romer Topf top and bottom in water for 30 minutes at the last rise of the dough.
We placed the dough on parchment paper and lowered the dough into the Romer Topf base.
We covered the dough with the Romer Topf lid and placed it in a cold oven.
We turned the oven on to 450 and turned on the timer for 60 minutes.
After 1 hour, we lifted the bread out of the Romer Topf, removed the parchment paper and put the bread back into the oven at a lower temperature, 400, for 12 minutes.
When we removed the bread from the oven we checked the temperature, we want it to be over 200. It was 205.
We let it cool and sliced it.

The best sourdough bread ever!!!

Herbal Salt

Herbal salts are used to finish a meal whether it is meat or vegetables.

Basil Salt
1/2 cup coarse salt
1 cup chopped basil flowers and/or leaves
Pulse in food processor
Spread on baking sheet
Bake at 200 for 35-40 minutes

Rosemary Salt
1 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
Pulse in food processor
spread on baking sheet
allow to air dry for a couple of hours

Sage
1/2 cup coarse salt
1.5 cups sage leaves
Pulse in food processor
Spread on baking sheet
Bake at 200 for 35-40 minutes

Thyme Salt
1 cup coarse salt
2 TBS thyme leaves
Pulse in food processor
Spread on baking sheet
Bake at 200 for 35-40 minutes

Oregano Salt
1 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup oregano leaves
Pulse in food processor
Spread on baking sheet
Bake at 200 for 1 hour

Parsley Salt
1 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup coarse salt
Pulse in food processor
Spread on baking sheet
Air dry at least 24 hours

Cilantro Salt
1.5 cup coarse salt
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 tsp cumin
Pulse in food processor
Spread on baking sheet
Bake at 200 for 1 hour

and we can't forget Lavendar Bath salts

Lentil Salad

 Marinated Lentil Salad

Ingredients
2 cups cooked green or brown lentils, drained
½ red bell pepper, finely diced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes  1/2 cup diced cucumber
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil 3 TBS olive brine
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:
Cook the lentils: If using dry lentils, simmer about 1 cup lentils in plenty of water for 20–25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and cool.
Make the dressing: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and black pepper.
Combine: Add lentils, bell pepper, onion, parsley and cilantro to a large bowl.
Marinate: Pour the dressing over everything and gently mix.
Rest: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For the best flavor, let it marinate 4–6 hours.
Finish: Sprinkle with sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds and a little extra parsley before serving.

Menu 9/7-9/13

Monday: Burgers with corn pasta salad

Tuesday: Mung Bean Soup

Wednesday: Fiesta Burrito (with Lime & Avocado)

Thursday: Burgers, slaw and sweet potato fries

Friday: Roasted Tomato Soup
Instead of coconut milk we pureed white beans (2 cans using canned). We replaced the salt with basil salt.

Saturday: Mexican over rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

Garam Masala Spice Blend

 Garam Masala Spice Blend

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl.

2. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.

Menu 8/31-9/6

 Monday: Dinner with Friends

Tuesday: Snobby Joe with Pineapple slaw

Wednesday: Italian Sausage and Pepper and onions with Lentil Salad

Thursday: Dairy Free Creamy Vodak Sauce Pasta
We used fava bean tofu to make the cream cheese
14 oz tofu
1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
Blend until creamy

Friday: Beet Bean Burgers with Broccoli Salad

Saturday: Mexican over Rice 

Sunday: Spaghetti

Menu 8/24-8/30

 Monday: Falafel and roasted veggies

Tuesday: Vegetable Soup

Wednesday: Chickpea Masala

Thursday: Veggie burgers with slaw

Friday: 3 Bean Tortilla Soup

Saturday: Mexican over rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

Menu 8/17-8/23

 Monday: dinner with friends

Tuesday: Zucchini Calzones
We added beans to the calzone using sourdough

Wednesday: White Bean Salad
Ingredients 2 (15 oz/425 g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cucumber, diced ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil ¼ cup tofu feta
2 tbsp olive brine 1/4 cup olives
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp dried oregano Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, basil, and feta (if using).
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive brine, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly coated.
Let the salad sit for 10–15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Chili for Bible study night.

Saturday: Mexican over rice

Sunday: Spaghetti

Dishwasher Detergent

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup washing soda (primary cleaning agent)
• 1 cup baking soda (helps with grease and odor)
• 1/2 cup citric acid (prevents film and hard water spots)
• 30 drops of lemon essential oil for fragrance

Instructions

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl or mason jar.
2. Stir thoroughly to break up clumps; a fork or whisk works well.
3. Add essential oils if desired and mix again.
4. Store in an airtight container to prevent moisture absorption. For high-humidity areas, include a small clay pouch to reduce clumping mommypotamus.com+2.

Usage

• Use 1–2 tablespoons per dishwasher load, adjusting for heavily soiled dishes or hard water.
• Place the powder in the detergent compartment.
• For best results, use a separate rinse aid (like white vinegar or citric acid) in the rinse compartment to avoid neutralizing the detergent during the wash cycle mommypotamus.com+1.

Menu 8/10-8/16

 Monday: Vegan pizza

Tuesday: Lo Mein

Wednesday: Buddha Bowl

Thursday: Black Bean Quinoa Burrito Bowl

Friday: Black Bean Soup

Saturday: Mexican over rice

Sunday: spaghetti

Grape, Tulsi, Lemon Mocktail

 Our grapes are in as is the tulsi, so we gave this a try

Ingredients for syrup:
1.5 cups of grapes
1/3 cup of sugar
20 tulsi leaves
2 TBS lemon juice
2 pinches of black lava salt

Directions for immediate syrup
Place the ingredients in a blender and pulse to not grind the seeds with a cup of water
Filter through cheesecloth and then filter a second time through a coffee filter. Serve 1/4 of a cup of syrup over ice with seltzer water.

Directions for water bath canning
Place all the ingredients into a sterile quart jar, grapes whole, filling the jar with boiling water. Can for 10 minutes. Check that the jars sealed. Filter through cheesecloth smashing the grapes. It does not need the second filtering.
This version is more dilute, and the tulsi flavor is less pronounced, but it is shelf stable to serve later in the year.