Grilled flank steak with chimichurri  (from In My Kitchen by Ted Allen), garlic and herb shrimp (from by Ina Garten, and grilled asparagus with lemon. This was an all-grilled meal for a crowd and it worked out swimmingly.

Mexican tortilla casserole. I needed something easy for dinner that was packed with vegetables, and that I could make in advance and bake when ready. I used this basic recipe, and put roasted sweet potatoes, kale, and black beans in the filling. I love enchiladas, but when I can’t be bothered to put in all the effort these hit the spot.

Roasted tofu bowls with tahini dressing over rice. This meal is making more and more regular appearances here. The tofu roasting method comes from Thug Kitchen, and the citrus tahini sauce from Sprouted Kitchen. I usually roast some vegetables (asparagus and snap peas this time) and have some raw as well (shredded carrots). They are vegan, wholesome, and freakin delicious (most importantly).

Easy, herb packed falafel. I’ve spent years working my way up to this falafel. The very first time I attempted falafel it disintegrated in the pan as I fried it, so I ended up baking to salvage dinner. Every time since then I’ve baked falafel to avoid this tragedy again. I’ve read recipe after recipe that reports using dried chickpeas to achieve the best fried product, so I finally took the plunge. Unfortunately, baking is still my strong suit. This recipe said that the mix should just barely hold together, and well that’s about all it did. Lots of bits drifted off in the frying process. Maybe my chickpeas were too old, but even after a 24-hour soak they did not fully cook (or maybe I fried them too long, though the color looked right). The final product was ridiculously crunchy, but with a delightful tahini sauce (which saved the dish). I love falafel so much that I desperately want to be able to make it at home…but I’m not there yet.

Sweet potato and black bean tacos. I was wavering over what taco filling to make, and Will reminded me that it is impossible to go wrong with roasted vegetables. I roasted sweet potatoes (half with cayenne for spice, all with cumin), cooked up black beans, made the quick pickled cabbage from The Homemade Kitchen, lime crema, and served it all with lime wedges, cilantro. red onion, jalapeno, avocado, and tortillas. It came together in an hour (with some help), served five, and pleased all palates.

I had to be at work early every day this week, so all breakfasts were to go. I made a batch of whole wheat chocolate coffee banana muffins (because they are the best), and had Greek yogurt with strawberries and maple syrup alongside.