Plans for the Week

There was no actual cooking this week to report, but I thought I'd share some upcoming recipes. I began a new job last week and as you might guess, my focus has been on that and not on cooking. I didn't find much time to plan or grocery shop, except for one quick stop where I bought macaroni and cheese, strawberries, and yogurt. Those items have essentially gotten me through to the weekend. How sad!

I really noticed not having home cooked meals for dinner and not having leftovers or any freshly made food for lunch. Only a little while ago, I virtually lived on Lean Cuisines - my work friends and I regularly discussed which ones were the best. But since I began cooking so much more and making a concerted effort to cut out pre-made food from my diet, I hadn't had a Leanie in quite a while. In my hurry this week I bought some and found them so uninspiring and bland. It felt fake and unsatisfying. It was enough to get me running to the grocery store this weekend!

On the docket:

• The Kitchn's Tortellini and Spring Vegetable Salad, made and stored in individual servings, purely for lunch. I've had my eye on this incredibly fresh-sounding salad for weeks now. It is perfect to last a few days in the fridge and hopefully only get better.
• Black-Bean Burgers discovered while trolling Epicurious' Best Burgers list. I had a black bean burger at a restaurant last weekend and really enjoyed it. These sound simple and delicious. The trick will be keeping them together while they cook. I'm also planning a garlic mayo and maybe some tomato slices for a topping - the Mexican theme on a bun doesn't thrill me. I'd rather go a little Mediterranean. This will be a dinner for me and Ken one night this week, with 2 patties left over for subsequent lunches.

Check back in a few days for the results of my trials!