Vegetarian Meal Plan: April - Week 3

M O N D A Y

Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

Make this warm Mediterranean cauliflower salad with crispy chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives, all tossed in an oregano vinaigrette. It's hearty enough to be a vegetarian main dish, gorgeous enough for a party, and delicious enough to eat on weeknights.

This warm salad comes together with little fuss. And if you air fry the cauliflower and pan fry the chickpeas, it's a 30-minute meal.

T U E S D A Y            

Quinoa, Avocado and Black Bean Salad

This healthy, vegan, quinoa and black bean salad is tossed with avocado slices, cilantro and grapes, and tossed in a simple lime juice vinaigrette.

Best of all, this quinoa salad recipe can be ready in under 30 minutes, or ready in about 15 minutes if you have a stash of cooked quinoa on hand.

W E D N E S D A Y

Swiss Chard Casserole with Quinoa

This comforting Swiss chard casserole features colorful Rainbow Swiss chard, although you can use regular green Swiss chard. The addition of cooked quinoa and ricotta cheese make it a filling, delicious vegetarian meal.

T H U R S D A Y 

Roasted Red Pepper Penne

This red pepper pasta is tossed in a flavorful sauce of onions, garlic, roasted red peppers, broth, basil and cream. It's finished with a little balsamic vinegar, which amps up the umami, making this pasta fabulous. It's topped with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

It's ready in under 30 minutes from start to serving, but the sauce can also be made ahead.

F R I D A Y

Asparagus Tart with an Egg

This asparagus tart uses store-bought puff pastry to make it super easy. It's rolled out, spread with Boursin cheese, lined with asparagus soldiers and topped with a flurry of grated Parmesan cheese. Just 4 ingredients!

For dinner, top each piece with a soft boiled egg.

W E E K E N D

Roasted Moroccan Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

This hearty Moroccan stew is made with roasted eggplant, chickpeas charred red bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic and Moroccan spices. It's modeled from one by Ottolenghi in one of his cookbooks, and is worth the extra time.

This recipe is the only recipe in this week's meal plan that takes more than roughly 30 minutes to make, and is perfect for weekends when we have a little more time to spend in the kitchen.

B O N U S    R E C I P E

Oat Scones with Strawberries

These oat scones are easy and quick to make, especially with my tip for shaping the dough. My tip makes shaping much easier and the shape of the scones holds so much better.

This is a very flexible recipe. So, feel free to substitute other kinds of berries or dried fruit for the strawberries without making any other changes.