A delicious combination of classic Southern side dishes makes this menu easy, filling, and delicious. The best vegan mac and cheese, vegan baked beans, Instant Pot collard greens, vegan cornbread, and the best vegan peanut butter cookies are sure to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
My family and I don’t eat out much for obvious reasons. It’s hard to find places, even “vegan” restaurants, that don’t use oil, tons of salt, and loads of sugar in the recipes. But, on special occasions with friends and family, we bend our rules and venture out to certain “plant-friendly” places to dine.
One of our favorite dining establishments, oddly enough, is a little meat and 3 near me. For those of you not familiar, a meat and three restaurant is a place where the customer picks one meat and three side dishes. The sides are usually vegetables like potatoes, corn, green beans, or lima beans. And, the most beloved Southern vegetable of all – Mac & Cheese. Yes, here in the South mac and cheese is considered a vegetable. But, I digress.
Obviously, we don’t eat the meat. But, when I found out all of their sides were vegan, except for a couple, I couldn’t help myself. And, let me just say their veggie plate is off the chain. So, I decided to replicate that experience for this week’s Simple Supper Menu. And, you know what I discovered? I could make it just as good and memorable while still keeping it healthy.
Vegetable side dishes make wonderful meals. Because they make great leftovers, they’re filling, healthy, super easy to prepare, and usually pretty cheap. I will say this week’s meal plan involves a little cooking than usual. But, these meals are excellent make-ahead recipes to keep in the fridge and reheat when you’re ready to enjoy.
Simple Supper Pro Tips
Unsure how you can pull this menu off? Here’s a few tips that are sure to help.
- This is an excellent meal prep menu. So, if you have a day to cook (Saturday or Sunday) that’s the best place to start. Make all the recipes, place in containers, and store in the fridge. Then, just reheat when you’re ready to serve. NOTE: I would wait and make the cookies the night of the meal.
- Print out the recipes and read through each recipe twice and make sure you have all the ingredients. There’s nothing worse than having to run to the store in the middle of cooking.
- Gather all the ingredients for each recipe before you start. This will keep you on track, organized, and moving forward.
- You can make all of this the night you want to serve it. I would set aside about 2 hours total for prepping and cooking. This is primarily for the baked beans.
- Lastly and most importantly – HAVE FUN, love yourself and your community (friends and family), and let’s cook!
Miss A Week?
Check out these past Simple Supper Menus for more inspiration. You can find them all HERE!
Quick & Easy One Bowl Pressure Cooker Meals
And, if you’re running short on time the Instant Pot is always a great alternative. Check out these fast and healthy recipes that make a great meal on their own.
Simple Supper Menu #24 - Southern Veggie Side Dishes
The best Vegan Baked Beans in the world are so easy to make and absolutely delicious. They’re the perfect blend of smoky, sweet, and tangy. A guaranteed favorite side dish at any gathering.
This is the BEST Vegan Mac And Cheese recipe! A creamy delicious vegan cheese sauce made with raw cashews and poured over tender pasta. It’s SO easy to make and ready to eat in no time.
These vegan Instant Pot Collard Greens are tender, so flavorful, and easy to make. A classic Southern staple ready to eat in just a few minutes instead of hours.
This is seriously the BEST Vegan Cornbread recipe and so easy to make. It’s perfectly sweet, moist, tender, and comforting. The perfect side for chili, soups, and stews.
These 3 Ingredient Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, crumbly, chewy, and so easy to make! Made in 1 bowl with only 3 ingredients, this recipe is sure to be a family favorite.
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