Some people have asked me why on earth I make a menu plan.
Well, here’s what happens when I don’t.
We got this nice batch of veggies last week.

Amelishof organic CSA loot, week 41 (2010)
- leek
- bok choy
- curly red leaf lettuce
- pears (Conférence)
- choggia beets
- basil
But after picking up our new vegetables yesterday, we still had to use most of previous week! Yep, even the fresh basil. Beetroot. Lettuce. Pak-choi cabbage. Some pears. And except for the fruit it all has to fit together in our refrigerator — which is not an American-sized model ;)

Amelishof organic CSA vegetables, week 42 (2010)
- endive
- red Batavia lettuce
- fennel
- grapes
- green beans
So, after a delicious lunch of toast with fennel-tomato salad with fresh basil & black olives, I set myself to the task of making this week’s plan including as many of the greens as possible.
Menu plan for October 21st – 26th
- Stir-fried bok-choy, greens bean salad with sesame dressing, noodles & egg [today]
- Fennel soup with green bean tortilla and eggplant-lentil salad [weekend]
- Indian potatoes, Indian takeaway leftovers and spicy beet salad [weekend]
- Eastern beet soup, toemis andijvie (Indonesian stir-fried endive), nasi goreng (fried rice with leek)
- Veggie burger, sweet ’n sour beets with dill, endive-couscous rolls with goat’s cheese
- Friday: eating at my mother-in-law’s (so no need to plan anything :)
- Lunch today: my favourite tomato-fennel salad with fresh basil & olives, with some added lettuce for the occasion (although it’s better without)
Recipes are coming from several of my vegetarian cookbooks and 1 or 2 websites.
Fennel-tomato salad with fresh basil & olives
This may sound weird to you but I’m not really a fan of fennel. Still, this salad with tomato, fresh basil & olives is awesome! And darn easy. Just throw together the following ingredients:
- some cleaned and chopped up fennel,
- sweet tomatoes (the original recipe calls for cherry tomatoes but any ripe sweet tomato will do),
- fresh basil,
- black olives,
- ground pepper,
- and (white) wine vinegar.
You may choose to add some salt, depending on how salty your olives are. You can also sprinkle on a bit of extra virgin olive oil but there’s really no need.
Just a note on the side: eat this salad right away, do not let it sit for too long.
Enjoy!
I’ve submitted this post to Midnight Maniac’s Meatless Mondays!
4 reacties
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zondag 24 oktober 2010 bij 20:42
Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays {No.4} ♥ Midnight Maniac
[…] Fennel-Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil and Olives from Graasland […]
vrijdag 29 oktober 2010 bij 21:01
ezsrecipes
Hi there! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, and thanks for the tip about the soy sauce, I will definitely have to try that! :) I need to meal plan as well, it helps keep me organized, and if I do it efficiently I can go to the grocery store ONCE for the week and not have to make several trips. And, as you said, this way I don’t get too many veggies and end up having to throw a bunch away!
zaterdag 30 oktober 2010 bij 10:17
gnoegnoe
Indeed! You know I usually *do* go to the store once a week too? Next to picking up my csa veggies that is ;)
zondag 14 oktober 2012 bij 19:54
VeganMoFo Day 12 ~ A Vegan Taste of Greece Cookbook Review (TSS 14-10-2012) « Graasland
[…] got this surprisingly good fennel-tomato salad recipe and avocado is one of my favourite fruits, so I was eager to try a Greek recipe combining them. The […]