A Week of Vegan Dinners for New Moms from Sweet Potato Soul’s Jenné Claiborne

Returning to work from family leave can be tough — you’re navigating a new schedule, getting minimal sleep, and trying to reacclimatize to work. All this when it’s suddenly more important than ever to nourish yourself well. This week, prolific blogger, cookbook author, and new mom Jenné Claiborne — who joins us as part of our freshly launched Kitchn Collective — is sharing a week of easy, delicious, vegan dinners that she’s leaning on to make her entry into the life of a working parent easier.

One thing about motherhood is it focuses you: These days I take meal planning even more seriously than ever. And as someone who still needs to get work done, it’s super important for my meal plan to include nourishing meals that are — I can’t stress this enough — not difficult to make. A couple of these dishes take less than 15 minutes. Others take a little longer, but are still low-lift.

But they can’t be solely about convenience: They need to be tasty and nourishing as well. I’m looking to pack plenty of vegetables into every meal to help stay energized, and feeling my best; I’m pretty sleep-deprived taking care of my 7-month-old baby. My meal plan for next week checks all the boxes. Here’s what it looks like.

This is one of my favorite meals, and I’ve been making it once a week since my daughter was born. It’s a super-flavorful, super-easy recipe that lets you roast the vegetables (so they’re extra tasty) while the rest cooks in the Instant Pot. 

Get the recipe: Tempeh Tikka Masala

This hearty pasta dish is packed with veggies and takes less than 15 minutes to make. Broccolini and mushrooms make it both nutritious and delicious. 

Get the recipe: Broccolini Mushroom Linguine 

This simple salad can be made in as few as five minutes. I make sure to have the ingredients on hand at all times in case I am running very late. It’s filling, balanced, and tasty!

Get the recipe: Mediterranean Salad

These are definitely my favorite veggie burgers. Beets, black beans, rice, and walnuts taste delicious together and give it the most delightful texture. Double this recipe, or triple it if you can. They freeze really well too. 

Get the recipe: World’s Best Black Bean Burger

I’m a big fan of pairing roasted vegetables with raw ones. This hearty salad is paired with a tangy grapefruit pomegranate dressing that you’ll want to use on everything. Feel free to swap out the arugula for other greens. 

Get the recipe: Sweet Potato Arugula Salad

• The Beginner’s Guide to Meal Planning: What to Know, How to Succeed, and What to Skip
• The Best Way to Use a Weekend for Meal Planning Success
• Ask Yourself These 5 Questions Before You Start Meal Planning
• 5 Strategies for Picking Recipes for a Week of Meal Planning

Click below to get more tips, insights, and ideas from our Meal Plan Club crew and readers like you.

Meal planning isn’t always easy — especially if you’re just getting started. But we’re firm believers that it’s the secret to stress-free weeknight dinners. We want to help you find inspiration and ease some of the pain points that come with getting dinner on the table night after night, whether you’re cooking one or a family of four or five. Every week we share a new meal plan solution specifically customized for you from reader requests or from a guest contributor, for Next Week’s Meal Plan!