Alexandra Jamieson is one of the brightest vegans I know, a quality that is probably at least partly responsible for her landing the gig writing Vegan Cooking for Dummies. Well, now Alex — who you can hear on an early episode of our podcast — has undertaken yet another exciting, fun, and useful project.
Week in a Weekend has the potential to reach two important demographics: 1) vegans who are too busy to spend hours each day cooking healthy food, and 2) non-vegans who want to learn all about the deliciousness and accessibility of vegan cooking (and who also might lead very busy lives and need a plan of action). Clearly, I fit like a glove into category 1, which is why I’m hungry for some Week in a Weekend.
a tiny sample of the meal plan from Week 2
Week in a Weekend is an innovative program that helps you plan, shop, and cook — allowing you to “tame the hassles of preparing your week’s meals” — so that you can “reclaim hours in your week.” So basically, the goal is that you’ll spend a few hours on the weekend planning your family’s week of eating, and then, come Monday-Friday, your meals will be easy-peasy. You’ve already done most of the work, so now you have all that extra time to write that letter to the editor, leaflet on Main Street, or volunteer at your nearby sanctuary or shelter.
For an incredibly reasonable $8.97 a week (you only need to purchase one at a time), you receive: a menu guide and chart; shopping list (for families of 2 or 4); recipe e-book and tip sheet; instructional video by Healthy Chef Alex herself; as well as bonus tutorials, such as Cooking Great Whole Grains Every Time (which I need to watch this immediately, trust me — crunch crunch).
I was lucky enough to have a sneak peek into the second week of Week in a Weekend, and I’ve got to tell you, I was truly blown away by the video. In addition to having extremely high production quality (Alex is clearly a natural on screen — she was a co-star of Super Size Me, and has even been on Oprah), the accessibility of the information Alex shares is remarkable. It’s kind of like an interactive Cliff’s Notes. She tells you everything you need to know, from what kind of containers to buy (and suggestions on where to get them — including thrift stores, which I very much appreciated), to tips for proper freezing, to — of course — demonstrating the recipes. Remember, all of the recipes are also given to you in a handy-dandy guide. And you get a copy of your meal plan for the week, plus a detailed shopping list.
Some of the meals for Week 2 included Quinoa Porridge with Raisins and Nuts (hello, breakfast tomorrow), Italian Macaroni Casserole, Corn and Kidney Bean Chili with Salad and Tahini Orange Dressing, and my go-to snack, Kale Chips!
One thing I love about Week in a Weekend is that Alex is loud and unabashed about her veganism, and through this program, she is effectively using her skills to reach non-vegans (this woman can cook, believe me). It’s absolutely true that the best way to reach people is through their stomachs, and with Week in a Weekend, Alex Jamieson is doing her part and then some.