Olé! We are officially entering margarita weather, and I can’t wait to share a recipe for a healthy(ish) jalapeno and mint version later this week. We are working towards the finish line of summer, but first there are dance recitals, baseball playoffs and finals. One foot in front of the other, soldiers. I feel like the best way to keep my kiddos in their routine is for me to stick to mine. And that means weeknight dinners planned ahead. If you don’t typically meal plan, I promise it will save you headache and stress later in the week. Give it a shot one week and let me know how it goes. Here’s our meal plan for the week:
MONDAY
We typically have meatless Monday at our house, and we have a refrigerator full of vegetables to use up. I’m cooking a big batch of slow cooker tortilla soup on Monday and may freeze half for an easy dinner later this month. I typically use shredded chicken in this soup, but tomorrow it will be vegetable based. I also have a whole chicken that needs to be used up, so we’re cheating and having chicken on the side. I brined it in buttermilk and added a generous amount of salt and pepper. It will make for a tasty roasted bird. If you’re curious about cooking times, you can follow the directions in my spatchcocked chicken recipe. You’ll just need to cut out the spine and flatten the chicken on a sheetpan; directions are in the recipe.
TUESDAY
I’m teaching at Central Market tonight for a MS fundraiser, and can’t wait to cook with a big group of mothers and daughters. I’ll be teaching them how to make tuna tartare, green gazpacho, summer farro risotto, Thai lime beef, coconut macaroons and other delicious treats. Back at the home front, my husband requested Asian short ribs in the slow cooker, which is perfect because I can put it together during mid-day and it will be ready for my troops at dinner. Follow my Instagram stories on Tuesday for a peak at how it gets put together.
WEDNESDAY
Chicken coconut curry with spinach and carrots. We’ll be following this coconut curry in a hurry recipe from Epicurious.com. The recipe calls for spinach leaves, but you can use chopped kale, arugula or bok choy. I may add some turmeric and a small amount of red chili paste to the recipe. Serve over basmati rice and top with cilantro and lime.
THURSDAY
Weeknight meatballs with gluten-free spaghetti and Rao’s marinara. I froze a batch of my easy weeknight meatballs a while back, so I’ll throw them in the crock pot and cook them on low all day. My shortcut meatballs recipe is based on this one from Lucinda Scala Quinn, but I use mild Italian sausage in replace of plain ground pork (which means the meat is already seasoned and flavorful). This meatball recipe is paleo and Whole 30 (but serve it over spinach or cauliflower rice). Here’s my version:
1/3 cup coconut milk, microwaved for 45 seconds
2 slices gluten-free bread (such as Glutino)
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 pound ground grass-fed beef
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano (omit to make the recipe dairy-free)
Soak the bread in the warm coconut milk for a couple minutes. Mash it up with fingers and add to a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Mix well and use an ice cream scoop to portion onto a sheet pan. Cook in a 400-degree preheated oven until the inside of the meatball reaches 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.
FRIDAY
Cinco de Mayo. I’m thinking kale guacamole, creamy chicken taquitos and margaritas. Or pork shoulder carnitas in the slow cooker with salsa verde and pickled red onions.
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