Weekly Meal Plan // Week of March 3

MONDAY

It’s cold and grey here in Houston. Vegetarian chili for the win! You don’t really need a recipe for this, just an onion, canned beans and tomatoes. But here’s an outline to get you started:

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 red, yellow or white onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes with their juices
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can pinto or chili beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth or water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
• Lime juice, to taste
• Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, grated jack or cheddar cheese, etc.

Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and sauté the onion. Add the vegetables and sauté, sprinkling with salt and pepper while they cook. Add the garlic and spices and stir until fragrant. Add the drained beans, broth, tomatoes and bay leaf and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice, cilantro and toppings.

TUESDAY

For Taco Tuesday, I’m excited to try 4-ingredient sweet potato enchiladas from my friend Katie of Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. It will be a packed day: workout, cooking class, college admissions speaker, and scout meeting. This will be the perfect effortless dinner that I know everyone will love. Serve with a big green salad on the side.

WEDNESDAY

Ever since I saw this come across my email, I’ve been wanting to give it a try. Sheet pan “wedding chicken” marinates all day, so throw some chicken thighs in a bowl and toss them with the marinade in the morning. Serve with coconut lime cauliflower rice or steamed sushi rice and oven roasted broccolini with red chili flakes and lemon.

Roasted Broccolini with Lemon and Red Pepper Flakes

• 2 heads broccolini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the broccolini on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the florets in the olive oil to combine and sprinkle the vegetables with red pepper flakes, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes until the broccolini is slightly crispy. Remove the baking sheet from oven and squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top of the broccolini.

THURSDAY

Instant Pot short ribs with polenta. I get my Farmhouse Delivery Wednesday so I’ll cook up some seasonal veggies as a side. To get a discount on your order, use the code SMART when you sign up.

FRIDAY

Spring break! Thank goodness. It’s time for a break and a breather. No sports, homework or activities for 10 whole days. We’re going out to celebrate, but if you’re home I think you should cook up a cozy batch of weeknight bolognese and put your feet up.