Weekly Meal Plan // February 2021 // Week 2

Super Bowl Snacks and Easy Weeknight Meals

SUNDAY

Our Super Bowl menu hasn’t evolved much over time. A pot of weeknight chili, buffalo wings, seven layer dip (I don’t add the cream cheese in the linked recipe) and some lower carb dippers like bell pepper slices, celery sticks and cucumbers cut on the diagonal.

MONDAY

Tuna poke with ginger, jalapeño and avocado. Make some edamame or steamed broccoli for a veggie side and serve over jasmine or sushi rice.

TUESDAY

We have a heart-healthy menu tonight thanks to a NCL Zoom class. Farro risotto with roasted vegetables, kale caesar and warm chocolate filo triangles. These are cooking class recipes, so the links aren’t on my site. But here’s the farro risotto.

Winter Farro Risotto

If you’re making this risotto during the week, you can pre-roast the vegetables on the weekend and keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. Or if picky eaters are involved, keep the roasted vegetables on the side and serve the farro with butter and parmesan.

• 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup small cauliflower florets, long stalks diced
• 1 head of fennel, cored and chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup uncooked farro (I use quick cooking)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 4 T grated Parmesan
• 1 T flat-leaf Italian parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. On a large sheet pan, add the cauliflower, fennel, and cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the olive oil and kosher salt. Roast for 30 minutes in top of the oven. Set aside.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 3 minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Add the farro and sauté for a couple minutes, just long enough to coat the farro with the onions and garlic. Pour the chicken stock into the skillet and bring to a boil. Once the stock starts to simmer, turn the heat down to medium and stir occasionally for 40-45 minutes. While cooking, add more stock if needed to make sure the farro doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the vegetables and stir to combine. Add butter and Parmesan and stir until melted. If needed, season with salt and pepper.  Spoon into individual bowls and garnish with parsley.

WEDNESDAY

It’s a busy work week (which for me means lots of cooking) and I want an easy night. Ground beef taco meat to the rescue. Everyone can make their own taco, salad or bowl.

THURSDAY

Tonight I’m teaching a cooking class with some of my “tried-and-true” favorite family meals. Weeknight lasagna, baked chicken taquitos and quick lamb ragu. All of these freeze great. I usually freeze the lasagna unbaked, the ragu can be frozen after it’s cooked and cooled and the taquitos should be under baked by a couple minutes and then frozen.

FRIDAY

We will have plenty of leftovers heading into the weekend! I’m putting up my feet and making one of these.