Weekly Family Meal Plan – 10 October

Enjoy this week’s meal plan. I would love to hear suggestions or feedback. My goal it to inspired, educate and make things just a little bit easier for everyone. Don’t forget about the date night meal – This week Steak Frites, which is just Fries with Steak, so simple and so good. Don’t worry, I won’t forget to add some greens to the meal. I am going to go live again this Thursday around 8, so don’t forget to follow me on social media for all the details!

Meal 1: Spaghetti Squash/Spaghetti with meatballs  and broccoli or salad

Meal 2: Mongolian Beef with rice 

Meal 3: Date night meal: Steak Frites – french for steak with fries, and salad 

Meal 4: Shredded pork carnitas/tacos with mango slaw salad 

Meal 5: Chicken and Corn Chowder and breadsticks 

Meal 6: Chopped Salad with roast potatoes and grilled chicken, or extra steak from Date night, or white beans. 

Bonus: Pumpkin Biscotti 

Lunch Ideas: 

1. Take leftovers from the night before. 
2. Make extra mango slaw salad.  It holds up really well.  You could pack it with poached chicken, or extra steak from the date night meal. 
3. Make the chopped salad but do not toss with dressing.  If you have “wet” ingredients like tomatoes, just put them on the bottom of container or right before eating.  The moisture will make the salad go bad fast. Store in a container and add dressing right before eating. 

Tips for easier cooking :  

Meal 1:  After you split the squash in half, and scoop out seeds, roast the squash at 400 split side down on a baking sheet, lightly oiled until the squash easily pulls was from the peel. Usually 30-40 minutes. Broccoli or salad are a perfect side for this meal as well.  You can also make this meal even easier for yourself by adding the raw meatballs strait to the pot of sauce on the stove. Feel free to use whatever brand of jarred sauce you love as well.  Adding the meatballs makes the sauce super flavorful.  Make sure your pan is not too hot while cooking otherwise it will scorch.   Also, be gentle while stirring the pot, you can break the meatballs before they are cooked. 

Meal 2: This meal comes together very quickly.  I love adding more veggies to the dish like snap peas, shredded carrots, and peppers are all good additions.  If you want to keep the price down a little or have ground meat on hand you can use this instead. Crumbled tofu is a good option as well. Y

Meal 3: Date night meal:  This meal is fun, so delicious and comes together so easily since you are only making two portions.  I have a great recipe for oven baked fries if you want to try that instead of deep frying them, which is my choice.  Splurge on a good steak and bottle of wine.   Any green salad would go well with it, but a pear salad with pecans is a favorite especially for this time of year as pears are just coming in season. 

Meal 4:  You can’t go wrong with Tacos.  Pork butt/shoulder are two great cuts for this, you can throw it into the crockpot early in the morning or even use the instant pot.  I think the star of this dinner is the slaw salad.  Crunch, sweet, and full of flavor.  It is perfected served on top of corn tortillas.  You can use the recipe I have posted with the grilled chicken and slaw salad

Meal 5:  This is totally a fall comfort food meal.  You can up the vegetables by adding red peppers and carrots if you would like.  The author suggests chicken thighs but you could use rotisserie chicken, or shredded chicken breast you have on hand.  We also do not use the coconut milk but half and half, and thicken with cornstarch not arrowroot powder.  If you have time, these breadsticks are amazing. If not, no worries just buy some from the store or even a loaf of crusty bread to sop up the soup. 

Meal 6:  This salad is such a fun way to get the kids involved.  If they help with the salad they might be more likely to eat it!  Roast any potatoes you like or even butternut squash for a delicious addition.  It is great with leftover pork from tacos night, grilled chicken or leftover steak from date night. 

Bonus: Pumpkin biscotti.  The recipe is not difficult.  Just takes time in the oven so you need to plan ahead. Super yummy and kid favorite.

Happy cooking this week.

Cook Well, Eat Well, Live Well