Start with your acorn squash since it takes a bit longer. Wash, slice in half stem to end, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Put in a baking dish and add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with melted butter (1 tbsp per squash half). This will cook for about 10 minutes while you get the chicken ready. When you put chicken in, make sure squash is on the lower rack and it’ll finish while the chicken cooks.
Now for the chicken. Cover a large baking sheet with foil and spray or brush with oil to prevent sticking.
Place chicken breasts on baking sheet. If using larger breasts, you can cut them in half lengthwise first.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and then generously smear with Dijon mustard (at least 1 tsp per breast). Then top with 1/2 slice Swiss cheese, one piece of deli ham (folded to fit), and then the other 1/2 piece of Swiss cheese. Pop into your oven for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is done. Here’s a pic of mine. NOTE: Make extra chicken with just salt and pepper for tomorrow night.
While the chicken is cooking, steam green beans with 1-2 tbsp water in a microwave-safe dish with a lid until they reach desired texture, about 6-8 min. Drain and add salt, pepper, & butter to taste.
Plate it all up. I serve a squash half on the plate and eat it right out of the skin. Add some tasty chicken and green beans and dig in!
Grocery Items
Chicken Breasts, boneless skinless (2 meals)
Deli Ham, thin
Swiss Cheese slices
Dijon Mustard (2 meals)
Acorn Squash
Green Beans, whole, fresh or frozen
Butter
Monday Menu
Chicken Pesto Pita “Calzones” with (leftover chicken)
Spinach
Prep
This is easy peasy and tasty! It’s not really a calzone, but we’re faking it with a pita pocket. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Depending on the size of the pitas, you’ll stuff 1/2-1 per person.
Thinly slice the chicken you roasted yesterday. Spread store-bought pesto generously on the inside bottom of the pita. Then layer chicken, a handful of spinach, and top with ~ 1/4 c shredded mozzarella and ~2 tbsp Parmesan per pocket.
Pop in the oven for about 10 minutes. There are no sides because we stuffed it all in the pita. You can serve with pizza sauce on the side for dipping. Yum-O!
Grocery Items
Pita Pockets
Pesto Sauce jarred
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Spinach, fresh
Pizza Sauce, of choice
Tuesday Menu
Pepper Steak with
Rice/Quinoa
The recipe serves ~4 but I usually make a double batch because it’s so yummy leftover as well.
Prep
Start your rice or quinoa using package instructions. I use chicken stock instead of water for more flavor. Note: Make enough for leftovers to use tomorrow as well.
Cut ~1 pound of flank steak into bite-sized pieces. Put into mixing bowl. Mix with 3 tbsp soy sauce (I use lite), 1 tbsp sherry cooking wine, & 1 tbsp cornstarch. Mix until coated. If you like the taste of ginger add just a bit (1/8-1/4 teaspoon) of powdered ginger and mix in. If you don’t like ginger, leave it out. Set steak aside.
Slice your peppers in half and then into about one-inch pieces.
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tbsp oil and saute peppers until desired doneness, about 5 min. I like them as they just start to get soft. Remove peppers from pan and set aside.
Using the same skillet, add a bit more oil and cook your meat with marinade over medium-high heat until done about 5 min. Add peppers back to skillet and mix together.
Serve pepper steak with your rice or quinoa. YUM.
Grocery Items
Quinoa (2 meals)
Flank Steak
Cornstarch
Sherry Cooking Wine
Lite Soy Sauce (2 meals)
Vegetable Oil
Bell Peppers, color of choice
Spice: Ginger, powdered (optional)
Wednesday Menu
Lemon Butter Cod with
Honey Carrots and
Rice/Quinoa (Leftover)
Cod is a simple and easy fish to “dress up”. It’s also not that hard to find.
Prep
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray or brush with oil to prevent sticking.
Place thawed cod fillets on foil. Season with salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash Table Blend (or similar) to taste. Place a 1/2 tbsp butter slice on each fillet and then two thin slices of lemon on top. Pop in the oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked through (all white and flaky).
While your fish is cooking, start your carrots. I used sliced frozen carrots for this. If you prefer fresh, just slice them into circles no thicker than 1/4″. Steam carrots with about 2 tbsp water in a microwave-safe dish with lid until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and add 1-2 tbsp butter, 1-2 tbsp honey, and salt and pepper to taste. NOTE: Make extra carrots to use tomorrow.
Serve your carrots and fish with warmed rice or quinoa from yesterday. I like to place the fish right on top of the quinoa on the plate. Pretty & tasty!
Grocery Items
Cod Fillets or similar, skinless, fresh or frozen
Butter
Lemons
Carrots, frozen or fresh (2 meals)
Honey
Spice: Mrs. Dash Table Blend or similar
Thursday Menu
Soy-Glazed Chicken Drummies
Spinach Salad
Honey Carrots (leftover)
Prep
These drummies take about 50 minutes to cook so get them started first. Preheat oven to 400 and line a 9 x 13 baking dish with foil.
Place your drumsticks in the pan. I don’t take the skin off because it provides such great flavor. If you don’t like it you can pull it off after it’s cooked.
Pepper your drummies. Melt 2 tbsp butter. Mix in 2 tbsp lite soy sauce, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Coat/brush mixture onto drummies. This should coat 8-12. Pop in oven uncovered for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove from oven and rotate drummies. Recoat them with glazed using what’s in the pan. Cook another 15-20 minutes until done.
While the drummies finish up, put your ready-to-go spinach on plates, top with cherry tomatoes, and dressing of choice.
Reheat your honey carrots in the micro and serve it all up. Dig in!
Grocery Items
Chicken drumsticks
Fresh Spinach
Butter
Garlic powder
Dijon mustard (if you need more)
Lite soy sauce (if you need more)
Salad dressing of choice
Cherry tomatoes
Friday Menu
Steak Night!
Sweet Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli
Steak night was a favorite dinner of mine growing up and it still is today.
Prep
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil. Give the potatoes a lil’ prick with a fork (or cut in half) and pop them in for about 45 minutes or until very soft to touch. I serve with butter, salt and pepper.
So pick the steak you want to cook/grill and cook.My basic seasoning is salt, pepper, and a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce. NOTE: Make extra steak for tomorrow’s salad without the Worcestershire sauce. I like to cook the steak for tomorrow a little less done.
Usually, I steam frozen broccoli florets in a microwave-safe dish with a lid until tender (~6 minutes per 12-16 oz bag if frozen, less if fresh). Drain and add butter, salt/pepper to taste. Dust with a little grated parm. What a lovely meal!
Grocery Items
Flat Iron, or steak of choice (2 meals)
Sweet potatoes
Broccoli florets, fresh/frozen
Butter
Worcestershire sauce
Grated parmesan, if desired
Saturday Menu
Thai Steak Peanut Salad (using leftover steak)
Peanut butter cookie
Prep
Slice your leftover steak into bite-sized pieces.
Mix together 3 tbsp light soy sauce, the juice of one lime, 1/4 c olive oil, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tsp chili sauce (like Sriracha sauce), 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp powdered ginger (if you have). This will make about 4 servings of dressing. Leftovers can hang in the fridge about a week.
Get your salad together. If you still have leftover spinach you can use that otherwise use lettuce/mixed greens of choice. Top with shredded carrots and tomatoes.
In a skillet or microwave gently reheat the steak with 2-3 tbsp of your dressing. Once warmed through top your salad and use your dressing to top. Sprinkle with peanuts (about 2 tbsp per salad).
I’ll be eating a peanut butter cookie as a side. The sweet and spicy combo sounds delish. Enjoy!
