List of Ideas for Weekly Meal Prep

Chicken

Fajitas

Piccata with rice or noodles

Whitney BBQ sauce

Teriyaki sauce

Chicken and rice

Enchiladas

Roast chicken

Souvlaki

Pancit

Roast chicken 

Clinkerdagger

Chicken salad (Ina)

Morrocan chicken

Chicken chow mein

Potstickers

Zuni chicken

Chicken lettuce cups (GP)

Chicken meatballs (GP)

Chicken Curry
Chicken Marbella

Chicken Paillard

Apricot chicken with coconut rice

Beef

Steak

Hot dog

Flank steak

Turkey

Chili

Tacos

Pork

Pork chops

Ma Pa Tofu

Suausage rice bowl

Pork tenderloin with green peppercorn sauce

Pork stroganoff

Ternderloin - Clare

BBQ pork sliders

Shredded pork tacos

Burgers

Beef burgers

Feta spinach turkey burgers

BBQ chicken burgers

Ground chicken burgers (Amy)

Ground chicken burgers with feta & spinach (Marion)

Black bean burgers (GOOP)

Black bean burgers (Pamela Saltzman)

Lamb

Lamb chops on the grill

Lamb sauasage from Belcampo on the grill (with white beans and sauteed kale)

Pasta

Butter & cheese

Red sauce 

Pesto

Mizithra and browned butter

Pecorino & swiss chard

Puttanesca

Lasagna

Mac & cheese

Carbonara

Pasta w/roasted peppers and feta (Amanda)

Sorellas (fresh tomato sauce, feta)

Seafood

Salmon with mustard sauce

Carmines halibut

Black bean prawns (Uncle Mike)

Sue’s sauteed prawns

Simple sole (butter & lemon)

Fish tacos (Marly sauce)

Soup

Tomato soup

Chicken noodle

Minestrone

Lemongrass chicken soup (GP)

Spicy tomato lentil soup (Heather Christo)

Split pea with ham

Eggs

Fried rice with a fried egg

Breakfast for dinner
Frittata - zucchini, goat cheese and mama lies peppers
Marion's quiche
Beans on toast with a fried egg

Vegetarian

Enchiladas (Diana Wooton)

Salt & pepper tofu

Roasted cauliflower with pickled raisins & quinoa

Vegetarian Bratwurst & sauerkraut

Cous cous with beans & cauliflower (Marly)

Cauliflower & red kidney beans with brown rice (blog)

Madhur Jaffrey lentils, rice, veggies

Black bean green enchiladas

Sandwiches

Grilled bacon and cheese

Paninis

Tunafish

Egg salad

Salads

Nicoise salad

Chicken caesar

Nancy’s chopped salad

Larry chicken, celery, olive salad

Kale options 

-      Heather Christo (pecorino, almonds, shallot, lemon)

-      McKenzi Cabo (bread crumbs, parm, garlic, chili flakes)

-      PCC Caesar (croutons, parm, Caesar)

-      Gwyneth Paltrow (tahini, almonds, tomatoes, croutons good too)

-      Gjelina (radish, fennel, bread crumbs, ricotta salata)

-      Northern Spy (squash, cheddar)

-      Molly Shearer (dates, almonds, parm)

-      Golden Beetle (chickpeas, preserved lemon, sumac) – served warm

-      Marly Green Beans & Kale (beans, feta, soy sauce) – served warm or cold

-      Smitten Kitchen (quinoa, sour cherries, dill, green onion)

-      Le Gourmandise Asian kale salad with chicken 

Marly's Mixed Salad

Yet another great salad Marly whipped up that I quickly re-created at home....

Arugula

Kale

Romaine

Parmesan

Figs, chopped

Dressing

1T Dijon

1T balsamic

1 lemon

1 garlic clove, minced and smashed into paste

1 t honey

Olive oil

Nancy's Chopped Salad

Photo and recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

Michael and I fell in love with Nancy's Chopped Salad at Pizzeria Mozza so many years ago. It is still one of my favorites all these years later and I love to make it at home. I recently made it as a side dish for a dinner party and then a few days later for the main course for lunch when we hosted friends for the day. It's always a hit, and very easy to hold items and toss in later if you have a vegetarian or dairy free friend. 

Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower with Quinoa & Pickled Golden Raisins

This is a delicious recipe from my cooking class at The Gourmandise School. The original recipe was for cauliflower steaks but I think it's easier to just roast it. 

PICKLED RAISINS

½ cup white vinegar

Pinch of sea salt

1 t sugar (maybe more)

¼ t coriander seeds

½ cup golden raisins

Warm the vinegar, salt, sugar and coriander seed. Taste and adjust as necessary. Pour over the raisins and let sit for at least one hour.

The recipe calls for honey but a friend told me not to heat honey because it becomes toxic so I swapped for sugar. 

QUINOA

1 cup quinoa

1 cup chicken stock *

1 cup water

Large pinch Kosher salt

1 T salted butter *

Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve. Place the quinoa, stock, water and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes. Check to see if all the liquid was absorbed and add butter when it's ready to go. 

* swap veggie stock for chicken stock and skip the butter if you want it to be vegan.

CAULIFLOWER

½  yellow onion, diced

2 T olive oil

2 t ground turmeric (or more)

1/2 t cumin

1 t Kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets

4 whole garlic cloves

Heat oven to 425 or 450. Cut up the cauliflower and throw in a big bowl. Toss with garlic cloves, olive oil, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. Put cauliflower on a cookie sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes. While that cooks, dice the onion and toss in the same bowl with a little more olive oil, turmeric, salt and pepper. After the 8-10 minutes, take out and toss in the onions. Put back in the oven and cook for another 8-12 minutes until cauliflower is starting to brown.

To serve, spoon the quinoa onto plates. Top with onions and cauliflower and garnish with pickled raisins.

Salad I Miss from Home

Vif was always one of my favorite Seattle restaurants to stop in alone for a quick lunch or go with friends and sit for hours. One of their staples is the Chicory salad and it's so good. I had it Saturday in Seattle and had to have it tonight. I have to say, I nailed it. The only thing missing was their delicious crouton crumbles. Since I didn't have the croutons, I served with some light rye crackers spread with salted butter. YUM!

I took the lead from Vif and served with a 6 minute poached egg. 

Vif Chicory Salad

Mixed Chicory blend
Fennel, very thinly sliced
Parmesan shavings
Crouton crumbles (or even some toasted breadcrumbs)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic
Olive oil
Garlic, minced and smashed into a paste with salt
Dijon
Salt & pepper

Optional
6 minute poached egg

Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe (w/ Capellini Noodles)

I have always served Chicken Piccata with white rice but my new favorite way (thanks to Carla!) is with capellini noodles. I double the sauce and pour it over the noodles. It's amazing. Recipe from my weekly cooking class at The Gourmandise.

CHICKEN PICCATA

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded thin)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

All-purpose flour, for dredging 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 

1/2 cup chicken stock 

1/4 cup capers 

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate.

3. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

4. Add lemon juice, stock and capers to pan and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Taste and season. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter.

5. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Potstickers with Chicken & Chives

From The Gourmandise cooking class...

12-15 dumpling skins
corn starch mixed with water for sealing
vegetable oil for browning

Filling

1/2 lb ground dark meat chicken
2 scallions - thinly sliced
2 t soy sauce
1 t oyster sauce
1/2 t sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg yolk
2 t corn starch
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Combine all ingredients

Assembly

Put a spoonful of the mixture in the middle of the dumpling. Dip your finger in the corn starch mixture and run along the outer edge. Fold over the dumpling and either pinch the edges or just press together depending on the look you want.

In a large non-stick pan, heat 2 T oil over medium heat. Place the dumplings flat side down in the hot pan and brown. Flip and brown the other side. Pour about 1/4 cup water into the pan and cover the pan to steam. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.

Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 t rice vinegar
1 t sugar
1 t chili paste

Also good dipped in sriracha

If you double the filling and use 1 lb of meat you can get about 33 potstickers. 

* photo shown with ground pork but they are definitely better with ground chicken

Kanna's Banana Pancakes

A babysitter from Seattle taught me this recipe years ago. I LOVE them. They are so sweet and light. 

Kanna's Banana Pancakes

1 medium ripe banana (or very ripe works too)
2 eggs
1/8 t baking powder 
1/8 t salt
1/4 t vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamon

Mash banana until no lumps (pudding consistency). Add other ingredients except the eggs. Whisk the eggs and pour over the banana mixture. Stir until completely combined. 

(I usually mash the banana and then throw everything in a blender.)

Heat the griddle to medium and melt butter or coconut oil. Drop batter on griddle and cook for roughly one minute or until lightly browned. Flip gently since they are delicate, and brown the other side. Serve with syrup, honey or jam. 

I eat them plain because they are so sweet. 

Mackay's Delicious Green Salad

This salad paired perfectly with our Farmshop fried chicken dinner for the end-of-year baseball party. Also great for any BBQ because it's pretty light but very flavorful. 

Mackay's Salad

Romaine
Croutons from Bay Cities
Grape tomatoes
Carrot shavings

Dressing:
2 T mayo (we used Veganaise)
2 t dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mild or extra light olive oil (I used 1/2 cup olive oil)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Italian Wedding Soup

I made the NYT's Italian Wedding Soup recipe last night and it was quite easy and good. I used homemade chicken stock which definitely helped with the flavor. I don't know that I would have liked it with store-bought stock. Next time I might add carrot, celery and some garlic.

The meatballs were delicious though. I made a double batch and used some for the soup, some for lunch today with tzatziki, and am using the rest in pasta tonight.

The Modern Proper's Stuffed Pasta Shells

I've been craving lasagna lately but holding out for my mom's since it's the best ever. To tied myself over until she makes it for me, I tried this recipe for Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells and it was easy and hit the spot. 

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I've been trying to find the secret to roasted sweet potatoes that are crispy and not soggy. This recipe for Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries from Cookie & Kate was better than other recipes I've tried. I will try the corn starch trick again and adjust the temp and timing slightly. Delicious though with chimichurri sauce. 

GP's Mr. Chow-Style Minced Chicken with Lettuce Leaves

I'm obsessed with the Mr. Chow-Style Minced Chicken with Lettuce Leaves from Gwyneth's cookbook It's All Good. So flavorful. I love the mix of sweet and spicy with the Hoisin and Sriracha. I used store bought for both to save time. 

I served with Asian sautéed cabbage. I usually do the cabbage with garlic and ginger slices, sriracha, chicken stock and soy sauce/tamari. 

Amy's Chicken Burgers

My friend Amy told me about this chicken burger recipe. It's a good way to sneak some veggies in a burger and so delicious with the kimchi.

Chicken Burgers

Ground chicken

Shallot

Celery

Spinach

Kale

Garlic salt

Onion powder

Salt

Pepper

1 egg

bread crumbs

garlic chili paste (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Pan fry patties in olive oil and butter until brown. Place in oven to cook through for roughly 10 minutes.

Serve with kimchi

Gwyneth Paltrow's Zuni Sheet Pan Chicken

Thanks to my friend Stacy this has become a staple in my house. I make it regularly for a great dinner with lots of leftovers. I also made it for our New Year's Eve dinner party to serve a group. The best part is definitely the torn up baguette after it gets crispy and flavorful in the pan. I usually skip the anchovies but always serve with the arugula, dressing from pan drippings, and lemon wedges. Also great served with GP's polenta with roasted tomatoes and burrata. 

 Zuni Sheet Pan Chicken

from Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Easy cookbook

Smitten Kitchen - Fast & Delicious Dinner

From now on, every time I make rice, I will make extra so I can make this Smitten Kitchen recipe the next night:

Crispy Rice and Egg Bowl with Ginger-Scallion Vinaigrette

It was such a fast meal and so delicious. I used white rice, skipped the cucumber and did half the dressing since I knew my kids wouldn't eat it. Loved it!

My New Favorite Green Beans - Greek Style

I am obsessed with these green beans. My friend Maria's dad made them for us with green beans from his garden and they were amazing. I've been making them every week with green beans from the farmers market. They are delicious!

Per Maria's suggestion I added some chili flakes. I used only one onion, roughly a pound of beans, and then basically did everything else to the measurements given. I'm a sucker for sauce. I also added some slivered garlic. Next time I want to try adding the Yukon Gold potatoes.

Thank you Maria!!!

Tricolore Salad

I had a tricolore salad at Toscana and have been making it ever since. It's such a no-brainer. It's healthy, delicious, and easy. Perfect side salad when you want to focus more attention on other parts of the meal.

Tricolore

Arugula
Belgian endive - sliced 1" thick
Treviso radicchio - thinkly sliced or cut into small chunks
Shaved  Parmigiano-Reggiano
Olive oil
Balsamic oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Farmers Market Salad

My friend whipped Jen whipped this up with all the stuff I had in the fridge from the farmers market. It was very light, healthy and delicious. 

Salad

Gem lettuces

Cherry tomatoes

Mint

Basil

Ricotta salata

Pea shoots

Dressing (inspired by a Smitten Kitchen salad)

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoons smooth Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse Dijon mustard
Just shy of 1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cece's Favorite Steak

Great recipe from our friend Cassie for seared steak.

1-1.5" thick New York steak

olive oil

1t garlic salt

1t Italian seasoning

1t paprika

1. Set the steak at room temp for 10 minutes

2. Rub both sides with olive oil

3. Combine seasoning in a bowl, then rub onto both sides of the steak

4. Heat a small pan on medium high heat

5. Grill on each side for 3-5 minutes

6. Let sit on a plate to rest for 5 minutes

7. Enjoy!

Tomato Red Lentil Soup with Dill

Great recipe for Tomato Red Lentil Soup with Dill. I used half water and half chicken stock. Definitely used more than called for and next time I will use even more. I like it a little more brothy than thick. Loved the flavor of this soup, especially all the dill.

Kale & Quinoa Salad with Ricotta Salata

I have never made this Kale & Quinoa Salad with Ricotta Salata but my friends Marly and Jen have both made it and I can never get enough. It's on my list to make this month. Lots of steps but so worth it in the end and it stays for days. I think Jen subbed feta or goat cheese instead of ricotta salata. I think mizithra would work too. Enjoy!

Northern Spy Kale Salad

The Northern Sky Kale Salad is another great one to have in your files. Great fall or winter salad. It can also be found in the Genius Recipes cookbook which I really enjoy. Lots of good recipes in there. 

Kale Salad with Dates, Parmesan & Almonds

Kale Salad with Dates, Parmesan & Almonds from Epicurious

My friend Molly brought this salad to a baseball potluck and I was instantly obsessed. I've made it countless times since, for myself and for friends on many occasions. It's always a hit. Sometimes I add Dubliner cheddar and/or little chunks of crisp red apple. As with most kale salads you can dress it ahead of time. One of my favorite kale salads of all time!

This dressing is also great leftover and thrown on some baby arugula leaves with shaved parmesan. Been eating that as a side for days.

Baked Garlic & Ginger Chicken Drumsticks

We are all loving this recipe for Baked Garlic & Ginger Chicken Drumsticks. I made it for the first time a few weeks ago and my son, who isn't a big meat eater, took one bite and said, "I think I am going to have to have seconds." It's such a big win when kids and adults all love the same main course. By the end of dinner we were all fighting over who would get the leftovers the next day. It was so good. 

The second time I made it, I timed myself and it took less than 10 minutes to prep. I used a Vitamix blender to prep the sauce, then marinated the chicken for a few hours in a Ziploc. Throw in a baking dish and cook while you prep the rest of dinner. So easy.

Since I took the meat off the bones for my kids, I used the bones for a great chicken stock. Great recipe all around.

New Favorite Snack: Chia Pudding Yogurt Bowl

I am obsessed with this as part of my lunch or as an afternoon snack. It's just a little bit sweet and hits the spot while also being healthy and filling. Chia seeds are so good for you and are said to be higher in antioxidant activity than blueberries. A great snack that is also great for you.

Chia Pudding Yogurt Bowl

Vanilla yogurt 

Chia seeds

Almond milk (I use regular or vanilla rather than unsweetened)

Slivered almonds, toasted

To make the chia pudding, combine chia seeds and almond milk. Stir to combine, then refrigerate to set for a few minutes. Layer yogurt, chia pudding and nuts. Enjoy!

You could also add toasted coconut, berries or cinnamon. 

Garlic Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

I am obsessed with this chicken. I have probably made it more than anything else in the last 2 years. It's fast, easy, delicious and the kids love it as much as me.

When I make this for the kids, I will serve with brown rice and a vegetable. For me, I roast broccoli and make a kale caesar. Great dinner.

Garlic Terikayaki Chicken Thights

boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt & pepper
Coconut Aminos Garlic Sauce
Coconut Aminos Teriyaki Sauce

Sausage Spinach Rice Bowl

I loved this recipe for Sausage Spinach Rice Bowls from Cooking Light. Made with pork sausage instead of turkey sausage for more flavor. Will make again and again. So easy and very good.

Egg & Ricotta Sandwich

Another great recipe from Genius Recipes: 

SHIP'S BISCUIT

Focaccia sandwich with ricotta and soft scrambled eggs

Feta Spinach Turkey Burgers

Got this great recipe from my friend Marion. My son and I gobbled them up. So good!

Feta Spinach Turkey Burgers

1lb ground turkey
4-6oz feta cheese
1/2 cup spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/3 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
1 T garlic, minced
1 t oregano (I used fresh)
1 t basil (I used dried)
salt (little bit since feta is salty)
fresh ground pepper
olive oil

Preheat BBQ on high.

Saute onion in some olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes. (Onion and garlic doesn't need to be fully cooked. I just do it out of habit.) Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix with your hands. Form into little patties (4 large or 5 smaller). Brush the burgers with a little olive oil.

Throw on the grill and lower heat to medium-high. Once browned with good grill marks, flip and grill on the other side. Lower temp to medium to make sure they get cooked through but don't burn.

Brush buns with butter and brown to golden on the grill or under a broiler.

Serve and enjoy!

Great Summer Salad

Great summer salad. Served with chicken palliard for a perfect dinner.

Greek Salad

Jen Young

Romaine

Olive oil

Good balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Dill

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Red onion

Kalamata olives

Feta