Meal Plan Monday

June 11, 2018

Posted In: Lifestyle | Recipes

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared a meal plan here, and that is because (to be totally honest) I haven’t been doing much meal planning at all!

My work schedule totally changed in the past 6 weeks and it threw me off my game a little! I finally feel like I am adjusting, and I have made it my mission this week to get back in the meal plan game.

While I can get by without one, not having a plan makes my evenings feel more flustered and we end up not eating dinner until after 8, which leads to a later bedtime, and things just spiral down from there.

So I am sharing this here partly to motivate myself, and also because seeing others’ meal plans always helps inspire me…I can’t be the only one that loves to see grocery hauls and meal plans in my Instagram feed, can I? 😉

Already, just getting this weeks menu up on the fridge is making me feel more prepared, organized, and ready to take on the week. This week, Travis gets to take FULL credit for our menu, because he came up with all 5 meals. That is a win-win for me…I don’t have to put any thought into it, and Travis will be a happy camper come dinner time! (Not that he isn’t always grateful for the food I make, but it always helps when we are eating his favorites!)

The key to our menu this week is that I am trying to use up as much of the lettuce and zucchini from our garden as I can. They are growing out of control and I can’t keep up! Just waiting for the tomatoes to come in and I will be a happy gardener!

Monday

Chicken Parmesan

This was at the top of Travis’s request list, so we are starting the week off on a high note! I thought I had a recipe for it here on the blog, but I guess I never actually posted one! That will definitely have to happen soon.

I basically follow this recipe, from Against All Grain, although I pretty much have it etched in my memory at this point. I think it was one of the early Paleo (ish) recipes I made when I first went grain free back in the day.

If you don’t do cheese, you can honestly just leave it out! It turns into breaded chicken cutlets with marinara sauce and it is still delicious!

I’ll be serving the Chicken Parmesan over zucchini noodles (aka zoodles) as a way to keep it low carb AND use up a bunch of our zucchini!

Tuesday

Chipotle Burrito Bowls w/ Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

This is probably one of Travis’s most requested dinners, especially on Taco Tuesday! I did post a recipe for this one a while back, and it is definitely an all time favorite around here.

I love that the meal is light, yet super filling, and pretty adaptable too. Sometimes I grill the chicken, but I also have been known to throw it in the crock pot in the morning with a jar of salsa to save time in the evenings. You could also make it with grilled or shredded steak, shredded carnitas…just like when you eat at Chipotle, the options are endless!

Wednesday

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This yummy casserole (inspired by PaleOMG) made a return to the menu a couple of weeks ago after way too long of a hiatus. Apparently Travis had missed it too, because he was quick to request it this week!

While Spaghetti Squash isn’t necessarily in season (I think it is a winter squash), I am still able to find it at my local grocery store. Fun Fact: My mom threw out a bunch of SS seeds on her back hillside over the winter, and it is starting to take off! Just this week, it actually started producing fruit, so, as long as the gophers stay away, we may be eating a lot more of this in the coming months!

This casserole is so easy to throw together, making it the perfect weeknight meal. It is also great to bring to a new mom or friend in need because it is healthy, yet family friendly…also a GREAT way to introduce squash to any skeptics 🙂

Thursday

“Husband Approved” Cobb Salad

I posted this recipe a while back, and dubbed it “Husband Approved”…and my point is proven this week as Travis specifically requested it 🙂

He did know I was trying to use up our lettuce, and if I am going to make a salad as a dinner entree, this is the way to go as far as he is concerned!

I don’t blame him, as it is super filling, packed with protein, and full of yummy tastes and textures. Cant go wrong with a Cobb Salad!

For the dressing, I typically go with a homemade balsamic, but this week I might get a little crazy and make a homemade ranch dressing. We’ll see!

Friday

Super Easy Shrimp Tacos

Since there is a lot of chicken happening in this week’s dinners, I threw out the idea of using up the frozen shrimp I had in the freezer, and Travis was on board with the idea of Fish Tacos.

I plan on seasoning the shrimp with paprika, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper and then throwing them on the grill in a grill basket.

I’ll whip up some slaw mixed with a little bit of homemade mayo (don’t tell Travis) and lots of lime juice. Fortunately, I have a stockpile of my favorite Stupid Easy Paleo tortillas in the freezer, which will help the meal come together in a jiff!

Top it with some avocado, salsa, and cilantro and we are in business! Perfect way to finish off the week.

I like to leave the rest of the weekend open for either eating leftovers if we have them, getting creative with something on the spot, or going out to dinner.

What do you have on your menu this week? I’d love to know! We all need inspiration from somewhere 🙂