Back at it again with the meal plan Monday!
It went over so well last week (for me at least) that I decided to do it again this week! If nothing else, posting our menu for the week is forcing me to think about our meals in a more organized sense and then actually execute the plan. Truthfully, just by “putting it out there” it is holding me more accountable to plan ahead, rather than winging it each night.
Plus, we didn’t eat out once last week, because we always had a plan in place for dinner and leftovers to use up. While we do enjoy eating out sometimes, it does help the budget to use up what we have!
For me, having a plan in place = less stress and more of a sense of accomplishment 🙂 Who else is with me?
If you read last week’s plan, you know that Travis was the mastermind behind each of our dinners. He made some awesome choices, with a variety of tastes/cuisines and, surprisingly, all of his meals were squeaky clean Paleo.
I tried to get him to do it again this week, but to no avail. Perhaps our new routine will be alternating who comes up with the weekly menu. I can get behind that!
Ironically, the meals I landed on this week weren’t aren’t quite as “perfect paleo” as Travis’s…you will find a scattering of cheese, a little corn, and some beans throughout the week. However, you could definitely omit anything that doesn’t fit within your dietary parameters. 
The thought process behind the plan was:
- Once again, using up more of the zucchini and squash from our garden.
- Using up as much of the meat I have stock piled in the freezer.
- Trying to integrate some more crock pot/ instant pot meals…ain’t nobody got time to stand over the stove on busy weeknights!
With those things in mind, I came up with 5 dinners for this week that should turn out pretty darn tasty!
Monday 
Chicken Pesto Stuffed Zucchini Boats
This meal covers all of my bases! I will be using up a bunch of our squash from the garden, it’s a super simple, (partial) crock pot meal, and I am using chicken from the freezer!
I don’t exactly have a recipe for this, but here’s my plan…I will cook the chicken breasts in the crock pot with just some broth and simple seasonings like pepper, salt, and garlic powder. When I get home from work, I will shred the chicken and and mix in this awesome pre-made pesto from Trader Joe’s. Then, I’ll slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and hollow out the center with a spoon. I’ll fill the “zucchini boats” with the shredded pesto chicken, sprinkle a bit of mozzarella on top, and bake for about 30 minutes.
As a side dish, I think I’ll use up the asparagus in my fridge by roasting it in the oven while the boats bake.
I love this type of meal because the hands-on time is minimal and dinner will come together in a flash! It will be light and delicious and the perfect summer-time meal!
Tuesday 
Deep Fried Tacos (With broccoli, because balance)
This may sound less than healthy, but just go with it.
I think I saw something on TV that jogged my memory, but “deep fried tacos” was probably the very first meal that Travis ever cooked for me years ago! Travis is actually a really good cook, especially when it comes to making things “next level”. Well these tacos really were next level, and once I started thinking about them, I knew they would need to happen for our next Taco Tuesday!
I will cook the beef with my homemade taco seasoning before Travis gets home from work, then turn it over to the mastermind himself!
He fills corn tortillas with the taco meat and then carefully fries each side in oil on the stove. Back in the day, I can pretty much guarantee he used canola oil, so we are really making a major upgrade by using avocado oil. Healthy fats are good! 😉
I couldn’t help but add something green, so I’ll also be steaming some broccoli for #balance.
 Wednesday 
Ground Turkey Asian Stir Fry + Garlicky Asian Green Beans
This is another quick and easy meal to throw together on a weeknight.
For the turkey, I will saute it up with broccoli slaw, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, and red pepper flakes. Top it with chopped green onions, and that’s it!
On the side, I will make my favorite “garlicky green beans”, sauteed on the stove with coconut aminos and LOTS of garlic , of course! This side dish is inspired by a meal I used to get at a local Chinese restaurant. I love being able to eat a healthier version at home!
Thursday 
Mississippi Pot Roast + Baby Potatoes
Have you heard of Mississippi Pot Roast? It is a favorite of mine, but we don’t eat it very often because Trader Joe’s doesn’t sell pot roasts, and heaven forbid I venture out to other grocery stores!
It’s another crock pot meal, and to make it paleo, you just dump in some beef broth, a 1/2 jar of peperoncinis, some coconut aminos, and “ranch seasoning“.
On the side, I’ll serve some roasted baby potatoes and something green…probably broccoli or a side salad. Easy peasy! 🙂
Friday 
Chili Smothered Sweet Potato Fries
To finish out the week, I am planning on making chili in the Instant Pot. I loosely followed my own recipe for chili a couple of months ago (adding beans and taking away the pumpkin), but made it in the IP and it was a total game changer! SO much flavor and So easy!
I received this Mild Chili Seasoning Mix from Simply Organic a while back, so to make things even easier, I think I’ll use it up. Sometimes I have control issues when it comes to using packets like this 😉
I plan on serving it over sweet potato fries, and maybe topping it with some shredded cheese. Plus all the regular chili toppings, like green onion and avocado!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram so you can see how these meals pan out (and if I actually stick to the plan!)
Are you a meal planner? Do you feel like it helps reduce dinnertime craziness? What’s on your menu this week? 
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