Football season is underway, which is always exciting. At the same time, soccer season has started too, and for some reason Mr. Picky’s soccer games often conflict with the matches I want to watch—so funny how that happens!
I’ve also been receiving messages from people in Florida who are still without power and interested in the Clean Eating Batch Cooking online course I developed. Week 1 began on September 11th and the enrollment period was originally closing this weekend, but the course cart will remain open one more week through September 24. Week 1 material will be available even if you join after the start date. I hope everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey or Irma is recovering and back on their feet soon.
Here’s the dinner planner for the week:
Monday: Lentil and grilled eggplant salad
Tuesday: Chicken adobo, Turmeric rice with peas, sautéed zucchini
Wednesday: Garlic shrimp from Food & Wine, Cauliflower rice, Parmesan peppers
Thursday: Lemony chickpea soup, Avocado or tomato toast
Friday: Smoky braised lentils with turkey sausage, sautéed cabbage
Saturday lunch: Greek pasta salad
Sunday: Slow cooker chicken tacos with toppings
Here are suggested make-ahead tasks to simplify your week:
Sunday
- Cook lentils in advance and reheat before adding the dressing.
- Prepare the dressing for the lentil salad.
- Rice the cauliflower so it’s ready to sauté.
- Wash and dry herbs for the week.
- Cook chickpeas from scratch if you prefer not to use canned—see the post on how to cook beans from scratch for guidance.
- Make a batch of chicken or vegetable stock to use in soups and recipes.
Monday
- Marinate the chicken in the evening so it’s ready to cook the next day.
- Prep and slice zucchini for Tuesday’s side dish.
- Wash and prep peppers for roasting or sautéing.
Thursday
- Prep the cabbage for Friday’s sautéed side—slice or shred and store in the fridge.
- Make the dressing for the Greek pasta salad and refrigerate so flavors meld before serving Saturday.
For more weekly menus and meal-planning ideas, check the dinner planner archive on my site.
If you enjoy these recipes, you might also like my new cookbook, which features lots of simple, flavor-forward meals.