Cozy Comfort Food | Meal Plan Menu
Our weekly meal plan will put the warmth back into your week with four delectable dinner menus.
With the weather officially cooling down, we are bringing out comfort in full force. Since we know that few things say comfort quite like butter, shrimp, potatoes, and piping hot Italian food, we utilize all of these elements for a great week of dining.
Starting on Monday, we have an entree lineup of Lemon Butter Chicken, Hoisin Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry, Porcupine Meatballs (a super easy take on the retro recipe!), and end the week with Sausage Calzones.
Each of these dishes and their accompanying sides are not only perfect for a chilly day at home, but are also dressed up enough for dinnertime guests. Whether you have a quiet week at home planned or will be setting the table with your fancy glasses, we’ve got you covered.
“Each time I make my wife smile with delicious delight are my proudest moments.”
Alex J. (Member since June 2017)
All meals come with gluten-free, Paleo, and vegetarian options, as well as a grocery list and optional weekend prep steps.
Meal Planning Smarts
Meal planning tips:
- Hoisin sauce is commonly used in Chinese cuisine and adds a sweet and salty flavor to meats and stir-fries. It can be found in the Asian foods aisle in your grocery store.
- Thursday night’s calzones can be made in just 60 minutes (including baking time!) because our recipe calls for store-bought pizza dough.
effeciencies:
- Brightly-colored bell peppers are packed full of vitamins A & C and since they can be chopped up to 5 days ahead without losing their flavor and texture, you can prep them for both Tuesday and Thursday at the same time.
- Shallots are an onion variety and closely related to garlic, leeks, and chives. This week we use them in our honey lemon butter and tomato sauce so you can prep them on the weekend and save yourself a little weeknight time.
Leftovers:
- Extra chicken, potatoes, parsnips, and arugula from Monday night can easily be rolled into a wrap or tortilla for a delicious lunch that is ready in no time!
- To bring spunk into your breakfast, mix leftover sausage and bell peppers into an omelet or frittata.
- Meatball subs are one of the tastiest sandwiches out there and can be made in minutes when you spread Wednesday’s leftover meatballs, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese over a toasted sandwich roll.
Tips for smarter meal planning come with every meal plan menu. The smarts above are only a portion of the tips we include to help you make the most of your ingredients and cook more efficiently. Join our community to get the full benefits of our meal plan service!
On the Menu
MONDAY | Chicken with Honey Lemon Butter, Roasted Root Veggies & Arugula Salad
Our Cook Smarts honey lemon butter is quick, easy, and has been a favorite for the past four years! We pour it over pan-seared chicken thighs that perfectly pair with roasted potatoes and parsnips. To add a touch of green to the dinner table, you can start with a simple arugula salad that is chock-full of vitamins and minerals.
While our recipe is already gluten free, making it Paleo-friendly only takes one simple swap of potatoes for sweet potatoes. Our vegetarian recipe replaces the chicken with a delicious chickpea and farro saute that goes just as well with honey lemon butter.
TUESDAY | Hoisin Shrimp & Broccoli Stir-Fry with Rice
We all know that cooking an entire meal in one pot is ideal for a busy weeknight. This one pot shrimp, snow pea, bell pepper, and broccoli stir-fry is a snap to put together and will get Tuesday’s dinner on the table in a jiffy. Just dish it out on a bed of rice with a squeeze of fresh lime and you’ll love how the flavors and colors come together to delight your eyes and taste buds alike!
This stir-fry is easily adjusted for those on a gluten-free diet – simply use GF Hoisin and soy sauce. Our Paleo recipe has a special Paleo stir-fry sauce that gives you everything you want in a sauce. Meanwhile, our vegetarian stir-fry uses extra firm tofu and is extremely budget-friendly.
WEDNESDAY | Porcupine Meatballs with Buttered Potatoes & Green Beans
Meatballs are a budget-friendly way to get your protein with a flare of fun. This classic American dish is made even easier with the use of leftover cooked rice, and the garlic and thyme tomato sauce that the meatballs are simmered in adds just the right burst of flavor. With potatoes and green beans on the side, this meal has everything you need for a little midweek pick-me-up.
Those on a gluten-free diet only need to swap in GF breadcrumbs to make their meatballs gluten-free. Our Paleo meatballs features a leaner Italian meatball that omits the cheese, breadcrumbs, and rice. For the herbivores among us, we substitute in a Red Beans & Rice dish for the main course.
THURSDAY | Sausage & Bell Pepper Calzone with Italian House Salad
Is there anything better than warm, comforting Italian flavors all wrapped up in a delicious golden crust? Our mouthwatering, 1-hour calzone brings out the best of Italian sausage, cheese, and bell peppers. Pair it with a lettuce, tomato, olive, and creamy dressing salad to close the day with the comforts of Italian home cooking.
Gluten-free members only need to substitute GF pizza dough and flour while our vegetarian calzone replaces the sausage with mushrooms. Those on the Paleo diet can enjoy a sausage, bell pepper, and mushroom saute with their Italian salad.
We do more than create meal plans. We create memories around the dinner table.
Subscribe to our weekly meal plan service to get the grocery list, dinner steps, and more cooking tips for these 4 simple dinners.
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