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Week 30
Cook ahead options for this week:
- Rice is served with the Kung Pao Chicken on Day 1 and Red Beans and Rice on Day 3, so you can save time by preparing a big batch the first night and using the leftovers.
- If your pot is large enough, you may want to cook extra dried beans to stock the freezer on Day 3.
Day 1
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Rice
Day 2
- Pasta with Parmesan and Lemon Sauce
- Sautéed Okra
Day 3
- Red Beans and Rice
- Apple Slices with Cheddar
Day 4
- Crockpot Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
Day 5
- Sourdough Patty Melts
- Carrot Raisin Salad
Day 1 Dinner Menu
- Kung Pao Chicken (Plan ahead to marinate the chicken)
- Rice*
Kung Pao Chicken
This Kung Pao Chicken recipe is delicious with its easy to make chili-flavored oil. Be sure to start the night before so your chicken has time to marinate for the fullest flavor.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice cooking wine
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Sauce
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2-4 small dried chilies
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ C peanuts
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice cooking wine
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 6 Tbsp oil, divided
Instructions
- Marinate chicken overnight in a mixture of 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice cooking wine, and 1 tsp cornstarch.
- To make the sauce, combine the following in a small bowl: vinegar, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, sesame oil, 1 tsp rice cooking wine, sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Set aside.
- Heat 4 Tbsp. oil in a wok over high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through and remove to a plate and set aside.
- Rinse out wok and add 2 Tbsp oil. Heat oil and add chilies. [If you cannot find chilies, you can use ¼ to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper.] This makes chili oil and is what flavors the dish.
- Stir fry chilies until they turn black, add ginger, garlic, and peppers. Stir fry until softened.
- Add chicken to reheat. Add sauce and stir until thickened.
- Garnish with peanuts and serve over rice.
Notes
Be sure to start the night before so your chicken has time to marinate for the fullest flavor.
You can use low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 915mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Net Carbs: 9g
Kung Pao Chicken Permalink
Day 2 Dinner Menu
- Pasta with Parmesan and Lemon Sauce
- Okra with Sea Salt Sautéed in Olive Oil*
Pasta with Parmesan and Lemon Sauce
Lemon and garlic add zest to this easy stovetop pasta dish. Pasta with Parmesan and Lemon Sauce is a delicious vegetarian dinner that is perfect for evenings when you need something quick that doesn’t heat the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 12 oz linguini
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice from 2 lemons
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan Cheese to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and keep warm.
- Melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and lightly sauté.
- Add the zest and lemon juice stir well and heat to just warm it. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss sauce with pasta and serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition calculation uses 4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 740mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbs: 64g
Pasta with Parmesan and Lemon Sauce Permalink
Day 3 Dinner Menu
- Red Beans and Rice (Plan ahead to soak the beans)
- Apple Slices with Cheddar*
Red Beans and Rice
Classic red beans and rice is easy, affordable, and delicious. Season with creole seasoning to your preference and let the onions, garlic, celery, and pepper do the rest.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry kidney beans or small red beans, rinsed and sorted
- 1 pound smoked beef sausage, sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- Creole seasoning to taste
- 3 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight in water.
- Drain and rinse beans and add fresh water to a depth twice as deep as the beans.
- Bring the beans to a boil and cook for about an hour or until tender, checking the water level periodically and adding water if needed.
- After the beans have softened up and are getting close to being done, add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer the beans, sausage, and vegetables for about a half an hour longer, or until the beans are tender.
- Serve over rice.
Notes
Plan ahead since the beans need to soak. In a pinch you can use 3-4 cans of beans.
If your pot is large enough, you can cook extra dried beans to stock the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 454mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbs: 62g
Red Beans and Rice Permalink
Day 4 Dinner Menu
- Crockpot Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
Crockpot Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Hearty meatballs and pasta in a savory beef and tomato broth make Albondigas soup a delicious comfort food. Using sautéed onions and peppers from the freezer makes this soup virtually prep-free.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. frozen cooked meatballs
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 30 oz beef broth
- 16 oz. salsa
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 cup pasta shells
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Sauté onions and bell peppers in olive oil until tender.
- Combine meatballs, onion, green pepper, garlic, beef broth, salsa, chili powder, and cumin in a crockpot.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours.
- Add pasta and stir well, cover, and cook on low an additional hour or until pasta is tender.
- Serve with garnishes of cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.
Notes
- Using sautéed onions and peppers from the freezer makes this soup virtually prep-free.
- When you are pressed for time, you can make the soup on the stovetop and cut down the cooking time to less than an hour. Add the pasta in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.
- If you have a 6 quart crockpot, you should be able to double the recipe in one batch.
Nutrition
Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 1282mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Net Carbs: 19g
Crockpot Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup) Permalink
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Sweet poppy seed dressing pairs will with spinach and strawberries in this refreshing summer salad.
Ingredients
- 6 cups spinach leaves, rinsed well
- 2 cups strawberries, sliced
- ¼ cup walnuts, optional
- ¾ cup poppy seed dressing
Instructions
- Wash spinach thoroughly. Mix spinach and prepared strawberries together in a medium salad bowl. Mix with poppy seed dressing and sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 244mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Net Carbs: 10g
Spinach and Strawberry Salad Permalink
Day 5 Dinner Menu
- Sourdough Patty Melts
- Carrot Raisin Salad
Sourdough Patty Melts
Sourdough bread and sautéed onions turn plain burgers into something special.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef
- 1 Tbsp. Montreal Steak seasoning
- 12 slices sourdough bread, toasted
- 6 slices cheddar cheese
- 1 large onion, sliced into rings
- 6 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- Oil as needed
Instructions
- Mix seasoning into ground beef and shape into 6 patties and cook in a skillet until done.
- Sauté onion in a small amount of oil until browned.
- Assemble as a sandwich.
Notes
Tips for great hamburgers:
1. Although low-fat ground beef may be preferable for some recipes, for the juiciest burgers choose ground beef with at least 20% fat content.
2. Be careful not to manipulate the ground beef any more than you have to, since compacted ground beef will not be as tender. Handle as little as possible and don’t compact the meat when forming the patties.
3. Season the patties just before cooking. Adding salt when you make the patties, whether alone or in seasonings, draws out the moisture and can result in dry burgers.
4. Resist the urge to press all the delicious juices out of the patties while cooking. We’ve all seen the mouthwatering images of juices running out of a patty as it is pressed with a spatula, but that is exactly what you don’t want. Place the patties over heat and leave them alone until it is time to turn them.
More tips on building a better burger…
Nutrition
Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 29g | Sodium: 1001mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Net Carbs: 72g
Sourdough Patty Melts Permalink
Carrot Raisin Salad
Carrot Raisin Salad is an easy and refreshing summer side dish.
Ingredients
- 3 C carrots, shredded
- ½ C raisins
- ½ C mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak carrots in warm water to cover for about 5 minutes to plump.
- While carrots are soaking, mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl.
- Drain carrots and combine carrots and mayonnaise mixture. Mix well and chill well before serving.
Notes
Plan ahead to give the salad time to chill.
Nutrition
Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 554mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Net Carbs: 15g
Carrot Raisin Salad Permalink
Create a Shopping List
Note that any recipe scaling from the recipes above does not carry over to the starting point for the grocery list, so you will need to make those same serving adjustments below after you click the Shopping List button. “Print Collection” prints the list of meals, not the recipes, which should be printed from the recipe card. Remember that side dishes are not included on the grocery list unless we have included a recipe for them (sides without a recipe are indicated with an asterisk* in each day’s Dinner Menu above).
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