Meal Plan 04/16/2018 - 04/20/2018

I'm heading back to work tomorrow after being off since my surgery. I'm a little nervous because I'm still struggling with low energy but I'm ready to venture out into the real world again. I knew I would want a little cushion to get back into our regular routine so I scheduled HelloFresh this week. No regrets. 

Monday: Chicken and rice stew from the freezer. It's not exciting food but it's comforting food. And it doesn't require any prep other than throwing in a pot to heat up. I'll serve with roasted broccoli for something green. 

Tuesday: Mustard-and-Herb-Crusted Pork with Roasted Potatoes and Broccolini from HelloFresh

Wednesday: Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Freekeh, Butternut Squash, and Lemon Crema from HelloFresh (I've never cooked with freekeh before so I'm really excited to try this recipe.)

Thursday: Roasted Cauliflower Biryani with Carrots and Dried Currants and Crispy Chana Dal from HelloFresh

Friday: Charcuterie Friday 

If you want to join in the HelloFresh magic, use this link for $40 off your first box (full disclosure: if you use my link, I earn $25 off my next box).

What's on your menu this week? Have you cooked with freekeh before? Have I been missing out and is my mind about to be blown?

Meal Plan 04/02/2018 - 04/06/2018

Things are slowly returning to normal after the chaos of last week. I'm started to feel better but my energy levels are still low. I want to try to make meals this week to keep myself occupied (I'm so bored and still can't drive) but keep them simple so I'm not wearing myself out. 

Monday: Flank steak with chimichurri sauce served with roasted broccoli and Mexican Street Corn Salad

Tuesday: Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rollups (using buttermilk instead of eggs) served with roasted sweet potatoes and green salad

Wednesday: One Pot Couscous Chicken with Bacon and Corn served with asparagus

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizza or sushi takeout

What are you eating this week?

Meal Plan 03/19/2018 - 03/23/2018

I'm having surgery next week and it's messing with my ability to manage life. I am having difficulty adulting. I just don't wanna. This week is a HelloFresh week is what I'm saying. I don't have to meal plan, I don't have to grocery shop, I don't have to do any prep. All I have to do is open the box and follow the recipe and we'll have nutritious, home-cooked meals. (This post isn't sponsored; I just love HelloFresh. They've recently started offering boxes with four meals instead of three so they are taking almost all of the mental load of food management for me this week. I'm jazzed.) 

If you're interested in trying HelloFresh, use my referral link for $40 off your first box (and I get $25 off my next box and I'll love you forever).

Monday: We get HelloFresh on Tuesdays so I still have to think about Monday. I'm going to go super simple for Meatless Monday and make cheesy scrambled eggs, roasted asparagus, and buttermilk pancakes. 

Tuesday: HelloFresh Salmon en Papillote with Couscous Pilaf and Snap Peas and Tarragon-Chive Herb Sauce

Wednesday: HelloFresh Sage and Browned Butter Pork Chops with Roasted Broccoli and Citrusy Potato Salad

Thursday: Indonesian Chicken Fried Rice with Crunchy Chili Cashews

Friday: Sumac-Paprika Steak with Tomato Chickpea Mash and Roasted Cauliflower

What's on your meal plan this week?

Meal Plan 03/12/2018 - 03/16/2018

I struggled to make last week's meal plan but I was glad to have done it once I stopped my grumbling. I didn't manage to stick to it for the duration of the week, and full disclosure: we ended up ordering pizza on Friday, but I'm still calling it a success. It motivated me enough to stick with it this week. It was nice to feel less frantic in the kitchen and when I did manage to cook, we had lovely leftovers to take to work for lunch the following day. 

Monday: Instant Pot Fiasco Beans for Meatless Monday (I saw these on Holly Burns's Instagram Stories and haven't stopped thinking about them since. I'm guessing the rest of my family is not going to be enthused so I reckon I'll have a lot of leftovers to take for lunch this week.) I'll serve with Bang Bang Broccoli and quick pickled red onions and purple cabbage. 

Tuesday: Spaghetti Bolognese (Shawn's on spaghetti squash)

Wednesday: Panko-crusted chicken tenders served with roasted sweet potato spears, leftover Bang Bang Broccoli, and a lemon garlic yogurt dip.

Thursday: Leftover roasted sweet potato spears topped with leftover spaghetti sauce. I'm planning to melt cheddar cheese on top and add a sprinkle of spring onions for a sort of chili-fries-esque comfort food dish. Is it Thursday yet?

Friday: Instant Pot Coconut Fish Curry made with whatever looks good at the fishmonger. I'll serve it on top of steamed rice with Thai Cucumber Salad on the side. 

Look, I realize how basic I'm about to sound but here it is: the best thing I've done in the kitchen lately is meal prepping on Sunday. It's not enough to make my plan and do my grocery shopping; I need to get a head start on the week. I'm extremely fortunate to only work in the office three days per week but those three days are an absolute shit show if I don't prepare in advance. Today I soaked my beans for tomorrow's meal, and prepared my sides. I made Tuesday's Bolognese sauce and froze a portion for Thursday's meal. It took a couple hours to get it all done but it's going to make my week run more smoothly so it was worth it.

What's on your meal plan this week? How do you prep for the week?