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Welcome back! Thanks for checking out this week's meal plan. For those of you who are new, the next few paragraphs are about my plans and some friendly reminders. You may want to check those out along with my tips for Pinterest meal planning and list-making on Google Keep. For those who have already read these reminders, scroll down for week two's fabulous recipes and grocery list!
You'll notice that many of my plans will include recipes that have similar ingredients or, better yet, make creative use of leftovers to help minimize your grocery list and the amount of time you need to spend in the kitchen on those busy weeknights.
You'll also notice that I only have dinners planned for Monday through Friday. I'm a realist. I know that we're all busy and the chances of you actually getting to a home-cooked meal every weeknight are low. So feel free to rearrange plans and postpone as needed to fit your busy life. Go pick up take-out when you need to save your sanity and save one of these for the weekend. Managed to actually make each of these throughout the week? Great job! When you're at a loss for what to make over the weekend, go treat yourself to a dinner out - you earned it!
Final note. I don't know how big your family is. You're going to want to look through the recipes and adjust amounts as needed - make sure you adjust your grocery list accordingly. Keep in mind that for plans that call for leftovers, you'll want to make sure to make more than enough of the original recipe to create leftovers. Essentially, any time I'm doing something in a crock pot, I'm making at least twice what I need so I have leftovers.
Week-long meal plans that are practical and delicious! Bonus? The grocery list is done for you - split into staples you should have in your freezer/fridge/pantry and and additional items to buy by the week. Pin to have all of the recipes at your fingertips for later!
Meal Planning on Pinterest
I typically plan out the menu for my week on Pinterest. I have a board called "This Week's Menu" and I update it over the weekend or sometime before I plan on doing my grocery shopping. By pinning all of the recipes in one place for the week, it's just a few clicks to get the ingredients added to my grocery list (I use Google Keep), and a quick click each day to find my dinner recipe.
Menu for the Week
Monday: Pork with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Salsa & Sweet Potatoes
Find this recipe and more on Linda's fabulous blog: The Organic Kitchen.
The Organic Kitchen's Pork with Bell Pepper Salsa and Sweet Potatoes is the perfect way to start your week out with some much needed health. Photo by Linda at The Organic Kitchen.
This recipe is easy, delicious and a great way to add some much needed health as spring approaches! While I love a freshly roasted red pepper, my tip for this would be to consider buying the jarred roasted red peppers - saves time and the minimal hassle of roasting and peeling them yourselves. Roast up extra sweet potatoes with this meal so you can repurpose them on Thursday!
Tuesday: Bacon & Avocado Grilled Cheese
Get this excellent spin on a grilled cheese plus many more delicious recipes at Kevin & Amanda.
Kevin & Amanda nail it with this gooey twist on the classic grilled cheese. A perfect weeknight meal. Photo by Kevin & Amanda.
One can never have enough grilled cheese, and this one from Kevin & Amanda will never get old. Avocado, bacon and colby jack are the perfect trifecta melted between two pieces of buttered sourdough. I could eat this everyday, and would certainly justify it to myself by claiming that since there's avocado it's healthy... Oh, and fry up a few extra pieces of bacon for Thursday night.
Wednesday: Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers over Penne
This amazing side can be found on the fabulous blog, Iowa Girl Eats.
Just like Grandma would make... this slow cooker sausage and peppers recipe is easy and so versatile. Over pasta or as a hoagie, you can't go wrong with this gem from Iowa Girl Eats. Photo by Kristin at Iowa Girl Eats.
I have yet to find a recipe that I don't love from Kristin at Iowa Girl Eats. She knocks it out of the park with this east coast favorite - sausage and peppers. A little work up front searing the sausage and sautéing the vegetables, but it's so worth it. Seriously a few minutes at the stove and then you set it and forget it until you have this delicious masterpiece. Make a bunch because the leftovers are fabulous and can be served over pasta, rice or on hoagie buns. Keep it gluten free by using your favorite GF pasta - I always go with Barilla or Simply Balanced Gluten Free Penne.
Thursday: Sweet Potato Breakfast Wraps
Sweet potato, egg and bacon breakfast wraps. Because breakfast for dinner is never a bad thing.
This is your busy weeknight, quick and easy meal that's perfect for repurposing leftovers. I don't even have a recipe for it because it's so basic. Scramble up some eggs, reheat some bacon strips and sweet potatoes from earlier in the week and load all of them into a spinach tortilla. We added some sriracha ketchup to ours but you could go with cheese, salsa, avocado, you name it!
Friday: Sausage and Pork Hoagies
Make a giant batch of Sausage and Peppers to use throughout the week. Great over pasta, rice and as sandwiches!
Grab your favorite gluten free sandwich bread/dinner rolls/brat buns (or, you know, get your gluten on) and load up some leftover sausage and peppers. Top with provolone cheese and bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Grocery List
Note: This may seem like an incredibly long list of ingredients, but the majority of items you should already have in your freezer, refrigerator or pantry. If you don't, go stock up so you don't need to add them to your grocery list every week. Once you get these items stocked up, the only things you should need to add to your grocery list are those listed in the "Additional Items" section. Serve with a side salad.
STAPLES (ITEMS YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR FRIDGE/PANTRY ALL THE TIME)
- Sea salt
- salt
- Pepper
- extra virgin olive oil (for veggies and pans)
- red onion
- lime
- spring mix/salad mix
- salad dressing of choice
- dried cumin
- garlic powder
- center-cut bacon
- butter/margarine
- 2 yellow onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- red chili pepper flakes
- 28oz can gluten-free tomato sauce
- 28oz can gluten-free crushed tomatoes
- gluten-free chicken broth
- eggs
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
- 2-3 sweet potatoes
- 1 large roasted red pepper
- 3 small or 2 large green bell peppers
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 1 large tomato
- 1 Serrano chili
- cilantro
- 2- 1" thick pork blade steaks (cut from the shoulder) or ¾-1 lb pork tenderloin
- sourdough bread
- colby jack cheese slices
- provolone cheese slices
- 3lbs gluten-free Sweet Italian Sausage links
- spinach tortillas
- rolls/hoagies/brat buns
Stock your kitchen with some of our favorite essentials!