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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.
Spring has sprung, which means Week 7's Menu Plan is full of fresh healthy flavors that are sure to boost your energy! Gluten Free, healthy and flavorful, this week's plan aims to rejuvenate after a long winter.
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: Detox Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea Glow Bowl
This meatless Monday dish fit for spring can be found on one of our favorite blogs, Pinch of Yum.
Packed full of great-for-you flavor, this glow bowl from Pinch of Yum is perfect for your spring menu. Photo by Lindsay at Pinch of Yum.
It's spring which means it's time to rejuvenate! Your body will thank you for this Morrocan Spiced Chickpea Glow Bowl. Filled with unique flavors, this is sure to add a much needed twist to your usual menu planning! Added bonus? It's perfect for a meatless Monday. To maintain a gluten free week, substitute a gluten free pita or bread.
Tuesday: Steak & Sweet Potato Bowls with Avocado-Cilantro Drizzle
This fresh and filling dish is brought to you by another one of our favorites, Iowa Girl Eats.
Hearty but fresh, this is a beautifully balanced spring dish from Iowa Girl Eats. Photo by Kristin at Iowa Girl Eats.
Packed full of fresh flavors and protein, this is a perfect spring dish from one of our favorite blogs, Iowa Girl Eats. The rest of the cilantro you picked up for Monday's meal will go to good use tonight.
Double (or triple) up on the Flank Steak so you can have leftovers for Thursday's meal.
Wednesday: One Pan Chicken with Garbanzos & Tomatoes
Enjoy hump day with an easy one from our own blog.
One pan, 40 minutes. Enjoy an effortless and healthy hump day meal.
With chickpeas and tomatoes already on the grocery list this week, our one pan recipe fits right in! Combine and bake - that's all there is to this easy weeknight meal.
Thursday: Easy Steak and Veggie Wraps
One of our own recipes is made a little more hearty with leftover flank steak.
Colorful, easy and healthy. Keep it vegetarian or beef it up with leftover chicken or flank steak.
Beef up our easy veggie wrap recipe with leftover Flank Steak from Tuesday. Reheat the flank steak, add to the veggie wraps and enjoy! To maintain a gluten free week, substitute rice paper or gluten free tortillas/wraps for the spinach wraps.
Friday: Sheet Pan Cod with Sweet Peppers
This easy Friday Fish sheet-pan meal is from the lovely Garden in the Kitchen.
Sheet-pan meals are the best, and this one from Garden in the Kitchen is the perfect end to your spring inspired week of meals. Photo by Silvia at Garden in the Kitchen.
One pan, 25 minutes. Thank you Garden in the Kitchen for the easiest Friday meal ever and one that is going to perfectly round out this week of spring-inspired dishes.
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.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
- Tumeric
- Garam Masala
- Cucumbers
- Couscous
- Garden Spinach Herb Wraps (or GF wrap/rice paper wraps to keep this week gluten free)
- Mint
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers/Sweet Peppers
- Roma tomatoes
- Matchstick Carrots
- Baby Arugula or Spinach
- Sweet Potatoes
- Pita Wedges (or GF pita wedges/bread to keep this week gluten free)
- Flank Steak
- Wild Cod
- Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese
- Crumbled Feta Cheese
STAPLES (ITEMS YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR FRIDGE/PANTRY ALL THE TIME)
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable Oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Sea Salt
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cinnamon
- Cayenne
- Ground Ginger
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- Honey
- Canned Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
- Canned Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- Rice
- Greek Yogurt
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Soy Sauce (GF soy sauce if you want to keep this week gluten free)
- Mustard
- Capers
- Bone in Chicken Breasts