Lifestyle, Recipes

Weeknight Dinner Inspiration

6 September

Weeknight dinner inspiration- something most of us would greatly appreciate! Whether you are feeding a large family, single and fabulous, an empty nester or a small little family of three, (like me!), I have some dinner combination inspiration that you can mix & match, edit to please everyone in the family, as well as some planning tips & tricks to get everything on the table without too much stress. each dinner pictured in this post was plated for an adult portion, (mine), and toddler, (2-years-old).

meal prep

as a former chef proprietor of three local food businesses, and a personal chef of 10+ years I can definitely attest to the fact that meal prep is key to dinnertime success. any extra pockets of time over the weekend where you are able to break away and prep some quick components, you will make your Monday and beginning of the week dinners so much more successful.

The trick is to prep items that will keep their integrity over the week- and stay super fresh. Delicate prep such as chopping herbs, prepping delicate vegetables, or handling super fresh seafood items would not be appropriate done well ahead of time but there are tons of other items that are great to prep- and hold up strong- all throughout the business week.

meal prep examples:

cooked starches, (rice, a firm short pasta cooked al dente, orzo, couscous, for example). Bonus tip: Cook in bone broth instead of water for extra protein.
prepped “sturdy” vegetables, (peeled and diced root vegetables stored in water, broccoli florets, washed and salad-spun hearty greens like kale or Swiss chard, diced onions, minced garlic or cauliflower florets, for example).
pre-cooked proteins, (hard-boiled eggs, frittATA, GRILLED OR CROCKPOT SHREDDED CHICKEN, CROCKPOT SHREDDED BEEF, ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN, FOR EXAMPLE).
sauces & dressings, (marinades FOR MEATS, salad vinaigrettes, homemade aioli, dips or pesto, for example).

MEALs PREPPED below:

grain-free chicken piccata, mashed sweet potatoes, sautéed zucchini & squash.
grilled fajita chicken with fajita vegetables, spanish egg & potato “tortilla,” avocado, roasted sweet potatoes & kale with golden raisins
baked meatballs with spaghetti squash, avocado, sautéed zucchini & squash, (right).

try something new

THE EASIEST WAY TO TRY SOMETHING NEW AND GAIN INSPIRATION IS TO GO OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE WHEN CHOOSING NEW RECIPES- OPT FOR A NEW CUISINE, A NEW REGION, OR EVEN A PROTEIN YOU WOULDN’T likely COOK. nervous TO COOK FISH AT HOME? START SIMPLE WITH A BAKED FISH LIKE slow-roasted salmon OR GREEK COD. WANTING TO DIVERSIFY YOUR CHILD’S palette? FIND A FAVORITE FOOD OF THEIRS AND LOOK FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR IN ANOTHER culture. FOR EXAMPLE, MY SON LOVES burgers and ground beef so my summertime beef picadillo was easily a new favorite.

please all (effortlessly)

IF YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO successfully MEAL PREP, YOU CAN EASILY EDIT A MEAL WITH THE SAME BASIC components BUT A LITTLE twist FOR SOME OF THE more particular EATERS. FOR EXAMPLE, MY SON IS MORE PARTICULAR, MY HUSBANDS EAT ANYTHING, AND I’m focusing MORE LOW CARB AND HIGH-PROTEIN DINNERS LATELY. I TURNED MEAL PREPPED GRILLED CHICKEN WITH A SWEET POTATO MASH AND ROASTED BROCCOLI INTO THREE DIVERSE DINNERS THIS WEEK.

PLATE 1, (PARTICULAR TODDLER): GRILLED CHICKEN WRAP, (WITH siETE FOODS TORTILLA, KITE HILL CREAM CHEESE AND AVOCADO), WITH SWEET POTATO MASH, ROASTED BROCCOLI AND APPLE SLICES.

PLATE 2, (EATS anything HUSBAND): GRILLED CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO, SWEET POTATO MASH, ROASTED BROCCOLI.

PLATE 3, (LOW CARB/HIGH PROTEIN): GRILLED CHICKEN DRIZZLED WITH brightland OLIVE OIL, SLICED PREPPED HARD-BOILED EGGS, AVOCADO, ROASTED BROCCOLI, CUCUMBER SPEARS & CASHEWS.

MEALs PREPPED below:

BLACKENED MAHI MAHI WITH CUCUMBER RELISH, COCONUT LIME CAULIFLOWER RICE, FRESH AVOCADO, sautéed BROCCOLI WITH YELLOW SQUASH.
GRILLED CHICKEN MONterEY WITH CHEDDAR CHIVE MASHED POTATOES, FRESH AVOCADO, sautéed BROCCOLI WITH YELLOW SQUASH.
BAKED BARBACOA flatUTAS, (SPICY CHIPOTLE cream FOR ADULTS), CANNED ORGANIC PINTO beans, ROASTED BROCCOLI, FRESH AVOCADO.

even more weeknight dinner inspiration...

MEALs PREPPED below:

blackened mahi mahi with cucumber relish, spaghetti squash, avocado, green beans almondine.
GF chicken tenders with ranch, green salad/steamed broccoli, hard-boiled eggs, roasted sweet potatoes.
delivery cauliflower crust pizza with green salad/steamed broccoli, avocado.

MEALs PREPPED below:

apricot glazed wild salmon, cauliflower fried rice with egg, green salad/steamed broccoli, avocado.
baked italian chicken with marinara, spaghetti squash, green beans almondine, avocado.
wild cod almondine with tartar sauce, Boursin mashed potatoes, green salad/steamed broccoli, avocado.

MEALs PREPPED below:

mini meatloaves, boursin mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, avocado.
blackened wild mahi mahi, spaghetti squash, green salad/green beans, avocado.
wild cod almondine, roasted root veggies, green salad/steamed broccoli, hard-boiled egg.

I hope I’ve provided some great weeknight dinner inspiration or added some ease to your family meals. my meal delivery service will be finishing it’s final weeks this month and I will be back to cooking full-time again, (but now, just for my family instead of other families). I’ll be working on even more weeknight meal ideas as well as meal planning tips and more. Happy eating!