3 Meals In The Life - Weekly Meal Prep

Today I wanted to share a bit of the methodology I use for weekly meal planning. Since one of my many 2017 goals (I don't do resolutions) revolves around limiting food waste, I thought such a post would be particularly relevant, especially if you too are looking to conserve while eating nutritiously and efficiently. 

Alton Brown's Easy Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic and Yotam Ottolenghi's
Cucumber & Poppy Seed Salad, Photo: NK

Now don't misunderstand, I know full well that In the midst of all life's responsibilities, meal planning can seem daunting. 

One easy way to demystify it with an eye towards lessening food waste is to start with one recipe idea and then think about the ingredients you'll have leftover, and then what other meals they complement.  After a while, you'll get in the habit of knowing how to group your meals. For instance, I know whenever it's Taco night (my husband's fave), a grain bowl with scallions and protein won't be far behind. 

For a more regular look into our daily meals, follow us on Instagram.

Salmon Barley Bowl (with Poppy Seeds!), Photo: NK

OTHER TIPS: 

1. On weekdays, choose simpler recipes (most here on Neurotic Kitchen take well under 45 minutes), especially those that can be quickly warmed in the microwave or even served at room temperature. Note: This week, we made an easy version of Chicken With Forty Cloves of Garlic which still takes an hour and a half to cook, but the prep time is very short so you can pop it in the oven as soon as you get home from work. Alternately, it's a great Sunday dinner. 

2. Wash, prep and chop all your veggies early in the week; you'll have them at the ready for even quicker assembly. The end result is much less prep time. If you've planned it so that your veggies are part of several different meals, you'll also have less waste.

3. Make large batches of grains and other staples to add to packed lunches, salads, or bulk up kids' meals. 

Meals (for 2-3)

Shrimp Tacos (optionally Marinated)

Salmon Barley Bowl 

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic and Cucumber Poppyseed Salad

(Click above for the Recipes!)

Shrimp Tacos, Photo: NK 

Shopping List

Veggies & Starch 
1 Bunch Scallions (for Tacos and Salmon Barley Bowl)

5 Persian Cucumbers (or small Cucumbers) (for Salmon Bowl & Chicken + Cucumber and Poppy Seed Salad)

2 Avocados (for Salmon Bowl and Tacos) 

Tortillas (for Tacos)

Mild Red Chilies (for Tacos and Cucumber Poppy Seed Salad)

Barley (For Salmon Bowl, to bulk up lunch salads, and as a base for extra kids' meals)

Cilantro (For Tacos, For Cucumber Poppy Seed Salad)

Salsa/Store-bought Pico de Gallo (and optional Tortilla Chips for Salsa & Chip snack)

Poppy Seeds (For Cucumber Poppy Seed Salad and Salmon Bowl) 

Pre-Peeled Garlic (optional, as you could buy whole and peel Garlic) but it will save you time!

Thyme (for the Chicken) Note: Thyme keeps about 7 days, here's another idea for it.

Protein
5 Ounces Smoked Salmon 

Whole Chicken cut up (bone in and skin on)

1 Pound Shrimp 

Optional Extras:

Washed and ready to eat Salad Mix. I use this to make to work lunches - just and add whatever extra Veggies, Grains or Proteins we have leftover from dinner! 
~~

And there you have it. I hope you enjoyed a little look into our weekly recipe planning. Here's to more recipes and easy and elegant meal ideas for 2017. Happy cooking! 

Bowled Over - Hawaiian Inspired Pork & Greens Bowl

Bowls are definitely a thing these days. They are everywhere. From breakfast bowls, to protein bowls, to acai bowls, you're apparently not really eating until you're face-first into a big mishmash of all kinds of good stuff. I was reluctant to get into the bowl gimmick but you know I am never opposed to a delicious meal, and I created today's bowl as a way to address my frequent craving for sweet, sour and salty flavors all in one place. Incorporating spicy, Chipotle-marinated Pork Chops, tangy Pineapple and shredded raw Greens, our Hawaiian-inspired Bowl hits the spot. 

Island Flavors in a low-carb, protein-packed bowl with a ton of leafy greens! Photo: NK 

I include Barley, a favorite grain of mine, in the recipe because I think it lends some nice texture while making this extra stick-to-your-ribs. Any grain would make a worthy substitute, and the best part is, you're only using a small amount so the dish remains relatively low carb. No worries if you want toss the Barley and make it totally carb-free. 

The prep for this recipe can be done the night before and is super fast --- all you have to do is crush a few Garlic cloves, core a Pineapple (for the marinade -- Pineapple Core is pretty inedible but it does a great job imparting flavor with no wast)  and crack open a can of Chipotle in Adobo. Then just look forward to tomorrow's cooked Pork will emerge from your skillet nicely spiced, tender and juicy.  

I know a recipe is a winner when I am compelled to make it twice in two weeks. Until next time, and I hope you enjoy our Hawaiian-Inspired Pork Bowl as much as we did. 

Hawaiian-Inspired Pork & Greens Bowl

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

2 - 1 inch Boneless Pork Chops, about 8 ounces each

1 small can Chipotle in Adobo

1 Tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Lime Juice (optional) 

1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil (Olive or Grapeseed)

2 Cloves of Garlic, Crushed. 

3 Pineapple Rings, cut into bite-sized wedges, core set aside and sliced up for the marinade

1/2 a small Yellow or White Onion, diced 

1 Cup cooked Pearl Barley 

4 Ounces Mixed Asian Greens (Bok Choy, Mizuna, Mustard Greens) such as Gotham Greens Blend chopped into bite-sized pieces. 

1 teaspoon Neutral Oil

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

10 Grape Tomatoes, sliced in halves (optional)

Method: 

The night before, place 2 Pork Chops in a large lidded bowl or ziploc bag. Add 3 whole Chipotle Chilis from the can, followed by 2 Tablespoon of the Adobo Sauce. Add sliced Pineapple Core to the marinade, crushed Garlic Cloves, Soy Sauce and Lime Juice. Let sit in the fridge overnight, tossing occasionally if possible. 

Remove Pork from the marinade and wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Cook Pork Chops over medium heat in a pre-heated cast-iron skillet, 3-4 on one side. Flip and lower the heat. Continue to cook another few minutes until medium. Allow to sit 5-6 minutes and chop into one-inch bite-sized pieces. 

To serve, toss Greens and Cooked Barley together in a large mixing bowl. Add Pineapple chunks and Grape Tomatoes. Drizzle in 1 teaspoon of Oil (Olive, Grapeseed, etc) and 1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar. Toss. Divide Greens Mixture into bowls, and top with equal portions of cubed Pork. Serve alongside your favorite Hot Sauce and enjoy! 

Lightened Up Classics - Figure-Friendly Waldorf Salad

A few weeks into January and we've been fairly successful in keeping on a healthy track this New Year. Yup, we're celebrating a steady record of gym-going with only a few minor moments of food-driven naughtiness. A whole nineteen days worth! We know, you're impressed. With these lofty resolutions in mind, I had asked my husband to get me the new Giada De Laurentiis cookbook for Christmas, Giada's Feel Good Food. If you aren't familiar, it's the bombshell book where adorably petite GIada lets us in on what I've suspected all along: there's no way she's eating all those delectable bowls of pasta you see her cooking on TV. 

Lighter Waldorf Salad Prep, Photo: NK

My verdict on the book is that it's a pretty good read and there are a great many straightforward, light, and appetizing recipes throughout. Think California spa food gone just a bit more substantial. It even includes some nice tips on how she cares for her skin and hair as well. The first recipe that spoke to me was a much healthier remix of an old classic, a guilty pleasure of mine - Waldorf Salad. Could Waldorf Salad be good without the mayonnaise?, I wondered aloud. Turns out, it can. I hope you enjoy our light adaptation of Giada's recipe (we used crunchy jicama instead of fennel). We found it every bit as satisfying as the original, and filling enough to require only a small accompaniment to make an entire dinner (in our case, we added a crab cake on the side, no bun). As a lunch portion it is perfectly sized. Enjoy!

Lightened Up Waldorf Salad, Photo: NK 

Lightened Up Waldorf Salad

Slightly Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 2

Dressing Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Grapeseed Oil

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (we like Bragg Vinegar)

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Several Pinches Black Pepper

1.5 teaspoons Light Agave (or Honey)

Salad Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Cooked Grains of your choice (we used Farro, barley or brown rice work well)

1/2 Cup Toasted Walnuts, chopped

1/2 Cup Seedless Red Grapes, sliced in half

1/2 a Granny Smith Apple, cored and cut into a 1/4 inch dice

4 Large Radicchio Leaves

1/2 Cup diced Jicama (1/4 inch dice) or Fennel Bulb, or Celery, diced the same size

Method: 

1. Combine ingredients for Dressing in a small bowl.

2. In a larger bowl, toss the Apple, Jicama, Grapes, Walnuts and Cooked Grains. Drizzle the dressing over the salad (you'll only need about 3 teaspoons), mixing gently until coated. 

3. To plate, place 1 or 2 Radicchio Leaves on the plate. Spoon salad into the leaves (use both if you can't fit the whole portion, or one leaf if it's big enough to accommodate).
Enjoy!