Welcome to my new series called Meal Prep Monday where I share all of the food I’m making for the week. Because I am well and truly over spending my time and energy making dinner each night, only to have to make something else for my kids.
This week is mostly a top-up of things that we’ve been eating and enjoying. It’s also a week where I want to prioritize eating from the freezer versus having to make a million new meals.
A reminder of what’s in the freezer:
What I currently have in our freezer:
- shredded chicken
- mashed potatoes
- skillet potato kugel
- chicken and beef meatballs
- chicken pozole
- black bean burgers
- banana bread steal cut oatmeal
- butternut squash soup
I mistakenly bought a bag of lentils when I already had some in the pantry, so I want to make something with those. I’m thinking mujadara (lentils and rice) may be the way to go, but this lentil brownie recipe sounds super intriguing.
What’s on the menu for this week:
- Buffalo Chicken Bowls with Cauliflower Garlic Rice from Pinch of Yum: I made this one over the weekend and while the chicken is delicious, it’s the cauliflower garlic rice that’s the real star of the meal. I am officially hooked and will be adding this whole thing into our regular rotation. I did pair it with a side salad for a little something fresh instead of the tomato and cucumber salad that’s in the recipe.
- Slow Cooker Shredded Beef from Unbound Wellness — This is by request from the husbands. He finished the last serving in the freezer at the end of the week, so it was time to break out the slow cooker and make a fresh batch. I love it when a recipe is 95% hands-off, making this an easy win. I portion out the servings and freeze them in my silicone freezer trays* for easy grab-and-go meals through out the week.
- Cucumber, Chickpea, and Tomato Salad — This is an easy one to enjoy throughout the week and adds some crunch and freshness to meals or is delicious on its own as a snack. I honestly just chop up the cucumbers and tomatoes, add a half can of chickpeas, a little vinegar, a little oil, and call it a day. You can even use your favorite vinaigrette that’s already made (I usually do).
- Cereal Treat Bars (Based on this recipe for Rice Chex Treats) — We had some cereal that had been sitting in the pantry for a loooooong time that I was looking to put to use. So I whipped up a batch of cereal treat bars because there is nothing a little melted marshmallow goodness can’t fix. They are a big hit with the kiddos, so I’ll be adding them to lunches for the week.
What about you? What’s on your menu for the week? Anything I should add to mine?
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