I want to briefly chat with y’all this AM about pantry/fridge staples and why you need them. This past week I went a little off of the meal plan because my grocery store was clean out of poblano peppers (for the chili) and there was some reason I didn’t end up making the Greek Chicken Salad recipe but right now the “why” escapes me.
My point is if you have most, if not all, of the ingredients below in your pantry or fridge, you can easily adapt ANY of your meal plan recipes. I’m sure you are thinking, “why would I need to adapt if I have a plan – isn’t that the whole reason we have a plan in the first place?” Well, yes but every once in a while the grocery store might not have an ingredient you need or you might decide you don’t want Greek Chicken one night and instead you want balsamic chicken for goodness sakes.
Having these staples on hand will also allow for you to grab a pack of, say, chicken breast without having to think about a recipe to go along with them. I like to do this for the weekends. As long as I have a protein in the fridge, I know I can come up with something edible with the ingredients listed below! Copy this list and scratch off what you have. I bet you will have all if not most of these already in your kitchen!
- Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock
- All Purpose Flour (Almond Flour for Keto)
- Brown Sugar (Substitute for Keto)
- Breadcrumbs
- Honey
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Vinegars ( White, RedWine, Balsamic)
- Canned Diced Tomatoes (Good quality – Tuttorosso is my go to)
- Dijon Mustard
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Basil
- Chili Powder
- Curry Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt & Pepper
- Brown Rice
- Quinoa
- Shredded Cheese
- Heavy Cream (or half & half)
- Unsalted Butter
- Jar Pesto
- Buffalo Sauce
Meal Plan February 7th – 12th
Sunday, February 7th | Crispy Baked Scallops | Total Time: 25 minutes | You might be thinking this is a weird option for Super Bowl Sunday but it makes perfect sense to me. These Baked Scallops can be served alongside other apps or as a main dish. If you are looking for my go-to Super Bowl appetizer favorites, click HERE!
Monday, February 8th | One Skillet Chicken with Fiesta Cream Sauce | Total Time: 30 minutes | I love when you can take plain chicken breasts and make them SUPER flavorful with just a few simple ingredients. Serve these over lime rice, cauliflower rice, with corn, over spinach – SO many options. Kid Tip – omit the jalapeno!
Tuesday, February 9th | Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon |Total Time: 25 minutes | Apparently there is a theme for the week – creamy. Not a bad thing. Even your non-salmon lovers will love this dish. Serve over pasta, cauli rice or as is. Kid Tip – deconstruct this recipe. Pull a few pieces of plain, cooked, salmon out and top with sauce before adding in the spinach and sundried tomatoes. Serve with a side of butter noodles and raw veggies!
Wednesday, February 10th | Ava’s Favorite Chicken Burger Recipe | Total Time: 25 minutes | These chicken burgers are the bomb, insanely easy and light. I will patty these ahead of time so they are ready to cook for a crazy fast weeknight meal! Serve with roasted potatoes and a side salad. Meal Prep Tip – double the recipe to have for lunch!
Thursday, February 11th | Creamy Tuscan Sausage Penne | Total Time: 35 minutes | I created this recipe for TheFeedfeed and Tuttorosso Tomatoes with a busy weeknight in mind. It makes a ton and I snuck in a veggie in hopes the kids will accidentally ingest a few. The recipe won’t go live until Wednesday but sharing the ingredients you will need below!
1 lb. penne pasta | I lb. ground sweet sausage | 2 medium zucchini | 3 cloves garlic | 1 can Tuttorosso San Marzano Style Chopped Tomatoes in Puree | 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds | 1/2 cup heavy cream | 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves | salt, pepper, parmesan cheese
Friday, February 12th |Crockpot Korean BBQ Tacos | Total Time: 8.5 hours | The beauty of this recipe is A) it’s a crockpot and B) you can cook it overnight. Shred the meat in the morning and store in it’s own juices. Come home, make the easy BBQ sauce and you are done!
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