Weekly Meal Plan #7 {April 10, 2017}

Baked Salmon with Roasted Brussels and Sweet Potatoes

• 1 lb (approx) package fresh salmon fillets (wild caught is preferred but harder to find)
• salt and pepper
• paprika
• garlic powder
• dill
• oil of choice
• 
  
• 1 pkg pre-rinsed fresh brussels sprouts
• 3-4 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced
• oil of choice
• salt and pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Start with the veggies. (They will cook longer than the fish.) While the oven is heating, peel and dice the sweet potatoes, and halve or quarter the brussels. Place on a sheet pan side-by-side. You can definitely mix them together, but I have one kid who likes the sweet potatoes and one kid who likes the brussels. It just makes it easier to serve them! ;) Drizzle the veggies with about 2 tbsp oil, then season well with salt and pepper. I like to add a little oregano to my sweet potatoes. Roast for about 17  minutes, then turn with a spatula.* (Put salmon in beside the veggies.) Roast again for about 10-15 minutes or until the veggies start to carmelize a little.
* While veggies are roasting the first round, season salmon lightly with all seasonings; go extra light on the dill- it's powerful! (Leave the skin on the one side... it will peel off when done cooking.) Place salmon fillets in a baking dish skin side down. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness (put it in during the second roasting of the veggies). You want it opaque, not "clear" in the middle.

Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks
from Dinner Then Dessert

• 4-5 pounds chuck roast 
• 2 tablespoons oil 
• 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
• 1 cup beef broth 
• 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed French onion soup 
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1/2 cup dark beer (optional)
• yellow onion sliced into 1/4" slices 
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced 1 inch 
• green bell pepper sliced into 1/4" slices 
• 6 hoagie rolls 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 6 slices Provolone Cheese

Season the chuck roast with the salt and pepper. Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium-high. Add the roast and brown, deeply for 4-5 minutes on each side. Place the beef, the beef broth, the french onion soup, Worcestershire sauce, and the beer in the slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8 hours. *Add in the onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper in the last hour of cooking. To serve, toast your hoagie rolls with a bit of butter spread onto the cut sides. With a very sharp knife cut your beef against the grain. Add the cheese, some of the meat and top with the cooked veggies. Reserve some of the broth in the bottom of the slow cooker for dipping!*The veggies will be mush if you start them with the beef. If you won't be home to put them in for the last hour, you can go ahead and have them all chopped up, then quickly, right before serving, saute them with a little oil and salt and pepper. You could even do it in the microwave in a pinch!

Cauliflower Pizzas
from A Healthy Slice of Life

• ½ head cauliflower (about 2 cups riced)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• small jar pizza sauce (amount used is your preference)
• food processor or chopper
• parchment paper
• toppings of choice (shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, pineapple)

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees

Wash and trim the cauliflower, then cut off half of the florets. Place them in a food processor. Use the pulse feature until the cauliflower takes the form of rice- small, textured pieces. Transfer the cauliflower “rice” to a nonstick pan. Sauté over medium heat for 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the mozzarella, garlic, egg, oregano and basil in a large bowl. Once the cauliflower is cooked, add it to the bowl and stir to combine well. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. I highly recommend the parchment paper over a greased baking sheet. I tried both and the greased baking sheet did not turn out well. Press and flatten the “dough” into a 9 inch diameter. It should be about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.Then the fun part- top it! Get creative! You could add pesto and fresh mozzarella or bbq sauce and cooked chicken. Don’t add too many heavy toppings, though, or the crust won’t hold up well. Broil until the cheese is melted and the pizza looks done. Watch it closely. Let the pizza cool for only a minute or two, then slice and serve warm.

Shrimp Tacos

from Mrs. Happy Homemaker

• Taco Shells (soft or crunchy corn tortillas are bes, but flour would be OK too.)
• 1 pound of cooked, deveined, & shelled shrimp – tails off (in freezer seafood section)
• 1 – 1.5 cups of black bean and corn salsa (I like Newman's Own or Food Club best.)
• toppings of choice such as diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese or queso fresco, shredded Lettuce
• cooked white rice or packaged Mexican-style rice

Thaw shrimp in fridge the night before cooking. Quick thaw under warm water bath for about an hour.

Roughly chop the shrimp into 1/2 inch pieces.

Place salsa and shrimp in a large zipper bag or sallow baking dish to marinate shrimp for at least 1 hour before cooking.

Heat skillet to medium heat. Add the shrimp/salsa mixture and cook for about 5 minutes until warmed through.

Warm tortillas as directed and top as desire. Serve with Mexican style rice.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Tastes Better From Scratch

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 lb package ground chicken
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup matchstick carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely shredded cabbage
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• For the sauce
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)
• 1 heaping Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp freshly chopped ginger
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• Crushed red pepper, to taste
• Bib or Romaine Lettuce Leaves

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add chicken, garlic, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, breaking up the chicken until chicken is cooked through. Add the carrots, cabbage, and green onions, cooking an additional 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
In a small bowl combine the sweet chili sauce, ginger, chunky peanut butter, and soy sauce, and crushed red pepper. Stir until smooth. Add to pan along with chopped cilantro. Stir until blended in and heated through. Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves.

Bonus Meal:

Chicken Gyros

from Peas and Crayons

• 1 pkg (1 lb) boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cooked any way you'd like (see notes)
• leaves of romaine lettuce, trimmed
• 1 cup grape tomatoes* chopped or sliced (see below)
• 1/4 english seedless cucumber, sliced thin
• 4-6 fluffy pita breads

EXTRAS: (optional)

• diced or thinly sliced onion
• diced or thinly sliced bell pepper
• sliced kalamata or black olives
• fresh parsley to garnish
• extra crumbled feta cheese (I'm guilty of this one! Yum!)

GREEK FETA SAUCE: need your food processor or blender

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 TBSP plain Greek yogurt
• 2 oz feta cheese (or more)
• 2 TBSP red wine vinegar
• 1 TBSP dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley (or 1 tsp fresh)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano

DRESSING:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Adjust seasoning/feta to taste.

FOR THE SANDWICH
Chop, slice, and prep your veggies.
Prep and cook your chicken as desired. (see notes)
Warm pita bread either using the toaster oven, oven, microwave, or a heated skillet.
Lay pita bread flat and layer chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and any additional toppings you'd like to add, then top with a hearty dollop or two of feta sauce.
Wrap and secure with aluminum foil, wrapping it around half the sandwich, burrito-style.
Dig in!

Notes:
*You can use anything from cherry tomatoes to plum tomatoes to big juicy heirloom tomatoes for this recipe. No need to really measure, add as much as you'd like on your sandwiches.

For the chicken, you can absolutely fire up your grill, roast it in the oven, use up leftovers, or even snag a rotisserie on the way home from work/errands. Literally anything goes.

If you have extra sauce leftover, it's great on everything! Slather it on turkey burgers, sandwiches, and wraps or use it as a tasty salad dressing! Sauce recipe yields approx 3/4 cup.

SHOPPING LIST:

BREADS/BAKERY:

6 hoagie rolls

DRY GOODS:

taco shells of choice

white rice or pkg Mexican style rice

CANS/JARS/SAUCES:

beef broth

1 can french onion soup

small jar pizza sauce

sweet chili sauce (in Asian section)

crunchy peanut buttersoy sauce

BAKING/SEASONINGS:

paprika

garlic powder

dill

basil

oregano

parchment paper

MEATS:

4-5 lbs chuck roast

1 lb bag frozen cooked, peeled, deveined, tail off shrimp

1 pkg ground chicken

PRODUCE:

1 pkg pre-rinsed fresh brussels sprouts such as Eat Smart Brand
3-4 medium sweet potatoes

2 med yellow onions

8 oz cremini or white mushrooms

1 green bell pepper

1 small head cauliflower

garlic

shrimp taco toppings of choice such as diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, avocado, lettuce

matchstick carrots

cabbage

green onions

fresh ginger root

cilantro

whole romaine leaves

DAIRY:

butter

sliced provolone cheese

1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

egg

BEVERAGES:

1/2 cup dark beer (optional for Phillies) You can buy just one bottle at most grocery stores. You can even get non-alcoholic such as O-Douls.

*** The chicken gyros are not on the shopping list. You will need to add the ingredients if you plan to make them.