Next week is back-to-school for this busy teacher and since I know I'll have to hit the ground running in order to get ready for my students and still keep up with my mommy duties I am already thinking about a dinner menu for the week. I try to plan ahead so that I can take advantage of sales and feed my family well during my work week and I find that Sunday is a good day for me to prep dinners for the week. Since I am the only Paleo eater in the house not every night features Paleo dinners. My goal is to keep it healthy and keep most everyone in the house happy - that's a challenge!
Monday
No Crust Shepherd's Pie (ok it's really cottage pie but I still call it Shepherd's)
You can use Baking Beauty's recipe here or follow my variation. It's very similar! I make this a day or two ahead of time so on the day we have it for dinner it's quick.
Pie Filling
1lb lean ground beef
1lb green beans, fresh or frozen
1 bell pepper, red or green, diced
1 medium onion, diced
salt, fresh ground pepper, minced garlic to taste
olive oil
your favorite block cheese, shredded
mashed cauliflower
Sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil until tender and onions become translucent, set aside. Brown ground beef over medium high heat adding garlic, pepper, and minced garlic to taste. Mix beef, onions, and peppers in the bottom of a glass casserole dish. Next, sauté green beans until they become tender. Add green beans as the next layer in your casserole dish. Sprinkle an even layer of your shredded cheese then top with mashed cauliflower. Finish off by sprinkling paprika over top and either refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat by baking in a preheated 350 degree oven for up to 45 minutes or until heated through.
Mashed Cauliflower
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets and steamed until tender
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1/4C your favorite block cheese, shredded
1T cream cheese
1/2t salt
1/8t fresh ground black pepper
Pulse steamed cauliflower florets in food processor until smooth adding in shredded cheese, cream cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper as you go.
Tuesday
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
This is another one you can make ahead or even do in your crockpot*.
1lb lean ground beef
1 medium head of cabbage, shredded
1C chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1T each garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes
2T dill
olive oil
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until tender and translucent, add ground beef and cook through. Combine all ingredients in glass baking dish, mix well. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you're ready to have this for dinner bake it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until cabbage is tender.
*If using your crockpot instead of baking, follow all of the directions above then cook on low for up to 8 hours or on high for up to 4 hours. I recommend using a crockpot liner. They make cleanup very quick and easy!
Wednesday
Indian Curry Chicken with basmati rice and spiced eggplant.
If you're strictly Paleo skip the rice or substitute cauliflower rice as described here. Also, read your curry sauce ingredients carefully as it many contain additives that you are working to avoid. I love both of these pictured below and have tried other curry sauces from these brands. I've never been let down! I can find them at Super Target or World Market.
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| Left: Butter Chicken sauce with no unnecessary additives. Right: Tikka Masala Curry sauce - it has all kinds of additives but sometimes I give in because I love it soooo much! |
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 jar curry sauce of your choice
Saute chicken cubes in olive oil until browned and cooked through. Add curry sauce and simmer as instructed on the jar. Optional: serve over basmati rice.
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| Photo and recipe by allrecipes.com |
1 medium eggplant
2/3 cup butter
1 medium onion, diced
4 large tomatoes, diced
4t crushed coriander seed
Half eggplant and roast in preheated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until tender. Let cool until the eggplant can be easily handled. Remove flesh from peel and mash. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; sauté onions until translucent. Stir in tomatoes and eggplant; cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and sprinkle with coriander. Serve or refrigerate for up to 3 days until it's curry night.
Thursday
Zesty Chicken with roasted zucchini and yellow squash.
Zesty Chicken
1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg
1/4t water
1/4C almond flour
1/4C flax meal
1t Italian seasoning
1/4t cayenne pepper
1/4t paprika
1/2t garlic powder
1/4t red pepper flakes
1/4t salt
1/4t chili powder
Whisk egg with water. Mix all spices, almond flour, and flax meal well (you can do this a few days in advance). Coat chicken with egg mixture then dredge through flour mixture. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve with your favorite veggies!
Roasted Veggies
Our family eats at least one zucchini and one yellow squash per person.
garlic powder, salt, fresh ground pepper
olive oil
Wash veggies thoroughly and cut them lengthwise. Coat each veggie well with olive oil - this is where having a Misto is handy. Sprinkle an even coat of garlic powder on each one then add salt and pepper to taste. Roast on a parchment lined cookie sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until tender. (I throw these in the oven at the same time as my zesty chicken and everything is done together.)
Friday
Lettuce wrapped burgers with oven roasted sweet potato fries and roasted buffalo style cauliflower.
Simple Lettuce Wrapped Burgers
1lb lean ground beef
garlic powder, salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste
one head of romaine lettuce
Homemade Ketchup
Quick and Easy Honey Mustard
all your favorite burger toppings (I like cheese, banana pepper rings, and jalapeño slices)
Form ground beef into 4 patties and season with spices. I cook mine on my George Foreman grill (lined with foil for quick cleanup). Wrap each burger in 4-6 lettuce leaves adding your burger toppings before closing in the burger.
Follow the link here for roasted buffalo style cauliflower*.
Follow the link here for oven roasted sweet potato fries*.
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| Photo by Everything Tasty Kitchen. |
*I roast my cauliflower and sweet potato fries side by side in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes. I also do not flip my fries during cooking. I just close up the oven and check back from time to time to make sure everything is getting a nice golden brown. EASY!
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