Do you like the idea of no-stress meals? I know I do! This week’s meal plan focuses on low stress meals that still have a variety of different proteins, veggies, and flavors. We’ve got a salad night, a Tex-Mex night, and so much more. Plus, check out the soup of the week and the “weekend wonder” recipe for more ideas for the other meals during the week or the weekend.
Painless Monday: Cobb Salad
After a busy weekend, I’m often craving fresh veggies for dinner on Monday. Chances are, I didn’t make the best choices over the weekend as I would’ve hoped. A salad is a great way to make up for it, plus it’s easy enough for a Monday!
Hot tips
- Load up your salad with cooked chicken, bacon, hard boiled eggs, and croutons. You can even prep these a few days ahead of time to make it uber easy and fast.
- Prepare the dressing in a small jar and pour it over the salad just before serving.
- If making salad to last for a couple days, store the dressing separately and add it only to single serving portions.
Tex-Mex Tuesday: Ground Beef Enchiladas
I know, I know… a Ukrainian making Mexican food? If you didn’t know, my first job was actually at a Tex-Mex restaurant. So trust me — you’ll love these easy 15 minute prep enchiladas, even if they aren’t fully Mexican. They’re 100% “Natalya” and “momsdish” approved!
Hot tips
- Don’t miss out on the toppings! A few of our favorites are chips (baked or air fried tortilla chips), salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream.
- If you’re looking for gluten-free options, use corn tortillas instead of regular flour tortillas.
- You can prep the full dish up to 24 hours ahead of time! Just follow a few changes — wrap the tortillas after the meat mixture fully cools, then store the enchiladas in the fridge.
“Worldy” Wednesday: Classic Chicken Gizzards Gravy
Tell me if I’m wrong, but ever since moving to America as a kid, I feel like not many people eat chicken gizzards like my family and many Slavic families do. I’m convinced it’s because not many people know the right way to cook them! Check out this recipe and find out for yourself how rich and tender chicken gizzards are.
Hot tips
- Simmer the gravy as long as it takes for the gizzards to become tender. The method is very similar to cooking beef in beef stew.
- Pair with creamy mashed potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes.
- Add seasonings and veggies to your heart’s desire. I like adding sliced mushrooms and diced celery along with a dash of cayenne pepper for some heat.
- If you have hard time finding chicken gizzards, check with your butcher at the local grocery store.
Single-Skillet Thursday: Steak Diane
Steak Diane may sound and taste fancy, but it’s actually one of the easiest beef dinners to make. All you need is a single skillet, 30 minutes, and a handful of ingredients. It’s a no-brainer (which towards the end of the week, we really need sometimes!).
Hot tips
- Use a meat thermometer to check when the steak is at your preferred doneness.
- Serve the creamy steak over leftover mashed potatoes from Wednesday’s meal. Don’t forget a fresh veggie dish like air fryer asparagus or shaved Brussels sprout salad.
- Season the dish to your taste, and add more or less mushrooms depending on how much you like them.
“Fire” Friday: Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Everyone knows what it feels like to crave Chinese or Asian takeout, right?! These teriyaki chicken skewers will satisfy your need for savory, sweet, and sticky chicken in no time at all.
Hot tips
- Feel free to use store-bought teriyaki sauce, but honestly, my family loves my homemade teriyaki sauce more! You can even prep it up to 10 days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.
- The chicken tastes best when marinated for at least 30 minutes or up to eight hours ahead of time.
- Make extra teriyaki sauce to brush onto the chicken after cooking for more sticky flavor (or brush it on when reheating).
Weekend Wonder: Strawberry Scones
One of my favorite childhood desserts are my Grandmother’s strawberry scones. Even though she was the busiest person I knew, she still managed to find time to make her grandkids scones all the time. I aspire to be like her each time I make her strawberry scones!
Soup of the Week: Fish Soup aka Ukha
Since there wasn’t any official seafood dishes on this week’s menu, I suggest making this fish soup to enjoy for lunch or swap it with any dinner dish this week. Fish has tons of omega-3s, so I try to have it at least once a week. Even though fish soup may sound foreign to many, I promise you’ll love this soup with tender salmon bits!
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