Easy Prep Dinners | Meal Plan Menu
Make every week an easy week with our online meal planner! Now serving up pot pie, roasted fish, sesame chicken, and French toast.
With memories from Thanksgiving dinner on the mind, the last thing you want is to transition from that fantastic feast to microwave meals or take-out. We bet you are still in the mood for delicious, hot meals, so that is exactly what we planned for you this week!
We’ll keep your kitchen toasty and your taste buds excited with a fun lineup of entrees: turkey pot pie, roasted fish, sesame baked chicken, and even a delectable breakfast for dinner. With only 30-40 minutes of active cooking for each recipe and plenty of meal prep tips, we’ll make sure this week doesn’t feel like your first days back after vacation.
“I’m so in love! All the [Cook Smarts] meals were so good and easy as well with the meal prep.”
– Kelly D. (Member since Sep 2018)
All meals come with gluten-free, Paleo, and vegetarian options, as well as a grocery list and optional weekend prep steps.
Meal Planning Smarts
ingredient tips:
- Creme fraiche is a buttery cream that is thicker and less tangy than sour cream and found near other dairy products in the grocery store. Since it has a high butterfat content, it can be exposed to high temperatures without curdling like other milk products. Its indulgent, velvety texture and mellow flavor make it perfect for adding creaminess to soups and sauces. We know it’s a treat to pick it up at the store, so we include creme fraiche twice this week to use it efficiently (and deliciously!).
- Lentils sometimes have a reputation for taking an awfully long time to cook. However, if you soak them overnight or put them in a bowl of water in the morning, your lentils will cook much faster and won’t hold up dinnertime.
effeciencies:
- A little jar of Dijon mustard goes a long way. This week it lends big flavor to sauces and vinaigrettes in 3 very different ways.
- Frozen peas are a versatile ingredient to keep on hand, are quick to cook, and last a long time in the freezer. This week we use them twice to up your intake of green veggies and provide a subtle sweetness to your meals in the healthiest of ways!
- With an earthy, almost minty flavor profile, dried thyme works wonderfully with poultry and fish dishes. We always strive to make the most of our spice pantry, so this week we use dried thyme in a few dishes.
Leftovers:
- Stir-frying Thursday’s leftover chicken and veggies with extra sesame soy vinaigrette is a quick and healthy way to brighten your lunchtime. You can serve the stir-fry over rice or change it up with noodles!
- If you have an extra sheet of puff pastry, it’s easy to make a heart-warming apple dessert without having to do a lot of extra work. Simply use leftover sauteed apples from Wednesday for a pie, cinnamon rolls, or turnovers, and then top with whipped cream or a dollop of leftover creme fraiche!
Tips for smarter meal planning come with every meal plan menu. The smarts above are only a portion of the tips we include to help you make the most of your ingredients and cook more efficiently. Join our community to get the full benefits of our meal plan service!
On the Menu
MONDAY | Turkey Pot Pie and Roasted Green Beans with Vinaigrette
You may have had chicken pot pie before, but for a fun new way to experience pot pie, our recipe calls for seasoned ground turkey, creme fraiche, and classic veggies (onions, carrots, and peas) enclosed in flaky golden puff pastry. This comforting and delicious entree is accompanied by a side of roasted Dijon green beans and can be on the table in under an hour!
Our Vegetarian Pot Pie recipe omits the turkey and replaces it with cannellini beans and seasoned mushrooms for flavor and protein. Our gluten-free version uses an almond crust and our Paleo members will enjoy the same almond crust while also omitting the creme fraiche.
TUESDAY | Mustard Roasted Fish with Lentils, Peas & Spinach
Tuesday features a few of the same ingredients as Monday’s pot pie, but with a completely different spin. Use Dijon mustard and creme fraiche to make a bold cream sauce for your oven-roasted fish. Serve it over lentils, peas, and spinach for a meal packed with protein, fiber, and flavor!
This naturally gluten-free recipe is easy to make Paleo by mixing a Dijon tahini sauce and serving your fish over mushrooms, spinach, and pine nuts. If you are vegetarian, your recipe version will feature savory mustard roasted cauliflower and a side of quinoa for a boost of protein.
WEDNESDAY | French Toast with Cinnamon Apples + Cranberry Arugula Salad
Breakfast for dinner is always a fun way to get out of a dinner rut! What makes our french toast recipe exceptionally delightful is the seasonally crisp apples that are caramelized with butter, cinnamon, and a touch of sugar. All you need to do is spread a spoonful over your hot french toast, inhale the warm spices of fall, and take a bite. You will never want to do breakfast for dinner any other way. And, with a light arugula salad on the side, you’ll be sure to get in those vitamins and minerals!
This meal is already vegetarian and can be made gluten-free by simply using GF bread and flour. Meanwhile, our Paleo members can enjoy Seared Pork Chops with Sauteed Apples.
THURSDAY | Baked Sesame Soy Chicken Breasts with Sauteed Veggies & Quinoa
Our simple yet flavorful sesame soy vinaigrette adds a real wow factor to baked chicken. In less than 50 minutes, you can have sauteed broccoli and carrots, fluffy quinoa, and mouthwatering chicken! With this recipe, you can have an easy weeknight dinner that you feel good about.
The gluten-free recipe version uses Tamari instead of soy sauce. Our Paleo recipe uses coconut aminos and also replaces brown sugar with honey and serves the chicken and veggies over cauliflower rice. The herbivores among us can simply marinate and roast tofu in sesame soy vinaigrette for the same satisfying flavors.
We do more than create meal plans. We create memories around the dinner table.
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