The meal plan for this week features dinners that are perfect for two people, with leftovers used in other meals throughout the week. Some of my favorite meals are on here, including delicious balsamic glazed beef short ribs, and easy shrimp and grits!
To hear me walk you through this meal plan, listen to the end of Time Management Insider: E52 – Start Here! It’s Our First Anniversary Episode! by clicking the orange and black play button below, or search for Time Management Insider wherever you get your podcasts. In this episode, the tables are turned as our previous guest, Heather McCurdy from Real: The Kitchen and Beyond interviews me! We talk about the goals of the TMI podcast, how the meal plans work, my meal-planning imposter syndrome, and more. I also talk quite a bit about music! I hope you enjoy this episode and this meal plan.
Meal Plan #52:
Meal Plan #52 Links And Instructions:
| Day and Meal Names | Links and Instructions |
| Day #1 Balsamic Glazed Short Ribs with Oven Polenta and Asparagus | Note that usually my meal plans have more links to recipes in them and less instructions. But, for this one-year anniversary edition I really wanted to do a meal plan in the style that I actually cook for myself, which is usually without a recipe and just following general guidelines. That is what this meal plan is. • Make one half of this Instant Pot Balsamic Short Ribs Recipe. (Or, use this traditionally braised version and add balsamic glaze at the end) • Oven Polenta (Save half of the finished polenta for use on Day #3) • Asparagus: Cook it in the air fryer at the same time as the short ribs, just arrange the asparagus around them, or cook it in the oven like this but omit the Parmesan and the coarse salt. Make sure to cook a bit more asparagus than you need for use on Day #3. |
| Day #2 Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas | Use this Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas Recipe. Save half of the chicken for Day #4 and half of the peppers and onions for Day #3. |
| Day #3 Easy Shrimp and Grits | • Cook the shrimp from frozen like this. Mix some butter, garlic powder, and chili powder together and melt it in the microwave. When the shrimp are cooked, drain them and toss them with the butter mixture. • Meanwhile, reheat the leftover polenta from Day #1. If it’s too thick, add a drizzle or two of boiling water and stir. Chop up the leftover asparagus from Day #1 and the leftover peppers and onions from Day #2. Mix all the veggies together and reheat them. • Put the polenta into bowls and top with the buttery shrimp and the veggies. |
| Day #4 Chicken Caesar Salad | • Make this light Caesar salad dressing. You’ll have enough to use some more of it on Day #5. • Into a large bowl tear up romaine lettuce. Add croutons, bacon bits, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Add some dressing and stir well. Continue to add dressing until lettuce leaves are nicely coated. • Put salad on plates and top with warmed up leftover chicken from Day #2. |
| Day #5 Crispy-Skinned Broiled Salmon, Baby Potatoes, Caesar Salad | • Pre-heat your broiler and set the oven rack to about 10 inches from the heat elements. Lightly oil the salmon all over. Season it all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Put the salmon skin-side-up on a heavy-duty sheet pan. Put it under the broiler until skin is crisp and salmon is cooked through, about 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness. • Empty a bag of Nibbles or other very small potatoes into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, salt, and pepper. Put potatoes into air fryer at 400F until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes, shaking basket partway through. • Serve with a side of Caesar salad made the same was as on Day #4 but without the chicken. |
| Extra Resource: | Here is the printable grocery list that goes with this meal plan :-) |
Have a great week! -Christine xo
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