The meal plan for this week features five hearty dinners that are bursting with fall flavors. Get ready for some butternut squash, sage, and even a weeknight lasagna dinner!
To hear me walk you through this meal plan, listen to the end of Time Management Insider: E54 – Prep For The Holidays By Clearing Your Schedule Now by clicking the orange and black play button below, or search for Time Management Insider wherever you get your podcasts. In this episode I also talk with Chef Peter Schonman about his meal prep company based outside of Chicago, PS Dinner’s Ready!. Peter’s company is part of a growing trend in the meal solutions industry whereby small businesses prep and make meals that local families can purchase as a convenient alternative to cooking or eating out. We talk about the benefits of using this kind of service and how it differs from more traditional take-out and restaurant options.
Meal Plan #54:
Meal Plan #54 Links And Instructions:
| Day and Meal Names | Links and Instructions |
| Day #1 One-Pan Chicken, Tomatoes, and Basil with Farro and Salad | • One-Pan Chicken with Tomatoes and Basil Recipe (Make extra chicken for use on day #3. You can make extra of the recipe, or just put a pan of chicken thighs seasoned with salt and pepper into the oven at the same time as you’re cooking this meal). • Farro cooked on the stove , or use the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker) (Make extra farro for use on Day #3) • Salad of lettuce, bell pepper, red onion, and Italian dressing |
| Day #2 Vegetarian Sheet Pan Fall Gnocchi Dinner | • Sheet Pan Gnocchi Dinner with Butternut Squash and Sage (Use a red onion cut into chunks instead of the shallots) |
| Day #3 Garlicky Ricotta and Chicken Dinner Bowls | • For the Garlicky Ricotta: In a medium bowl, combine 1 and 1/2 cups ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and a big handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped roughly. Stir to combine. • Shred the leftover chicken from Day #1. Heat it up, and heat up the leftover farro too (I like to put a splash of water with the farro or any rice or grain before microwaving. It adds steam when heated which plumps up the grains). • Put the farro into soup bowls and top with shredded chicken. • Top the chicken with chopped bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, and a dollop of the ricotta mixture. |
| Day #4 Easy Skillet Lasagna and Salad | • Skillet Lasagna Recipe • Salad of lettuce, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, red onion, and Italian dressing |
| Day #5 One-Pan Chicken with Butternut Squash and Sage, with Polenta Cakes | • One-Pan Chicken with Squash and Sage Recipe • Polenta Cakes: Buy a tube of cooked polenta like this. Slice it and then gently pan-fry the rounds. Once the first side is done, flip it and put a sprinkle of mozzerella on it. It can be a bit bland, depending on the brand, so you’ll probably want to season it too. Serve it topped with the cooked cubes of butternut squash. If you’d instead like some creamy polenta, here is my recipe for Easy Oven Polenta. |
| Extra Resource: | Here is the printable grocery list that goes with this meal plan :-) |
Have a great week! -Christine xo
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