Meals With Monet: Weekly Meal Plan #37

Okay, we’ll admit it, it’s not easy to make dinner every night. I know that the Monet Meal Plans help, but do you ever wish there was just a quick solution to dinner? This week, there is! We know that life can get crazy and now that the weather is (hopefully) looking up, you don’t want to spend the entire afternoon in the kitchen. So, this week’s meal plan is full of simple, easy, and yummy recipes!

Grocery List

Monday: Peanut Chicken Spring Roll Bowl

Thank you Half-Baked Harvest for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded Romaine or cabbage

• 4 carrots (shredded) 

• 4 green onions (chopped)

• ½ cup fresh cilantro

• ½ cup diced mango

• 2 Persian cucumbers (thinly sliced)

• ⅓ cup pickled jalapeños (chopped)

• ⅓ cup peanuts (chopped)

• 4 oz. rice noodles (cooked)

• 1-2 cups cooked shredded chicken 

• 1 avocado (chopped)

Peanut Dressing: 

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter

• ⅓ cup soy sauce

• ¼ cup toasted sesame oil 

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 2-3 Tbsp chili sauce 

• 2 Tbsp honey 

• 3 Tbsp lime juice

• 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, carrots, green onions, cilantro, mango, cucumbers, jalapeños, and peanuts. 

2. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a food processor and blending until the mixture is smooth. Add water as needed to thin the mixture. 

3. Pour ½ of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Divide the salad between the bowls and top each with noodles, chicken, and avocado. Drizzle with more dressing and toss everything together.

Tuesday: Chicken Sheet Pan Quesadillas

Thank you Gimme Some Oven for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 6 slices of bacon 

• 4 scallions (thinly sliced)

• 1 large red bell pepper (cored and diced)

• 1 large jalapeño pepper (cored and diced)

• 6 garlic cloves

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• Fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

• 1 lb. cooked shredded or diced chicken

• 2 cans pinto or black beans (or one of each, drained and rinsed)

• 1 cup sour cream (plus more for serving)

• ¼ cup finely-chopped fresh cilantro

• Melted butter 

• 16 10-inch flour tortillas

• 3-4 cups shredded cheese Mexican blend

• Guacamole (for serving)

• Salsa (for serving)

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat until it reaches your desired level of crispiness. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease remaining in the sauté pan. 

2. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the white parts of the scallions, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. 

3. Transfer the sautéed veggie mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked bacon, chicken, beans, sour cream, cilantro, and the green parts of the scallions to the mixture and mix until everything is evenly combined. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed. 

4. Heat the oven to 425°F and lightly brush a 13 x 18-inch sheet pan evenly with melted butter. 

5. Arrange the tortillas so that they overlap around the perimeter of the pan and half of the tortillas overhang on the rim with two additional tortillas layered in the center so that the entire bottom surface of the pan is covered. Spread the chicken filling evenly over the tortillas, followed by an even layer of the cheese. Place two tortillas overlapping on top in the center of the pan, then fold the overhanging tortillas back towards the center until all of the chicken filling is covered. Brush the tops of the tortillas evenly with the melted butter. 

6. Place another large baking sheet on top of the quesadilla to weigh it down. Transfer the stacked baking sheets to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and bake for 5 more minutes or until the tortillas are lightly golden. 

7. Slice the quesadilla into your desired size/shape of pieces and serve warm with your desired toppings.

Wednesday: 15-Minute Skillet Pepper Steak

Thank you Pure Wow for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 12 oz. top round beef (thinly sliced)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 Tbsp peanut oil 

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 + ½ tsp crushed red-pepper flakes

• 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)

• 1 yellow bell pepper (thinly sliced)

• 1 green bell pepper (thinly sliced)

• 1 orange bell pepper (thinly sliced)

• 3 garlic cloves (minced)

• 1 bunch scallions (thinly sliced)

• Sesame seeds (for topping)

Directions

1. Season the steak with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over the medium-high heat. Add the steak to the skillet and stir-fry until it’s browned on the exterior but not fully cooked — about 2 minutes. 

2. Transfer the steak to a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and crushed red-pepper flakes. Toss evenly to combine. 

3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the peppers in an even layer. Cook, tossing occasionally, until everything is just tender — about 4 minutes. 

4. Push the peppers to one side of the skillet and return the steak to the other side of the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir the garlic into the peppers and cook for 1 more minute. 

5. Garnish the steak with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Thursday: Pho

Thank you Tastes Better from Scratch for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. dried rice vermicelli noodles

• Desired meat: chicken, pork, or steak

• 1 large yellow onion (quartered)

• 2-inch pieces fresh ginger (unpeeled and halved lengthwise)

• 6 cups vegetable broth

• 2 cups water

• ¼ tsp ground coriander

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 ½ Tbsp fish sauce

• ¼ tsp hoisin sauce

• ¼ tsp soy sauce

• ¼ tsp red chili paste

• 1 stick cinnamon 

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: 

• 4 green onions (chopped)

• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers 

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (chopped)

• 1 bunch Thai basil leaves

• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts

• 2 limes (cut into wedges)

• Sriracha (optional)

Directions

1. Place a large dry pot over medium heat. Add the onion halves and ginger pieces and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

2. Add the broth, water, coriander, garlic, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic paste, cinnamon stick, and a pinch of fresh cracked salt and pepper to a pot. Bring the mixture to a slow boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to the package instructions. Once the ingredients are soft, drain, rinse, and set them aside. 

4. Ready the garnishes in individual bowls for serving. 

5. One to five minutes before the broth is done cooking, add the desired meat to the broth to cook, just until it’s done. 

6. Discard the ginger, clove, cinnamon stick, and onion pieces. Divide the noodles among the bowls, ladle the broth on top, then add the desired toppings!

Friday: Taco Salad

Thank you What’s Gaby Cooking for the recipe!

Ingredients

Cilantro Vinaigrette: 

• 1 shallot (roughly chopped)

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

• 1 garlic clove

• ½ tsp red-pepper flakes

• ½ cup olive oil 

• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp salt 

Meat: 

• ½ lb. ground turkey or chicken

• 2 tsp olive oil 

• 1 small onion (diced)

• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)

• 1 Tbsp taco seasoning 

• ¼ cup water

Salad: 

• 2 heads Romaine lettuce (thinly shredded)

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved and quartered)

• ½ cup grated cheddar cheese 

• 2 ears corn (shucked and corn sliced off the cob)

• 2 avocados (diced)

• 3 green onions (sliced)

• Cilantro leaves 

• A few Tbsp red onion slices

• 1 cup black beans

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the cilantro vinaigrette in a blender and blend for 2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed and set aside. 

2. Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until they’re soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the ground chicken or turkey and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until everything is fully cooked through. Add the taco seasoning and water and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes while you assemble the salad. 

3. If you’re layering this in one serving bowl, layer half of all the other toppings. Add the next layer of lettuce on top and finish with the remaining toppings. Top with meat and toss together with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Add more as needed and serve immediately.

Are you excited about our easy meal plan week? Comment any other themes you’d like to see us do below!

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