Meals With Monet: Weekly Meal Plan #16

Happy mid-holiday season! We’re in the beautiful in-between phase where the exhaustion always hits. I know I’m in a constant state of balancing 500 things on my to-do and to-buy lists and I’m sure I’m not the only one suffering from that! 

One thing that always helps ease my stress is knowing that dinner is taken care of! So today, we’re bringing you some amazing, warm, and easy-to-make meals. So settle in and plug in your Instant, Crock, and all the other pots (or grab one below!)

Grocery List

Monday: Easy Coconut Curry

Thank you Love & Lemons for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil 

• 1 cup chopped yellow onion 

• 2 garlic cloves (minced)

• ½ tsp freshly grated ginger 

• ½ tsp cumin 

• ¼ tsp coriander 

• ¼ tsp turmeric 

• ¼ tsp cardamom 

• 1 tsp sea salt 

• 2 cups cubed butternut squash 

• 3 red Thai chilies, 1 serrano, or ½ jalapeño (thinly sliced)

• 2 cups cauliflower florets

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk 

• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 

• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (plus lime wedges for serving)

• 4 cups fresh spinach 

• ½ cup fresh or frozen peas

• Freshly ground black pepper

For Serving:

• 2 cups cooked basmati rice

• A few big handfuls of fresh basil or cilantro 

• Naan bread

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s soft and well-browned for about 10 minutes, reducing the heat halfway through cooking. 

2. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and salt. Set it aside. 

3. Add the butternut squash and chiles to the pot, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower and add the coconut milk and spice mixture. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 

4. Stir in the lemon juice, lime juice, spinach, and peas. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding the lime juice, salt, and pepper as desired. 

5. Serve the curry over the rice with fresh basil, naan bread, and lime wedges on the side.

Tuesday: Instant Pot Old-Fashioned Pot Roast

Thank you Bread Booze Bacon for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 3 lb. chuck roast 

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 

• 1 cup yellow onion (diced)

• 14.5 oz. low-sodium beef broth 

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves 

• 3 medium carrots (peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces)

• 6 red potatoes (cut into quarters)

• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup water 

• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Remove the roast from the package and pat it dry with a paper towel. Season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides. 

2. Turn your Instant Pot to “Sauté.” Once it’s hot, add the vegetable oil. Place the roast in the hot pan and sear on each side for 5 minutes until it’s browned. Put the roast on a plate and set it aside. 

3. Add the onions to the vessel and cook them for 3 minutes until they’re softened. Stir occasionally, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. 

4. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves to the onions. Stir until the tomato paste is fully incorporated. Put the roast back into the pan, cover, and lock the lid in place. With the valve on “Sealing,” use the manual option to set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 75 minutes. 

5. Once everything is finished cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then do a quick release for the remaining pressure. Take the roast out of the pan and place it on a plate or cutting board. Cover it with foil and set it aside. 

6. Remove the bay leaves and add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Cover and lock the lid in place. With the valve on “Sealing,” use the manual option to set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 3 minutes. After the cooking is done, do a quick release of the pressure. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and gently toss.

7. In a medium bowl, mix the flour and water until smooth. Then pour the liquid from the Instant Pot vessel. Do not pour the fat back in. Stir the flour mixture until it forms a slurry and is well combined. Pour the slurry into the vessel. 

8. Turn the Instant pot to “Sauté” and bring the gravy to boil, whisking often. Cook until the mixture boils and thickens. Turn the pressure cooker off and transfer the gravy to a gravy boat. 

9. Uncover the pot roast and cut it into large serving pieces. Plate the pot roast on a serving platter. Plate the carrots and potatoes around the edge of the serving platter around the pot roast or in their own bowl. Pour some of the gravy over the pot roast and serve immediately.

Wednesday: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Thank you The Real Food Dietitians for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts or thighs

• 1 cup hot pepper sauce

• ⅓ cup ghee, coconut oil, or butter

• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos

• 1 + ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp cayenne 

• 8 small baked sweet potatoes

• Ranch dressing

Directions

1. Place the chicken in a slow cooker set on low. 

2. In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine the hot sauce, ghee, coconut aminos, garlic powder, and optional cayenne. Stir the mixture together and heat it until the ghee is melted. 

3. Pour the sauce into the slow cooker. 

4. Cook for 4-6 hours on low, or until the chicken is tender. 

5. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and toss with sauce. 

6. Turn the slow cooker to warm until the chicken is ready to serve. 

7. Serve the chicken in the baked sweet potatoes and drizzle with buffalo sauce and ranch, if desired.

Thursday: Crock Pot Low Carb Lasagna

Thank you Well Plated for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini

• 1 medium eggplant

• Kosher salt 

• 16 oz. tomato-based pasta sauce 

• 1 medium onion (diced)

• 1 red bell pepper (diced) 

• 16 oz. low-fat cottage cheese 

• 2 large eggs 

• 8 oz. part-skimmed shredded mozzarella cheese

• Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Directions

1. With a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the eggplant and zucchini lengthwise into long, thin sections so they resemble lasagna noodles. Spread the vegetable slices out onto a kitchen towel and sprinkle them with salt. Let them stand for 15 minutes to allow some of the excess liquid to drain and pat dry. 

2. Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium. Lightly coat the grill with canola oil then grill the eggplant and zucchini strips until they’re cooked and lightly brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. 

3. Lightly coat a 6-quart crockpot with nonstick spray. Spread ½ cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of the crockpot. The layer will seem very thin. In a small bowl, beat the cottage cheese together with the eggs. 

4. Create the first veggie lasagna layer in the crockpot: 1 layer of the eggplant “noodles”, ⅓ of the cottage cheese, ⅓ of the bell peppers and onions, ⅓ of the mozzarella, and ½ cup of the tomato sauce. Continue this process for two more layers. 

5. Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours until the eggplant is tender. To test if it’s ready, insert a long, thin knife into the lasagna, and make sure the eggplant feels tender. Turn the slow cooker off and let it stand until all the remaining liquid has been absorbed — 30 minutes to an hour. 

6. To serve, slice and scoop the mixture into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and herbs as desired.

Friday: Crockpot Braised Red Wine Short Ribs with Cheddar Potato Perogies

Thank you Half Baked Harvest for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 

• 3-4 lbs. Bone-in beef short ribs

• Salt and pepper 

• 1 sweet onion (finely chopped)

• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)

• 2 carrots (chopped)

• 1 can tomato paste

• 2 cups button mushrooms (sliced)

• 2 cups red wine 

• 1 cup beef or chicken broth

• 2 bay leaves 

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme 

• Pinch of crushed red pepper

• ½ cup fresh chopped parsley (+ more for serving)

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

• 18-20 frozen perogies

• 6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

Directions

1. The night before or the morning of, heat a large heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the ribs to the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sear the ribs on all sides for about 1 minute per side. Remove the ribs and place them in the crockpot bowl. If you’re short on time, you can omit this step and add them straight into the crockpot. 

2. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, mushrooms, red wine, broth, bay leaves, thyme, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 5-6 hours. 

3. Once the short ribs are done cooking and easily fall apart, skim off any fat from the top of the crockpot. Lightly shred the ribs and remove and discard the bones, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Keep the ribs in the sauce, covered, and on low heat until they’re ready to eat. 

4. Just before you’re ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the perogies according to the package directions and drain. 

5. Divide the perogies among the plates and top with cheddar cheese. Add the short ribs and sprinkle with fresh parsley, oregano, and parmesan.

Five dinners you can just put in a pot and serve? Yes, please! Are you as excited to let your pots do the cooking for you as we are? Comment what recipes/themes you want to see us do next week!