Meals With Monet: Weekly Meal Plan #19

Happy new year! We know that the new year is a popular time to try out new diets, and we 100% support you trying new things this year! If you’ve never tried a Mediterranean diet, it’s one of the easiest and healthiest diets out there – and it’s not as restrictive and other diets out there. 

The beauty of the Mediterranean diet is how undiet-like it is. Basically, you can eat anything and everything, as long as it falls under the Mediterranean umbrella. This includes dairy, chicken, bread, cheese, grains, healthy fats, and much more! Let’s start off the new year strong with this week’s Mediterranean meal plan.

Grocery List

Monday: Quick and Easy Spiced Chickpea Bowls

Thank you Pinch of Yum for the recipe!

Ingredients

Spiced Chickpeas:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 

• ¼ cup chopped onion 

• 1 garlic clove (minced)

• 1 Tbsp chili powder

• 1 Tbsp cumin

• 1 tsp turmeric 

• 1 tsp garam masala 

• 1 tsp sea salt 

• Dash of cinnamon 

• Dash of cayenne

• 2 14-oz cans chickpeas 

• 2 14-oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes

Bowls: 

• Cucumbers 

• Couscous 

• Mint, parsley, and cilantro 

• Yogurt or hummus 

• Olive oil 

• Lemon juice 

• Toasted pita wedges

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it’s soft. Add the garlic, spices, salt, and chickpeas and stir until it’s fragrant. Add the tomatoes (undrained) and simmer for 20 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. 

2. Chop the cucumber, cook the couscous, and mince the herbs. Arrange the bowls with the desired amount of ingredients and serve!

Tuesday: Orange Orzo Salad with Almonds, Feta, and Olives

Thank you, Cookie + Kate for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. whole wheat orzo pasta 

• ½ cup raw almonds

• 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 

• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives (halved)

• ½ cup chopped green onions

• ½ cup raisins 

• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

• 1 tsp orange zest 

• ¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice 

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 garlic clove (pressed or minced)

• ¼ tsp salt

• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve roughly ½ cup of pasta water. Drain and immediately rinse the orzo under cold running water until it’s no longer warm. 

2. Toast the almonds in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is fragrant and golden on the edges — about 5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a cutting board and chop them. 

3. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked orzo, chopped almonds, parsley, olives, green onion, raisins, and feta.

4. In a liquid measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water and whisk until everything’s blended. 

5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Season with pepper, to taste.

Wednesday: Chicken Gyro Bowls with Quinoa

Thank you Platings and Pairings for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade:

• 3 garlic cloves (minced)

• 3 Tbsp lemon juice

• 3 tsp white wine vinegar

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

• 3 Tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt

• 1 + ½ Tbsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp ground mustard

• 2 tsp kosher salt 

Tzatziki:

• 2 garlic cloves (minced)

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice 

• 2 tsp white wine vinegar

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 + ¼ cups nonfat Greek yogurt

• 1 medium cucumber 

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

Pickled Onions: 

• ½ red onion (thinly sliced)

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 

• 2 tsp sugar

Bowls:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa 

• 1 cup grape tomatoes (halved)

• 1 cucumber (sliced)

• 4 oz. feta (crumbled)

• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 

• ¼ cup chopped mint

Directions

1. Add the marinade ingredients to a large Ziploc bag. add the chicken and massage the marinade into the meat. Allow it to marinate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight. 

2. Add the sliced onions to a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to fully cover them and count to 10. Drain the onions and place them in a jar or a bowl. 

3. Heat the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved — about 20 minutes.

4. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater or food processor. Wrap the grated cucumber in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid. 

5. Place the cucumber in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, then mix to combine.  Set the cucumber aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to combine. 

6. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook it in a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side until it’s cooked through. Cut it into strips. 

7. Divide the quinoa between the bowls. Top with chicken strips, pickled onion, tomato, cucumber, and feta. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce and garnish with parsley and mint.

Thursday: Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe with Tzatziki

Thank you The Mediterranean Dish for the recipe!

Ingredients

Souvlaki Marinade: 

• 10 garlic cloves (peeled)

• 2 Tbsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried rosemary

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• Juice from 1 lemon 

• 2 bay leaves

Chicken:

• 2 + ½ lb. organic boneless skinless chicken breast (fat removed and cut into 1 + ½-inch pieces)

Pita Fixings:

• Greek pita bread

• Tzatziki Sauce 

• Sliced tomato, cucumber, onions, and Kalamata olives (for topping)

Directions

1. In the bowl of a small food processor, add the garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice. Pulse until well combined. 

2. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the bay leaves. Top with marinade and toss to combine, making sure the chicken is well-coated with marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

3. Soak 10-12 wooden skewers in water for 30-45 minutes or so. Prepare the tzatziki sauce and other fixings. 

4. When it’s ready, thread the marinated chicken pieces through the prepared skewers. 

5. Prepare the outdoor grill (or griddle). Brush the grates with a little oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skewers on the grill until well-browned and with an eternal temperature of 155°F. Be sure to turn the skewers evenly to cook on all sides, about 5 minutes in total. While grilling, brush lightly with marinade. 

6. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and let it rest for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, briefly grill the pitas to keep them warm. 

7. Assemble the grilled chicken souvlaki pitas. First, spread the tzatziki sauce on the pita, then add the chicken pieces, then the veggies, then olives.

Friday: Moroccan Flatbreads

Thank you Taste of Home for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 + ½ lbs. ground lamb 

• 1 + ½ cups chopped zucchini 

• 1 + ¼ cups medium salsa

• 2 cups julienned carrots

• ½ cup dired apricots (coarsley chopped)

• 2 Tbsp apricot preserves

• 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

• 1 Tbsp Moroccan seasoning 

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• 3 naan flatbreads

• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese

• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the lamb for 8 minutes, or until it’s no longer pink. Break it up into crumbles and drain. Add the zucchini, salsa, 1 cup of carrots, apricots, preserves, lemon zest, Moroccan seasoning, and garlic powder. Cook and stir until it’s heated through and the zucchini is crisp-tender — about 7 minutes. 

2. Spoon the lamb mixture over the naan. Top with the remaining carrots, feta, and mint. Cut into wedges and serve!

Are you excited for this week’s meal plan? What theme would you like to see next? Comment below!

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