Dinner Recipes, Spring Meal Plan #5 (2024)

What to cook for dinner this week:

1.) [sg_popup id="5233" event="click"]Spinach Pasta with Baked Cod and Agrodolceand Spring Veggies[/sg_popup] and [sg_popup id="5236" event="click"]Sautéed Carrots and Asparagus[/sg_popup] 2.) [sg_popup id="5240" event="click"]Tahini Marinated Chicken with Couscous[/sg_popup] and [sg_popup id="5244" event="click"]Cucumber Tomato Salad[/sg_popup] 3.) [sg_popup id="5248" event="click"]Couscous Salad with Spring Vegetables and Agrodolce[/sg_popup] 4.) [sg_popup id="5251" event="click"]Thai Chicken Noodle Soup[/sg_popup]5.) [sg_popup id="5255" event="click"]Perfect BLT's with Special Sauce[/sg_popup] 6.) co*cktail: Gin Julep

If you’re not familiar with this blog, here’s the basic idea:

Using some of the same ingredients in multiple dishes throughout the week is the key to gettingdelicious, wholesome, good for you, home cooked meals on the table several nights of the week. The recipes in each5-day meal planinclude some prep-work for another meal later in the week.

Like every other meal plan on this blog, this week’s recipes are designed to make healthy, delicious, home cooked meals every night of the week much easier with each meal building on the previous night’s efforts. A little = a lot.

If you’d rather cook three meals instead of five this week…

If three home cooked meals is more your style this week, Days #1, # 3, and #5– OR – #2, #4, and #5 work well together, with one meal building from the next. Please note that the grocery list at thebottom of this page is for all 5 meals.

Meal Prep, Day by Day

Day #1

What’s for Dinner Tonight: [sg_popup id="5233" event="click"]Spinach Pasta with Simple Baked Cod and Agrodolce[/sg_popup], and [sg_popup id="5236" event="click"]Sautéed Carrots and Asparagus[/sg_popup]

For me, “Day #1” isusually a Sunday, and it’s the day with the most heavy lifting when it comes to meal prep for the rest of the week. I am always so grateful to myself for taking a couple of hours on Sunday to make getting dinner on the table that much easier the rest of the week.

Whatever day of the week you choose as your “Day #1”, here’s your meal prep task list:

Choose homemade pasta or dried. Tonight's bright and colorful meal will take less than 1-hour unless you're making homemade spinach pasta.My friend Judy got me hooked on pasta making and when I have a couple of extra hours in the afternoon, I find it an immensely satisfying activity. Adding some cooked spinach to the dough makes a gorgeously vibrant green dough and adds some subtle flavor. If making homemade pasta isn't your idea of a fun afternoon, using a package of dried fettuccini is more than acceptable. If your market carries spinach fettuccini, use that. If not, just use plain.

This Week's Featured co*cktail: The Gin Julep

Suggested Recipes for the Baker:

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*Does not include ingredients for suggested baked goods.

9 large lemons
5 limes (enough for 5 tablespoon of lime juice)
6 clove garlic
3 or 4 large, ripe tomatoes
1 English cucumber, diced
2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 & ½ cup fresh parsley
2 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
¼ cup chopped cilantro
7 shallots
1 medium to large yellow onion
16 oz cauliflower
16 oz cherry tomatoes
2 large tomatoes
3 cups arugula, spinach or kale
1 red bell pepper
1 medium red onion
2 pounds fresh asparagus
6 large carrots
1 lb bok choy
Iceberg or Romaine lettuce (for BLT sandwiches)
1 & ½ – 2 lbs cod (fresh or frozen)
4 – 6 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound good quality, thick sliced bacon
8 slices of thick-cut, hearty bread
½ cup plain, unsweetened yogurt, preferably Greek yogurt
¼ cup butter
1 cup roughly chopped almonds, skin on
1 ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
4 oz red curry paste
7 oz pad Thai rice noodles
¼ cupsoy sauce
3 tablespoon fish sauce
½ cup honey
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Two 14-oz cans coconut milk, unsweetened, reduced or full-fat
¾ teaspoon chili garlic sauce
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup golden raisins
3 & ⅓ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 cups dried couscous
1 ½ cups pure ground sesame tahini paste (My two favorite brands are Pepperwood TahiniandSoom Tahini)
2 & ¼ cups olive oil
Salt and pepper

If making homemade Spinach Fettuchini for Day #1, purchase the following items. If not, purchase 12 ounces dried fettuccini noodles, spinach flavored or plain.

1 lb fresh spinach
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

If making homemade naan bread to serve with Tahini Grilled Chicken, purchase the following items. If not, purchase a package of prepared naan.

2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
1½ cups room temperature water
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup plain, unsweetened yogurt (preferably greek)
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
5-6 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
8 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

If you’d like to make your own Thai seasoning, you’ll need the following ingredients. Otherwise, purchase 1 tablespoon Thai seasoning blend (*I often use this brand of Thai seasoning.)

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground dried hot red Thai pepper
2 tablespoon dried lemongrass (see note)
2 tablespoon lime zest (zest 1 or 2 small limes)
2 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon ground ginger
4 tablespoon toasted unsweetened coconut, ground in a food processor or spice mill
2 tablespoon dark brown sugar

For the Gin Julep co*cktail:

8-10 mint leaves
1 ounce Rose's lime juice
3 ounces gin
crushed ice
lime and/or more mint leaves, to garnish

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