Do you cook the same things on rotation week after week, or do you find new recipes to try each week? I go through phases of each of the above, but lately with limited time, I keep falling back on my tried and true, easy weeknight recipes. These are the recipes that I keep coming back to, time and time again, and almost have the ingredients memorized.
To streamline my meal prep, I eat the same breakfast and lunch every weekday. So, when making my grocery list, I just have to come up with 5-6 dinner meals (Fridays are ALWAYS homemade pizza!) to serve throughout the week. Sometimes I’ll venture out and try something new, but when I’m down to the wire and need to finish my shopping list, these are the recipes I know my family will love, and are not a huge time commitment come dinner time.
1. Epic Whole30 Baked Meatballs – The Defined Dish
Now, before you go giving me excuses about how you aren’t on The Whole30, just hear me out. I come from a very large Italian family, so I’ve eaten my fair share of meatballs, and these are some of the absolute best. And bonus, they’re grain free and dairy free. This recipe feeds a crowd and you can throw these meatballs on top of whatever bed of pasta you prefer – I actually prefer zucchini noodles, but to each their own.
I typically make this recipe, then separate the meatballs into two separate baking dishes, I cook one and freeze the other (I told you it makes a large portion!). I’ve also added the uncooked (and frozen) meatballs to a crock pot with the marinara sauce and cooked them on low for 6-8 hours and skipped the baking altogether. They are equally as delicious this way.
2. One Pan Italian Sausage & Veggies – Chelsea’s Messy Apron
I cannot stress enough how easy this recipe is – you can hardly call it a recipe. For veggies, I usually use sweet potato, carrots, broccoli, and yellow squash or bell pepper. And I love to use Aidells’ Chicken and Apple Sausage. When using dense veggies like sweet potato and carrots, I cook them for 20 minutes by themselves first, then add the broccoli, squash, and sausage. I mix everything together in the pan, then bake another 20 minutes. This ensures the potatoes and carrots are cooked tender but the broccoli isn’t charred to a crisp.
This recipe is also as easy to clean up as it is to make, especially if you use parchment paper on your pan when baking. I typically use a bowl to mix the ingredients with oil and seasoning, but even with that, the clean up involves washing 1 bowl, 1 pan, and a knife. You just can’t beat that.
3. Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Tastes Lovely
Okay, technically this is another Whole30 (& Keto) recipe (in general, I eat a low carb diet – minus the cinnamon rolls I’m currently making – everything in moderation, right?) but this one takes 20 minutes tops and you just feel so good after eating it.
Honestly, I usually leave out the lemongrass and fresh ginger (just because I don’t stock that stuff normally in my house) and its still delicious. Also, eating these as lettuce wraps gets really messy, so I’ve resorted to chopping my lettuce and topping it with the chicken mixture and dressing. Its a much more civilized way of eating this dish if you ask me. And don’t skimp on the Herby Green Dressing – you’ll be putting it on everything else you make that week too.
4. Bacon Garlic Avocado Burgers – Paleo Gluten Free Eats
Basil in your hamburger patty? Just. Try. It. These burgers are juicy and delicious and you will never look back. I’ve never tried the paleo buns in this recipe (I usually eat my burgers on a bed of lettuce) but whatever you serve this burger on, you won’t be disappointed.
This recipe is quick, easy, and minimal mess. There’s just nothing not to love about it.
5. Skinny Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken – The Recipe Critic
What’s easier than a crockpot meal?
This meal comes together quickly with the aid of the slow cooker doing most of the work, but there’s also a stovetop option if you just can’t plan ahead enough to use the crockpot. With minimal ingredients, most of which are probably already in your pantry, this chicken dish is divine.
I usually serve this Kung Pao chicken over sautéed cauliflower rice, but regular ol’ rice or even quinoa would work too – make it easy and use whatever is in your pantry (or in my case, freezer).
And you can check out some of my original recipes here:
Do you have any Go-To recipes? What do you find yourself cooking over and over again? I’d love to hear about them (and try them out!). Comment below or connect with me on instagram @elleandjaydesign. And you can find links to some of my other favorite recipes on Pinterest too!
Hi! All your recipes look Yummy!