It’s time to get a head start on your meal plan for next week. From a fancy tart that comes together in a snap with our favorite store-bought shortcut to BBQ pork sliders made in the slow cooker, we’ve got 5 quick and easy weeknight meals that will get you through the week. So grab a pen, make your shopping list, and stock up before the weekend’s over.
Top: Steak Kebabs with Chimichurri at Skinny Taste | Pulled Pork Sliders at What's Gaby Cooking
Related: Meal plan: 5 easy dinners from meatless fajitas to Asian-style burgers.
Set the tone on Monday with a fancy-seeming Zucchini, Tomato, and Pesto Tart from my own site, One Hungry Mama. This delicious vegetarian meal is fancy enough to serve when entertaining (so bookmark it!), but easy enough to make on any night of the week—yes, even Monday—thanks to store-bought puff pastry. It's amazing stuff and turns this recipe into little more than an assemble-and-bake endeavor. So, maybe—just maybe—I'm so impressed by Kristen's Whole30 diet results that I'm thinking of going on Whole30 myself. You know, after my upcoming birthday and August vacation. In the meantime, I've decided to test Whole30-friendly recipes to get the hang of what they require and see if they are satisfying to my non-Whole30 family too. I started with this Crispy Chicken Skillet with Artichokes, Lemon, Beets and Olives at So... Let's Hang Out and, well, so far so good. Everyone was satisfied with this tasty dinner and it's easy to serve with a side of orzo or rice if you're looking for a starchy side dish.Steak Kebabs with Chimichurri | Skinny Taste
I try to keep these weekly meal plans balanced—one or two meatless meals, one chicken, one seafood, and so on—but don't include beef every week since it can be expensive to get the good stuff. So when I do grab steak, I want something simple (to let the flavor shine) and totally delicious. A perfectly cooked steak is always a good call, especially topped with a pat of compound butter, or these Steak Kebabs with Chimichurri at Skinny Taste (pictured), which are perfect summer fare and so easy to cook.Related: Meal plan: 5 easy dinners from Chicken Caprese to Noodle Bowls.
I honestly find it hard not to include tacos every single week, but these Crispy Fish Taco Bowls at Pinch of Yum have made it easy to keep from restraining myself. Because tacos, but also healthy! The recipe calls for spicing the fish up, but just skip the cayenne to keep this mild. And don't worry: There will still be plenty of flavor with that tasty cabbage slaw. Once again, I'm putting the slow cooker to work to take Friday easy with these Pulled Pork Sliders at What's Gaby Cooking—and you should too. These are the perfect way to kick off a summer weekend. Serve with a big salad, some craft beer for the grownups, and a homemade soda like this Red Currant Soda at my own site, One Hungry Mama, for the kids and let the weekend vibes take over.
