I’ve really been enjoying this “dinner for me…” and “dinner for E” series I have going on Instagram. I’ll admit, prior to starting the series, we were in the common funk of eating out a little too much, or just being bored of what we were typically cooking. It led to stressful nights and not-so-great last minute meals for the three of us.
I actually haven’t been doing much cooking at all since Ellis has been born. Nate really stepped in to help in that capacity and was doing such an amazing job that I just didn’t ever really offer to take it back over, haha. The poor guy. Granted – Ellis was sucking almost all the life out of me, so he was doing it as a major favor to everyone.
Anyway- I wanted to jump back in to cooking in the kitchen and really taking a charge on planning meals for the week (mostly for my own sanity). Some things that help:
- I wrote down what meals I wanted for each night of the week. This helped with grocery shopping.
- I’ll often cook (I almost always roast them) larger portions of veggies, so that I can use them in meals throughout the week.
- That can go for meats, as well. This last week I bought a rotisserie chicken that helped to supply chicken breast for one veggie bowl, pulled chicken for the soup, and then we also used it for other random lunch additions throughout the week.
Here are my favorite recipes we’ve cooked up as of late:
Roasted Root Veggies – I use this recipe, but instead of all potatoes, I will often add (or only do) sweet potato and carrot.
Roasted Beets – I love this entire salad recipe, but especially the way they roast their beets!
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Maple Vinaigrette
Roasted Cauliflower + Quinoa Salad
Beet Salad with Cucumber, Feta + Dill
Salmon Rice Bowls – I tweaked this slightly and used Rice Vinegar in place of the mirin… and I also didn’t have ponzu, so just went without. I also don’t have an air fryer, so just cook salmon as you usually do! We do ours on the grill, or on the stovetop (usually 3-4min on each side).
Any other veggies I roast, I’ll typically just toss them in oil (I’ve been using avocado oil lately – but olive oil works perfectly, too), and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder (or fresh garlic), and paprika. I’ll roast them at 425 until soft… usually between 15-25min, depending on the veggie. I’ll flip/stir them up every 10-15 min or so, so I just keep an eye on them that way.
I also just want to say… for those with children… I know how stressful feeding can be. I’m with you. It’s finally getting fun for us. It has not always been this way. I’ve shouted their praises before, but I highly recommend Solid Starts if you’re struggling with any anxieties around feeding, or picky eaters, or just not know where or how to do it – they’ve been a God send in helping me feel educated, confident, and excited about feeding Ellis.
We still have our days where things get crazy, or we’re all tired and we just don’t feel like cooking. We’re still getting take-out probably 2-3 night a week. My meals are not always well-rounded. Sharing our plates has just helped me stay motivated and accountable for what we’re eating lately. And I hope it helps inspire you to try out some new recipes and get excited about cooking again!
