In case you haven’t noticed, I get bored of eating the same things rather quickly. While I don’t really have a regular meal rotation, I do have some favorites. Here are some of the meals I made the most year, with some hacks for faster prep on weeknights. I’m also including some new favorite recipes I made this year that I anticipate will top my 2020 list.
BREAKFAST
- Coconut turmeric overnight oats. The best oats I have EVER had. I prep them for the week on Sundays and they hold up well for 4-5 days.
- Blueberry oatmeal breakfast bars.
- Favorite pumpkin muffins. If you’re looking for a fluffy muffin, this is not it. If you’re looking for a tasty muffin that is relatively healthy and good for breakfasts on the go, this is an option I find myself circling back to in the fall and winter.
CHICKEN
- Chicken tzatziki bowl. I use this recipe for the chicken marinade and riff on the rest. I do not use skewers and cut the chicken smaller for faster stovetop cooking.
- Slow cooker buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes. I honestly don’t even like buffalo chicken that much (/unpopular opinion) but this is SO good. You can roast the sweet potatoes separately if you prefer or cook them in the microwave.
- Easy homemade burrito bowls. Infinitely adaptable; you can shortcut almost any element and still get solid results. For example, I often do chicken in the crockpot with a jar of salsa instead. Goes from good to amazing if you serve it with this restaurant-style salsa.
- Best anytime baked chicken meatballs. I love these so much. Could not be easier and no sauteeing required. If I have time I like to make my own simple marinara using the sauce recipe from here as a base.
- Easy shredded harissa chicken. I like serving this with rice, cucumber, olives, hummus, tzatziki, and sometimes the red pepper sauce mentioned below.
- Instant Pot coconut tandoori chicken. A new recipe that will probably replace other similar Indian-inspired dishes I’ve made previously, as it is both easier and more flavorful (winner).
BEEF, TURKEY, PORK
- Greek turkey and rice skillet. I prefer to cook the rice separately (in water or broth) while browning the meat so I can skip the boiling/simmering step and save some time. Mix together when rice is done.
- Banh mi bowls with lemongrass meatballs. I don’t even bother to form meatballs; instead, I break up the meat in the pan after mixing in the other ingredients. I also find that the carrots taste sufficiently pickled after 30 minutes or so if you’re in a rush. Basil, sesame seeds, and spicy mayo are my fave toppings.
- Taco stuffed zucchini boats. You could easily spiralize the zucchini separately to save time and just serve the meat on top.
- Turkey stuffed peppers. I love the filling in these. So flavorful.
- Turkey meatloaf. Is this going to blow your mind? Probably not, but it’s a decent meatloaf. I don’t bother to saute the onions first, and sometimes I make my own seasoned breadcrumbs if all I have is plain with a mixture of oregano, herbs, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Signature spicy, smoky, sweet chili. I make a few adjustments to this because I prefer a thicker chili that is more spicy than sweet, including decreasing the tomato sauce to about 8 ounces, increasing the cayenne, and reducing the brown sugar. I also sometimes swap out the beef for pork and the baked beans for other kinds of beans.
SAUCES (for pasta, pizza, salads, veggies, snacking, and everything in between)
- 5-minute magic green sauce.
- 5-minute sunshine sauce. I love that this uses only pantry staples (I don’t add the fresh herbs).
- Roasted red pepper sauce.
- Restaurant-style salsa. Mentioned in the burrito bowls above, this is SO. GOOD. I drain the tomatoes slightly to make it a little thicker. I especially love it with eggs.
VEGETARIAN/VEGAN
- Glowing spiced lentil soup. One of the only recipes I may have burned myself out on after making it approximately 398434 times. Spice mixture is 👌
- Crispy baked tofu. I could eat these like chips. It’s a versatile protein that I add to salads, soups, and curries.
- Actually crispy baked chickpeas. Ditto #2 above. Add to a romaine mix (or whatever lettuce isn’t currently going to kill you) with some roasted veggies and a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing, and you have my work lunch for 95% of the days I spend in the office.
- Cozy autumn wild rice soup. This was a new recipe this fall and I could not be more obsessed with it. Have made it 3 times in about 6 weeks which is a lot for me.
- Roasted portobello tacos.
- Vegan sheet pan fajitas with chipotle queso. A new recipe I will keep making.
- Sheet pan BBQ tofu.
- Spicy sweet potato and green rice burrito bowls. This is a bit complex for a weeknight so I probably won’t be making this all the time, but this might be my favorite new meal of the year so it will definitely be made again in 2020!
- Veggie lasagna zucchini boats.
- Quinoa tabbouleh. A light and refreshing lunch option.