Week 4 Meal Plan

I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is that I left the chicken wings sitting on the counter overnight so I couldn't make my wings and pasta salad recipe (don't worry, I'll still share it with you). But the good news is that I took pictures this week! Since I ruined the chicken wings, we had dino chicken nuggets and pasta salad. I was disappointed at first, but dino nuggets in the air fryer aren't terrible. They aren't as delicious as chicken wings, but it worked in a pinch.

This week I've got 3 meals for you. They're all delicious, but if nothing else you HAVE to try the salmon recipe. It's so good!!!

MONDAY: HAWAIIAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE & COCONUT GREEN BEANS

This recipe was inspired by Hawaiian Chicken Pizza, which we love! But I wanted a low-carb option and here it is! The kids love it too. And these coconut green beans are a staple at our house. We make them with several different meals. You won't regret adding them into your rotation. The pictures doesn't do this meal justice. It's way better than it looks! [PREP: There isn't much to this meal so there is no Sunday prepping required. INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 375. 2. Cut 2 chicken breast in half length wise (so they are thinner). 3. Spray a casserole dish with Pam and add the chicken. Sprinkle your favorite Italian seasoning on both sides. 4. Bake for 25 minutes. 5. Add slices 4-6 of honey ham sandwich meat on top of the chicken. Then add as much spaghetti sauce as you'd like (about 1 cup). Then add diced pineapple (canned or fresh work here). 6. Bake for 10 more minutes. 7. While this is baking for 10 minutes, start the green beans by melting 1.5 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large pan. 8. Once the oil is hot, add fresh green beans (from the produce section, not canned). 9. Add salt and put a top on the pan. 10. Stir them regularly, adding salt one more time about half way through their cooking. Cook until they're soft and serve. 11. After the casserole has cooked for 10 minutes, add shredded mozzarella cheese. 12. Bake for 5 ish minutes or until cheese is melted. 13. Your green beans and casserole should be ready about the same time. Enjoy! INGREDIENTS/GROCERY LIST: 2 boneless skinless chicken breast, Italian seasoning, Pam cooking spray, 4-6 honey ham sandwich meat slices, 1-2 cups of spaghetti sauce (or pizza sauce if you already have it on hand), 1 can diced pineapple (or fresh if you're fancy), 1.5 tablespoons coconut oil, fresh green beans (from produce section, not canned), shredded mozzarella cheese.]

TUESDAY: LEMON GARLIC SALMON & BROCOLLI

This is one of my favorite meals. It's so good and so easy! I try to incorporate fish into our meals once a week and it's usually salmon because we buy it one big filet at a time. At Sam's (and probably your local grocery store, too), you can buy this big piece of skinless salmon. When we get it home, I immediately cut it into 6 pieces and freeze them in 2 piece groups. This gives us 3 salmon meals (the kids don't eat salmon so 2 pieces is plenty for me and Zack). The night before we're having salmon, I will put one of the 2 piece groupings in the fridge to thaw and it's ready to go the next day when we get home from work. It couldn't be easier! [PREP: No Sunday prep is required for this meal because it is so easy and fast! INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan (just enough to cover the bottom of your pan lightly, about 1 teaspoon). 2. Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper. 3. Once the oil is hot, add the salmon to the pan. 4. Cook on both sides for about 7-8 minutes each, or until the salmon has turned a white-ish color all the way through (this time will vary depending on the thickness of your salmon). 5. Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside. 6. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoons of garlic (more or less garlic is fine- you can't mess it up!). 7. Cook the butter/garlic mixture on medium heat for 5 ish minutes. 8. While that is cooking, steam the bag of broccoli in the microwave according to the directions on the bag. 8. Pour the butter/garlic mixture on top of both pieces of salmon. 9. Squeeze a quarter of a lemon on top of each piece of salmon and serve with brocolli. GROCERY LIST/INGREDIENTS: olive oil, salt & pepper, 2 piece of skinless salmon (if you're cooking for more than 2 people, buy more- you'll need 1 piece per person), 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 lemon, 1 bag of fresh broccoli.]

THURSDAY: WINGS & PASTA SALAD

Like I already mentioned, I left our wings out on the counter overnight so I couldn't make this meal, but I'll still share the recipe because we make it regularly! I don't have a picture but imagine delicious wings and that's what you'll get! Do you have an air fryer? If not, get one ASAP! I use mine daily, mainly for kids' food, but for this recipe too. If you don't have an air fryer you could probably bake them for the same amount of time in the oven, but in all fairness, I haven't tried that. If you do, let me know how it goes! As far as the pasta salad goes, it's nothing fancy. This is our favorite, but you could buy any kind. This kind requires you to add mayo but that's the only extra ingredient. We always go with the boxed pasta salad option. It's so easy! [PREP: There is no Sunday prep for the wings, but you should plan to make the pasta salad on Sunday (or at least the day before) so it has time to set in the fridge. Make the pasta salad according to the box. If you buy our favorite kind, you'll boil the noodles, mix mayo and the seasoning provided in the box, and then combine the noodles and mayo mixture. INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Heat air fryer (or oven) to 375. If you buy fresh wings (which I recommend for this recipe), cut wings with kitchen scissors to separate the drum and wing parts of the chicken. You can eat both (they'll look familiar if you've ordered wings at a restaurant before), but it's easier to eat and cook if you cut them first. 2. Put wings in a zip loc bag and add 1 tablespoon of baking powder, salt & pepper. 3. Toss the wings until they're evenly coated with seasonings. 4. Cook wings in air fryer (or oven) for 25 minutes, shaking the basket half way through. 5. Increase the air fryer (or oven) temp to 420 (or as high as the device will allow). 6. Cook for 5 minutes. 7. Toss in sauce at this point if you'd like, but we eat them naked with no sauce and they're delicious! 8. Serve wings and pasta salad. Enjoy! GROCERY LIST/INGREDIENTS: Fresh chicken wings, salt & pepper, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, boxed pasta salad, mayo (if you choose the same pasta salad box we use).]

Here is the grocery list for all 3 meals:

2 boneless skinless chicken breast

Italian seasoning

Pam cooking spray

4-6 honey ham sandwich meat slices

1-2 cups of spaghetti sauce (or pizza sauce if you already have it on hand)

1 can diced pineapple (or fresh if you're fancy)

1.5 tablespoons coconut oil

fresh green beans (from produce section, not canned)

shredded mozzarella cheese

olive oil

salt & pepper

2 piece of skinless salmon (if you're cooking for more than 2 people, buy more- you'll need 1 piece per person)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoons minced garlic

1 lemon

1 bag of fresh broccoli

Fresh chicken wings

1 tablespoon of baking powder

boxed pasta salad

mayo (if you choose the same pasta salad box we use)

I hope your family enjoys these meals as much as we do!