Weeknight Recipes

The quality of life is in proportion to the capacity for delight. (Julia Cameron)

Hello, lovelies! We are in Ohio for my Mister's little sister's wedding tonight. This will be the first wedding we've attended since getting engaged. It's great to be here with family to celebrate such an exciting occasion!

As a follow-up to my posts on food and meal planning, I thought it'd be nice to share a handful of recipes that are great for weeknights. I highly recommend incorporating one, two, or a few in your meal plan for next week!

Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas - The Realistic Nutritionist

This is a great vegetarian dish, especially if you like spicy food. We love it! I used canned black beans the first time I made it, which is of course a very convenient option.

The second time, I planned ahead and made a batch of Spicy Black Beans & Tomatoes in my slow cooker. Another tasty variation is to toss some shredded chicken inside the tortillas, I recommend this recipe.

Fried Quinoa - Annie's Hungry

My Mister would be happy if I made this every day. It's a good "fridge clean out" recipe because I typically use whatever veggies we have on hand.

Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Shells - Eat, Live, Run

This is definitely comfort food, and I find it's best on Sunday nights when calories don't count. (Oh I wish such a thing existed!) I like to make a big batch, then freeze the shells using a technique I found in the comments of this post from The Pioneer Woman. That turns a somewhat messy and labor-intensive cooking session into 3 easy meals. If you're looking for a way to kick things up a notch, this marinara sauce is simple to make and way tastier than jarred pasta sauce.

Crock Pot Honey Ginger Chicken - The Skinny Fork

This chicken is tasty when served over rice with spicy garlic broccoli on the side. It's easy to put together and great for those nights when you're craving something healthy (broccoli) and something savory (chicken and rice).

Multi-Purpose Shredded Beef - Budget Bytes

I recently discovered the Budget Bytes blog and have incorporated a lot of her recipes into our weekly routine. They are both delicious and cost effective, which is a winning combo in my book! I've made this shredded beef twice now - it's great to prepare a big batch and freeze some for later.

These BBQ Beef Stuffed Potatoes are an easy, tasty meal. So are a weeknight favorite, burrito bowls. Another great use for the shredded beef, chicken, or grilled veggies, is to make freezer burritos. Stock your freezer with a batch of those beauties, and you'll be ready for a great alternative to ordering out.

For all things of burrito variety, I like to make this Just like Chipotle's Corn Salsa and the Spicy Black Beans & Tomatoes. To further replicate Chipotle's genius, I'll make some quinoa or rice with a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro mixed in. Being a copy cat never tasted so good!

Chicken & Lime Soup - Budget Bytes

This soup is warm and comforting without being too heavy. The recipe makes more than 1 meal for us, so I freeze half for nights when I don't feel like cooking. It's good served over rice or quinoa, and goes great with corn, avocado, cheese, and/or greek yogurt served on top.

Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Salmon - In Sock Monkey Slippers

I love eating fish, but my Mister is less of a fan. I'm slowly bringing him around with tasty dishes like this one. Rosemary and garlic are a winning combo. That spicy garlic broccoli mentioned earlier is a slam dunk side dish.

I hope this list inspires you to get cooking! If you have any old favorites or new recipes you think I should try, please share in the comments below.