Make a big pot of this healthy, vegetarian (and vegan) Lebanese Lentil Soup, made with green lentils, kale, sweet potato, ginger and lots of garlic and lemon.
Lebanese Lentil Soup
This recipe makes a big batch. It is perfect for dinner, and you can freeze the rest for lunches or dinner for a busy night. I love lentil soup, so it’s the perfect soup to have in the freezer whenever a craving hits. A few of my favorites are Red Lentil Soup with Spinach and Chicken and Lentil Soup.
There have been a few moments during this pandemic that make me think, “Clearly, this is what I’ve been training for.” Working from home? Been doing it since Dubya was in office. Meal planning? Maybe I haven’t been great at it, but it’s something I’ve been trying to do for years — although I have to admit that having every single meal at home is … kind of a lot. But my friends and acquaintances aren’t coming to me with questions about setting up a home office or figuring out meals — they’re asking me about workouts. Not just what…
We are providing 2 WEEKS of breakfast, lunch and dinner. All meals in this 2-week plan are easy to follow, have few ingredients and utilize LOTS of pantry items.
Hi there. I’m Danielle Hazard (@true-eats on IG and True Eats on Facebook), and I’ve had the pleasure of working with Gina for the past 5 + years, helping with weekly meal planning, recipe development and testing, and cooking tips for all things Skinnytaste.
WHAT a crazy time we are living through, right?!?! Here, in California, we are only allowed to leave our home to shop for essentials until further notice. Also, experts recommend we shop for 2 weeks of groceries at a time to limit trips. That being said, Gina and I thought it would be a good idea to create a meal plan to work around these restrictions to make meal planning easier for YOU. What’s different this week?
The Details…
We are providing 2 WEEKS of breakfast, lunch and dinner. All meals in this 2-week plan are easy to follow, have few ingredients and utilize LOTS of pantry items. Since most are required to work from home AND kids are out of school, we’re feeding our loved ones at home ALL DAY. So, rather than sticking to our usual weekday breakfast and lunches for one, we’ve chosen recipes, for all meals, that feed 4. If you’re feeding fewer people, share with friends or neighbors or freeze leftovers for the coming weeks. Alternatively, you can buy less and adjust the recipes as needed.
If you can’t get certain ingredients or are only allowed to buy a limited amount (here in San Diego, it’s eggs and beans), feel free to move things around in the plan until you can get what you need. Or, just sub something simple like your favorite cereal or open-faced sandwich. As always, the meal plans have PLENTY of wiggle room for you to add snacks (I love apples or bananas with peanut butter, a hand full of mixed nuts, hummus and veggies or light microwave popcorn), coffee, beverages, dessert, wine, etc.
If you’ve got kids at home, check out these kid-friendly snacks:
Just don’t forget to add them to your completely comprehensive grocery lists, which are also included below. For those hard-to-find ingredients, Amazon is my go-to. Just be aware that shipping times may be longer than usual because of increased demand.
Last but not least, here are some additional tips to help maximize your ingredients and limit waste, especially during this CRAZY time:
Buy whole produce (rather than pre-cut): Pre-cut produce is really convenient but moisture tends to develop quickly, which causes it to spoil more rapidly.
Wash your produce before putting it away. It’s just as important to dry it well with a clean towel or just air dry. Excess moisture (especially in delicate produce such as berries or cut lettuce) can cause pre-mature spoilage.
Freeze any meat you aren’t going to cook within a few days of purchasing. Make sure to safely defrost it as needed. HERE are for some food safety tips from the USDA.
Buy potted herbs when possible. That way, you can use a little as you need it. If you do buy fresh cut herbs, check out THESE tips from The Kitchn for storing and extending their life.
If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can, in general, substitute 1 teaspoon dry for every 1 tablespoon fresh.
If you are missing an ingredient, check out THIS great ingredient substitution list from America’s Test Kitchen.
We’ve included some Easter/Passover favorites on Sunday so please STAY HOME and help flatten that curve!
(Side note: if you are keeping Kosher for Passover, I found THIS great database to help you find foods that fit the bill)
We hope you are all safe and well! Happy Cooking!
WW has changed their plan to now include a Blue, Purple and Green Plan. All the recipes on my blog are updated for the Blue plan. I’ve been updating all my recipes (over 2000) and have completed 2019 with the other two colors, and I am working my way down so please be patient.
Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join the Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing! If you wish to get on the email list, you can subscribe here so you never miss a meal plan!
Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to help you stay on track! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!
*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.
**Green salad 5 cups romaine, ½ cup each: diced tomato, carrots, cucumber, and 2 scallions with ¼ cup light vinaigrette.
This simple Baked Rice and Peas dish uses pantry and freezer staples, a great side dish to go along with shrimp or chicken.
Baked Rice and Peas
Easy peas-y and only 5 ingredients! Why bake rice? There is something nice about being able to put something in the oven, setting the timer and forgetting about it. While the rice bakes you can throw some chicken or shrimp in the air fryer, skillet or grill.
Editor’s note: This post was originally created in late March at which points all offers below were active. Many have time limits though, so be sure to check directly with the outlet, especially before signing up / purchasing. How y’all holding up? via GIPHY Yeah, we feel you. via GIPHY So we decided to put a post together of some of the amazing free healthy resources that are available right now. From free to reduced-cost to pay-what-you-can workouts, classes, and coaching programs (including ours!), there are a lot of wellness brands offering virtual services. In a time that is nothing…
This easy Banana Bread Muffin in a Mug recipe is perfect when you want a quick breakfast for one in minutes! A great way to use up those brown bananas!
Banana Bread Muffin in a Mug
This easy banana bread muffin recipe is so easy, made with only 5 ingredients, and ready in under 5 minutes! No oil, egg or sugar needed. The ingredients are simple, ripe bananas, flour, baking powder, vanilla and a pinch of salt. They are mini and perfect if you’re baking for one or don’t have much time. Of course, if you want to whip up a batch you can make these banana bread muffins or my favorite banana nut bread recipe.
There’s a reason we laugh when Always Look on the Bright Side of Life plays at the end of Monty Python’s Life of Brian — it’s absolutely absurd in the given setting. And yet, it’s not unusual for someone to offer comfort to a loved one who’s truly struggling by saying something like, “Just be positive,” or, “Good vibes only — you’ll get over it!” The intention is nothing but kind, but as Miami-based psychotherapist Whitney Goodman, LMFT pointed out on Instagram last year, there are often much better ways to offer someone validation and hope. In fact, she considers the…
