I’m a little late with my menu this week, but hopefully you’ll find it worth the wait. I’ve worked plenty of holiday weekend inspiration in here (including some excellent ribs and a decadent dessert), along with a few weeknight favorites.
Instant Pot Chipotle Raspberry Ribs
My maiden voyage into making ribs in the Instant Pot was a big success. The pressure cooker makes magic with baby back ribs. If you are doing these for a Memorial Day gathering, you might also like this watermelon salad.
PAPRIKA-SPICED SHRIMP & CORN SALAD
A super quick one-pan supper. It’s best with fresh corn, but frozen corn will work in a pinch. One of my favorite sides is to take a couple of whole grain pita breads and split them open. Spread lightly with softened butter, add pinch of salt and a light shower of grated Parmesan. Put under the broiler until just barely brown. Cut in half. (It’s one I learned from my mom and is seriously good)
GRILLED CHICKEN KEBAB WRAPS
A spiced yogurt marinade makes this chicken flavorful and fork-tender. Do these skewers on the grill and then tuck into warm flatbread with tomatoes, cucumbers and crunchy lettuce.
FATTOUSH SALAD
I consider this the Lebanese version of Italy’s panzanella. It’s a generous, crunchy salad with toasted pita tossed in and a lemony, garlic-spiked dressing. Serve it as a side or make it a main by adding a can of chickpeas or sliced chicken breast.
BASIL & PISTACHIO PESTO PASTA WITH CHICKEN
The dish serves four, but the portion is on the smaller side, so if you have teenagers or hearty appetites, you might want to scale up the recipe (worse case you have leftovers, which are great for lunch the next day). If you need a short cut, buy basil pesto at the market and assemble the rest according to the recipe.
ICE CREAM PIE WITH CHOCOLATE CRUST AND TOFFEE
I figured I’d throw in my favorite warm weather treat for the holiday weekend. We’ve been making this for years in our family and it is always a hit. Leftovers are just as good several days later.
HEALTHY BREAKFAST TOAST WITH ALL THE TOPPINGS
I made simple nut butter toast for several breakfasts this week and found it so satisfying…once topped with blueberries and chia seeds, another day done with diced apple and chopped nuts. You’ll find loads of ideas here if you’re looking for some inspo.
SHOPPING LIST // WEEK 23
Instant Pot Chipotle Raspberry-Glazed Ribs
3 ½ pounds baby back ribs
1 chipotle chili en adobo (sold in small cans)
1 ⅓ cup frozen raspberries
¼ cup honey
¾ cup apple cider
Paprika-Spiced Shrimp and Corn Salad
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium red onion
4 ears fresh corn
2/3 cup cherry tomatoes
1 large handful fresh arugula
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp
Cayenne pepper
Smoked paprika
½ fresh lemon
Grilled Chicken Kebab Wraps
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt
2 large cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 large handfuls hearts of Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup fresh mint
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup English or Persian cucumbers
1/2 red onion
1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 multi-grain Flatout flatbreads
Basil Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Chicken
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
8 ounces uncooked fusilli or rotini
2 garlic cloves
2 cups basil leaves
1/4 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about ¼ cup)
Fattoush Salad
1 whole wheat pita bread
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small clove garlic
4 generous handfuls Little Gem or hearts of Romaine lettuce (7 packed cups)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Optional to make it a main dish salad: 1 lb cooked, sliced boneless skinless chicken breast or one 14-ounce can drained chick peas
Easy Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Crust and Toffee Bits
3 cups vanilla ice cream (1 1/2 pints; option to use dairy free “ice cream”)
20 chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Newman Os or Oreos (use gluten-free cookies for a GF version)
2 tablespoons melted butter (use melted coconut butter for a DF version)
3/4 heaping cups chocolate toffee, such as Tcho, Heath, or Skors bars
1/3 cup chocolate fudge sauce or syrup (homemade or store-bought)
Healthy Breakfast Toast with All the Toppings
1 slice whole grain bread
Spread of choice (peanut butter, nut or seed butter, cottage cheese, cream cheese, all-natural jam, smashed avocado or hummus)
Fruit choice (apple, pear, grapes, banana, peach, apricot, figs, fresh or frozen and defrosted berries, or other)
Vegetables/leafy greens (cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, arugula, baby spinach, or other)
Toppings of choice (chia seeds, hemp seeds, pepitas, nuts, coconut, dried fruit, granola, cacao nibs)
Seasonings of choice (salt, pepper, herbs, chiles, spices, salsa, honey, lemon or lime juice)