six easy weeknight meals using one pot or one pan
Not everyone’s a chef, or to be honest, even enjoys cooking. It can feel like a daunting task after days running around as Dad, hours at the office, or even after a session at the gym. And if you don’t have a gameplan…it might be game over - delivery it is. Well, here’s your game plan. With a little prep (read: grocery shopping) and zero guesswork, you can throw together these one pan (or one pot) dishes in about 30 minutes. From Steak Fajitas to Apricot Pork, Pesto Salmon and Honey Garlic Chicken, get ready for those taste buds to come alive.
Italian Cauliflower Gnocchi Sauté
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1-2 Chicken Sausage links (Trader Joe’s Sweet Italian links work great)
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½-1 bag of Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
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¾-1 cups marinara sauce
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½ cup chopped asparagus or broccoli
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½ cup diced white mushrooms
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2 cups baby spinach
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Parmesan Cheese
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Optional: 1 large slice mozzarella cheese
Directions
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, then add chopped chicken sausage (sliced each link in half and then into half moons). Cook for about 5 minutes or so, making sure to flip the sausages to get a sea on both sides.
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Add a dash more olive oil to the pan and add in cauliflower gnocchi, chopped asparagus and diced mushroom. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.
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Reduce the heat and add in marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. Mix well.
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Add in spinach, mix well and let simmer 2-3 minutes.
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Optional: right after adding in the spinach, add a large slice of mozzarella cheese to the top of the sauté and cover the pan. Turn off heat and let sit for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Sesame Chicken with Broccoli, Bell Pepper and Rice
Ingredients
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1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
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1 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips
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1 cup broccoli florets
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Fine sea salt, ground pepper, garlic powder
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½ tablespoon olive or avocado oil
Honey Garlic Sauce
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1 teaspoons garlic powder
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3 garlic cloves, minced
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1 tablespoon honey
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1/4 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
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1-2 tablespoons coconut aminos
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1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
To Serve
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1/4 cup rice, jasmine, basmati or brown
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Handful of scallions to top, chopped
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1/4 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350º F.
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In a large mixing bowl, add garlic powder, minced garlic, honey, rice wine vinegar, coconut aminos and sesame oil. Mix well to combine.
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Dice chicken breast into bite-size pieces, add to mixing bowl and toss to combine. Spread out onto baking sheet.
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Cut bell pepper into strips and add the new mixing bowl, along with broccoli florets, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oil of choice. Toss to coat. Spread out evenly on baking sheet.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
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While your chicken and vegetables are baking, prep your rice. There are a few options here. See below
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Once your chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven, serve chicken and vegetables over ¼-½ cup rice and top with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
Rice Cooking Options
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Make it simple! Utilize Trader Joe’s Frozen Rice (Organic Jasmine) and pop a pouch into the microwave for 3 minutes. Set aside ¼-½ cup for this meal.
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Go for the Right Rice! Bring water to a boil, add the Right Rice pouch, immediately remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and serve.
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Old school stovetop: Add 1 ½ cup water and 1 cup white rice to a pot. Bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 12-13 minutes. Remove from the stove (lid still on) and let stand for 8-10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
Ingredients
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4 ounces flank steak, sliced into strips
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1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
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Chopped fresh cilantro
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1-2 limes
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1 bell peppers, thinly sliced
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¼-½ red onion, sliced into strips
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1/2 teaspoons chili powder
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1/4 teaspoon cumin
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1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
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Salt and pepper to taste
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Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
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Sliced avocado
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Lime wedges
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Fresh cilantro
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Tortilla Options:
Directions
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spray with cooking spray as needed. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
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Combine your chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl.
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Next, add your sliced steak, cilantro, juice from 2 limes and about ⅔ of your mixed seasonings to a Ziploc bag and shake to coat.
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Add sliced bell peppers into the bowl with the remaining seasonings, along with ½ Tbsp of your choice of oil and toss to mix. Spread out on sheet pan.
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Roast your veggies for about 15 minutes, remove, add seasoned steak and place back into the oven, this time, broiling on high for 3-4 minutes.
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Want warm tortillas? Wrap your desired tortillas in foil and place in the oven on an open rack while the steak and veggies finish.
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Build your fajita, top with avocado and cilantro (or toppings of choice) and enjoy.
Sheet Pan Veggies and Pesto Salmon
Ingredients
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2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
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1, 4 oz. wild caught Salmon filet
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½ cup broccoli florets
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½ cup diced brussels sprouts
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½ cup diced sweet potatoes
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½ rough chopped red onion
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½ lemon
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Salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika to taste
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Olive or avocado oil based cooking spray
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Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew, & Basil Pesto, to top
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
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Dice the sweet potatoes and toss with ½ tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
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Spread out across ¼ of the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
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Next, cut off the bottom of your brussels sprouts and then halve them. Chop the red onion into larger, quartered pieces. Add both to a large mixing bowl, along with the broccoli, 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss to coat evenly.
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Spread the veggies out across ¾ of the pan with the potatoes and return to oven for 15-20 minutes.
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Pat your salmon filet dry with a paper towel and then spray with cooking spray. Rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
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Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add the salmon filet and bake for 5-8 minutes.*
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Remove the baking sheet from the oven a final time and top salmon with ½-1 Tbsp. kale pesto. Enjoy!
*Baking time varies based on thickness of the filet, as well as how well-done you prefer your salmon. For every half-inch of salmon, roast 4 to 6 minutes.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
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1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
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1 medium sweet or yellow onion
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1 medium carrot
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1 large bell pepper
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2 Tbsp minced garlic
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1-2 Tbsp cumin
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1-1 ½ Tbsp chili powder
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Salt and pepper to taste
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1, 15 oz can diced roasted tomatoes
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¼ cup tomato paste
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4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
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1 can red kidney beans
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1 can black beans
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1 can sweet corn
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2 medium, shredded cooked chicken breasts
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Topping options: shredded cheese, sour cream or plain greek yogurt, avocado
Directions
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Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add your oil.
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Add the onion, carrots, bell pepper and garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
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Add your seasonings, broth of choice, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and bring to a boil. If you’re using uncooked chicken: add your chicken breasts into the pot in this step.
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Lower the heat and let everything simmer for 10-15 minutes.
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Remove from the heat. Using a hand blender or regular blender, blend until the soup becomes smooth. If you added chicken breasts: remove these and shred. Do not add them to the blender
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Place the pot with soup back onto the stove over medium heat, add your chicken, beans and corn. Stir to combine.
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Heat for 3-5 minutes.
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Serve, top and enjoy.
Crockpot Option
Make things even easier…
Add all of your ingredients except the beans and corn to a crockpot. Cook on HIGH for 6-8 hours (think, before you leave for work or sit down at your WFH desk). After allotted cook time, blend soup and then add your beans and corn. Turn the crockpot back to HIGH and heat for 10-15 minutes in the crockpot, until the beans and corn are warm.
Honey Apricot Pork Tenderloin with Vegetable
Ingredients
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1 lean pork tenderloin (serving size is about 4 ounces)
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½-1 Tbsp olive oil
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¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
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¼ cup apricot preserves
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1 Tbsp honey
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1 Tbsp minced garlic
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1 Tbsp coconut aminos
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Salt and pepper to taste
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1/2 lb. asparagus, brussel sprouts or broccoli
Directions
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400º F.
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Toss the pork tenderloin in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, then place it in the center of the pan.
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In a bowl, whisk orange juice, apricot preserves, honey, garlic, coconut aminos, salt and pepper. Then pour about ½ cup of your mixture over the pork.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes.
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Remove pork from the oven and switch from bake to broil (high).
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Place your vegetable of choice on the baking sheet, top both the pork and vegetables with leftover apricot sauce and cook under broiler for about 5-7 minutes.
Beef up this meal and add some rice or quinoa!
