Five Paleo Dinners To Cook Next Week #41

Dave and I took a quick roadtrip to Providence, Rhode Island this week so he could see Bruce Springsteen play the last night of his current tour. (Bruuuuuuuuuuce!)

I holed up in our awesome hotel room with the NFL Network on the TV and my computer in my lap. There’s something super relaxing about working in a hotel room, away from the distractions and responsibilities of home. This was my mobile office:

And this is the view of the capitol from the window:

Before Dave headed to the rock show, we ate an in-room picnic I packed at home: Scotch Eggs, homemade mayo and pickles, carrots, snap peas, and blueberries. Everything was packed in storage containers, and I put them in an insulated bag with an ice pack so they stayed fresh during the drive. (As you can see in the photo, however, I forgot to bring plates. Container lids work in a pinch!)

Our simple, tasty lunch inspired me to find equally stress-free recipes for you.

All the recipes this week are super-easy and crazy-delicious, like Meat & Spinach Muffins, Citrus Carnitas, Cincinnati Chili, and more.

Awesomeness alert: The pre-sale for our new cookbook Well Fed Weeknights starts on Monday (!); make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter so you don’t miss anything.

Happy cooking!

Dinner Ideas (Whole30 compliant)

Citrus Pork Carnitas

Cookup Tips: This can be made over the course of a lazy weekend day, then turned into kickass meals all week long. It requires almost no hands-on work, and it’s crazy good.

Recommended Sides: Choose your own adventure: you can go for Crispy (green) or Sautéed (yellow) plantains. For Crispy, you can boil the plantains in advance, then crisp-up just before eating. The carnitas are also awesome with Cucumber-Pineapple Salsa and Cauliflower Rice.

Meat & Spinach Muffins

Cookup Tips: These taste great (or maybe better!) on days 2 and 3, and they freeze well, too. Make a batch (or a double batch) on the weekend and enjoy them all week long. They’re delicious as a main meal with a salad, cold out of the fridge for a snack, or sliced in half, grilled in a pan, and topped with eggs for breakfast… plus there are plenty of spice variations so you can keep it interesting.

Recommended Sides: I like these with a simple salad on the side with a luscious dressing (like, maybe, Creamy Italian.)

Cincinnati Chili

Cookup Tips: Chili tastes even better on day 2 or 3, so let this simmer on the back of the stove during your Cookup and enjoy it later in the week. (This is pretty great for breakfast with a fried egg on top.)

Recommended Sides: You’ll want to roast a spaghetti squash to use as a bed for the chili. (And here’s a how-to video so you can cut the squash without mishap.)

Italian Meatza Pie

Cookup Tips: The Meatza can be baked for the first time in advance, then just before eating, add the toppings and do the second bake.

Recommended Sides: As a go-along, I recommend a tossed salad with Creamy Italian Dressing.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Cookup Tips: You can prep all of the components in advance: poach the chicken, make the mayo, chop the veggies, mix the dressing. Then when it’s time to eat, toss it all together and enjoy!

Recommended Sides: It doesn’t need a thing… YAY!

Condiment (Whole30 compliant)

Zingy Ginger Dressing

Cookup Tips: You can make this during your Cookup in under 10 minutes, and it stays fresh in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. The recipe lists lots of creative ideas for how to put this dressing to good use. (It’s my favorite recipe from Well Fed 2).

Bonus! (Whole30 compliant)

Caramelized Coconut Chips

Cookup Tips: These take about 5 minutes to make, so make them “to order” when you need a little snack.

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Need more detailed Meal Planning help? All of the Well Fed recipes are available on Real Plans!