Five Paleo Dinners To Cook Next Week #81

This week, I tried to put myself in your shoes to think about what your cooking mood might be—and I decided that you might be craving some easy recipes that taste awesome and don’t require you to spend a ton of time in the kitchen.

Or maybe that’s just me? But I bet it’s you, too.

So, I pulled together recipes that will make your Cookup a little more strategic. There’s something you can make in under 45 minutes any night of the week (Chicken Shawarma), meatballs you can double and make in advance (Cuban Meatballs, though any meatball recipe will do), something you can simmer and reheat when you don’t feel like cooking (Cincinnati Chili), a salad that feels like junk food (Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad), and plantain nachos. (Because who doesn’t love plantain nachos?!)

Happy cooking!

DINNER IDEAS

Chicken Shawarma

Cookup Tips: You can cook the chicken in advance, then give it a quick heat-up just before eating. Cut up the raw veggies and store in air-tight plastic containers, and blend a batch of the tahini dressing.

Recommended Sides: The Shawarma is great on its own, but you could serve it over Potato Home Fries, Basic Cauliflower Rice, or fancy Cauliflower Rice Pilaf.

Yuca Fries & Cuban Meatballs

Cookup Tips: Meat “dough” can be made 1 day in advance then cooked—or you can cook the meatballs during your Cookup and re-heat just before eating. They’ll stay fresh and tasty for 5-6 days after cooking. They also freeze like champs! For the yucca, boil it during your Cookup, then bake at the same time as the meatballs for an easy sheet pan dinner.

Recommended Sides: A side of leafy greens is a good idea, and if you might want to blend a batch of Lizard Sauce for dipping! (Special thanks to the fabulous Steph Gaudreau for the photo of the Yuca Fries.)

Cincinnati Chili

Cookup Tips: Prepare for future food emergencies! Make a batch or two of Cincinnati Chili, divide it into BPA-free containers, and sock it away in the freezer for the day when Healthy You—who wants to eat something deliciously paleo—comes in conflict the you who wants to Eat All The Cookies.

Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad

Cookup Tips: Make the dressing, poach the chicken, and chop the vegetables in advance, then when it’s time to eat, just toss it together and dig in.

Recommended Sides: This recipe includes protein, veggies, and fat, so you don’t need to add a thing. But if you want to, Crispy Sweet Potato Fries are a yummy choice.

Plantain Nachos

Cookup Tips: You can cook the meat, chop the raw veggies, and make the chips in advance—or skip the chips and make a taco salad instead. (Or try Crispy (green) Plantains or Pan-Fried (yellow) Plantains. You can boil the plantains in advance, so when you’re ready to eat, all you need to do is fry ’em up. Dice the avocado just before eating for the best flavor.

Recommended Sides: Keep it simple! Cut up raw veggies—cucumbers, carrots, pepper strips—to eat alongside your nachos. If you’re open to a smidge more work, Cauliflower Rice is nice.

Condiment

Lizard Sauce

Cookup Tips: Make this during your Cookup and add zing to your meals for weeks! It’s great on Plantain Nachos, sweet potatoes, a bunless burger, grilled/roasted chicken, and even as a dipping sauce for Scotch Eggs.

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