This morning I’m wrapping up the first leg of the Don’t Think About Dinner book tour! Brooklyn and DC have my heart feeling so full!! Next up, Chicago with Michela Allocca!! Still a few tickets left!! Austin is sold out but join the waitlist, then Seattle & SF! Pinching myself that I get to meet you all IRL 💕
If you’re cooking from DTAD this week, keep sharing your pics in the chat!! It’s still 30% off and if you haven’t hit that order button yet, consider this your sign!! You won't regret it. It’s been incredible hearing your feedback and knowing you love the book already. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the messages and comments ❤️
I am out on the road this month, but that doesn’t mean the newsletter stops! I’ve got a brand new recipe for you today and a 30-minute meal plan! This one-pan spinach and artichoke orzo with chicken is a quick one, cooking up in just about 30 minutes and uses just one pan to get it all done. Artichokes bring a refreshing and seasonal flavor to the dish and are simple delish with the herby and garlicky orzo. If you’re not a spinach and artichoke fan, no worries! Today’s recipe is one of those meals that requires limited ingredients (one way we keep the timing so low!) that are so easy to swap in and out, it’s truly very hard to mess this one up!
In addition to the bonus recipe, today’s post also includes a 30-minute meal plan for next week, a color-coded grocery list, swaps and subs, & a prep day plan to get ahead on the week of meals. If you’re like me, you were obsessed with how Rachel Ray pulled off 30 Minute Meals. This week I hope you’re able to feel the same cooking the new bonus recipe or from the entire dinner plan. It’s easier and more enjoyable to do things when you know it won’t take so long!!
Use a pre-cooked protein: I never feel guilty swapping in some pre-cooked frozen chicken strips when I need to! I’ve found some great options at Whole Foods, Wegmans, and Trader Joe’s (great options for both meat and seafood). Swapping for a plant-based protein can also help cut down on cook time, especially if you’re using beans. All you have to do is drain, rinse, and heat.
Prepping components for maximum efficiency: like in the greek bowls in this weeks meal plan—everything gets done while the salad marinates in the fridge, so everything’s ready at the same time and you’re not wasting time waiting for one thing to finish cooking.
Thinly sliced or butterflied meat = reduced cook times—often half! It takes 10 minutes or less to fully cook your chicken when it’s thinly sliced. You can purchase it that way (saving even more time!), or carefully slice a chicken breast in half or thirds horizontally. This is a huge timesaver in this month’s bonus recipe.
Going classic: Filling your plate with a protein, carb source, and veggies maybe feels like an old school thing to say, but it’s actually a super efficient method for getting a meal on the table quick. You’ll notice lots of the meals in the plan this week follow that formula, like the bowls!
one-pan spinach and artichoke orzo with chicken
serves 4 | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 25 minutes
Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian option
