Weeknight Meal Planner: 05/28/18

The red onions develop a nice char on the grill, but they finish cooking and develop a depth and sweetness once left to steam. Drizzle any juices from the onion mixture over the grilled chicken. Fresh cilantro and zesty lime add a refreshing brightness to this light summer meal, perfect for the whole family. For a sensitive palate, use less or omit red pepper flakes.

Reminiscent of deli-style salads we’ve all ordered at one time or another, this easy and delicious recipe works overtime providing you with an effortless dinner and even-tastier leftovers the next day. Like most pasta salads, this one tastes best once chilled for 24 hours, and because of its large yield, can be enjoyed for lunch throughout the week. Enjoy it cold, or at room temperature.

Before: Steak and Potatoes. The average New York strip is no less than a half-pound on the plate and typically serves one. That's practically a day's worth of protein, plus a hefty 12 grams of sat fat--before the addition of buttered potatoes and beans. We take a single 8-ounce steak, thinly slice it, and use it to flavor 4 entrée-sized salads, each filled with more than 2 cups of veggies.

Quinoa, shrimp, and chickpeas pack a triple punch of protein in this tasty summer dish of Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Quinoa Salad.

Incredibly bright and fresh, Tallarines Verdes translates to “green noodles,” and is a similar dish to pasta with pesto sauce. However, what sets this traditional Peruvian dish apart is one key ingredient: evaporated milk. This makes the pureed spinach-basil sauce more creamy (and less oily) than what many would expect from pesto, and lends a very subtle sweetness to the dish. In other words… it’s incredibly delicious. Sautéing the red onion first softens its flavors so that it doesn’t overpower the sauce with harsh onion notes. And we blanch the spinach and basil in order to preserve the leaves’ color, resulting in a vibrant, bright green sauce. Feel free to use linguine or bucatini noodles instead of spaghetti, if you prefer. 

These Pistachio Pralines are a creative twist on the classic southern pecan praline recipe. The vibrant green and earthy-sweet nut adds a new element of creaminess that plays well with that sweetness of the sugar. Chop up a few extra pistachios to garnish the tops of the pralines, along with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt that further serves to balance the sugary-sweet flavor. These pralines would be perfect given as a token of appreciation to your dinner party host or served as a sophisticated treat at bridal or baby showers, holiday parties, or any other celebratory function.