this week's healthy & high protein dinners

made you a menu! wish i could make you the meals too...

dare you to pick a favorite…

let’s get right into it!

MONDAY

feta & spinach meatball greek bowls

visual reference here!

for the meatballs:

• 1 pound ground turkey

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup gluten free breadcrumbs

• 1/2 cup crumbled feta

• 1 handful of fresh spinach, finely chopped

• sea salt, garlic powder, and fresh parsley to taste

preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a baking sheet. add everything to a mixing bowl and combine using your hands. roll into balls, place on the baking sheet, and bake for 18-20 min (flipping halfway) or until golden brown and the cheese starts to melt out slightly.

i paired mine with orzo, a fresh greek salad, and a dollop of hummus!

greek salad:

• arugula

• cherry tomatoes, halved

• olives, halved

• cucumbers, finely diced

• crumbled feta cheese

• pickled red onion

• olive oil

• sea salt to taste

add everything to an airtight container, seal with the lid, and shake thoroughly until everything is well coated in the olive oil. store in the fridge for up to a week.

TUESDAY

sheet pan sweet potato nachos

visual reference here!

base: 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into coins. tossed in olive oil and sea salt, oven baked at 400F for 25-30 min.

fajita veggies: 2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips, and 1 large red onion, thinly sliced. tossed in taco seasoning and oven baked at 400F for 25-30 min.

taco meat: can use ground beef/turkey here, i’m using a vegan crumble because i had it on hand! cook as usual and add in shredded cheese toward the end (keeps it moist).

assemble as shown in the video and top with cilantro, sour cream or greek yogurt, and guac. you can eat these right off the pan with a fork but i like to dump ours into bowls!

WEDNESDAY

loaded warm grain bowls

visual reference here!

crispy shallot & roasted carrot warm grain bowls

ingredients:

*makes two servings

• 5-6 cups greens mix

• 1 cup cooked quinoa

• 6-7 large carrots, peeled and cut into chips

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets

• 2 cups of brussel sprouts, halved

• 2 shallots, chopped

• 1/2 cup feta cheese (can use vegan, goat, or omit)

• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds

creamy balsamic dressing:

whisk the following until creamy (adjust water amount based on your desired consistency)

• 1/4 cup garlic hummus (if using classic hummus, add some garlic powder for flavor)

• 2 tbsp dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• sea salt to taste
  

preheat the oven to 400F and prepare two baking sheets. set aside. add the carrots, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts to one baking sheet and toss in olive oil and sea salt. roast for 25-30 min or until everything begins to brown. to the second baking sheet, add the shallots and toss in olive oil and sea salt. bake for 15-20 min.

in the meantime, prepare the rest of the mix-ins. remove the veggies from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth and uniform. assemble the bowls and pour the dressing over top, toss everything very well using salad tongs, and enjoy! i store this in the fridge for up to a week.

note that it can be served hot or cold. i love it cold for lunch and for dinner, i’ve been reheating it on the stovetop :)

THURSDAY

high protein bolognese

visual reference here!

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced

• 3-4 large carrots, diced

• 2-3 celery sticks, diced

• 1 shallot, diced

• 1 lb ground beef (i used bison here)

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1/2 cup red wine

• 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup beef bone broth

• 2 cups water

• salt to taste

directions:

heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. add the chopped onion/carrot/celery/shallot mix. cook down for 10 minutes until the veggies are soft and fragrant. add the tomato paste, mix through, and cook down for 2-3 minutes. now add the ground meat and cook until browned (break it up as it cooks). add the red wine to deglaze the mixture. cook down until the liquid has mostly reduced. pour in the tomatoes, peeled tomatoes, bone broth, water, and salt. stir and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. cook for 1 hour at least, but the longer the better. when ready to serve, plate with pasta of choice and top with freshly grated parm!

FRIDAY

crispy sweet potato taco bowls

visual reference here!

base: 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed. tossed in olive oil and sea salt, oven baked at 400F for 25-30 min.

fajita veggies: 2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips, and 1 large red onion, thinly sliced. tossed in taco seasoning and oven baked at 400F for 25-30 min.
taco meat: can use ground beef/turkey here, i’m using a vegan crumble because i had it on hand! cook as usual and add in shredded cheese toward the end (keeps it moist).

assemble as shown in the video and top with cilantro, sour cream or greek yogurt, and tortilla chips!