Week 1: You Ever Try Green Curry on a Baked Potato?

The first week of this series gives a decent variety of flavors, centering around ground beef and chicken breast, while ideally saving enough leftovers to dump onto some baked potatoes at the end.

I’ll also be introducing you to the chicken of the week, which is just going to be chicken breast flavored with something that’s already on the grocery list. It’s good for you.

Click the links below to skip to the grocery list and each recipe, or just scroll through.

Grocery List:

~ .5 lbs ground beef per person

~ .75 - 1 lb chicken breast per person

2 carrots

3 heads baby bok choy

2 crowns broccoli

1 head cauliflower

1 lime

.5 - 1 Tomato per person

Yellow Onion

Green Onion

1 Russet Potato Per Person

Cilantro

Iceberg Lettuce

Beech Mushrooms (Optional)

Basil

1 container of spring mix

1 can coconut milk

Hamburger Buns

American Cheese

Burrata or Mozzarella

Green Curry Paste

Pearl Couscous

Potato Toppings you/your family likes

Burger Toppings you/your family likes

Korean Beef Bowls

  • 1/4 - 1/2 lb ground beef per person (90/10 recommended)

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

  • 2 tbsp gochujang (see notes for picky eater substitution)

  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 2 green onions

  • 1” piece of ginger

  • 2 carrots

  • 3-4 heads baby bok choy

  • 1 package beech mushrooms (optional)

  • 2 cups rice

Start cooking your rice.

Wash and chop bok choy and carrots. I prefer 1” slices of bok choy and my carrots julienned (i use a julienne peeler to make my life easier) and roast at 450 for about 12 minutes.

In a small pan, sautee your beech mushrooms, flipping them around occassionally.

Mince garlic, ginger, and whites of the green onions (slice the dark green parts for garnish later). Sautee in pan for 30-60 seconds, then add your ground beef.

Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, and gochujang (or see below if you’re cooking for someone who won’t eat spicy). Add this to the pan and stir everything together. Cook until the meat is fully browned and done.

Once everything is done, assemble your bowls with all of the ingredients that you want to eat, and top with a drizzle of sesame oil and the dark green parts of your green onions

If you have any leftover veggies, save those for the Green Curry later this week

Picky Eater Notes:

Skip the gochujang at first if there are those among you who don’t like spice, my kids will eat just the soy sauce/brown sugar mixture no problem. Cook the beef first with just that, take out their portions, then cook the rest of it with the gochujang for those of you who like some more flavor.

Smash Burgers and Salad

  • 1/4 lb ground beef per person

  • 1 burger bun per person

  • 1 slice of american cheese per patty

  • your favorite burger toppings

  • spring mix

  • dijon vinaigrette

Not going to go too in depth here. Roll up the meat into balls, smash it in your pan/griddle, eat.

Make my recipe for dijon vinaigrette and toss the spring mix in it.

Picky Eater Notes:

You should probably make some fries or tots also

Veggie Heavy Green Curry

  • 2 lbs chicken breast, sliced an marinated for stir fry

  • 1” piece ginger

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 yellow onion

  • 2 tbsp green curry paste

  • 1 can coconut milk (or about 12-14oz if you use a different container)

  • 2 crowns broccoli

  • 1 head cauliflower

  • 2 cups rice

Ahead of time, make sure you prepare the chicken with the recipe above (or something similar

Start cooking your rice

Chop and roast your broccoli and cauliflower in the oven at 450 for about 12-15 minutes

Dice the ginger, garlic, and onion, and sautee for 30-60 seconds, then add the chicken and cook until browned

Add your green curry paste to the pan, mix everything together, and cook for another 30 seconds or so

Add your coconut milk, and simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the broccoli and cauliflower, and any leftover veggies you have

Picky Eater Notes:

Take out some chicken before adding the green curry, and serve that plain with rice and veggies

Caprese Chicken (Chicken of the Week!)

  • 2 lbs chicken breast

  • 1 tomato per person

  • 1 big mozzarella or burrata ball per person

  • handful of basil leaves

  • balsamic glaze

  • 2 cups pearl couscous

  • Spring mix (or a bag salad)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Season chicken breasts on both side with kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika (I don’t actually measure, i just put a good coating of each on there)

Sear in a pan over medium heat until both sides are nice and browned, then transfer to the oven. Using a thermometer, pull the chicken when its about 145-150 degrees (probably about 15-20 minutes depending on your oven), and let rest

While chicken is in the oven, start your pearl couscous and cook to the directions on the package (boil water, add couscous, take down to a simmer and cover for 12 minutes or so)

While couscous is cooking, slice your tomatoes, mozzarella/burrata, and thinly slice your basil (roll up your basil leaves then slice into thin strips)

Assemble your salad

Serve sliced chicken over alternating slices of tomato and cheese, cover with basil and balsamic with the couscous and salad on the side

Picky Eater Notes:

Not many notes here, just dont put things they don’t like on the plate

Baked Potato Bar

  • 1 russet potato per person

  • All of your leftovers and preferred potato toppings

This one’s easy. Just rub up your poatoes with olive oil and salt on all sides

Bake in an oven for about an hour on 400-425, checking and poking with a fork to make sure they’re done

Top with your leftovers, or new toppings that you want

Seriously though, try it with the leftover green curry and let me know what you think

Picky Eater Notes:

Again, just dont put things they don’t like on the plate

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