Meal planning - need more chicken, fish and weekend lunch ideas

[Anonymous]

I really need to get better at meal planning and found a system that I think will work for me. I am trying to gather and categorize my go-to recipes and have found that most are beef. I could really use more chicken and fish recipes. Ideally, something easy to prepare (short hands on time, but ok if it takes a while to cook). Also, I need more ideas for lunch on the weekend. We seem to be stuck on sandwiches/grilled cheese/soup and end up eating out too much.

[Anonymous]

Roasted whole chicken is easy and cost-efficient since you can use the leftovers in another dish later in the week and make broth with the bones.

Boneless skinless chicken thighs are my favorite for quick weeknight meals ... I cut them into cubes, season them with curry and sautee them in coconut oil, then add frozen peas and a jar of pre-made simmer sauce from Target, wait until it's hot, and it's good to go.

Fish tacos are yummy and quick.

Weekend lunches are usually snack food at my house. Salami, cheese, veggies and hummus, that kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

For fish: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-haddock-2/

I serve it with oven fries and a veg.

[Anonymous]

2 of my easy go-to dinners:

salmon - top with a mix of brown sugar and dijon mustard (about 1/4 cup brown sugar mixed with 1-2 T mustard) and broil for 12-15 min (the rule of thumb is 12 min per inch of thickness). I make boxed rice pilaf and steam a green veg on the side.

boneless skinless chicken breasts - dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs - pan fry for 8 min per side, or bake for 30 min at 350 deg - sere as is or we like to spread a spoonful of jarred tomato sauce on top, top with a slice of provolone or moz cheese, and broil 5 min - serve with pasta tossed with garlic oil and a salad

[Anonymous]

This "Salsa Chicken" recipe is very easy and quite good and can be used for chicken or fish (we've done both):
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=197691

I've also taken chicken, cut into medallions, sauteed in butter until cooked and the butter is browning, then added chopped/chiffonade of sage or basil and then a squeeze of lemon. Easy and tasty.

This Parmesan Crusted Chicken is relatively easy and quite good, too. http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Parmesan-Crusted-Chicken

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the suggestions! I should also mention that DD has food allergies (dairy, wheat, egg, soy and peanut), so bonus for recipes that are safe for her too (or easy to adapt).

[Anonymous]

If you haven't already, search out a blog called The Gluten Free Goddess. She's amazing. Our DS has all the same food allergies as your DD. GFG has been a lifesaver. (Her bread recipe is amazing. Blows store-bought GF bread away. We bake every other weekend now. It's not hard.)

On the convenience front, we've found GF fish sticks, fish fillets, and chicken nuggets at MOM. We try not to do those except in convenience emergencies, but they're great when there's no time for anything else, when there's a babysitter coming over, or on those meltdown nights.

Agree with PPs that few things are as convenient or versatile as a take-home rotisserie chicken.

[Anonymous]

Chicken cutlets are also pretty easy and versatile. Take boneless skinless chicken breasts, put them between parchment paper (or plastic wrap, or in a ziploc bag), bash them flat with a heavy skillet. Lightly dredge them in GF flour, then pan-fry in a little olive oil and a little Earth Balance (soy free).

Top with:
lemon pan sauce and thin lemon slices
pan-browned mushrooms (with optional marsala pan sauce)
jarred pasta sauce
fresh herbs, cut in chiffonade
any kind of store-bought glaze or curry sauce (read those labels for soy, wheat, etc.)
Just a little more Earth Balance, salt and pepper

[Anonymous]

Boil chicken thighs (skin and all) in water.
- Pull the chicken off and mix with rice (the rice is fantastic if you use the broth rather than water).

Crock pot chicken
- Cover chicken with water and add 1/2 onion.
- Seasoning: McCormick Lemon Pepper and Allspice (greekish). Or, just season with lots of Adobo.

Puerto rican chicken - dice breasts and fry with onion and Adobo (Goya, red one) until it starts browning a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boil chicken thighs (skin and all) in water.
- Pull the chicken off and mix with rice (the rice is fantastic if you use the broth rather than water).

Crock pot chicken
- Cover chicken with water and add 1/2 onion.
- Seasoning: McCormick Lemon Pepper and Allspice (greekish). Or, just season with lots of Adobo.

Puerto rican chicken - dice breasts and fry with onion and Adobo (Goya, red one) until it starts browning a bit.

Boiling takes 45 minutes to an hour - I like the meat really white/done.

[Anonymous]

Cornmeal-crusted fish fillets. Start with catfish or tilapia filets. Dredge them in: (1) cornstarch or tapioca starch; (2) a fatty dairy-free milk like coconut or hemp (this is in place of the egg wash you'd ordinarily use here); then (3) seasoned yellow cornmeal. (Season with salt, pepper, and either paprika or dried herbs. If you're nervous about free-handing the seasonings, google a recipe.) Then either skillet-fry in light oil, or put on a baking sheet, spritz with oil, and bake. (Ordinarily I'd say spray with cooking spray before baking, but most cooking sprays have soy lecithin in them as a stabilizer, to keep them from gooping up. If your DD is sensitive to soy, you probably want to avoid.)

Doing this yourself is a little more trouble than buying prepared, but this way you can be sure you're not getting any MSG or any forbidden soy, egg, or wheat in there.

[Anonymous]

Gluten Free Goddess recommender here. She also has great pancake recipes. So good for your child to be able to have weekend pancakes again.