5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (2024)

Are all the kiddos back in school now? My Facebook feed filled up the past couple of days from all my West Coast friends sending their little ones back. We went back over two weeks ago as did many others.

With school back in, that means sports practice, dance practice, musical instrument practice, and everyone’s favorite HOMEWORK.

My daughter is in kindergarten and I kid you not, her homework page saidALGEBRAon it. I have nothing to say to this, mostly because I don’t know what to say to this.

To make life a bit easier and the transition smoother, I’ve teamed up with Cynthia from Whole Foods | Real Families to share with you 5 options for your weeknight dinners. We won’t tell on you if you make them on the weekend too.

For those willing the cooler weather to come, try this Creole Style Gumbo.Don’t be frightened by the words Creole and gumbo thinking it is super spicy. Check out the recipe and learnwhy and how this dish is not going to burn your palate.If you’re looking for a meatless option, particularly if you are a follower ofMeatlessMonday, thisBarley, Spinach, and Mushroom dish might be the ticket. It’s vegetarian because of the parmesan cheese, and if omitted, it’s easily vegan. It’s hearty and full of flavor.Hankering for good old fashioned comfort food? Then look no further than thisCreamy Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole dish. Eating whole foods means you are generally trying to eat a balanced and nutritious meal, however, that doesn’t mean from time to time it can’t be decadent. Cheese is a whole food and lends itself PERFECTLY to this classic comfort food.Not to let cheese be the only decadent item in this menu, sour cream makes it’s debut in thisChicken PaprikaAKA Hungarian Chicken Paprikash. While obviously a ‘foreign’ entry, Americans have been enjoying this dish for decades. It’s a rather humble dish of onions, bell peppers, and chicken in a creamy sauce flavored with paprika.No weeknight menu would be complete without a slow cooker recipe.Applesauce Pork Loin in the Slow Cooker is one of those dishes that will feel like a warm blanket on a cool fall night and make you think of your fondest of childhood memories. Apples and pork go perfectly well or else we wouldn’t havePeter Brady forever in our heads with “pork chops and applesauce.”What are your family weeknight dishes? Do tacos make a weekly appearance or does pizza? How about the all time favorite meatloaf?

September 3, 2015 By Michelle De La Cerda

26

Mexican Stuffed Bell PeppersChicken, Barley and Basil Soup

5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (8)

About Michelle De La Cerda

Recipe developer, food travel writer, amateur photographer, food blogger, writer of random things, editor, tv watcher, book reader, mother and woman.

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26 Comments

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (12)

    Reply

    Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet

    September 3, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    What a great roundup, I want to try everything! 🙂

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (13)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 3, 2015 at 11:30 pm

      Well that’s just perfect! Enjoy.

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (15)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 3, 2015 at 11:31 pm

      Ah thank you Maris.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (16)

    Reply

    christine

    September 3, 2015 at 4:07 pm

    Oh yum, they all sound great and I know I could use some time savers right now. I’m loving the sound of that gumbo!

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (17)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 3, 2015 at 11:33 pm

      It has me salivating too.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (18)

    Reply

    Renee - Kudos Kitchen

    September 3, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    Dem’s good eatin’
    Wonder which one I should try first?

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (19)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 3, 2015 at 11:33 pm

      Gumbo. That’s my pick.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (20)

    Reply

    Jenny B @ Honey and Birch

    September 3, 2015 at 4:13 pm

    You are totally right Michelle, I need all 5 of these recipes (but not algebra!!)

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (21)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 3, 2015 at 11:34 pm

      What is up with “algebra” in kindergarten?

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (22)

    Reply

    Sheena @ Tea and Biscuits

    September 3, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    I’m all about easy weeknight meals, this is a great collection!

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (23)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 3, 2015 at 11:34 pm

      Thank you Sheena!

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (24)

    Reply

    Cate | Chez CateyLou

    September 4, 2015 at 9:37 am

    I’m always looking for some good weeknight meals, and these look awesome. That Gumbo is calling my name!

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (25)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 4, 2015 at 12:06 pm

      Hope you get the chance to enjoy them Cate.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (26)

    Reply

    Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama

    September 4, 2015 at 4:05 pm

    I am always looking for more weeknight dinner ideas! Love these. 🙂 Especially that gumbo.

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (27)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 6, 2015 at 1:53 pm

      That has me drooling too.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (28)

    Reply

    Joy @ Joy Love Food

    September 5, 2015 at 2:19 pm

    You can never have too many easy weeknight meal recipes, these all look so good!

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (29)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 6, 2015 at 2:00 pm

      Thank you Joy.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (30)

    Reply

    Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets)

    September 5, 2015 at 11:07 pm

    I want to try each and every recipe in this roundup. Delicious.

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (31)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 6, 2015 at 2:01 pm

      You’ll need to tweet a couple but your family will enjoy them.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (32)

    Reply

    Ashleigh

    September 6, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    What a great group of recipes – Look amazing!

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (33)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 6, 2015 at 2:02 pm

      And super tasty.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (34)

    Reply

    Healing Tomato

    September 6, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    This is a great collection of recipes. They look very easy to make too.

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (35)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 6, 2015 at 2:46 pm

      That was the aim! Thank you.

  • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (36)

    Reply

    Debra @ Bowl Me Over

    September 6, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    Lots of great recipes here – love easy weeknight meals!

    • 5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (37)

      Reply

      Michelle

      September 8, 2015 at 12:14 am

      Thank you Debra.

    Leave a Reply

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    5 Weeknight Recipes You Need (2024)

    FAQs

    How do you simplify weeknight dinners? ›

    How to Simplify Cooking for Your Family + Easy Weeknight Meals
    1. TIPS TO SIMPLIFY MEALS.
    2. Accept or ask for help in the kitchen. ...
    3. Buy things already prepped at the store. ...
    4. Theme meals of the week. ...
    5. Read the recipe before going to the store. ...
    6. Choose a recipe with 10 or less ingredients. ...
    7. Make a list of your family's favorite recipes.
    Mar 23, 2022

    What to make for supper when you have no groceries? ›

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    popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a american dish. Find out more
    1. 1 Mashed potatoes86%
    2. 2 French Fries86%
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    What are the 5 daily meals? ›

    Five meals a day equals breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks. To do this right, you need to plan what you'll eat every day for each “meal.” And you need to schedule eating every 2 to 3 hours. Stock up. Face it: You're going to grab whatever food is closest.

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    How to make 5 small meals a day? ›

    Each small meal for weight loss should contain 2 to 4 ounces of lean protein, 1 or more cups of fresh vegetables, about 1 to 2 teaspoons of healthy unsaturated fats and 1/2 cup of whole grains or starchy vegetables. Fresh fruit can stand in at one or two of the five meals for the fresh vegetables.

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