FTR Meal Plan Week of 4/27-5/1

Hi there! Hope you're doing well! This is what we've got going on this week:

Monday's at 6:30pm

Join us on Zoom to make white chicken chili together. Just be sure to purchase all the ingredients prior, and we will cook a meal together! This is a good opportunity if you're not super comfortable in the kitchen, and would benefit from someone helping you out!

Tuesday's at 6:30pm 
Join us on Zoom to eat a meal together! This is an opportunity to connect with other humans! Woohoo! Bring your dinner, your snack, and come chat!

White Chicken Chili (serves 4)

Ingredients: 

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 can mild green chiles 
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, canned chicken or rotisserie chicken 
• 1 can sweet corn 
• 1 medium lime, juiced
• 1/3 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
• For garnish:
• Tortilla strips or chips
• Avocado slices
• Extra lime wedge

Instructions: 

1. Add olive oil to a large pot and place over medium high heat. Add onion and green chiles and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Next stir in cumin, chili powder, coriander and dried oregano; allow the spices to cook for 30 seconds, then add in chicken broth, 1 can drained chickpeas, uncooked chicken breast and salt and pepper. Simmer on medium low heat for 20-30 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and shred with two forks. Next add in fresh lime juice and cilantro.
4. Finally, add the remaining can of rinsed and drained chickpeas (1 1/2 cups chickpeas) and ½ cup water (or broth) to a blender. Blend until somewhat smooth, adding a little more water if necessary. If you don't have a blender, just add the extra chickpeas now. 
5. Pour the chickpeas into soup pot and then stir in the corn, lime juice and cilantro. Allow soup to cook and simmer for 5-10 more minutes. 
6. Serve with tortilla chips, an extra lime wedge and avocado if you’d like. 

Recipe from: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/healthy-white-chicken-chili/

Tuscan Bean Soup (serves 4)

Ingredients: 

• 3 strips bacon, diced (optional, but recommended) 
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 cups crushed canned tomatoes 
• 1 can white beans, rinsed 
• 32 oz chicken stock 
• 1/2 head green cabbage, sliced 
• Crusty bread 
• Parmesan cheese (optional) 
• olive oil 

Instructions: 

1. Set a large pot over medium-high heat and add 1 TB olive oil. Add the bacon, and cook till crispy. 
2. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. 
3. Reduce heat to medium, and cook till veggies soften, about 10 minutes. 
4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Before the garlic browns, add the crushed tomatoes. 
5. Cook the tomatoes for about 5 minutes, then add the rinsed beans and the chicken stock. 
6. Simmer for about 20 minutes. 
7. Add the cabbage and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. 
8. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread. 

Recipe adapted from: Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta (serves 4) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast 
• 2 Tbsp butter 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1/2 lb. penne pasta 
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 3 oz. cream cheese
• 1/3 cup basil pesto 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 
• freshly cracked pepper 
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper
• 3 cup fresh spinach 
• 1/4 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Add the butter to a deep skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.
2. While the chicken is cooking, mince the garlic. Add the garlic to the skillet with the chicken and continue to sauté for one minute more.
3. Add the uncooked pasta and chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and garlic. Stir to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the broth up to a boil.
4. Once the broth comes to a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Stir the pasta briefly every two minutes as it simmers, replacing the lid quickly each time.
5. Once the pasta is tender and most of the broth absorbed, add the milk, cream cheese (cut into chunks), and pesto. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce. Finally, add the grated Parmesan and stir until combined.
6. If using, add the fresh spinach and sliced sun dried tomatoes. Stir until the spinach has wilted, then remove the pasta from the heat. Top the pasta with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper, then serve.

Recipe from: https://www.budgetbytes.com/one-pot-creamy-pesto-chicken-pasta/#wprm-recipe-container-45797

White Bean Parmesan Pasta (serves 4) 

Ingredients: 

• 8 oz. linguine or fettuccine 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 Tbsp butter 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes 
• 10 cranks freshly ground pepper 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed 
• 4 oz. baby spinach
• 3 oz. shredded parmesan 

Instructions: 

1. Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat to bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander.
2. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, or until it has softened and become very fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil. Sauté the tomatoes until the skins burst and the tomatoes begin to release their juices. It's important to not have the heat under the skillet too high here or the garlic may burn before the tomatoes break down. You want the garlic to brown and caramelize a bit, but not burn.
4. Once the tomatoes begin to break down, add the spinach and stir it into the tomatoes until it is about half way wilted. 
5. Rinse and drain the can of cannellini beans. Add the beans to the skillet and stir until they are heated through. The tomato juices will have created a thick sauce-like mixture on the bottom of the skillet at this point. Taste the mixture and add a bit more salt if needed. It should be slightly on the salty side in order to properly flavor the pasta.
6. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet. Toss until the pasta is coated in the sticky sauce and everything is combined. Top with shredded parmesan, plus add a bit of Parmesan to the top of each bowl.

Recipe from: https://www.budgetbytes.com/tuscan-white-bean-pasta/#wprm-recipe-container-33590

Veggie Fried Rice (serves 4)

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups cooked white rice 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 eggs lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• optional: sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions: 

• In a large wok or skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil over medium high heat.
• Add the onion and carrot to the pan, cook 3-5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the red bell pepper; cook 2-3 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the vegetables from the pan, place them on a plate and cover to keep warm.
• Pour the remaining teaspoon of oil into the pan; add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula until the eggs are scrambled and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the rice, reserved cooked veggies and frozen peas to the pan. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and mix gently until everything is thoroughly combined and warmed through, 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add more soy sauce if desired.
• Serve immediately, sprinkled with sliced green onions if desired.

Recipe from: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/veggie-fried-rice/#wprm-recipe-container-6746