The Official #cook90 2018 Meal Plan
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson2/29Week 1: The Grocery List
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson3/29Monday: Texas Tacos and Brothy Beans
New Year's Day is no normal Monday, so we're going to cook like it's a holiday (because if you're starting on New Year's Day, it is). Mid-day Texas-style breakfast tacos utilize a hyperfast homemade chorizo. After lunch, start a big pot of beans with lots of crushed garlic and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Serve those beans simply, with just a little wilted spinach and some lemon zest.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton4/29Tuesday: One-Skillet Shrimp Dinner
Grab a couple handfuls of shrimp from the freezer and let them defrost in a small bowl of tepid water. While that happens, make this quick, herby tomato stew (using the beans from last night!). Wipe out the skillet, sauté the shrimp, and top with this fast roasted garlic–herb sauce. (Or pesto. Pesto's always there in a pinch.)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Mariana Velasquez5/29Wednesday: Roasted Sweets x 2
Get ready to #nextover. Halve your sweet potatoes lengthwise and throw them in a 450°F oven until they're fork-tender, about 25 minutes. For dinner, stuff two halves with guacamole, black beans, and spinach (or curried chickpeas and Greek yogurt) (or, you know, whatever you want!). Wrap up the remaining sweet potatoes and store them in the fridge—you'll be seeing them soon.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton6/29Thursday: Curry Bowl Magic
No, seriously, this quick curry really is a magical thing: sweat some aromatics (chopped onions, minced garlic, grated ginger), throw in some spices, and pour in some coconut milk. Poach some of the shrimp from the freezer and finish the curry with cubes of cooked sweet potato from your fridge. Cilantro. Rice. Dinner. Done.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell7/29Friday: Clean-Out-the-Fridge Enchiladas
Look in your fridge: you've got some greens in there. Maybe some leftover white beans, maybe a cooked sweet potato or two. Those greens and beans make a fantastic combo, cooked together in a skillet and topped with tons of herbs—eat it on its own or pull out the tortillas and have tacos. Or pull out a jar or salsa and bake some enchiladas. Pick up a rotisserie chicken and use this recipe. Or forget the chicken altogether—sweet potatoes make a perfectly good swap.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson8/29Week 2: The Grocery List
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson9/29Monday: Sheet Pan Chicken & Veg
Crank the oven to 425ºF. Chop a head of cauliflower into individual florets. On a sheet pan, toss those florets and a pint of grape tomatoes with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon cumin, and generous sprinklings of black pepper and kosher salt. Salt and pepper 8 chicken thighs. Mix 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon harissa and brush on top of the chicken. Place the chicken thighs on the vegetables (divide among two sheet pans if things look crowded) and roast in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 35 minutes. Eat half the chicken and vegetables for dinner, and save the rest—including the chicken bones. (Yes, really—keep those bones!)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson10/29Tuesday: Pesto Pasta!
Don't blink—this dinner comes together instantaneously. Boil the pasta and save at least a cup of the pasta water. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the leftover vegetables from last night (leave the chicken in the fridge) and 1/2 cup pesto. (You bought pesto? Cool. You want to make your own? This recipe's our go-to.) Add a little pasta water if you want the pesto to be saucier, and more pesto if you want the pasta to be, uh, pesto-ier. Finish with Parm and fresh basil and you're done! (You can blink now.)
Photo by John Lee11/29Wednesday: Chicken Soup
Remember those chicken bones? Put them in a large pot with 4 cups of chicken broth and a tablespoon of grated ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and keep the broth at a light simmer for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, tear the meat from the chicken thighs in the fridge and thinly slice a red onion. Add a package of rice noodles to the broth and, once the noodles have cooked, stir in the shredded chicken. Taste the soup and season with salt. Serve in bowls topped with red onion, fresh basil leaves, a drizzle (or more) of Sriracha, and lime wedges on the side.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini12/29Thursday: Single-Skillet Sausage
Grab the crusty bread for this one. Sautéed sausage and broccolini may not sound like much, but when there's butter, garlic, and tomatoes involved, you end up with a skillet of saucy sausage and vegetables that begs to be sopped up.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson13/29Friday: Pile-It-On Pizza
Got sausage left over from last night? Red onion leftover from Wednesday? The reason we don't throw anything away is so that, tonight, we can pile it on a pizza. Stretch 16 ounces of dough into a 16x12" oval and transfer it to a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Crush whole tomatoes (from the 28-ounce can) with your hands, spread them over the dough, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Top with whatever leftovers you have in your fridge (use that extra pesto!) and top with slices of fresh mozzarella. Cook in a 500°F degree oven until everything is melted and crispy. While the pizza cooks, whisk together this simple vinaigrette, thinly slice your kale, and boom—Friday night pizza just got served a side of health.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson14/29Week 3: The Grocery List
