MEAL PLAN 19
WHY THIS MEAL PLAN WORKS
Super-healthy and hearty kale and butternut squash are spread creatively among three quite different meals in this week’s plan to prevent leftover produce. The one-pan chicken breasts use both kale and squash; the vegetables can be prepped and assembled on the baking sheet and refrigerated until ready to bake, and the chicken can be seasoned ahead and then placed on the vegetables just before baking. The strip steaks make use of the remaining kale in a creamy, rich side dish, while the quesadillas incorporate the remaining squash—they’re a delicious example of how only five ingredients (not counting oil and salt) can be transformed into a healthier version of a family favorite. And if you prep all of the vegetables and meat for the pork stir-fry ahead of time, the stir-frying itself goes very quickly.
GROCERY LIST
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PROTEIN |
Substitutions |
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Bone-in split chicken breasts |
4 (10 to 12 ounces each) |
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Strip steaks |
2 (1 pound each), 1 inch thick |
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Pork tenderloins |
2 (12 to 16 ounces each) |
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PRODUCE |
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Butternut squash |
3 pounds |
Sweet potatoes |
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Curly kale |
2 pounds |
Lacinato kale |
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Eggplant |
1 pound |
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Poblano chiles |
4 |
3 red bell peppers |
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Cilantro |
1 bunch (enough for ½ cup chopped) |
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DAIRY |
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Pepper Jack cheese |
8 ounces |
Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a mix of cheeses |
PREP AHEAD
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Peel and seed squash; cut 2 pounds into 1-inch pieces (6 cups), cut 1 pound into ½-inch pieces (3 cups) |
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Stem kale, then cut into 2-inch pieces |
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Cut eggplant into ¾-inch pieces |
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Stem, halve, and seed poblanos, then slice into ½-inch-wide strips |
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Mince 12 garlic cloves |
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Halve 8 shallots; thinly slice 1 shallot |
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Cut onion into ¼-inch-thick wedges |
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Grate lemon zest (1 teaspoon) |
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Juice lime (2 teaspoons) |
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Wash and pick cilantro |
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Shred pepper Jack cheese (2 cups) |
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Trim and halve chicken breasts |
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Trim and halve strip steaks |
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Trim pork tenderloins, then halve lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise |
MAKE AHEAD
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UP TO 3 DAYS |
Microwave squash for quesadillas |
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Prepare squash-poblano mixture for quesadillas |
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UP TO 2 DAYS |
Blanch kale for steaks |
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UP TO 1 DAY |
Make yogurt sauce for roast chicken |
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Make and dress vegetable mixture for roast chicken |
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Season chicken |
PANTRY ITEMS
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CUPBOARD & COUNTER |
Substitutions |
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Oil |
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons |
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Light brown sugar |
2½ tablespoons packed |
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Cornstarch |
1¾ teaspoons |
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Honey |
2 teaspoons |
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Paprika |
2 teaspoons |
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Garlic cloves |
17 (2 heads) |
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Shallots |
9 |
2 onions (for roast chicken) |
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Onion |
1 large |
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REFRIGERATOR |
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Heavy cream |
1½ cups |
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Plain yogurt |
¾ cup |
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Fish sauce |
3 tablespoons |
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Soy sauce |
3 tablespoons |
Tamari |
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Broth |
2 tablespoons |
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Lime |
1 |
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Lemon |
1 |
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FREEZER |
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10-inch flour tortillas |
4 |
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One-Pan Roast Chicken Breasts with Butternut Squash and Kale
ONE-PAN ROAST CHICKEN BREASTS with BUTTERNUT SQUASH and KALE
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons honey
1½ teaspoons table salt
¾ cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
8 ounces curly kale, stemmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
8 shallots, halved
2 teaspoons paprika
4 (10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed and halved crosswise
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Whisk oil, honey, and salt together in large bowl until combined.
2. FOR THE YOGURT SAUCE In separate bowl, whisk yogurt, water, garlic, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon oil mixture together; set yogurt sauce aside until ready to serve.
3. FOR THE DRESSED VEGETABLES Vigorously squeeze and massage kale with hands until leaves are uniformly darkened and slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Toss massaged kale, squash, shallots, and ¼ cup oil mixture together on rimmed baking sheet.
4. FOR THE SEASONED CHICKEN Whisk paprika into remaining oil mixture, then add chicken and toss to coat.
5. TO FINISH Place chicken skin side up on top of vegetables and bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to platter with chicken, then drizzle with ¼ cup reserved yogurt sauce. Serve, passing remaining yogurt sauce separately.
PREP AHEAD
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Grate lemon zest
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Stem and cut kale
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Peel, seed, and cut butternut squash
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Halve shallots
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Trim and halve chicken breasts
MAKE AHEAD
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Refrigerate yogurt sauce for up to 1 day
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Refrigerate dressed vegetable mixture for up to 1 day
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Refrigerate seasoned chicken for up to 1 day
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Sub Lacinato kale for curly kale
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Sub sweet potatoes for butternut squash
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Sub 2 large onions for shallots
STRIP STEAKS with CREAMED KALE
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 35 MINUTES
1½ pounds curly kale, stemmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking kale
2 tablespoons oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 shallot, sliced thin
1½ cups heavy cream
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
2 (1-pound) strip steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed and halved crosswise
Lemon wedges, for serving
1. FOR THE BLANCHED KALE Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add kale and 2 tablespoons salt and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain kale in colander, pressing with rubber spatula to remove excess water; set aside.
2. TO FINISH KALE Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and shallot and cook until just softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in kale and cook until any remaining water has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add cream and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until cream is thickened and clings to kale, about 3 minutes. Remove pot from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. FOR THE STEAKS Pat steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add steaks and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until well browned and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer steaks to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve steaks with kale and lemon wedges.
PREP AHEAD
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Stem and cut kale
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Slice shallot
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Trim and halve steaks
MAKE AHEAD
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Refrigerate blanched kale for up to 2 days
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Flipping the steaks every 2 minutes increases their temperature gradually, allowing a crust to build up on the outside without overcooking the interior
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Sub Lacinato kale for curly kale
GARLICKY STIR-FRIED PORK, EGGPLANT, and ONIONS
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 45 MINUTES
12 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup oil, divided
2 teaspoons pepper
3 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2½ tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons broth
2 teaspoons lime juice
1¾ teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise
1 pound eggplant, cut into ¾-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1. Combine garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, and pepper in small bowl; set aside. Whisk 2½ tablespoons fish sauce, 2½ tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, broth, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in second small bowl until sugar has dissolved; set aside. Toss pork with remaining 1½ teaspoons fish sauce, 1½ teaspoons soy sauce, and ¾ teaspoon cornstarch until well combined.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork and increase heat to high. Cook, tossing pork slowly but constantly, until no longer pink, 2 to 6 minutes; transfer to large bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining pork.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add eggplant and cook, tossing slowly but constantly, until spotty brown, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl with pork. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in again-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add onion and cook, tossing slowly but constantly, until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
4. Push onion to one side of skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add garlic mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into onion. Whisk fish sauce mixture to recombine, then add to skillet along with pork-eggplant mixture and any accumulated juices. Increase heat to high and cook, tossing constantly, until sauce has thickened, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
PREP AHEAD
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Mince garlic
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Juice lime
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Cut eggplant
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Cut onion
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Wash and pick cilantro
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Trim, halve, and slice pork
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Instead of a 12-inch nonstick skillet, you can use a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok
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Serve with rice (this page), if you like
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Sub tamari for soy sauce
BUTTERNUT, POBLANO, and CHEESE QUESADILLAS
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (3 cups)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons oil, divided
4 poblano chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1. FOR THE SQUASH Microwave squash in covered bowl until tender, 8 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through. Drain squash well and return to bowl.
2. FOR THE SQUASH-POBLANO MIXTURE Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add poblanos and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl with squash and stir in salt and cilantro. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
3. FOR THE QUESADILLAS Sprinkle cheese evenly over half of each tortilla, leaving ½-inch border around edges. Top cheese with squash mixture, then fold tortillas over filling and press down firmly. Brush tops of quesadillas with 1 teaspoon oil. Place 2 quesadillas in now-empty skillet, oiled side down. Cook over medium heat until crispy and well browned, about 2 minutes. Brush tops of quesadillas in skillet with ½ teaspoon oil. Using two spatulas, carefully flip quesadillas and cook until second side is crispy and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and repeat with remaining 2 quesadillas. Serve.
PREP AHEAD
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Peel, seed, and cut squash
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Stem, halve, seed, and slice poblanos
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Wash and pick cilantro
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Shred cheese
MAKE AHEAD
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Refrigerate microwaved squash for up to 3 days
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Refrigerate squash-poblano mixture for up to 3 days
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Depending on the strength of your microwave, you may need to adjust the cooking time of the squash
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Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or any of your favorite quesadilla toppings
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Sub sweet potatoes for squash (microwave time may be shorter)
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Sub red bell peppers for poblanos
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Sub Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a mix of cheeses for pepper Jack