Meal Plan #25 (Sep 7-13)

Labor Day gives this week a softer start, but once Tuesday rolls around, dinner still needs to happen. This meal plan leans into that first full week of September feeling, with cozy-but-practical meals that work for real evenings: a lemony chicken soup, quick fish piccata, hearty pumpkin chili, saucy chicken jalfrezi, and eggplant lasagna with leftovers built in.

For the bonus recipe, pumpkin banana muffins are a good one to bake once and enjoy all week for breakfast, lunchboxes, snacks, or coffee breaks.

Helpful Tips for This Week

• If Monday is busy with Labor Day plans, don’t feel locked into the order. The soup, chili, and eggplant lasagna all work well on quieter nights when you have a little more time.
• For the lemon chicken orzo soup, know that orzo keeps soaking up broth as it sits. If you’re making it ahead, add extra broth when reheating, or cook the orzo separately and add it to bowls before serving.
• Fish piccata cooks quickly, so start any sides first. Once the fish hits the skillet, dinner moves fast, and the lemon-caper sauce comes together in just a few minutes.
• Buy two cans of pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. One full can goes into the chili, and part of the second can goes into the muffins.
• Pumpkin chili is a great make-ahead dinner. The flavor gets even better the next day, and leftovers keep well for easy lunches.
• Let the pumpkin banana muffins cool completely before storing. Keep them airtight at room temperature for a few days, or freeze extras for later.

Easy Serving Ideas

Keep sides simple this week. Serve the soup with bread or a green salad, the fish with rice or roasted vegetables, the chili with your favorite toppings, the jalfrezi with rice and naan, and the eggplant lasagna with salad or garlic bread. The muffins can double as a casual dessert with coffee or tea.

Shopping List

This shopping list includes everything you need to make all five dinners, plus the bonus muffins included in this week’s plan. Click the button below to print it and take it to the store.

• 3 medium yellow onions, or 1 small bag yellow onions
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 bunch celery
• 2 bulbs garlic
• 3 lemons
• 1 small bunch fresh dill
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 piece fresh ginger root
• 2 jalapeños or green chiles
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 red bell pepper
• 3 medium eggplants, about 2 pounds total
• 1 8-ounce package mushrooms
• 1 ripe banana

Meat, Poultry and Fish

• 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 ½ pounds tilapia loins or fillets
• 1 pound lean ground beef, 90/10 if available

Dairy, Eggs and Frozen

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
• 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
• 1 small bag shredded mozzarella cheese, at least 1 ½ cups
• 1 small wedge Parmesan cheese
• 2 large eggs, or 1 dozen if you need to restock
• Small carton milk, or use water or orange juice for the muffins

Pasta, Rice and Bread

• 1 box dry orzo
• 1 bag long grain or basmati rice, for serving with the chicken jalfrezi
• Naan bread, for serving with the chicken jalfrezi

Canned, Jarred and Boxed

• 3 x 32-ounce cartons of low-sodium chicken broth, or chicken base to make about 9 to 10 cups. I like this Better Than Bouillon Premium Roasted Chicken Base and always keep one in my fridge.
• Dry white wine, or use extra chicken broth for the fish piccata
• 1 x 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 x 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 x 6-ounce cans tomato paste, or 1 can plus 1 tube tomato paste
• 1 x 15-ounce can kidney beans
• 1 x 15-ounce can pinto beans
• 2 x 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 small jar capers
• 1 jar marinara sauce, at least 2 cups

Baking

• All-purpose flour, at least 3 cups
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Baking powder
• Pure vanilla extract

Oils, Condiments and Spices

• Olive oil
• Vegetable oil, or another neutral oil
• Kosher salt or sea salt
• Black pepper
• Dried oregano
• Dried thyme
• Dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• Ground cumin
• Ground turmeric
• Chili powder
• Ground coriander
• Garam masala
• Smoked paprika

Supplies

• Parchment paper
• Muffin liners or nonstick spray
• 12-cup muffin pan
• 9×13-inch casserole dish
• Rimmed baking sheets

Optional Serving Ideas

• Butter, cream cheese, or honey for serving the muffins
• Fresh basil for the eggplant lasagna
• Extra lemon wedges or fresh herbs for the soup and fish
• Sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, or pepitas for the pumpkin chili
• Mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or salad for the fish piccata
• Salad or garlic bread for the eggplant lasagna