Before we dive in, I want to be upfront: There won’t be a meal plan this week, and I’ll explain why in a sec. But! I’ve rounded up five super simple dinners for you below (including the skillet lasagna that I’ll be posting a video of today which is an oldie but a goodie) so if you’re here for the food, scroll down to dig in.
Now, a little real talk. The past couple of weeks have been a lot—between switching my MS meds, a brutal eczema flare on my hands that made cooking nearly impossible, and a vaccine reaction that knocked me out with a 103° fever for a few days, life decided to throw everything at me at once. And, well, it forced me to slow down.
Normally, I push through. I love what I do so much and I never want to miss a beat, especially when it comes to delivering here. But between all that on top of the usual life stressors, I had to hit pause for a minute and take a beat.
The good news? I’m on the other side of it, and honestly sometimes feeling like sh*t makes you reallllly appreciate feeling good. And I feel like a whole new woman. So know that I appreciate you more than you know and I can’t wait to get back in the kitchen with you next week.❤️
Before we dive in—I saw my favorite Substack author Caro Chambers recently ask her readers to share their wins and what they’re loving lately, and I loved that. So let’s spread some joy! Drop a comment with anything making you happy this week—food, shows, books, a small moment that made you smile.
For me? Getting excited to be back in the kitchen, the sun making it feel like spring in Vancouver, and starting Severance season 2 and Summer House season 9. 🙌
now let’s get to some simply delicious recipes for you
weeknight skillet lasagna: when the lasagna craving hits on a weeknight, or you just want a cozy, easy, delicious dinner, this is it. If you want to lighten things up, I’ve also subbed the beef and sausage with 1 lb ground turkey and it’s fab - add 1 tsp fennel seeds if you’ve got it, and an additional 1/2 tsp chili flakes with your other spices, and definitely keep the beef broth for the richness.
philly cheesesteak rigatoni: really darn easy and really darn flavorful.
gyro spiced meatballs with pepperoncini crema: if you know me, you know I love a meatball. These ones give you a lot of the flavor of a traditional gyro. Served over rice that soaks up all the juices from the shirazi like salad, this is a flavor bomb. Excellent to double or triple and eat all week long too!
dense bean salad with chipotle vinaigrette: use tortillas to scoop up your bites makes eating salad a heck of a lot more fun. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter and great for meal prep, this is the one. The dressing is a copycat from Chipotle and I could drink this stuff. This is great for lunches or dinners all week. To “beef it up”, top it with some grilled chicken, prawns or steak, and even throw some avocado on top.
easy beef and broccoli with noodles: if you’ve got a bottle of Bachan’s sitting in your fridge - or any Japanese bbq sauce - this one is for you. Dinner in 20.
And as always, with love from Reggie and her stick pic 🫶
I absolutely love your page your reels and your recipe. I’m so glad you’re feeling better. We had a beautiful day in Long Island yesterday 60°. It was great to feel that spring was on the way of course today is 21°. Have a great week. Everyone I stand with Ukraine.🇺🇦
What is the size of the cast iron skillet you used for the lasagna?