If you love to cook, planning your weekly meals can be even more challenging than if you only have a handful of dishes in your repertoire. Planning your worknight dinner can be near impossible when you have a running list of thirty+ recipes that you want to try. How can you possibly limit yourself to one meal idea per night of the week?
My trick is usually to combine something homemade and/or elaborate with quick fixes. A from-scratch baked pasta dish gets paired with a store bought artisan baguette. If I make southwestern turkey burgers, I’m probably raiding the Whole Foods salad bar for a kale salad to pair alongside. Ever since I discovered my love for sweet potato fries, Alexia Foods has been a regular in my side dish rotation, and more recently, a staple in my Pinterest rotation too.
Alexia offers frozen potatoes, appetizers, breads and side dishes with minimal, but distinctive, real ingredients that serve-up exceptional taste. Alexia frozen side dish products, sold at natural, club, grocery and mass retail stores nationwide, are a delicious addition to a balanced meal with that little something extra. All of them can be ready in 25 minutes—or less. It just so happens that 25 minutes is the maximum number of minutes that I will wait to eat when I’m hungry.
Because meal planning is something that I like to do in my sleep (like you’ve never dreamed about eating?) I’ve teamed up with Alexia Foods to create five meal ideas that incorporate waffle fries; sweet potato fries and other delicious carbs into your dinner without setting you back ninety billion calories.
Roasted Red Pepper Turkey Meatloaf
Alexia Smart Classics (Straight, Crinkle or Tri-cut)
Steamed Broccoli
When you get busy, simply made food is what your body usually craves. How often do you come home after a ten-hour workday and decide to roast a rack of lamb? Roasted Red Pepper Turkey Meatloaf is simple food with a lot of flavor. I once stayed home on a Saturday night specifically to make this meatloaf and it was everything I dreamed it would be and more.
Since your oven will be busy baking your meatloaf, opt for a simple side like Alexia Smart Classics, which are 98% fat free and 100 calories per serving. If you need something green to keep your conscience quiet, steam fresh broccoli to round out the meal.
Meal #2
Grilled Rosemary Chicken Breasts
Alexia Crinkle Cut Sweet Potato Fries with Sea Salt & Black Pepper[ABN1]
Mixed Green Salad
Chicken breasts might be plain, but when you grill or bake them with fresh rosemary and flavored olive oil, they’re anything but boring. When your main dish is full of flavor, keep your side dish simple and serve a gourmet-inspired side dish that you can bake in just 20 minutes. Pop Alexia Sweet Potato Fries in the oven, lightly seasoned and drizzled with olive oil. Serve alongside a simple green salad with fresh vinaigrette dressing for a well-balanced dinner.
Teriyaki Salmon
Alexia Onion Rings with Panko Breading and Sea Salt
Towards the middle of the week is when I tend to find myself in a dinner rut. On Sunday and Monday, I’m usually gung ho to cook a well-balanced meal but by Wednesday and Thursday, motivation is hard to come by. I like to mix up my menus with fresh seafood at least twice a week, for the nutritional benefits as much as anything else.
Sweet and savory is the name of the game here, where tangy teriyaki sauce plays nicely with Alexia’s panko-crusted onion rings. An inventive combination of sweet Spanish onions with a delicate all-natural Japanese style breading give these rings a light, crispy texture bursting with flavor.
Sweet Italian Sausage and Peppers
Alexia Smart Classics (Straight, Crinkle or Tri-cut)
I almost always have a package of sweet Italian chicken or turkey sausages in my freezer waiting for busy weeknights when I want to defrost a single serving of dinner. When the weather is chilly, a pot of Italian sausages cooked with bell peppers, sweet onions, crushed tomatoes, and garlic usually hits the spot. Next time, pair your favorite dish with Alexia Smart Classics fries or potatoes and you can indulge in your favorite comfort food without sacrificing flavor.
Black Bean Veggie Burger
Alexia Seasoned Waffle Cut Fries
Instead of ordering a pizza for your next Friday movie night, indulge in classic comfort food: a burger and fries, done the healthy way. A black bean burger made with French fried onions and lots of fresh cilantro is a perfect dinner that you can make Sunday and reheat all week. They’re healthy and filling and the perfect partner for a serving of crispy potatoes lightly seasoned with a flawless blend of sea salt, pepper, onion and garlic.
Alexia frozen sides are a delicious addition to any weeknight meal! They are that little something extra to help create a balanced meal with real ingredients and an exceptional taste!
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Alexia Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.
