Pasta Salad - Evan friendly

 

🛒 Ingredients

• 1 lb rotini or penne

• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

• ½ cup shredded mild cheddar

• ½ cup mozzarella cubes

• 4 slices cooked bacon (optional but very motivating 😄)

• ½ cup finely shredded carrots (small so he doesn’t notice much)

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🥣 Light Creamy Dressing (Still Athlete-Friendly)

Whisk together:

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1–2 tbsp ranch seasoning

• ½ tsp salt

• Splash of milk to thin

This keeps protein higher than mayo but still tastes like ranch.

Immune Boosting Bone Broth

State basketball this weekend and poor Evan has been down and out since Saturday, SO tried a bone broth to boost his immune before the weekend!!!

Ingredients:

• 2–3 lbs chicken bones
  (rotisserie carcass works great)

• 1 onion (quartered)

• 3 carrots (rough chopped)

• 3 celery stalks

• 3–4 garlic cloves (smash them)

• 1–2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp salt (add more later)

• 1 tsp whole peppercorns

• Optional: fresh ginger (great for cough)

• Optional: turmeric (anti-inflammatory)

• Optional: parsley

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🥣 How To Make It (Stovetop)

1. Put everything in a large pot.

2. Cover with water (about 2 inches above bones).

3. Add apple cider vinegar.

4. Let sit 20–30 minutes before turning heat on.

5. Bring to a gentle boil.

6. Reduce to LOW simmer.

7. Simmer 4–8 hours (longer = richer).

8. Skim foam off top occasionally.

9. Strain and store.

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⏲ If You Have a Slow Cooker

• Low for 12–24 hours.

• Same ingredients.

• Even better extraction.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls

 

Ingredients:

Honey Chipotle Chicken

• 1¼ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs)

• 1½ tbsp olive oil

• 1½ tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
  (or 1½ tsp chipotle powder for mild spice)

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ¾ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp cumin

• ¾ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

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Cilantro Lime Rice

• 1½ cups dry white or jasmine rice (makes ~4½ cups cooked)

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• 1–1½ limes, juiced

• Salt to taste

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Bowl Add-Ins

• 1 cup black beans, rinsed & drained

• 1 cup corn (canned or frozen/thawed)

• 1½ avocados, diced
  (pack separately for lunch)

• ½ cup pickled red onions

• Lime wedges (optional)

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 Instructions

1. Cook the Rice

• Cook rice according to package directions.

• While warm, stir in lime juice, cilantro, and a pinch of salt.

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2. Cook the Chicken

1. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.

2. Toss with olive oil, honey, chipotle, spices, salt & pepper.

3. Cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until fully cooked and lightly caramelized.

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3. Quick Pickled Red Onions (Optional but 🔥)

• Thinly slice 1 small red onion.

• Cover with:

  • ½ cup vinegar

  • ½ cup water

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • ½ tsp salt

• Let sit 20–30 minutes.

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Assemble Bowls

Each bowl:

• ~1 cup rice

• ~5 oz chicken

• Beans + corn split evenly

• Avocado added fresh (or in small container for lunch)

• Pickled onions + lime wedge on top

Biscuit & Gravy Breakfast Bowls

Needed some more filling and nutritionist meals for bfast for the boys and this was it!!!  There wasn't enough gravy for Evan - HA! - but B was a huge fan!!  This is great to prep and just reheat all week!!  B had it every day for bfast :)

Ingredients

• 16 oz breakfast turkey sausage
• 5 jumbo biscuits I used Grands Southern Homestyle Biscuits
• 1 ¼ tablespoons butter
• 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups fat-free Fairlife milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ¼ cups liquid egg whites
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange 5 oven-safe containers on a baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.
• Cut each biscuit into quarters. Place the pieces from one full biscuit into each container.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the turkey sausage until fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain excess grease, remove from the pan, and set aside.
• Using the same skillet (do not wipe it out), melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour — the mixture will be thick and clumpy at first.
• Slowly whisk in the milk, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth. Continue cooking and whisking until the gravy thickens.
• Remove from heat and stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cooked sausage.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites, whole eggs, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Evenly pour the egg mixture over the biscuits in each container. Spoon the sausage gravy evenly over the top.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the eggs are fully set and the biscuits are golden brown.
• Let cool before covering and refrigerating. Reheat in the microwave for 2–3 minutes.

Sheet Pan Teriyaki Beef & Veggies

 

What you need:

• Thinly sliced steak (flank, skirt or sirloin)

• Bell peppers (sliced)

• Broccoli florets

• Olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• Teriyaki sauce

• Cooked rice (for serving)

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F

2. Add steak + peppers + broccoli to a sheet pan

3. Drizzle with olive oil + season lightly with salt + pepper

4. Roast 15–18 minutes

5. Add teriyaki sauce → toss → roast 3–5 more minutes

6. Serve over rice

⏱ 25 minutes
💡 Swap: pork tenderloin, chicken thighs, or tofu
📦 Note: frozen broccoli works too!

1 Rotisserie Chicken, 6 Meals!!

My favorite meal hack when life is SPORTS - DRIVING - SPORTS - DRIVING!!  Insert $4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken!!  I took 1 bird and stretched into 6 dinners/lunches this week!!!  WOOT WOOT!!!

Meals I made:

Chicken Quesidillas

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Greek Chicken Salad

Chicken Tortilla Soup

BBQ Chicken Sliders

Chicken Casear Salad

Greek Chicken Salad

Using a rotisserie chicken all week and this was a great and quick idea for lunch!!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups rotisserie chicken (shredded or chopped)

• 1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

• 1 cucumber (diced)

• ½ red onion (thinly sliced)

• 1 bell pepper (diced — optional)

• ½ cup Kalamata olives (pitted + halved)

• ½ cup feta (crumbled)

• 2–3 cups romaine or spring mix (chopped)

• Fresh dill or parsley (optional but so good!)

• Optional add-ins: chickpeas, artichokes, quinoa, or pita chips

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Dressing

Whisk together:

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp dried oregano (or Greek seasoning)

• 1 garlic clove, minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder)

• Squeeze of lemon

• Salt + pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Add greens to a large bowl.

2. Top with chicken, veggies, olives, and feta.

3. Toss with dressing right before serving.

4. Taste + add lemon, salt, or extra feta if needed.

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Serving ideas

• stuff into pita pockets

• serve over quinoa

• wrap in a tortilla

• eat as a bowl with pita chips 🤤