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helping chronic dieters break free from diet culture and make peace with food and body.

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your work week dinner game plan

4 · Aug 11, 2019 · Leave a Comment

5 quick and easy, balanced dinner ideas to get you (or your whole family!) through the work week!

Sunday again! Is it just me or is summer absolutely flying by? If you need a little dinner inspiration for the week, here you go!

If you want even more dinner inspiration – find all my Work Week Dinner Game Plans here!

MONDAY: Pesto tortellini with roasted vegetables

easy spinach pesto tortellini with roasted vegetables // cait's plate

This simple dish comes together quickly and is loaded with flavor, heart-healthy fats and fiber making it a perfect weeknight dish, especially for #meatlessmonday!

  • Serves: 2-4
  • Done in: 35 minutes
  • Tips: Serve up just as is or with a a side salad to round it out! Want some more protein? Throw in some chickpeas or sliced chicken sausage.

TUESDAY: Chickpea mediterranean gyros

chickpea mediterranean gyros

These gyros put a vegetarian spin on a classic. they’re also no-cook which is perfect as we head into the heat of august!

  • Serves: 2-4
  • Done in: 10 minutes
  • Tips: If serving to a toddler, serve ingredients separately to make it easier for them to eat. Can’t do a dinner without meat? These would also be great with some shredded chicken!

WEDNESDAY: Easy skillet chicken parm with zucchini noodles

easy skillet chicken parm with zucchini noodles // cait's plate

This skillet chicken parm comes together in less than 30 minutes but it tastes as if you spent all day in the kitchen. It’s also gluten-free thanks to the fact that the chicken isn’t breaded and zucchini noodles are used in place of what would traditionally be wheat noodles.

  • Serves: 4-6
  • Done in: 25 minutes
  • Tips: If serving to a toddler, you can saute some zucchini in half moons to make it easier for them to eat.

THURSDAY: Power plate’s sweet potato bowls with cilantro lime rice and black beans

power plate's sweet potato bowls with cilantro lime rice and black beans // cait's plate

The ever-amazing gena from the full helping has packed this dish is full of flavor! the black beans and sweet potatoes are so hearty that even the biggest meat eaters will be wholly satisfied with this dish.

  • Serves: 2-4
  • Done in: 50 minutes
  • Tips: Serve with some chips and salsa or guacamole to round out the dish!

FRIDAY: Crockpot salsa chicken

easy crockpot salsa chicken - set it up in the morning and come home to a delicious dinner served anyway you like! // cait's plate

It’s Friday. Time to let the crockpot do the cooking while you just sit back and relax! This chicken is loaded with protein & flavor plus, it can be used in just about anything from tacos to burritos and grain bowls!

  • Serves: 2-4
  • Done in: 3-4 hours in the crockpot to cook; 10 minutes to pull together a dish
  • Tips: Serve as tacos, burritos or grain bowls for a quick and easy Friday night meal!
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MEAL IDEAS, WORK WEEK DINNER PLANS

please note: items in these posts may contain affiliate links which simply means I earn a small amount of money if you click on them (at no additional cost to you).  this money is always re-invested in cait’s plate so I can continue to create free content to you!

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it took a while for me to get to a point where I r it took a while for me to get to a point where I realized I was chasing something that wasn't working for me.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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we're constantly told that thinner is better, that being healthy takes willpower and discipline.  that ‘pain is weakness leaving the body.’⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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it took me years of being miserable as I tried to adhere to all of diet culture's rules before I got to my 'ah-ha' moment.  what I was doing was not only making me unhappy, but it was harming not only my physical health, but my mental health too.  and wasn't I supposed to be doing all of this in the NAME of health?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I wish I could go back to my younger self and tell her it wasn't worth it.  all the rigidity, missing out and being so unhappy - all in the name of doing what I thought would lead to my happiest, healthiest life.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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we’re taught we can’t trust ourselves to know what’s best.  that we need to follow someone else’s plan for us in order to live a happy, healthy life.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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but for whatever it’s worth to anyone out there that might need to hear this: I’m always my happiest, healthiest self when I lean into my own body and my own experiences - not someone else’s idea of what it should be.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatenutrition #caitsplate #antidietculture #nondietdietitian #bodyrespect #breakthedietcycle #dietsdontwork #antidietculture #foodfreedom #intuitiveeatingjourney #intuititveeating #disorderedeatingrecovery
it's not officially fall for me until I've had thi it's not officially fall for me until I've had this harvest wrap.  it's quick, easy and the perfect melt of my favorite fall flavors.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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here's what I put in it:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* mixed greens⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* roasted sweet potatoes⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* diced apple⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* diced pear⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* chickpeas (could also use chicken!)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* red onion⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* dried cranberries⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* walnuts (can also use pecans)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* goat cheese (feta would also be great)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I drizzle the whole thing with olive oil and balsamic glaze.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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printable recipe on @caitsplate: https://caitsplate.com/vegetarian-harvest-wrap/⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatefood #caitsplate #vegetarianlunch #easymeal #fallfood #f52community #thefeedfeed #vegetarianrecipes #vegetarianmeals #vegetarianfoodshare
walk through the grocery store and you’re bound walk through the grocery store and you’re bound to find “natural” prominently featured on any number of products.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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the idea of something being “natural” has infiltrated marketing messages in everything from our toiletries & cleaning products to food & beauty items.  that companies have found this term so useful for sales is no wonder - it’s heavily promoted in our society as being “better” for us.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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yet, we’re often told by this same health and wellness culture not to trust our natural, internal signs and signals.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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we’re told to push through exhaustion even if what our bodies really need is rest, we’re told to ignore our signals of hunger and fullness in deference to a pre-set plan, we’re constantly told to fix, resize and reshape our bodies from their natural states.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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it’s worth noting that there’s little profit to be made off us trusting and honoring our body’s innate signals and states.  if we could simply trust our own bodies, we would have no need to buy solutions to “fix” our wellness “problems.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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it then begs the question, is it truly our health and wellness, or simply the chance to profit, that motivates so much of the messaging in our health and wellness culture?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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part of freeing yourself from diet culture is unraveling the pervasive messaging we often take as hard truth and picking it apart based on our lived experience and knowledge.  this can help us determine what truly serves our overall wellbeing versus what is simply padding the pockets of the industry.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatenutrition #caitsplate #dietsdontwork #intuitiveeatingjourney #ditchthediet #bodyrespect #foodfreedom #nondietapproach #bodyacceptance #nondietdietitian #nofoodrules #antidiet #antidietculture #breakfreefromdieting
white bean & veggie farro soup! a latest spin on white bean & veggie farro soup!  a latest spin on one of my favorite soup recipes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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super simple to pull together, perfectly comforting and great to make ahead and reheat for easy meals (my favorite kind 🙌)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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recipe is linked in my profile (@caitsplate)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
https://caitsplate.com/white-bean-veggie-farro-soup/⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatefood #caitsplate #f52community #soupseason #vegetarianrecipeshare #meatless #souprecipe #easymeal #easycooking #recipeshare
one of the things I hear most often from individua one of the things I hear most often from individuals looking to break free form diet culture and embrace intuitive eating is “I feel like all I’m doing is thinking and analyzing my food behaviors and all I want to do is stop thinking so much about food.”

this is completely understandable.  when food and food rules have owned your life for so long, and you finally embrace the thing that’s supposed to help you break that cycle, it can feel like a lot.

the difference is, while intuitive eating may require a deeper dive at the outset, it ultimately sets you *free* from all the over-thinking and analyzing of food & food choices, setting you up for a peaceful relationship with food that can last a lifetime.

dieting and food rules feel simple at the outset, but keep us in a never-ending cycle of distress around food.

#caitsplatenutrition #caitsplate #intuitiveeating #disorderedeating #disorderedeatingrecovery #bodydysmorphia #redefiningbeauty #i_weigh #antidietculture #nondietdietitian #intuitiveeatingjourney #antidiet #nondietdietitian
pumpkin turkey meatballs! done in less than 30 mi pumpkin turkey meatballs!  done in less than 30 minutes with less than 10 ingredients.  a perfect easy fall meal!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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grab the recipe details on @caitsplate (link in profile): https://caitsplate.com/pumpkin-turkey-meatballs/⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatefood #caitsplate #pumpkinseason #pumpkinrecipes #easymeal #easydinner #dinnerrecipes #dinnertonight #f52community #thefeedfeed

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