MY WEEK IN MEALS 1: Grocery Haul and Daily Recipes

Take some inspiration from this week's grocery haul and how I used it.

I graduated from LSU last week! Of course, post-grad life comes with a lot of changes — some major and some small, and it’s time to say goodbye to my on-campus meal plan and sorority lunch. You were wonderful, Paw Points. My grocery shopping in college usually focused on a few go-to, snacks and the occasional lunch for when I wasn’t on campus. I’d also shop for specific meals I was making, often without a clear plan to maximize savings and reduce waste.

While I’ll have an LSU Student Union sushi-sized hole in my heart forever, I’m excited to cook most of my meals, especially because I’ll have more opportunities to test recipes and branch out.

SHOP YOUR PANTRY FIRST

Because I often shopped for specific ingredients for specific dishes, I have a lot of odds and ends that I want to use up. Always check your refrigerator and pantry before making a grocery list to use what you already have, especially if you have produce that’s on its last life.

Here are the ingredients I used this week that I already had:

• Calabrian Chilis in Oil

• Couscous

• Italian Bread Crumbs

• Flour

• Rice

• Fish Sauce

• Hoisin Sauce

• Old, Decrepit Parsley

• Somehow Even More Sad Cilantro

• Linguini

• 28 oz of Crushed Tomatoes

• White Wine

GROCERY LIST

Last week was graduation week, so I had a few extras on my list. Also, I had to restock on a few condiments, like olive oil and sriracha. Without those add-ons, my total at Trader Joe’s was around $65. I’d love to get to a place where I’m spending no more than $50!

PROTEINS

• 1 Pack of Chicken Breasts

• the pack I bought contained 2 breasts with rib meat

• 1 Pack of Italian Sausage

• 1 Tin of Trader Joe’s Lightly Smoked Mussels

• 1 Carton of Eggs
  

VEGGIES

• 1 Bulb of Garlic

• 2 Onions

• 1 Red Bell Pepper

• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper

• 1 Bunch of Green beans

• 1 Lemon

• 1 Shallot

• 1 Bag of Bok Choy

• the bag I bought came with 2 heads

STARCH

• 1 16 oz Package of Dried Gnocchi

• 1 Package of Linguini

OTHER

• Sriracha

• Olive Oil

• Parmesan Cheese

• 2-3 Freezer Favs for Quick Meals & Snacks

• I bought 2 packages of Trader Joe’s Pork and Ginger Soup dumplings and 1 bag of Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Nuggets (I am not gluten-free, but I like them better than the others!)

RECIPES

NOTE: The recipes I normally share on my website (like this X or X) have been tested multiple times. However, in this series, I’m sharing how I usually cook at home, especially on weeknights, often without exact measurements or distinct steps. These recipes follow how I made each dish as closely as possible, but I’ll always encourage measuring with your heart and putting your own spin on dishes!

Follow along with videos of these recipes on TikTok, Instagram/Facebook Reels or YouTube Shorts.

LINGUINI WITH MUSSELS

INGREDIENTS (1 SERVING)

• 1 Tin of Trader Joe's Lightly Smoked Mussels

• 1/2 a Shallot

• 2 Cloves of Garlic

• 3 oz of Dried Linguini

• 1/2 of a Lemon

• 1-2 Tablespoons of Parsley

• 1/4 of a cup of white wine (or chicken/seafood stock)

• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil the linguini in well-salted water to al dente, according to package instructions. Once cooked, reserve 1/2 a cup of the pasta water and drain.

2. Meanwhile, finely chop half of a shallot, two cloves of garlic and a small handful of parsley. Zest a lemon until you have about a teaspoon of zest. Squeeze the juice of half the lemon.

3. Saute the chopped shallot and garlic in two tablespoons of broth and oil from the tin of mussels and a small pinch of salt over medium heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

4. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. Once the wine has started to reduce, turn the heat down to medium-low and add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, the mussels with any remaining broth/oil and a pinch of salt.
   

5. Once the mussels are heated through and the sauce has started to thicken, add in the pasta with a few tablespoons of pasta water. Toss until the sauce is glossy, adding more pasta water and simmering the sauce until the desired consistency is reached. Enjoy!

HOISIN SRIRACHA CHICKEN STIR-FRY

INGREDIENTS (2-3 SERVINGS)

VEGGIES

• 1/2 of an Onion

• 1/2 of an Orange Bell Pepper

• 2 Bok Choy heads

• 2 Cloves of Garlic

• 1 Chili (optional)

• 1 Inch of Ginger

• 1 Green Onion

• 1-2 Tablespoons of a Neutral Oil

• Cooked White rice, for serving (I made one cup, dried, and had plenty)

CHICKEN

• One Large Chicken Breast (the one I used had rib meat)

• 1/4 of a Cup of Hoisin Sauce

• 1-3 Tablespoons of Sriracha

• A Few Dashes of Fish Sauce

• 1/4 of a Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

• 1/4 of a Teaspoon of White Pepper

SAUCE

• 1/4 of a Cup of Hoisin Sauce

• 1-3 Tablespoons of Sriracha

• A Few Dashes of Fish Sauce

• 1/4 of a Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

• 1/4 of a Teaspoon of White Pepper

• 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce

• 1 Tablespoon of Mirin (or Shaoxing Wine)

• 2 Tablespoons of Water

• 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch (depending on desired thickness)

  • mixed with a splash of water,a 1:2 ratio of cornstarch to water

DIRECTIONS

1. Thinly slice the onion and bell pepper. Chop the green onion, separating the whites from the greens. Finely chop the chili and grate the garlic and ginger. Wash and chop the bok choy, separating the thin leaves from the thicker stems.

2. Slice the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and mix with hoisin, sriracha, fish sauce, garlic powder and white pepper. Cover and set aside.

3. Make the stir-fry sauce by mixing hoisin, sriracha, fish sauce, garlic powder, white pepper, soy sauce, mirin and water.

4. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a wide pan, preferably a wok. Saute the chili and grated garlic and ginger for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

5. Add the chicken to the pan in one even layer. Cook until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes.

6. Add the onions, bell peppers and bok choy stems to the pan and saute. I stir-fried them for around 5 minutes, but you can add more or less time depending on how soft you want your veggies.

7. Add in the stir-fry sauce and the greens from the bok choy. Make a cornstarch slurry with water and cornstarch. Add it to the pan to thicken the sauce (optional). Once the sauce is at your desired consistency, serve over white rice, and top with green onions and sesame seeds (optional). Enjoy!

Italian Sausage and Red Pepper Gnocchi

INGREDIENTS (2 SERVINGS)

• 1 16 oz Package of Dried Gnocchi

• 1/2 Half of an Onion

• 1 Red Bell Pepper

• 2 Cloves of Garlic

• Olive Oil

• 2 Links of Italian Sausage, Cooked or Uncooked

  • If using uncooked sausage, prepare to package instructions or your favorite way

• 2 Tablespoons of Chopped Calabrian Chilis (or 1 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes)

• 14 oz of Crushed Tomatoes (Half of a Standard Can)

• Seasonings, to taste

  • I used a pinch of salt and pepper and a sprinkle of garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, and a little Cajun seasoning.

• 2 Handfuls of Spinach

• Parmesan, to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. If needed, cook your Italian sausage and slice it into bite-sized pieces

2. Boil the gnocchi in salted wateraccording to package instructions.

3. Chop the onion, bell pepper and garlic.

4. Saute the onion, bell pepper and garlic until soft, around 10 minutes.

5. Add in the Calabrian chilis, crushed tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer covered for 10 minutes.

6. Toss in the Italian sausage, cooked gnocchi and spinach and simmer until the sausage is warm (if precooked) and the spinach is wilted. Top with cheese and enjoy!

LEFTOVER RECIPE: Roasted Veggie Couscous with Crispy Chicken Cutlets

INGREDIENTS (2 SERVINGS)

• Any Leftover Veggies in the Refrigerator

  • I had an onion, half of a bell pepper, one head of bok choy, two stalks of green onions, garlic and spinach.

• Any Leftover Herbs (optional)

• Leftover Lemon Juice

• 1 Large Chicken Breast

• 1 Cup of Italian Breadcrumbs (or Panko)

• 1/2 a Cup of Flour

• 1 Egg

• Seasonings, to taste

  • I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried basil and dried oregano for the chicken and salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cumin.

• 1 Cup of Couscous

• 1 Cup of Chicken Stock

  • I used water + Better than Bouillion
    

• Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop any veggies. I got tired of chopping and made a paste of the green onion whites and garlic in a mortar and pestle, but you can chop any aromatics you have.

2. Place the veggies on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with seasonings. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the veggies are cooked.

3. Meanwhile, slice the chicken breast into thin pieces, as thin as you can get it.

4. Set up a dredging station with flour, a beaten egg and breadcrumbs. season the thin chicken cutlets, flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Bread the chicken, starting with the flour. Then, move it over to the egg and completely cover it. Finally, cover the chicken in breadcrumbs, firmly pressing the breadcrumbs into the cutlet.

5. Heat a 1/2-inch layer of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Shallow fry the cutlets until browned on both sides, flipping halfway through. Don't overcrowd the pan, and ensure the heat isn't too high. The cutlets should be fully cooked once browned on both sides, but cut one open if you're unsure.

6. Saute any aromatics, garlic and green onions, in my case, until fragrant. Add in the remaining crushed tomatoes and whole herbs. Add one cup of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, add in one cup of couscous. Cover, turn down the heat, and allow the couscous to sit, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.

7. Once the veggies are finished cooking, stir them into the cooked couscous along with any greens, like spinach. Enjoy!