Tested & Approved: Weeknight Meals

I've talked about meal planning here quite a bit because it really has helped the flow of our week so much. Like most families, we have a mental list of favorite meals that we all (or most of us ;)) enjoy that are on rotation, but we also like to switch it up and try new recipes every week or every other week. Some recipes are a hit and some are a miss, but the only way to find new favorites to put into rotation is to try, right? 

My favorite places to go for new recipes are: my Cooking Light-Comfort Food cookbook, Pinterest  (follow my "Favorite Recipes" board!), and SkinnyTaste. 

Here are some recent winners in case you're stuck in a recipe rut and need something new to try that has already been tested and approved by a family with two sometimes-picky little kids (photos are not mine because I never think far enough in advance to take pictures of our own meals!). 

One Pot Lemon Basil Chicken with Spinach

We subbed dried basil for fresh simply because we didn't have any on hand, and we served with wild rice. Really easy, and so fresh tasting. Image via Well Plated.

Noodles with Peas (and Bacon!)

This was super easy to make and both of my girls will actually eat all of their peas, so... win win! Image via Saveur. 

Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

We're loving our Instant Pot and I think this has been my favorite meal from it so far. The kids liked the chicken because it tasted sweet. Image via Six Sisters' Stuff.

One Pot Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

Can you ever really go wrong with pasta? We have a crockpot meat sauce that we make regularly with sweet Italian sausage, but this was a nice change up and I'm just a fan of anything that's cooked all in one pot. I feel like it made the pasta really soak up the flavor. Image via SkinnyTaste.

Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Soup

So. Good. If you like the Olive Garden version, you have to try this... it's even better. We've made it at least every other week since we first tried it. Serve with crusty bread and a salad and you've got yourself a dinner. ;) Image via The Chunky Chef.

Hope this has inspired you a bit! Please, please share any of your recent tried and true favorite meals in the comments -- we're always looking for new ideas. Happy Tuesday, friends.