Five prep-ahead recipes for quick and easy weeknight dinners.

September means back to school (and maybe the office?). With a hectic schedule on the horizon, prepping dinner in advance can help reduce your workload. Try preparing all five of these delicious meals during a few well-invested hours on Sunday. All you’ll need to do on those busy weeknights is warm up the food—minimal effort required—and the rest of the evening is yours to savour.

On The Menu

Monday: Sheet Pan Pasta Salad with Feta & Roasted Vegetables

Tuesday: Sheet Pan Cajun Shrimp, Corn & Sausages

Wednesday: Spinach & Artichoke-Stuffed Shells

Thursday: Vegetable & Chickpea Tagine

Friday: Asian-Style Chicken Croquettes

Prep Made Easy

• Place all ingredients for these recipes on workspace, with the exception of sliced almonds, 2 cloves garlic, fresh herbs, lemon, shrimp, 2 cups baby spinach and balsamic vinegar.
• Have all necessary equipment at hand—this way, you won’t waste any time going back and forth between your workspace and your cupboards.
• Peel and chop all vegetables and gather in bowls according to recipe. (For the tagine, prepare zucchini right before it goes into the slow cooker.)
• Begin by preparing the Vegetable & Chickpea Tagine (click above for recipe) since this recipe takes the longest. Next, prep the Sheet Pan Pasta Salad with Feta & Roasted Vegetables (click above for recipe) and Sheet Pan Cajun Shrimp, Corn & Sausages (click above for recipe); bake at the same time. Finish with Spinach & Artichoke-Stuffed Shells (click above for recipe) and Asian-Style Chicken Croquettes (click above for recipe).
• Package and store all dishes as directed in recipes.
• At dinnertime during the week, simply follow the instructions for each recipe, beginning with, “When ready to serve,” to finish preparing the dishes.
• Enjoy the meal and the time you saved!

Essential Equipment

• 1  11- x 7-inch baking dish
• 2  large bowls
• 3  small bowls
• 1 colander
• 3 airtight containers (2 microwaveable)
• 1 cutting board
• foil, parchment paper and plastic wrap
• 1 food processor
• 1 freezer bag
• knife, spoons, can opener, spatula
• measuring cups and spoons
• 1 plate
• 1 large saucepan
• 1  medium saucepan
• 2  baking sheets
• 1 large skillet
• 1 slow cooker
• 1 tea towel

Ingredients List

Fruits & Vegetables:

• 2 carrots
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 stalk celery
• 3 corncobs
• 1 cup cubed eggplant
• 3 cloves garlic
• fresh ginger
• fresh herbs: basil, coriander and oregano
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup small portobello mushrooms (about 3 mushrooms)
• 1 green onion
• 1 cup pearl onions
• 1 small onion
• 1 small red onion
• 1 sweet red pepper
• 1 sweet yellow pepper
• 450 g potatoes
• 6 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 small zucchini

Eggs & Dairy:

• 1 egg
• 1 200 g tub feta cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese

Meat, Fish & Seafood:

• 450 g ground chicken or turkey
• 340 g smoked sausages (such as kielbasa)
• 450 g large tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pantry:

• 2 tbsp sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup dried apricots or raisins
• 1 398 ml jar artichoke hearts in oil
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups sodium-reduced vegetable broth
• 1 398 ml can chickpeas
• harissa paste (optional)
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 340 g jumbo pasta shells
• 340 g penne or fusilli pasta
• 3 1/2 cups whole canned tomatoes

Spices & Seasonings:

• Cajun spice blend
• cayenne pepper
• cinnamon stick
• cornstarch
• dried herbs: oregano, rosemary and thyme
• liquid honey
• hot pepper flakes
• mayonnaise
• canola oil
• olive oil
• toasted sesame oil
• salt
• coriander seeds
• cumin seeds
• sesame seeds
• fleur de sel
• sodium-reduced soy sauce
• balsamic vinegar

Click here for full collection of recipes.