Welcome back to your weekly meal plan! This week is all about the grill, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite lineups yet.
We’re kicking things off with a Flank Steak Marinade that’s five ingredients and completely worth the overnight wait. From there it’s Yucatán Achiote Pork (citrusy, smoky, and it smells like a vacation), build-your-own Shish Kebabs, and Sourdough Pizza right on the grill. For those lazy weekend mornings, I tucked in my Harvest Grain and Nut Pancakes, and the Blueberry Crumble Cake is your sweet treat for the week.
Each recipe includes prep-ahead tips, gluten-free and low-carb swaps where they work, and notes for cooking for two. Grab your grocery list below and let’s have a great week.
Your Weekly Plan
Suggested sides are not included in the grocery list.
- Dinner 1: Flank Steak Marinade
- Dinner 2: Yucatan Pork
- Dinner 3: Shish Kebabs
- Dinner 4: Grilled Sourdough Pizza
- Brunch/Lunch/Dinner: Grain & Nut Pancake Recipe
- Snack/Dessert: Blueberry Crumble Cake
This Week’s Kitchen Rhythm
Your Smart Cooky Club plan for the week
- Start strong: Flank Steak Marinade
Five ingredients, one bowl, and a marinade with a story. Get it marinating today, grilling tomorrow. - Bold & bright: Achiote Pork (Citrus Pork Tenderloin)
Yucatán-inspired, citrusy, a little smoky, this smells like your on vacation. - Make-it-yours night: Shish Kebabs
Chicken, steak, or both, plus all the veggies your crisper drawer has been hoarding. Everyone builds their own. - Prep-ahead favorite: Sourdough Pizza Crust
Mix it the night before, let it do its slow, bubbly thing overnight, then top it however you like. I even give tips for grilling it! - Flexible extras: Harvest Grain and Nut Pancakes + Blueberry Crumb Cake
A breakfast and sweet dessert option to eat throughout the week!
A simple plan to help your week run a little smoother.
5 Steps to a Stress-Free Week of Meals
Start by printing your grocery list, then let’s make this week feel a whole lot easier.
Remember the suggested sides are not included on the grocery list, so be sure to add those ingredients.
- Plan Your Week, Your Way: There’s no right or wrong order here. Cook the meals as listed or mix and match your favorites.
- Access Your Recipes Anytime: Print the recipe cards or pull them up on your device. Everything you need is right at your fingertips.
- Shop Smart: Check your fridge and pantry first. Cross off what you already have and add anything else you need.
- Make It Yours: Use the tips below to adjust for dietary needs, preferences, or portion sizes.
- Enjoy the Process: This is about simplifying your week and gathering around the table with good food and the people you love.
You’re building a kitchen rhythm that serves your home well, one simple meal at a time.
Dinner 1: Flank Steak Marinade
Prep-Ahead Tips: Whisk up the marinade any time today, score the steak in a crosshatch pattern (this is the secret to getting all that flavor deep into the meat), and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better. Just don’t go past 24 hours, or the acid starts working a little too hard.
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: Swap in tamari, a GF teriyaki, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos for the soy sauce. No other changes needed.
- Low-Carb / Sugar-Free: Swap the brown sugar for a monk fruit brown sugar substitute; you’ll still get that gorgeous caramelization on the grill.
Cooking for Two? Use the slider on the recipe card to cut this down to size, or make the full batch and freeze half the steak right in its marinade for a future “planned-ahead” dinner.
Suggested Sides: Steamed rice and a big green salad are the classic pairing here, but a sun-dried tomato pasta salad or roasted rosemary red potatoes would be right at home too.
Whatever method you use to cook it, a meat thermometer takes all the guesswork out of getting this one right. Flank steak is at its most tender at medium-rare (135°F), and it carries over another 5–10 degrees while it rests, so pull it a touch early.
Dinner 2: Yucatán Achiote Pork
Prep-Ahead Tips: Zest and juice your citrus, whisk the marinade together, and marinate the pork tenderloin for 4 to 6 hours (up to 8 hours max). Want to prep way ahead? Freeze the pork right in the marinade instead of refrigerating first, then thaw overnight before grilling. But don’t let it sit thawed in the marinade for more than 8 hours, because the acid will start to breakdown the pork.
Dietary Tweaks: Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb as written. No swaps required, just serve it your way.
Cooking for Two? Use the slider to halve the recipe, or make the full batch and tuck extra grilled pork into the fridge for tacos, nachos, or a quick lunch salad the next day.
Suggested Sides: Spanish rice and a simple cucumber-avocado salad keep it light, or go full taco night with warm tortillas, pickled onions, and cilantro.
Top Tip for pan grilling: Grill in batches without crowding the pan, 4 to 5 minutes per side, and pull it once your meat thermometer reads 135–145°F in the thickest part.
Dinner 3: Chicken & Steak Shish Kebabs
Prep-Ahead Tips: Whisk the marinade (garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire, Dijon, and lemon juice, it’s a good one), cube your meat, and let everything marinate 4 to 6 hours, or overnight for maximum flavor. Cut your veggies and soak your wooden skewers (if using) while the meat does its thing. I like keeping the beef and chicken separated. You can also marinate the veggies.
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free / Dairy-Free: Just double-check your soy sauce, Worcestershire, and Dijon are GF-labeled. Everything else is naturally good to go.
Cooking for Two? Use the recipe slider to cut the marinade and meat down, and just split one of each veggie between two skewers.
Suggested Sides: Serve over rice, alongside a bacon balsamic macaroni salad or Asian ramen noodle salad.
Dinner 4: Grilled Sourdough Pizza
Prep-Ahead Tips: Mix the dough the night before and let it bulk ferment on the counter for 8 to 18 hours (yes, really! The longer it sits, the better it tastes). The next morning, shape it into balls, and if pizza night isn’t until later, tuck it in the fridge for up to 36 hours, or freeze extra dough balls for up to a month.
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: This one’s built around all-purpose or bread flour, and uses a gluten-full sourdough starter, so it’s not naturally gluten-free. But if you have a gluten-free starter, use your favorite gluten-free bread flour and go for it, let me know how it turns out!
- Dairy-Free: Go dairy-free with your favorite plant-based cheese, or pile on extra veggies for a lighter pie.
- Low-Carb: Sorry, not this one!
Cooking for Two? This makes 4 personal pizzas (or 2 larger ones). Freeze the extra dough balls, or go ahead and par-bake a couple of crusts to build your own freezer pizzas for a busy night down the road.
Suggested Sides: Serve it with cheesy garlic bread, or keep things lighter with a chopped Italian salad!
Breakfast: Harvest Grain & Nut Pancakes
Prep-Ahead Tips: The batter comes together fast, but you can also mix the dry ingredients (ground oats, whole wheat flour, nuts, leaveners) the night before and store at room temp, then whisk your wet ingredients together in the morning and combine. The batter itself keeps in the fridge for 2 to 4 days if you want to make it ahead, though loses some lift over time.
Dietary Tweaks:
- Dairy-Free: Swap the buttermilk for your favorite plant-based milk plus a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice, let it sit a few minutes, and use as directed.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free oats and swap the whole wheat flour for a GF all-purpose blend (or a mix of GF flour, oat floar and almond flour).
Cooking for Two? This recipe makes 4 to 8 servings, so leftovers freeze beautifully. Just cool, freeze in a single layer, then bag them up for busy mornings ahead.
Suggested Sides: Crispy bacon or air fryer sausage links, a bowl of fresh berries, or this tropical mango fruit salad round out the plate nicely!
Dessert/Snack: Blueberry Coffee Cake
Prep-Ahead Tips: Make the crumb topping first and pop it in the fridge while you mix the cake batter. This keeps the butter firm, so it stays crumbly rather than melting into the cake as it bakes. The whole cake can also be baked a day ahead; just store it covered and glaze it the day you plan to serve.
Dietary Tweaks:
- Gluten-Free: Swap in a cup-for-cup GF all-purpose flour, or use a mix of GF flour, oat flour, and almond flour (see the recipe notes for exact ratios), and reduce the baking powder slightly.
Cooking for Two? Split the batter between two 6″ springform pans instead of one 9″ pan. Bake them both, and freeze the extra for an easy treat down the road (or give it to a neighbor and make their whole week).
Suggested Sides: This one’s really the star of the show! A simple cup of coffee or tea is honestly all it needs.
Make the Most of This Meal Plan
- Only the main recipes are included in the printable grocery list (no sides)
- Look over the recipes at the start of the week so nothing sneaks up on you
- Prep a few basics ahead (chopped veggies, cooked proteins, sauces)
- Cook once, plan for leftovers to cover another meal
- Don’t be afraid to swap meals based on your schedule or what sounds good
- Keep simple sides on hand (bread, salad, fruit) to round things out
- Adjust portions as needed, especially if cooking for two
- Give yourself a little grace… done is better than perfect 💚
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