Personal AI Chef

Your Weeknight Dinner Plan: 3 Recipes

✅ Allergy & Restriction Check

⚠️ Two things to check:

• Coconut: The FDA no longer classifies coconut as a tree nut, and most people with tree-nut allergies tolerate it. You already have coconut milk on hand, so it's likely fine for you. Given your anaphylaxis risk, confirm with your allergist if you haven't already. Recipe 2 is coconut-free.
• Spice labels: Pre-mixed blends like garam masala are sometimes processed alongside nuts. Buy brands without a "may contain tree nuts" warning.

🛒 Shopping list (items you don't already have):

• Plain Greek yogurt (2%, gelatin-free), 32 oz tub
• 2 lemons
• Ground turmeric
• Ground cinnamon, plus 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• Garam masala (nut-free label)
• Smoked or sweet paprika
• Fresh cilantro (optional)
• Chili flakes or cayenne (optional, for adults)

🧒 Kid-friendly heat: All three recipes are mild as written. Adults can add chili at the table.

1. Chickpea, Spinach & Coconut Curry (Easiest)

A one-pot vegetarian curry made almost entirely from your pantry, with a yogurt topping for extra protein.

Time: 10 min prep + 25 min cook = 35 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3/4 cup basmati rice + 1¼ cups water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp turmeric 🛒
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 🛒
• 1 tsp salt, adjusted to taste
• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
• ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
• 5 oz spinach (about 4 packed cups)
• 1 tsp garam masala 🛒
• 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt 🛒, for serving
• Juice of ½ lemon 🛒

Steps

1. Start the rice. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Add it to a small pot with 1¼ cups water and a pinch of salt, then bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to low, and cook 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest 10 minutes, still covered.
2. Cook the aromatics. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion 6–7 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
3. Bloom the spices. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt. Cook 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Simmer. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Simmer 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly mash a few chickpeas against the pan to thicken the sauce.
5. Finish. Stir in the spinach until it wilts, about 1 minute. Add the garam masala and lemon juice, then taste for salt.
6. Serve over the rice, with a generous spoonful of Greek yogurt on each bowl.

Nutrition Snapshot (per serving, estimated): ~550 calories · ~22 g protein

This is the lowest-protein option of the three. On strength-training days, adults can add an extra ½ cup of Greek yogurt (about +10 g protein), or stir in 2 diced chicken thighs at step 4.

Swaps & Tips

• Swap: Frozen spinach works too. Use 5 oz and squeeze out the water before adding.
• Make-ahead: The curry tastes even better the next day. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Store it without the yogurt.

2. Sheet-Pan Cumin-Cinnamon Chicken & Crispy Chickpeas with Garlic Yogurt (Medium-Easy)

A Middle Eastern, shawarma-style dinner where the oven does most of the work. It's the highest-protein option and contains no coconut.

Time: 15 min prep + 25 min cook = 40 min · Difficulty: Easy–Medium

Ingredients (serves 4)

Chicken & chickpeas

• 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted very dry
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 1½ tbsp olive or neutral oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika 🛒
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 🛒
• ½ tsp turmeric 🛒
• 1¼ tsp salt
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• Juice of ½ lemon 🛒

Garlic yogurt sauce

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 🛒
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt and cumin

To serve

• 3/4 cup basmati rice + 1¼ cups water
• 5 oz spinach, dressed with 1 tsp oil, a squeeze of lemon, and salt

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment.
2. Start the rice the same way as in Recipe 1.
3. Season. In a large bowl, mix the oil, all the spices, the salt, the garlic, and the lemon juice. Add the chicken, chickpeas, and onion wedges, and toss to coat.
4. Arrange. Spread everything in a single layer on the pan, with the chicken spaced apart. A crowded pan steams the food instead of browning it, so use two pans if needed.
5. Roast 22–25 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway. It's done when it reaches 175°F (80°C) inside and the chickpeas are crisp.
6. Make the sauce while the chicken roasts: stir together all the yogurt sauce ingredients.
7. Toss the spinach with the oil, lemon, and salt.
8. Serve. Rest the chicken 3 minutes, then slice. Serve over rice with spinach salad, crispy chickpeas, and a spoonful of garlic yogurt.

Nutrition Snapshot (per serving, estimated): ~550 calories · ~45 g protein

Swaps & Tips

• Swap: Some kids don't like spinach salad. Wilt it into the hot rice instead, or swap in cucumber slices.
• Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken in the spice mix up to 24 hours ahead to cut weeknight prep to about 5 minutes. Leftovers keep 3–4 days and make great wraps.

3. Coconut Chicken & Spinach Curry with Cinnamon-Scented Basmati (Most Ambitious)

A restaurant-style curry with a quick yogurt marinade, browned chicken, and a fragrant spiced rice pilaf, all within 45 minutes.

Time: 15 min prep + 30 min cook = 45 min · Difficulty: Medium

This recipe is harder because you'll run two pots at once, brown the chicken in batches, and build the sauce in layers.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Quick marinade

• 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt 🛒
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp turmeric 🛒
• 1 tsp salt

Curry

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 🛒
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (about half a can)
• ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
• ¼ cup water
• 5 oz spinach, roughly chopped
• 1½ tsp garam masala 🛒
• Squeeze of lemon, plus cilantro to garnish (optional) 🛒

Cinnamon pilaf

• 3/4 cup basmati rice, rinsed
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 cinnamon stick 🛒 (or ¼ tsp ground cinnamon)
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• 1¼ cups water

Steps

1. Marinate. Toss the chicken with all the marinade ingredients and set aside while you prep. Even 10 minutes helps.
2. Start the pilaf. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cumin and cook 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir 1–2 minutes, until lightly toasted. Add the water and salt, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
3. Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Scrape off the excess marinade, then brown the chicken in 2 batches, about 2–3 minutes per side. It doesn't need to cook through yet. Transfer to a plate.
4. Build the base. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, plus a splash of water if the pan looks dry. Cook 6–7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, and cinnamon and cook 30 seconds.
5. Simmer. Add the tomatoes and cook 3 minutes, until they darken slightly. Stir in the coconut milk and water, then return the chicken and its juices to the pan. Simmer 10–12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce clings.
6. Finish. Fold in the spinach until it wilts. Add the garam masala and lemon, then taste for salt.
7. Serve the curry over the cinnamon rice, garnished with cilantro.

Nutrition Snapshot (per serving, estimated): ~520 calories · ~40 g protein

Swaps & Tips

• Swap: To cut calories by about 50 per serving, use light coconut milk (the full ¾ cup) or replace half the coconut milk with Greek yogurt. Stir yogurt in off the heat so it doesn't curdle.
• Make-ahead: Make the whole curry on Sunday. It reheats beautifully over 3–4 days, and the flavors deepen. Cook the rice fresh or reheat it with a splash of water.

📊 Quick Comparison

These figures are estimates that assume 4 equal servings. Your kids will likely eat smaller portions, which leaves more protein for the adults on training days. The numbers are for general guidance only and are not medical or dietary advice.

Want changes? I can adjust the spice level (milder for the kids, hotter for you), the portion sizes (for example, larger adult portions for training days), or the ingredients to use up whatever else is in your pantry.