This week is full of family flavour and a little bit of flair — a one-dish chicken and spinach rice bake, mum’s kafta rolled into pretty pinwheel skewers, a Greek chickpea salad I picked up from a friend’s kitchen, and hummus bi lahmi, one of my most comforting childhood dishes. And for dessert — no-bake blueberry cheesecake croissants that come together in minutes.
A week of comfort, a little presentation, and one very easy dessert. Every recipe is linked below — let’s have a great one.
This Week’s Meal Plan
Meal 1: Chicken & Spinach Rice Bake
This one came about after a friend told me how she makes her rice in the oven, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I tried my own version. It’s the kind of recipe that looks after itself — everything goes into one dish, and the oven does the rest while you get on with your day. The chicken chops are marinated in olive oil, garlic and a warm mix of spices, then set on a wire rack right over the rice so all those juices drip down as it bakes, while the rice underneath cooks with onion, seasoning, bay leaves and frozen spinach.
👉 Get the Chicken & Spinach Rice Bake recipe
Meal 2: Kafta Pinwheel Skewers
My mum never plated anything. Kafta went straight from the pot into a bowl, she’d hand you a skewer, and that was it — no garnish, no fuss, just flavour, and it was always incredible. For me, it’s always been about the flavour and how it looks on the plate too. I can’t help it. This time I spread the mixture onto flatbread, rolled it up, sliced it into pinwheels and secured five onto each skewer — same beloved kafta, just a little more fun to look at.
👉 Get the Kafta Pinwheel Skewers recipe
Meal 3: Greek Chickpea Salad
I first had this salad at my Greek friend’s place, and I haven’t stopped making it since. She doesn’t usually cook with a lot of chickpeas, but this was the exception — and one bite told me why. Everything is cut fine, so every forkful gets a little bit of cucumber, tomato, capsicum and olive all at once. A different approach to my chunkier Greek Salad from Rhodes — this one is fine, neat, and tossed through with chickpeas for something heartier.
👉 Get the Greek Chickpea Salad recipe
Meal 4: Hummus bi Lahmi — Lamb with Hummus
One of those dishes that feels both comforting and elegant. I’ve made it so many ways over the years — from minced lamb to diced cubes, and now finally to marinated lamb strips seared until tender, and this version is so good. Lamb is more than just a recipe to me; it’s a connection to my childhood and a reminder of how food shapes our memories. Growing up, hummus was always on the table, whether at lunch or as part of a mezze spread — and I never imagined this creamy dip would become one of my favourite things to serve as an adult.
👉 Get the Hummus bi Lahmi — Lamb with Hummus recipe
Dessert: Blueberry Cheesecake Croissants
Made with just a handful of ingredients and no baking required — store-bought mini croissants stuffed with the most delicious creamy cheesecake filling, whipped up in just five minutes. Perfect for weekend guests, brunch, breakfast, or honestly any time you want something sweet without any real effort. The kind of secret recipe that wows without you having to try very hard at all.
👉 Get the Blueberry Cheesecake Croissants recipe
A week of comfort, a little flair and one very easy dessert.
I hope this makes your week in the kitchen feel a little easier — and a lot more delicious.
