One pan, 400°F. The potato goes in first because it needs the extra ten minutes.
His salmon
3 oz
cooked · 4 oz raw · 30 g P · 505 cal
Her salmon
6 oz
cooked · 8 oz raw
Done at
145°F
flakes with a fork
Oven
400°F
~25 min total
Ingredients — both plates
1¼ lb salmon — cook all of it; the extra ~8 oz is lunch
1 crown broccoli, cut into florets
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off
1 small potato (his) — her optional
2½ tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lemon — zest, then wedges
1 tsp jarred minced garlic, black pepper
No salt in the pan — season at the plate
No potato in the house? Warm ½ cup rinsed white beans instead — and beans on the plate means his salmon drops to 2 oz.
Steps
His plate3 oz salmon · 2 cups broccoli & asparagus · small potato. Salmon and vegetables before the potato.
Her plate6 oz salmon · a big pile of vegetables · potato if she wants it.
Garlic shrimp & tomatoes over white beans
One skillet, fifteen minutes. The shrimp come out early and go back in at the end so they don't go rubbery.
His shrimp
3 oz
cooked · 4 oz raw · 29 g P · 470 cal
Her shrimp
6 oz
cooked · 8 oz raw
Done at
Pink
opaque, C-shaped — O-shaped is overdone
Heat
Med-high
one large skillet
Ingredients — both plates
¾ lb frozen raw shrimp, peeled (about ¾ of the 1 lb bag)
3 cups cherry tomatoes (1½ pints)
1 cup white beans, drained and rinsed — ½ cup each
2 big handfuls baby spinach
1 tbsp jarred minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
½ lemon, pepper, pinch of red pepper flakes if you like
No salt — frozen shrimp often already carry some
Still frozen? Put the shrimp in a colander under cold running water for 5–8 minutes, tossing once. Then pat them very dry — wet shrimp steam instead of searing.
Steps
His plate3 oz shrimp · ½ cup beans · tomatoes and spinach from the pan. Shrimp and vegetables before the beans.
Her plate6 oz shrimp · ½ cup beans · the rest of the pan. One of her iron nights — no coffee or tea for an hour.
Steak & pepper skillet fajitas
Homemade spice mix instead of a fajita packet — the packets run 300–400 mg of sodium a spoonful.
His steak
2½ oz
cooked · 3½ oz raw · 27 g P · 480 cal
Her steak
6 oz
cooked · 8 oz raw · her iron night
Done at
145°F
thin strips: 1–2 min a side
Heat
High
cast iron if you have it
Ingredients — both plates
1 lb thin-sliced sirloin — the extra ~4 oz is her lunch
2 packs pre-sliced bell peppers
1 pre-sliced onion
4–6 corn tortillas (2 his)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
Spice mix: 1 tsp cumin · 1 tsp chili powder · ½ tsp garlic powder · ½ tsp smoked paprika · pepper
2 limes
Salsa — check the label; it's the sodium risk of the night
Crowding makes grey meat. Cook the steak in two batches so every strip touches the pan. If it steams instead of sizzling, the pan is too full.
Steps
His plate2½ oz steak · a big pile of peppers and onion · 2 corn tortillas · salsa. Eat some steak and peppers first, then build the tacos.
Her plate6 oz steak · peppers and onion · tortillas. Iron night — no coffee or tea for an hour; the lime and peppers help her absorb it.
Pork tenderloin, Brussels sprouts & carrots
One pan at 400°F. Start the farro first — it takes as long as the pork does.
Rub: 1 tsp jarred garlic · 1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary · ½ tsp smoked paprika · pepper
No salt in the pan — season at the plate
No farro? Pearl barley cooks the same way. No grain at all? ½ cup rinsed white beans — and beans on the plate means his pork drops to 2 oz. Same 28–29 g either way.
Steps
His plate2½ oz pork · 1½ cups Brussels · 1 cup carrots · ½ cup farro. Pork and vegetables before the farro.
Her plate6 oz pork · Brussels and carrots. She doesn't need the grain.
Knife work and hot drains: him.No salt in any pan — season at the plate, to her 1,500 mg.Raw weight ≈ cooked × 1⅓.After dinner: the walk, at her number.