Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Menus -- August 4-8

Every Sunday, we publish a week of Cooking Light dinner plans filled with ourfavorite recipes—both from current issues and classics. Each meal is designed to be ready and on the table in 45 minutes or less so that you have more time to enjoy the food you've prepared and the company of those you've prepared it for.

The PlanMonday: Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wraps and Avocado-Butter Lettuce SaladTuesday: Mussels with Peas and Mint and Goat Cheese CrostiniWednesday: Huevos Rancheros Tacos and Orange and Avocado SalsaThursday: Grilled Steak with Baby Arugula Parmesan Salad and Caprese ZucchiniFriday: Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas and Green Salad with Simple VinaigretteDessert: Basil-Plum Granita

Monday: It’s Meatless Monday, so let’s make Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wraps. Peek into your pantry, grab whatever fresh summer produce you have on hand, and go to town. If you don’t have eggplant or red peppers, summer squash, red onions, or mushroom caps would work equally as well. On the side, keep it simple with Avocado-Butter Lettuce Salad.

Tuesday: Quick cooking, inexpensive, sustainable, low in calories, and chock full of protein and other essential nutrients—what’s not to love about mussels? If you've never tried these tasty little shellfish before, Mussels with Peas and Mint is a great place to start. And don’t let that flavor-packed broth go to waste—soak it up with Goat Cheese Crostini.

Wednesday: Three days down, two to go. On the table in just 20 minutes, Huevos Rancheros Tacos is our take on a traditional Mexican dish of fried eggs over crisp tortillas. Vivid colors of the avocado, pico de gallo, and the egg yolk make this a stunning dish. Use up the rest of your limes, cilantro, and avocado to make Orange and Avocado Salsa. Serve it on the side with homemade tortilla chips—simply slice your leftover corn tortillas into triangles, coat with a light layer of cooking spray, and broil them alongside the whole tortillas.

Thursday: Grilled Steak with Baby Arugula and Parmesan is all about balance. Salty Parmesan enhances the flavor of the steak, while tangy lemon-Dijon vinaigrette and arugula keeps the dish light. Flat-iron steak is a great pick too, as it’s inexpensive and full of flavor. For a quick side, grill thick-sliced zucchini alongside the steak to make Caprese Zucchini.

Friday: Shredded rotisserie chicken and prepared crust make Quick BBQ Chicken Pizza a breeze. Even better, our recipe gives you three slices for just 337 calories, leaving plenty of room for a cold beer. On the side, toss together a quick salad, such as our Green Salad with Simple Vinaigrette.

Bonus Dessert: With plum season in full swing, this recipe is a must-try. Make Basil-Plum Granita ahead of time, so you can enjoy it throughout the weekend. This shaved ice treat is refreshingly complex in its sweet and sour flavors.

Ready to start shopping? View this week’s menu, which includes every recipe you see mentioned here. From there, you can add all the ingredients to your shopping list in one click when you sign into your MyRecipes account.