Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Menus—November 17-21
Every Sunday, we publish a week of Cooking Light dinner plans filled with our favorite 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: Creamy Butternut, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Cavatappi + Swiss Chard with Crème FraîcheTuesday: Shrimp Marinara Soup with Crumbled Feta + Simple Salad with Lemon DressingWednesday: Roast Beef, Broccoli Rabe, and Provolone Sandwiches + Spicy Sweet Potato WedgesThursday: Turkey and Bean Chili + Parmesan-Corn Bread MuffinsFriday: Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Chipotle SteakSaturday: Poached Fruit over Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
Monday: Butternut squash is by far my most favorite fall food. I want it in everything: frittatas, pasta, salads. Everything. I also have developed a pretty intense love affair with blue cheese, so you can imagine how much I love the recipe for Creamy Butternut, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Cavatappi. It's ready in just under 45 minutes which makes it ideal for a warm and comforting (and meatless!) dinner tonight. Serve with a warm side of greens like your Swiss Chard with Crème Fraîche. Look for crème fraîche in the dairy aisle or specialty cheese section. It's typically in a tub-like container.
Tuesday: Some cooks tell you to avoid serving seafood and cheese together. But we say, "Pish posh!" Embrace this flavorful soup that uses both shrimp and feta cheese, and be prepared to add this to your regular rotation. It's that good. Shrimp Marinara Soup with Crumbled Feta is fast--ready in just 20 minutes--so make an equally fast side to go with it, like our Simple Salad with Lemon Dressing.
Wednesday: Sandwich night often doesn't get the respect it deserves. Cold sandwiches can be sad, sure, but warm, filling, robust sandwiches like our Roast Beef, Broccoli Rabe, and Provolone Sandwiches are another thing entirely. These types of sandwiches are meant to be savored. Serve with a flavorful quick-to-cook side like our Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges.
Thursday: I don't know about you, but we've been experiencing some unseasonably cold temps here in Alabama. That has me craving one thing: chili. Some chilis take several hours, but not Turkey and Bean Chili. It's ready in less than 45 minutes. While it's boiling, mix together the ingredients for Parmesan-Corn Bread Muffins and bake them. They're fast--just 10 minutes in the oven--so be sure to keep them warm until the chili is finished.
Friday: Let's keep dinner on this Friday night pretty simple but very filling with Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Chipotle Steak. Both black beans and quinoa provide lots of filling protein. The steak here is just the sugar on top of an already delicious grain salad. In fact, vegos, you could just leave out the steak. Maybe add a few of the spices that would be used on the steak to the beans so you still get that great smoky heat.
Saturday: While you enjoy the last bites of your dinner, begin the poaching process for this Poached Fruit over Vanilla Frozen Yogurt. Don't have frozen yogurt on hand? Regular yogurt would work, too. It's delicious however you serve it.
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.