Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Menus — November 25 - 29

Here, another week’s worth of fast, healthy, and tasty menus. It’s not the dread of cooking that deters so many of us from the kitchen each night; it’s actually deciding what to cook from the millions of options bombarding us from so many different places. Here, we’ve done the planning for you. Not just menus, but healthy menus that are fast – on the table in less than 45 minutes.

The PlanMonday: Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Hazelnuts with Lemony Kale SaladTuesday: Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans and Cilantro-Lime Romaine SaladWednesday: Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets with Asparagus with Balsamic TomatoesThursday: Mushroom Frittata with Pineapple and Orange Salad with Toasted CoconutFriday: Turkey JambalayaDessert Bonus: Warm Mocha Pudding

People: It’s Thanksgiving week! Can you believe it’s already here? How does it sneak up so quickly every single time? Well, to help you navigate the week, I’ve turned to some tried-and-true favorites that’ll hopefully make things easier.

Monday: Think of this Meatless Monday menu as an ode to fall. Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Hazelnuts is an earthy delight, rich and “meaty” from the shrooms and nuts. And it’s ready in less than 20 minutes! Serve Lemony Kale Salad on the side—the kale is hearty but the lemon keeps it feeling fresh and light. You’ll probably have leftover salad, and you know what? In this case it’s actually ok. The hearty leaves will actually hold up for a day.

Tuesday: Let’s go Tex-Mex with a comfort-food meal that’s sure to please the whole family. Our Enchilada Casserole is a breeze to make because you layer tortillas and filling (and cheese!) in a pie plate instead of rolling up individual enchiladas. The black beans do have some kick, but you can tame that flame by seeding or omitting the jalapeno. The super-simple salad includes yellow bell pepper for crunch and sweetness, but feel free to swap that out for mango if you’d like something fruity. And, hey, treat yourself to a cerveza or margarita because tomorrow starts the full-on craziness of Turkey Day prep.

Wednesday: Tonight’s menu is way fast and way easy. You don’t want to cook anything too involved, after all, because tomorrow is Thanksgiving and you probably have some prep to do tonight. Crip-Crusted Fish Fillets satisfy all kinds of cravings, healthfully, getting their crunch from crushed salt and vinegar potato chips. Yum!! Serve with our simple Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes, low on effort and high on flavor. And since the fish is served with light ranch dressing for dipping, finish the meal with celery and carrot stick dippers. Easy-peasy, dinner is done.

Thursday: OK, here we’re breaking with form just a bit. This is not a dinner menu; you’ve been working on your Thanksgiving menu for weeks, right? Instead, here’s an easy breakfast that you can pull together quickly so you’ll have time to work on the feast that’s to come later. And it’s really light—less than 300 calories for the whole meal—leaving lots of room for the day’s main event.

Friday: I hope your Thanksgiving was fantastic, that you received ooohs and aaaahs for your fantastic menu. Maybe even a standing ovation? Here’s one of my favorite recipes for using up that leftover turkey; it’s filling and wonderfully different in its flavor profile from what you probably had yesterday. Serve with leftover Brussels sprouts or green beans or whatever vegetable you have on hand.

Dessert Bonus: Sometimes, you just need a warm bowl of chocolate. ‘Nuff said.

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.