Sunday Strategist: Week of April 29

Here, another week’s worth of fast, healthy, and tasty menus. It’s not the love 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.

Be on the lookout, folks, the May issue is here! I've picked out some of our favorite fast recipes from this top-notch issue (and some of your favorites too, based on recipe ratings) that all work together to bring you a week’s worth of healthy, tasty meals.

Monday: Let’s kick off this week with one of my favorite recipes in the issue: Fried Chickpea and Arugula Pita Sandwiches with Lime Tzatziki. It’s a scrumptious sandwich indeed – where falafel meets Greek stuffed pita. You’ll love how the crispy, spicy chickpeas complement the cool, creamy tzatziki sauce. It’s a mouthful… figuratively and literally. You get 2 over-stuffed halves for under 400 calories and 600mg sodium! Ready to go in less than 25 minutes! Don’t skimp on the peppery arugula and bright, juicy tomato: Farm fresh produce is really starting to kick it into high gear this month. We’ll use the mint, arugula, and Greek yogurt in another dish later this week, so buy extra.

Tuesday: It’s taco time again! Our big feature in this May’s issue is all about those tasty filled tortillas. We dig deep into taco territory, including classic combos and some fun, new ideas for this delectable hand food. My favorite? It’s a tie: Cobb Salad Tacos and the Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Sauce. The Cobb Salad Tacos give an excuse to eat your salad on the go – and who doesn't love smoky bacon, creamy avocado, and funky blue cheese? For all you fish lovers out there, the tilapia taco is extra tasty: topped with a tangy tomatillo salsa that’s spiked with a bit of fiery jalapeno. Mmmm. The fish tacos take less than 30 minutes; cobb salad takes about 40 minutes. Either way you can’t go wrong!

Wednesday: Enough of those April showers. Bring on the May flowers! To celebrate this bright, happy month, let’s get fast and fancy. These Mini Greek-Style Meat Loaves are ready in just 20 minutes, made tastefully cute in perfectly portioned muffin tins. If you’re not into lamb, that’s fine! Just sub more ground sirloin for the ground lamb. If you bought extra yogurt and mint for Monday’s tzatziki sauce, you’ll use both of them again here. We add some crumbled feta because, well, feta makes everything better! Served alongside a fresh cucumber and arugula salad, it doesn't get much easier or tastier than this.

Thursday: Need a break, parents? Get your kids involved with the dinner prep! This simple Pork Schnitzel is featured in our family-friendly Kid in the Kitchen column. Our go-to kid cook, Matisse Reid, loved it! Per Matisse, “The meat is wonderfully tender, and the breading gives it a nice crisp crunch.” Our adult food editor panel loved it too, and we especially love how quickly it comes together -- just 24 minutes. The simple buttermilk ranch sauce that accompanies this crispy pork is brightened with fresh dill – a favorite herb of mine! Add some color and seasonality to the plate with these cuter-than-ever baby carrots. The warm cumin and cinnamon play deliciously off the earthy-sweet carrots. They can roast in the oven while you’re pounding, dredging, and searing the pork.

Friday: Oh, how I love a Friday. Let’s reinvent steak night. Step outside the traditional steak-and-potato box with this Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Mango Salad. Budget-friendly flank steak gets bathed in a soy-ginger marinade, then charred to perfection on the grill. Served with a crispy cabbage salad that’s tossed in a peanutty vinaigrette and topped with sweet mango. It’s the perfect balance of salty sweet! Try the won ton crisps, too – you’ll never go back to potato chips again after trying these crunchy crispers. All ready in just 40 minutes!

Dessert bonus: Ok, so these bad boys break the time limit, but you have GOT to try these. The Chocolate Tacos with Ice Cream and Peanuts is our bigger, better, lighter version of the classic Chocotaco ice cream treat. Make it your Saturday or Sunday afternoon project for the weekend. Trust me – you won’t regret it.

Alright, your Sunday Strategist, signing off. Cheers to a week of happy, healthy eating!

Monday: Fried Chickpea and Arugula Pita Sandwiches with Lime TzatzikiTuesday: Cobb Salad Tacos or Fish Tacos with Tomatillo SauceWednesday: Mini Greek-Style Meat Loaves with Arugula SaladThursday: Pork Schnitzel with Moroccan-Spiced Baby CarrotsFriday: Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Mango SaladDessert Treat: Chocolate Tacos with Ice Cream and Peanuts

View this week’s menu, which includes every recipe you see mentioned here. From there, you can create a shopping list when you sign into your MyRecipes account.