Monday: Roasted Salmon with Oranges, Beets, and Carrots
This sheet pan main is as elegant as it is easy. Serve on any weeknight, or for guests with a whole-grain side and seasonal salad. One large (1 1/2-lb.) fillet, also called a side of salmon, will stay moist at the higher oven temperature.
Tuesday: Orange, Tofu, and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry
Fresh orange juice perks up this speedy stir-fry, becoming a sticky, glossy sauce for the colorful vegetables. A quick coat in cornstarch helps the tofu develop a supercrisp crust without needing to fry in lots of oil. It's a good idea to have every element at the ready by the stove before you start to cook, as the stir-fry will come together very quickly.
Wednesday: Apricot-Sage Chicken with With
Dinner doesn't get much easier than this eight-ingredient, one-pan dish. The secret is jarred apricot preserves; much more than a spread for toast, it balances the earthy sage and pungent mustard in the pan sauce and gives everything a glossy coat.
Thursday: Creamy Kale Caesar Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs
We leave out the anchovies for a kid-friendly take on classic Caesar salad. Instead of romaine, we use dark, bumpy lacinato kale leaves; a quick massage makes them perfectly tender. And instead of adding raw egg to the dressing, we add a soft-boiled egg to each serving so the yolk can run over all.
Friday: Pan-Grilled Mackerel with Creamy Millet Puree
Rich mackerel is a sustainable seafood option. The puree here is an interesting blend of intentionally overcooked whole-grain millet and steamed cauliflower. The texture is similar to grits, and the flavor is more like creamed cauliflower soup. It goes beautifully with the sweet-and-sour agrodolce-like relish.
Dessert Bonus: Eggnog Banana Bread
A mash-up of the retro holiday drink and the classic quick bread makes perfect sense: Booze, cream, and nutmeg pair perfectly with banana, vanilla, and brown sugar. These whole-grain mini loaves are a great alternative to cupcakes, and much easier to package without a dome of messy frosting.
