Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Dinners - January 29 - February 2

Chicken soup soothes the soul (not a scientific fact yet, but it may as well be). Here we infuse the broth with fragrant curry paste, fresh ginger, and cilantro to wake up the senses. If you’re looking to clear congestion, add a few slices of fresh jalapeño to the stock mixture while it simmers. Remember to sauté the chicken just until no longer pink, otherwise the pieces may become tough in the finished soup.

This simple one-dish meal is crowned with a soft-boiled egg; the nutrient-rich yolk creates its own creamy sauce. New research shows that eating eggs with raw vegetables like tomatoes increases your absorption of carotenoids—antioxidants that may protect against heart disease.

This spicy Szechuan-style dish is boldly flavored with earthy cumin and Szechuan peppercorns that make your mouth tingle pleasantly. If you're not a lamb fan, you can use beef sirloin instead. Toasting the cumin seeds and peppercorns draws out their essential oils and makes their aroma and flavor more intense.

Fresh herbs and lemon make a bright, tasty topper for succulent shrimp. Fish and shellfish are excellent sources of protein for fewer calories than most meat. Paired with spinach and rice pilaf, this weeknight-friendly main comes together in just 15 minutes.

Briefly cooking the pumpkin seeds and cumin in hot oil—a process known as blooming—draws out the aroma of the seeds and spice and deepens their flavor. Turmeric pairs fantastically with winter produce like cauliflower or root veggies, where its brightness, astringency, and tartness balance the earthy sweetness of the plants. Use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, if you prefer.

If you like tea to be as functional as it is avorful, red rooibos (ROY-boss) is your new go-to. Smoky, spicy, and naturally sweet, the decaf herbal from South Africa may contain 50% more antioxidants than green tea, plus plenty of essential minerals. Enjoy a steaming mugful, or make ice cubes with it and toss into a cocktail, as we do here, for a avor infusion as the cubes melt.