Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Dinners — March 20-24
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Monday: Indian-Spiced Pea Fritters + Roasted Red Pepper and Pine Nut Salad
Whole-wheat panko, green onions, garam masala, and mashed green peas form the base of this easy weeknight supper. This is a great way to use up frozen green peas, but if you buy a bag just for this recipe, use up any leftovers in stir-fries, soups, or salads. Serve these fritters with a side of Roasted Red Pepper and Pine Nut Salad.
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Tuesday: Pasta with Shrimp in Tomato Cream
Feel free to add your own touches—such as swapping in whole-grain pasta for a nutrition boost or trying goat cheese in place of feta—to make this dish personal for your preferences. If you don't have dry vermouth on hand, you can substitute dry sherry or a dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay). Or you could skip the alcohol altogether and use more chicken stock instead; stir in a teaspoon or two of white wine vinegar to balance the flavors with a little acidity.
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Wednesday: Mediterranean Chicken and Bulgur Skillet
You'll be delighted by the incredible results from this one-pot wonder: tender bulgur, creamy feta, and moist chicken. You don't even need a sauce since there's so much flavor in the pan. It's a complete meal, though you could serve with a side salad if you'd like. Though you can swap dried oregano for fresh if you don't have fresh on hand, we strongly urge you to stick with the fresh dill flourish at the end; it adds a burst of herbal goodness that you just won't get from dried. If you don't have a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, you can use any other medium-sized ovenproof skillet.
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Thursday: Spinach, Hummus, and Bell Pepper Wraps and steamed vegetables
You'll only need 10 minutes to pull together these wraps, so make sure your side is equally quick. Look for steam-in-bag vegetables or broccoli tots you can quickly bake in the oven while you roll these sandwiches up. These wraps also make a great lunch if you have leftovers. Make this super-simple wrap the night before, wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and store in the fridge—just grab it in the morning on your way out the door. Use Flatout Light whole-grain flatbreads to keep calories in check; you can find them at most supermarkets, usually in the bakery section.
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Friday: Cod with Fennel and Fingerling Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes add some satisfying heft to a light dish of fish and veggies in a clean broth. We like the color contrast the purple potatoes lend, but any fingerlings you have will be fine. Use your most flavorful olive oil in this dish—it makes the sauce richer. A mandoline will help you shave the fennel bulb quickly into thin, even slices. If you don't have a mandoline, a sharp chef's knife will work just fine. Spring onions look like bulbous green onions, which you can use as a substitute.
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Happy Hour: Strawberry-Lime Rickey
If fresh strawberries aren't quite at their peak in your market, go ahead and substitute thawed frozen berries. Muddling thoroughly is essential here: The more the berries break down, the more color and flavor they'll release into the drink. If you're not a gin fan, vodka or bourbon will work, but we like the subtle fragrance of juniper and other aromatics that gin introduces to the mix. Rickeys are often served alcohol free, and are every bit as refreshing, so omit the gin entirely, if you like.