Sunday Strategist: A Week of Healthy Dinners - November 13-17

October 20, 2017
Photo: Greg Dupree
Every Sunday, we publish a week of Cooking Light dinner plans filled with our favorite recipes—both from current issues and classics. Each meal is designed to be ready and on the table in 45 minutes or less so that you have more time to enjoy the food you’ve prepared and the company of those you’ve prepared it for. If you like having a healthy meal plan but want something customized to your dietary or caloric needs, check out The Cooking Light Diet. It’s a calorie-driven weekly meal plan—breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner—based on your dieting goals and food preferences. Look for one on a newsstands to find more delicious dinner inspiration.
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Monday: Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini

Sometimes simple and easy is best, as in this no-frills shrimp, broccoli, and pasta dish. Try switching to whole-grain rotini for a nutrition boost. You can use fresh or frozen shrimp in this recipe, just make sure to look for the peeled and deveined kind without any additives. 

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Tuesday: Sumac Chicken with Cauliflower and Carrots

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Sumac Chicken with Caulifower and Carrots

This sheet-pan dinner made chicken a winner with a ground sumac and brown sugar rub. You can also use sumac on roasted vegetables, stir it into vinaigrette, or try it in our Maple-Sumac Roasted Walnuts recipe.

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Wednesday: Three-Bean Miso Chili

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Three-Bean Miso Chili

Craving an adventurous upgrade from the classic beef-and-tomato-based chili? Then look no further. This recipe combines three varieties of budget-friendly beans for textural contrast, along with a kitchen sink’s worth of aromatics. Miso is the ticket to achieving pronounced depth in this vegetarian soup, while peanut butter helps build body. Find white miso in the refrigerated section near the produce. To make this dairy-free, use coconut yogurt in place of Greek yogurt to amp up the creaminess. Bonus: One serving delivers half your daily fiber goal.

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Thursday: Dijon-Herb Crusted Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Dijon-Herb Crusted Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

Simple and kid-friendly, this main is an easy way to work more fish into your diet. Look for thicker center-cut fillets, which will stay more moist. Serve with Herb-Roasted Carrots.

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Friday: Crispy Tuna Cakes

Photo: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Crispy Tuna Cakes

Our tasty riff on crab cakes adds oomph to omega-3-rich pouched tuna. For extra flavor, drizzle with any remaining All-Purpose Tahini Dressing you have on hand. We use old-fashioned rolled oats in place of breadcrumbs to sneak in some whole grains.

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Cocktail Bonus: Pomegranate Paloma

Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Pomegranate Paloma

Classic palomas call for grapefruit soda. Here, we use fresh grapefruit juice for a fruit-flavored beverage with less sugar and more vitamin C. Pomegranate juice boosts fruity flavor and packs a punch of heart-healthy polyphenols.

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