Monday: Skillet Mushroom Mac and Cheese
If classic mac and cheese is already a staple in your family dinner rotation, give this skillet version a try. Whole-wheat elbows add a serving of whole grains; we love it here because the noodles are sturdy enough for boiling, simmering, and baking. Mushrooms can often be off-limits for picky eaters because of their sometimes soft, spongy texture. Here we sauté shiitake and cremini mushrooms until deeply browned, with a texture that’s almost meaty—a great feat for a meatless main (you could also use diced broccoli florets).
Tuesday: Grilled Steak and Elote Tacos
These tacos are a perfect blend of Mexican street corn (also called elote) and quick-cooking skirt steak. If you have frozen corn, blister the kernels in a skillet over high heat first.
Wednesday: Sesame-Ginger-Chickpea-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Sesame, especially toasted sesame oil, is a key flavor in many Asian cuisines. It makes sense that tahini would fit here too, especially as a finishing touch for roasted sweet potatoes with Sriracha.
Thursday: Thai Green Chicken Soup
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.
Friday: Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice
This five-ingredient main is a great way to get more seafood into your weeknight rotation. Seek our shrimp that's free of sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), a common preservative that significantly boosts the sodium in your shrimp. Can't find riced cauliflower? Make your own by pulsing cauliflower florets in a food processor until crumbled. Easy!
Treat Yourself: Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes
Elegant and rich, this supermoist pillow of chocolate cake gets its color and texture from the vibrant-red, naturally sweet beet. There’s nothing artificial about this dramatically hued holiday treat coated in a dense cloud of creamy white frosting. We purée the tender beet root with buttermilk and vanilla to create a luscious cream that not only adds a light, velvety texture to the cupcake but also allows us to use less sugar, oil, and butter in the batter, saving fat and hundreds of calories. You simply can’t “beet” it.
