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31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

By Cheryl Slocum
March 11, 2019
Ann Taylor Pittman
Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously.
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31 Days of Recipes and Tips for the Happy Cook

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen

Cook more for yourself and your family. You'll likely wind up eating fewer calories, reducing saturated fats and sodium, and increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables on the plate.

Studies have shown that cooking at home five days a week could add 10 years to your life. That's high motivation, and these easy dinners put it all within reach. 

To make it a long-term commitment, our 31-day calendar of meals and tips will show you how to keep it going. Happy cooking!

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31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

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1. Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream and Glazed Carrots

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream and Glazed Carrots

Beef tenderloin is worthy splurge when you want a special entrée in less time; the cut is so meltingly tender already that it takes just 8 minutes to cook. We use the same pan to cook and glaze the carrots for easy clean up. The horseradish sauce is the tangy, creamy, pungent element this dish needs.

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3. Orange and Tomato Simmered Chicken with Couscous

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Orange and Tomato Simmered Chicken with Couscous

Plan Ahead! In 30 minutes, you can have it all—tender, slow-simmered chicken layered with complex flavors. Use free time on Saturday and Sunday to plan ahead for weekday meals. Make a double batch of the chicken, freeze half for the 27th, and make a second serving of couscous and add to salads for a quick whole-grain lunch throughout the week.

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2. Grilled Flank Steak Gyros

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Grilled Flank Steak Gyros

You can indulge your fast-food craving with a healthier sandwich that packs the same irresistible meaty-creamy combo you get from a street cart. 

For delicious meal planning made easy, join the Cooking Light Diet today.

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4. Cook's Night Off

A Namenco
View Recipe: Cham-Bucha

Order in and enjoy a refreshing cocktail while you wait for delivery—you deserve it! Just keep amounts in check: 1½ ounces hard liquor or 5 ounces of wine is a serving.

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5. One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

Explore the depth of flavor in fresh, seasonal vegetables each week with meatless Mondays. Here, we made pasta night easier by cooking the noodles right in the sauce. This not only saves on cleanup; the stock also infuses the pasta with flavor as it cooks, and the starch helps to thicken the sauce so it clings.

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6. Shrimp and Grits

Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and grits is an iconic Lowcountry dish that’s creamy, comforting, and crowd-pleasing. Traditional recipes use copious amounts of butter, bacon, and cheese—but our version achieves the same crave-worthy flavors for significantly fewer calories and less saturated fat. Serve with a simple green salad for an extra dose of veggies.

 

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7. Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Don't sweat the side dishes, they can shine without a lot of extra effort. Instead of making separate vegetable and starch sides (and dirtying two pans), combine vegetables and grains into one simple dish. Serve with easy-to-make Citrus Salad with Balsamic Honey and Pistachios.

For delicious meal planning made easy, join the Cooking Light Diet today. More information available here.

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8. Charred Lemon Chicken Piccata

Photo: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
View Recipe: Charred Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lightly charring the lemon slices intensifies their flavor and creates a gorgeous look. Be sure to include any of the sweet, tangy liquid the lemons give off in the bowl; it adds incredible depth to the sauce.

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9. Chili-Chorizo Nachos

Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Chili-Chorizo Nachos

Celebrate Friday with a family-friendly dinner that comes together easily. Our version of cheesy, crave-worthy nachos has half the sat fat, 450mg less sodium, and double the fiber compared to the classic. Mexican chorizo packs a big flavor punch, helping a little meat go a long way here. Look for it in the butcher’s case next to the other fresh sausage. And because no tray of nachos is complete without cheese, a bit of shredded sharp cheddar adds just enough cheesy, salty kick

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10. Greek Turkey Burgers

Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Greek Turkey Burgers

Riffing off the flavor of a Greek gyro, these turkey burgers cook up fast in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan. Lemony, olive-studded yogurt sauce adds more Middle Eastern–inspired flavor and is a tasty alternative to ketchup and mustard. Piled high with arugula, cucumber, and red onion, these are filling enough to be called dinner. Or, round out the meal with roasted potato fries. For the juiciest burgers, go for 93% lean ground turkey (a combination of white and dark meat).

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11. Italian Turkey and Orzo Soup

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Italian Turkey and Orzo Soup

Plan Ahead! Double recipes and freeze some for a second time around. Pack up individual portions for a swift thaw. Double the soup and serve it for dinner on the 14th.

 

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13. Cook’s Night Off

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Let's be real: Some nights, you need to eat out or order in. Check online menus before going out to prevent impromptu (read: poor) choices. A California roll with brown rice has only 26g carbs—that's half the carbs and triple the fiber in a white rice tempura (battered = carbs) roll. For more healthy ideas, read 5 Dishes You Should Avoid (and the 5 You Should Order) at Sushi Restaurants.

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12. Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers

Serve up this plant-based feast in just 20 minutes. Using a food processor will have your patties ready in a snap. Cremini mushrooms, often called baby bellas, are what give the burgers their meaty texture and earthy flavor—opt for these over milder button mushrooms. Ground flaxseeds add body and texture to these burgers. The cool and creamy yogurt and avocado mixture is a great go-to spread; slather it inside pita pockets or on your morning toast.

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14. Leftovers

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Italian Turkey and Orzo Soup

When a recipe is big enough to save some for later, cook enough for another busy night during the week. Enjoy this hearty, warming soup again and serve with Miso Aioli Dip and crudités.

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15. Broiled Salmon with Lemon

Photo: Jennifer Causey

For quick weeknight meals, go for the broiler. It preheats in a flash and acts like an upside-down grill, bringing salmon to perfect doneness in just 10 minutes. Don't sweat it if you slightly overcook the salmon. Serve it with a luscious dipping sauce, or drizzle a bit of olive oil over top to bring back instant moisture. Round out the meal with Simple Blistered Broccolini. 

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16. Cumin-Rubbed Chicken with Guacamole Sauce Recipe

Photo: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
View Recipe: Cumin-Rubbed Chicken with Guacamole Sauce

Fresh and easy, this zingy Mexican dish with tangy guac takes just 30 minutes to get on the table. Side dishes can shine without a lot of extra effort. Use forward flavors to jazz up plain veggies and grains, like in this Caribbean-Style Roast Cabbage with Carrots recipe.

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17. Lamb Chops with Farro, Arugula, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Lamb Chops with Farro, Arugula, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

The ever-expanding variety of quick grains on the market, like the farro used here, makes incorporating whole grains into daily meals easier. Feel free to substitute brown rice if you can't find farro.

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18. Mediterranean Chicken and Bulgur Skillet

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: 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. For this specific week, make extra bulgur and use it on the 23rd. 

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22. Whole-Grain Spaghetti with Veggi-fied Meat Sauce

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Whole-Grain Spaghetti with Veggi-fied Meat Sauce

Few things satisfy and please the family more than the combo of hearty meat sauce, slurp-able noodles, and crusty garlic-and-butter-smeared bread. We topped whole-grain pasta with a sauce made from unsalted diced tomatoes, extra-lean mushrooms, and zucchini for a lighter version of the weeknight staple.

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20. Seared Sirloin Steak Bites with Miso Butter and Rice

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Seared Sirloin Steak Bites with Miso Butter and Rice

Tip: No need to melt the butter for the miso mixture—the hot cooked steak will melt the sauce just enough to give each piece of steak a nice coating. To help save time, prepare miso, cook steak, and roast veggies while the rice cooks.

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19. Hearty Vegan Spiced Winter Squash Soup

Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Hearty Vegan Spiced Winter Squash Soup

Smooth and custardy, silken tofu blends perfectly with the butternut squash and pumpkin to create the ultimate velvety texture. And thanks to its protein and fiber, the dish is quite filling—your family won’t even know it’s 295 calories and completely vegan. Serve with this simple Chopped Salad With Chive Vinaigrette.

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21. Sausage and Kale Pesto Pizza with Blistered Tomato-Arugula Salad

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Sausage and Kale Pesto Pizza with Blistered Tomato-Arugula Salad

Cooking pizza in a skillet is a revelation: guaranteed dough success for even the most timid pie makers—just pat the dough out to size, and the pan shapes it into a perfect circle.

For delicious meal planning made easy, join the Cooking Light Diet today. More information available here.

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23. Lemony Chicken Kebabs with Tomato-Parsley Salad

Photo: Justin Walker
View Recipe: Lemony Chicken Kebabs with Tomato-Parsley Salad

Here's a six-ingredient dish that delivers big taste with minimal fuss. If you're pressed for time, cut the marinating back to 15 minutes–lemon flavor will still come through. Serve the salad on a bed of bulgur for a twist on tabbouleh and a fiber boost.

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24. Mini Avocado Brownie Bites

Photo: Jamie Vespa
View Recipe: Mini Avocado Brownie Bites

Take the night off and go out to dinner. For dessert, consider sharing an item, or wait to indulge on a smartly portioned, deceivingly decadent dessert at home.

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25. Seared Arctic Char with Cucumber Relish

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Seared Arctic Char with Cucumber Relish

Instead of making separate vegetable and starch sides (and dirtying two pans), combine vegetables and grains into one simple dish, like this Radish and Avocado Quinoa Salad.

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26. Broccoli Steaks with Tofu Fries

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Broccoli Steaks with Tofu Fries

We have the cleverest twist on tofu, turning it into crispy fake-out French fries kids (and adults) will love. We suggest you dunk the crunchy tofu sticks in the Sriracha aioli for a flavorful punch.

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27. Leftover Night

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen

Thaw and heat that Orange and Tomato Simmered Chicken (from the 3rd); serve with quick brown rice.

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28. Gnocchi With Spinach and Pepper Sauce

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Gnocchi With Spinach and Pepper Sauce

Our shortcut version of Spain’s beloved romesco sauce boasts all the smoky flavor of the original with a fraction of the prep time. Ready in 20 minutes, you can easily toss this comforting pasta dish together on a weeknight. Gluten Free? We like the cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe's.  

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29. Cook's Night Off

If you don't feel like going out to dinner or cooking, cozy up on the couch, pop a batch of Rosemary Popcorn, and order in for the night.

To make the popcorn: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup popcorn kernels; cover but leave lid partially open. Cook 3 minutes; remove from heat. Close lid until popping stops. Toss with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Serves 10 (serving size: about 1½ cups) 
Calories 71; Fat 4.5g (sat 0.6g); Sodium 175mg

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30. Roasted Shrimp with White Beans and Feta

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Roasted Shrimp with White Beans and Feta

Roasting shrimp in the oven is a hands-off route to bringing out robust flavor; the method also helps prevent overcooking, keeping shrimp tender. Prep tip: It's easier to grate the rind before juicing the lemon.

For delicious meal planning made easy, join the Cooking Light Diet today. More information available here.

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31. Crispy Chicken Thighs With Kale and Chickpeas

Ann Taylor Pittman
View Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs With Kale and Chickpeas

You could complicate things if you wanted to, but why bother when the simple way tastes so great? Not counting salt, pepper, and oil, this recipe contains just six ingredients—and tastes like a million bucks. That’s because the lightly seasoned chicken releases all its chicken-y goodness into the skillet, where onions, garlic, kale, and chickpeas lap it up so that none of the rich poultry flavor goes to waste. If you can, purchase air-chilled and/or organic chicken thighs. Since chicken is the star here, you want the best you can find.

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