Healthy comfort foods: One-pot orzo and meatballs, smoothie bowls and more
Welcome to Start TODAY. Sign up for our Start TODAY newsletter to receive daily inspiration sent to your inbox — and join us on Instagram!
This week’s meals center around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, like extra virgin olive oil. But the theme is convenience, showing you how to nourish your body without spending endless hours in the kitchen. You’ll find many of our favorite easy staples, like eggs, tuna, canned beans, chicken and low-sugar barbecue sauce. From a Greek Egg Scramble to a Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad to Sheet Pan Flounder, you’ll enjoy healthy meals that take little effort.
What to Eat This Week, May 20, 2024
>>Download this week’s meal plan
>>Get a 30-day walking workout plan
Monday
Breakfast: 3-Ingredient Greek Omelet Scramble with fruit
Lunch: Chickpea and Tuna Salad
Dinner: Joy Bauer’s Sheet-pan Roasted Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
Snack of choice
Tuesday
Breakfast: Red Smoothie Bowl
Lunch: Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad
Dinner: Sweet Potato Tacos
Snack of choice
Wednesday
Breakfast: 3-Ingredient Greek Omelet Scramble with fruit
Lunch: Chickpea and Tuna Salad
Dinner: Sheet-Pan Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives
Snack of choice
Thursday
Breakfast: Red Smoothie Bowl
Lunch: Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad
Dinner: Lemony Chicken and Rice Casserole
Snack of choice
Friday
Breakfast: 3-Ingredient Greek Omelet Scramble with fruit
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: One-Pot Sausage Meatballs and Orzo
Snack of choice
Breakfast
Many people wonder if eggs are okay on a heart-healthy diet. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), they are. Most people can safely eat a whole egg per day or seven per week, though it also helps to include them in a plant-forward diet that limits saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. We featured an easy two-egg scramble on this week’s menu, so you can eat it up to three times and stay within the AHA’s limits.
3-Ingredient Greek Omelet Scramble by Grace Parisi
No need to fuss with an omelet when you get the same flavor from a scramble. The recipe makes two servings, but you can scale it to eat multiple times over the week. It’ll keep in the fridge for a few days. Serve your scramble with a cup or piece of fruit.
Red Smoothie Bowl by Kevin Curry
This simple and satisfying fruit smoothie bowl is easy to make and full of protein. If you don't have any protein powder, use Greek yogurt instead!
Lunch
Two minimal meal prep options save you time and money this week. Quinoa — like other whole grains — will keep in the fridge for several days and freezes well, so consider making a big batch to use throughout the week and to freeze for later.
Chickpea and Tuna Salad by Laura Vitale
Tuna is one of our favorite pantry staples because it’s a quick and budget-friendly source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fish fats. Here it’s mixed with another ingredient superstar — chickpeas — to boost the fiber and nutritiousness. The combo makes a versatile salad, so stuff it in a whole-grain pita with a side of baby carrots one day and serve it over arugula another. If you batch-cooked some quinoa, a spoonful would add a hearty, grainy element to the chickpea-tuna-arugula salad.
Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad by Gaby Dalkin
Barbecue chicken and quinoa are prepped in advance and then tossed with a few ingredients to create a tasty and filling lunch. If you don’t feel like making the chicken, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead. And choose a barbecue sauce with no more than 6 grams of added sugar per serving. You can also swap in unsalted canned or frozen corn for the corn on the cob to streamline the recipe further.
Dinner
This week’s dinner lineup features meals that are full of flavor, but light on hands-on time. Whether you’re in the mood for tacos or a fish dish that will wow your diners, there’s something for everyone.
Sheet-Pan Roasted Chicken and Brussels Sprouts by Joy Bauer
Just 10 minutes of prep and your work is done. Every night should be this easy! Serve your chicken and veggies with a side of the quinoa you batch-cooked to make the Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad lunch.
Sweet Potato Tacos by Alana Leland
Eating a meatless meal at least once a week helps you boost your intake of plant foods and black beans are a hearty ingredient that provides healthy carbs and protein. We chose tacos for this menu because they’re an easy way to dip your toe into meatless meals. Serve with a basic green salad.
Sheet Pan Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives by Julia Turshen
The rich combo of roasted tomatoes and black olives are the perfect flavor match for mild, flaky flounder. Though it’s an easy meal to put together, the results are impressive. And the best part is it dirties just one pan. Serve it with an arugula salad and some crusty whole-grain bread to soak up the juicy tomatoes.
Lemony Chicken and Rice Casserole by Jocelyn Delk Adams
This delicious chicken and rice casserole brings together all the flavors of homemade chicken soup in one hearty dish. Juicy chicken thighs combined with creamy rice will satisfy the entire family.
One-Pot Sausage Meatballs and Orzo by Sheela Prakash
What's better than pasta and meatballs all cooked in one big pot? This delicious dish is ready in just 30 minutes and combines orzo, sausage and spinach in a tasty marinara sauce.
Snacks
Snacks that contain whole food sources of protein and fiber offer a winning formula that keeps you full for hours. Here are a few ideas:
Apple slices with nutty dip. To make the dip, mix plain Greek yogurt with nut or nutless butter.
Ricotta cheese topped with grape tomatoes.
Red peppers with goat cheese-pesto dip. To make the dip, mix store-bought pesto with goat cheese. Thin with olive oil if needed.
Frozen spiced bananas with tahini. To make, sprinkle cinnamon and cacao powder over banana slices and freeze until firm. Drizzle with tahini.
Baby carrots with hummus.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
