Happy new year to one and all! I hope 2016 is off to a wonderful start for you and your families. January 1 signifies a fresh start to many, although I do think we have many opportunities to wipe the slate and start anew, including every morning! But if you have made any resolutions and they involve improving your health, then I will assume more cooking at home is in store for you.
That is where this new regular post will help you. Every Sunday morning I will post a weekly dinner plan to provide you with inspiration as you create your meals for the week. Believe me when I tell you, planning and organization is the KEY to eating healthfully. I have been making a weekly dinner plan on Sundays for at least 20 years and it is the only way dinner gets made, given my schedule. Knowing on Sunday what you are cooking for the week will also allow you to go throughout your day without the “dinner cloud” over your head. You know the one that is always nagging, “what are you going to make for dinner tonight?” “Should you start defrosting that chicken?” “Hurry and run to the market before after school pick-up!”
I will post a balanced variety of 7 dinners every week, although I assume most of you don’t cook every night. No matter. I don’t either since I usually take Saturday nights off. Take the meals that you think work for you and build your own meal plan around them given your schedule and your family’s personal preferences. Obviously there will be dietary intolerances and allergies to contend with, so feel free to leave me a comment if you need help making a substitution.
These are all meals I have made or would make for my own family, but there is a possibility I may not be following this dinner plan myself since I will have nights when we aren’t eating at home or I need to scrap my plan because I need to retest a recipe or I have leftovers from a class. And that doesn’t do you any good if I am taking certain nights off that you aren’t. I usually shop on Sundays (or Mondays if I’m not teaching a class.) But I do shop during the week for my classes. Before I started teaching, I would do a Monday supermarket shop and 1 farmers market visit during the week. If you follow along with these weekly posts, you’ll also start to learn what’s in season.
I will attempt to provide do-ahead tips for Sunday and Wednesday prep days for those of you who do that. You can also follow me on Instagram where I post my weeknight dinners, as well as breakfasts and anything else that’s inspiring me at the moment. Happy cooking and here’s to your health!
Dinner Plan Week of January 4th
Monday: lentil and brown rice soup, green salad with purple cabbage, carrots, shredded Brussels sprouts and toasted sunflower seeds, everyday salad dressing #2
Tuesday: wild salmon with blood orange, beet and spinach salad, roasted sweet potato wedges
Wednesday: Tandoori Chicken (I’ll make this with breasts and drumsticks), apricot couscous (or plain steamed couscous), sautéed beet greens (if you have greens from making beets last night) and Swiss chard
Thursday: stir-fried beef and broccoli, steamed brown rice or cauli-rice
Friday: turkey meatballs with marinara sauce and whole wheat pasta or spaghetti squash, roasted broccoli
Saturday: orange-rosemary glazed chicken, millet cauliflower mash or cauliflower mashed potatoes, roasted carrots (see this post for how to roast carrots — you don’t have to make the yogurt sauce)
Sunday: cauliflower crust pizza, avocado Caesar salad or I might try this cashew Caesar dressing from January ’16 Bon Appetit
Prep ahead
Sunday prep:
Make veggie or chicken stock for lentil soup
Soak rice and cook for soup
Cook beets
Make dressing for Monday and Tuesday
Wash lettuce for Monday and greens for Wednesday
Wednesday prep:
Bake meatballs, finish in sauce on Friday
Prep broccoli into florets
Make marinara sauce
Prep cauliflower into florets
Wash greens for Sunday
Thursday morning: soak rice for dinner
Friday: marinate chicken for Saturday
Freezer-friendly
Consider making extra of the following to freeze for a rainy day:
- lentil soup
- cooked rice
- baked meatballs
- marinara sauce
Thanks, this is SO helpful!!
🙂
This is soooo helpful and well organized!!! Thank you!!!!
So glad!!
Thank you so much for your help in planning weekly meals! I love your website and appreciate the many healthy recipes. I’m learning so much from you! Wishing you a happy & healthy new year.
Really appreciate you sharing this organization tool. With information overload out there, I need to be brought inside a circle of healthiness such a yours! I have been following you for years,(devouring your beautiful photos and fun dialog), but still couldn’t quiet the cyclone of what to actually fix. So…I am going to start the new year with your list and stick to it!! Thank you for the good therapy and a circle of friendship 3000 miles away.
I know you have been a loyal follower for many years, Barbara. And I am so grateful! Thank you for your readership and for commenting today. 🙂
The best!! I always plan on planning my weekly meals, but usually end up going to the store on a daily basis when I decide what we are having for dinner that night. This is so liberating and helpful! Great way to start the new year. c
Daily trips to the market NO MORE! Hope this helps, Patrice!
Great idea and fabulous way to start the new year– thanks so much Pamela!
So happy you think so. Happy new year!
This is such a fantastic idea! Already planning for this week.
Thank you!!
Yay! That’s the idea 🙂
Everything looks amazing!! Thanks for the inspiration. I tried to get the orange-rosemary chicken recipe but the cauliflower millet comes up instead.
Thanks and Happy New New!
Thank you, Deena! And thanks for letting me know about the link. Fixed!
I have been in a planning rut for a while now. It was so wonderful to get your email this morning and even more amazing to know that we can now follow along with you and have help from you on Sundays. Thank you so much
This means a lot to me! Thank you!
You are absolutely amazing. Since I am not so organized, just reading your post I felt calmer. I now have a go-to plan for several days. Thank you so much for all your help. You have no idea how you have transformed the thinking and actions of so many people. Happy, healthy 2016! Looking forward to it with much enthusiasm!
Lois, you made my day. Thank you and happy, healthy new year to you!