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Here's a nutritionist-designed meal plan that will help you learn the basics of healthy eating while giving you the opportunity to enjoy a variety of comfort foods.
This week's diet focuses on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil. But the theme is comfort, showing how to nourish your body without spending endless hours in the kitchen.
You'll find plenty of simple foods like eggs, tuna, canned beans, chicken, and low-sugar barbecue sauce. From Greek scrambled eggs to grilled chicken to quinoa salad, flounder and turkey bolognese, you can enjoy healthy meals that don't require much effort. Dinner usually consists of one pot and one pan and takes less than 20 minutes in most cases. Enjoy!
What's on offer this week, September 18, 2023?
>> Download this week's meal plan
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Breakfast
Many people wonder if eggs are a good part of a heart-healthy diet. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), they are: Most people can safely eat one egg a day or seven eggs a week, although it is helpful to include it in a plant-based diet that limits saturated fat, sodium and added sugar. . We've included a simple two-egg dish on the menu this week so you can eat it up to three times without going over the AHA limit.
Greek 3-ingredient omelette from Greek Parisi
You don't have to worry about making an omelette if you can get the same flavor from an omelette. The recipe makes two servings, but you can eat this amount several times a week. Store in the refrigerator for several days. Serve the omelette with a glass or fruit.
Sweet Potato Parfait by Joy Bauer
Instead of choosing processed carbohydrates like bagels, sugary cereals or slices of white toast for breakfast, try sweet potatoes. It's an excellent choice for curbing hunger and providing your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive. Make the sweet potato puree before lunch and assemble the rest of the parfait in the morning.
Dinner
Two minimal meal prep options will save you time and money this week. Like other whole grains, quinoa can be refrigerated for several days and freezes well. So consider making a large batch during the week and freezing it for later.
Chickpea and tuna salad from Laura Vitale
Tuna is one of our favorite staple foods because it's a quick and inexpensive source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fish oils. Here it's blended with another super ingredient, chickpeas, to boost its fiber content and nutritional value. This combination makes the salad versatile, so one day, fill it with whole grain pita, sprinkle with baby carrots, and serve with arugula. When preparing quinoa, a spoonful of chickpea, tuna and arugula salad adds a hearty, grainy flavor.
BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad by Gabby Dalkin
Grilled chicken and quinoa are prepared ahead of time and then added with just a few ingredients for a delicious and satisfying lunch. If you don't want to cook the chicken, use store-bought chicken instead. And choose barbecue sauce that contains no more than 6 grams of sugar per serving. To simplify the recipe, the corn can be replaced with low-fat canned or frozen corn.
Dinner
This week's menu features dishes that are full of flavor but light. Whether you're looking for a hearty stew or a fish dish that will wow, there's something for everyone.
Casey Barber's Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Spend 15 minutes in the morning chopping and mixing ingredients in the slow cooker and come home to the convenience of your slow cooker the same day. Although the recipe calls for any milk to work, we recommend low-fat or low-fat milk to keep the saturated fat content low. Serve with refried green beans.
One-Pot Vegetarian Chili by Lauren Witonsky
The high chili content makes this chili more heart-healthy than the meat version, but it's just as nutritious, delicious, and filling as the traditional version. Keep side dishes simple and serve with a simple green salad.
Roasted Chicken Joy Bauer and Brussels Sprouts
All you need is 10 minutes of preparation and you're ready to go. Every night should be so easy. Serve chicken and vegetables with cooked quinoa for a lunch with grilled chicken and quinoa salad.
Flounder from Julia Tarshen with fried tomatoes and olives
The rich combination of roasted tomatoes and olives is the perfect flavor combination for a light, flaky pastry. Despite the simplicity of preparing this dish, the result is impressive. And the best part is that only one pan is painted. Serve with arugula salad and crusty whole grain bread to soak up the juicy tomatoes.
Weeknight Türkiye Bolognese by Katie Stillo
This pasta makes some healthy updates, like replacing the lean white meat of the turkey with ground beef and adding shredded zucchini to the sauce. Serve over pasta (ideally wheat or bean based) with roasted broccoli or another vegetable of your choice.
Snacks
The snacks contain complete sources of protein and fiber, providing a winning formula that will keep you full for hours. Here are some ideas.
Apple slices with almond sauce. To make the sauce, mix plain Greek yogurt with or without nut butter.
Ricotta stuffed with cherry tomatoes.
Red peppers with goat cheese pesto. To make the sauce, mix store-bought pesto with goat cheese. Thin with olive oil if necessary.
Frozen spicy banana with tahini. To prepare, sprinkle banana slices with cinnamon and cocoa powder and refrigerate until firm. Seasoned with tahini.
Carrots with hummus.
This article originally appeared on TODAY.com.