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This can be the most difficult time of year to follow a healthy diet. Not only do we not have time to cook healthy meals, but temptations appear around every corner.
To save you time and make it easier for you to prepare healthy meals at home, we've created a plan that uses time-saving meal prep techniques like one-pot meals, microwaveable meals, and pre-prepared ingredients (hello chicken!).
What to eat this week, December 11, 2023
>>Download and print the meal plan
>> Walk and aerobic exercise for 31 days.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Breakfast: Tortilla with black beans, salsa and avocado.
Lunch: vegetarian sandwich
Dinner: Easy One-Skillet Chicken Parmesan
A snack of your choice
BREAKFAST
This week's breakfast is lean and green! Starting your day with a protein-rich option will keep you fuller longer and curb your cravings later. Below are some quick and easy ways to incorporate vegetables and protein into your breakfast.
Energizing Kale Smoothie
This smoothie contains protein, vegetables, fruits and heart-healthy fats, making it a simple and balanced meal. Don't worry if you don't like cabbage. The sweetness of the blueberries and bananas will replace the flavor. Or you can replace the spinach with a milder tasting vegetable. If you want to make it vegan, use silken tofu or unsweetened vegan protein powder instead of yogurt.
Protein-enriched avocado toast
Mash the white beans or peas with the avocado. Spread on whole wheat toast and top with egg, bake your way.
Scrambled eggs in the microwave
Top with salsa, black beans, and avocado slices.
lunches
Roasted chicken is a versatile weekly ingredient. Remove the skin and remove the meat from the bones to use in sandwiches and salads. A typical chicken provides 3 to 4 cups of meat.
If you're vegetarian or trying to cut back on meat, use rinsed and drained canned beans (like we did on Friday). When making your shopping list, remember to include plenty of vegetables to add to salads and sandwiches.
Baked chicken sandwich
Spread whole wheat bread with mayonnaise and grain mustard and top with chicken, lettuce and tomato. Serve with vegetables as a garnish. For a vegetarian option, use hummus.
Roasted chicken salad
Mix the roast chicken, chopped celery and golden grapes with the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Pour the mixture over the salad and add the vegetables of your choice. Sprinkle with seeds (for example, sunflower seeds) or chopped nuts.
Don't want to buy roast chicken? Create trend:
Baked chicken with lemon by Lidia Bastianich
A sandwich filled with vegetables.
Grind lightly washed and drained canned chickpeas into store-bought hummus. Spread the mixture on 2 slices of toasted whole wheat bread. Place the roasted red peppers and diced baby spinach between two slices of bread and the sandwich. Serve with some baby carrots.
dinner
This week's lunch menu includes nutritious dishes that won't be boring. From cheesy chicken parmesan to savory pasta and creamy pasta, there's something for everyone. The best part? Most of them only require dirtying one pan, which significantly reduces cleanup time. Be sure to consider all the accompaniments offered to keep your meal balanced.
Creamy Pasta with Avocado, Arugula, and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes from Samah Dada
Avocado adds creaminess to this dairy-free pasta dish. Since this dish is low in protein, we recommend using pasta with chickpeas or lentils to make it more nutritious and balanced.
Baked Lips with Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives by Julia Turshen
Delicious salty olives and roasted tomatoes give this dish a Mediterranean feel. Serve with baked new potatoes, also called mashed potatoes, which you can find ready-to-cook at most grocery stores.
Melissa Clark's Easy Skillet Chicken
This chicken parmesan does not require cooking or frying, making it a healthier and tastier option. Serve with whole wheat pasta or baked beans and vegetables. Tip: While you have your cutting board and stove with you, roast an extra batch of vegetables to serve with future meals.
Kevin Curry's Grilled Salmon Nichoise Salad
This is an example of a Mediterranean-style dinner rich in heart-healthy fats, from the omega-3s in salmon and anchovies to the monounsaturated fats in Kalamata olives and extra virgin olive oil. And since it's made in a baking dish, you can do other things while you prepare dinner. One way to fill that time: prepare more vegetables and boil more eggs to have on hand throughout the week.
Appetizers
With whole food sources of protein and fiber, these snacks offer a winning formula that keeps you full for hours. Here are some ideas:
Baby carrots dipped in protein-enriched avocado puree. Mash chickpeas or white beans with avocado to make salsa.
Apple slices are sprinkled with cinnamon and mixed with tahini.
Bananas with nuts or seeds (such as pumpkin seeds).
Pepper strips with goat cheese.
Dried fruits and nuts or roasted peas without sugar.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com