Welcome to this week’s meal plan. As always, you’ll find five dinner recipes, two bonus recipes (in this case, tailored to holiday eating) and a shopping list with ingredients for every recipe. Enjoy!
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
This is one of the most popular recipes on the blog and a true fan favorite. If you want to take a few shortcuts, here are three that you might find handy: 1. swap a 24-ounce jar of store-bought pasta sauce for homemade 2. use pre-grated Mozzarella 3. cook the spaghetti squash in the microwave using this method.
Easy Noodles with Peanut Sauce & Veggies
An easy fix for dinner that’s good warm or cold. It’s flavors are reminiscent of the peanut sauce you might get in a Thai restaurant, only tossed with noodles and crunchy vegetables. You could also add shredded chicken to the mix if you like.
Harvest Bowls with Glossy Green sauce
These nourishing bowls are a fan favorite in my house. Roasted sweet potatoes, brown rice, black beans, and avocado get dressed up with a tangy, slightly spicy cilantro sauce. Add pickled jalapeños, Cotija cheese, toasted pepitas or whatever else strikes your fancy.
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
We’re deep in cozy weather, and these meatballs are just right for this time of year. They’re easy to make, on the lighter side as far as meatballs go, and just as good over vegetables as a heap of spaghetti.
Savory Winter Vegetable Pie
This is a good one any time of day. It’s made with roasted squash, kale, and mushrooms that get folded into a base of eggs, cottage cheese, and glorious Gruyère. It’s got a very unfussy, whole-grain crust that uses olive oil instead of butter and can be made ahead and reheated.
Parmesan Cheddar Seed Crackers
This is just the thing to set out when company comes. It’s a “can’t eat just one” kind of cracker that you make with seeds and cheese. That’s it. Add a dish of olives and a favorite wine or cocktail or mocktail and you’ve got a party.
Cranberry Streusel Muffins
I plan to make this before my kids all arrive home this week. It’s a treasured recipe that I make every year during the holidays. The muffins are full of puckery cranberries and a delightful streusel topping. If you have leftovers, they freeze surprisingly well.
SHOPPING LIST
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
- 1 large spaghetti squash (~3 1/2 pounds)
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 can (28-ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 container (15-ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- Parsley for garnish (optional)
Roasted Winter Vegetable Pie
- ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red or white wine vinegar
- 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
- 3 cups cubed (1-inch) butternut squash, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost)
- 2 cups stemmed, chopped, lightly packed kale (any variety)
- 8 ounces shallots
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup low-fat milk or plant milk
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese, 3 ounces, divided
- Harvest Bowls with Glossy Green Sauce
- 2 medium to large sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (one 15-ounce can)
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 bushy bunch cilantro (2 cups chopped)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
- Optional additions: pickled jalapeños, crumbled Cotija, roasted pepitas
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 link uncooked spicy Italian turkey sausage (~1/4 to 1/3 pound)
- 1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
Parmesan Cheddar Seed Crackers
- 1 packed cup coarsely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds, ideally unsalted)
- ¼ cup shelled sunflower seeds (ideally unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
Cranberry Streusel Muffins
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup oat flour (you can make this using rolled oats)
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (the juice from about 1 large orange)
- Zest from 1/2 large orange
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 3 tablespoons rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cold butter