Weeknight meals can be tough, especially around the holidays. The hustle and bustle of the day, wrapping gifts, shopping, spreading holiday cheer, holiday parties, and festive outings leave little time to make a healthy, quick meal.

Because of all the running around during the holidays, it’s so important to keep healthy and I truly believe that health starts with nutrition and nutrition starts with what we’re eating.

To simplify: eating healthy meals packed with nutrients contributes to your health!

But who the grinch has the time to check off all the holiday to-do’s plus make a home-cooked meal!?!?!

This past week, Mike and I have been dealing with a few health issues (tooth infection after math for me and a follow up MRI visit to an orthopedic Dr. for Mike – outcomes are positive!) I got home from a business trip, and we are getting ready to put our investment property on the market, so have been particularly busy. But eating healthy is a priority, so I wanted to post our nightly dinners to show how easy it can be to whip up plant-packed meals in under an hour.

Sunday Night Menu: Falafels, steamed broccoli & a pomegranate power green salad

Falafel Recipe

1 can 15oz chickpeas drained
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Tahini paste
1 1/2 cups of Kale
Pepper & salt (a pinch of each)
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon coconut oil for sauteing

Combine first 6 ingredients in cuisine art & pulse/blend to a paste (it’s ok to have some lumps). Add the flour. Form 4 patties with mixture. Heat oil in a saute pan. Saute on each side for 5 minutes, making sure they don’t burn.

 

Monday Night Menu: Sweet Potato Bake with a spinach salad

Sweet Potato Mexican Bake recipe

2 small sweet potatoes
1 bag of mixed frozen veggies
1 tablespoon veggie broth
1 tablespoon water

Slice potatoes thinly and put on cookie sheet (you can toss with a bit of oil if you want). Cook at 375 for 20 minutes.

Sauce:
1/2 cup of Carrots
1/2 cup of Broccoli stems
1/2 tsp of garlic & onion powder
1/2 tsp salt & paprika
1/2 cup almond milk
4 tablespoons of dijon mustard
1 tsp of Tapatio (optional, but we like it spicy!)

Cook carrots & broccoli in a bit of water, until soft. Add veggies & the rest of the ingredients to cuisine art/blender and blend until smooth.

Put frozen veggies with broth & water in an oven safe dish. Top with sauce & once potatoes are done, overlay them on top of the bake. Turn oven down to 350 and bake for another 20-30 minutes.

Tuesday Night Menu: Mushroom & Tomato Stroganoff with Trader Joe’s Eggplant Cutlets & a Kale Salad

Mushroom & Tomato Stroganoff – Recipe found on One Green Planet (I used veggie broth & it turned out more like a tomato based sauce, but it was still amazing!)

I used Quinoa elbow macaroni & cooked some leftover Trader Joe’s Eggplant Cutlets – these are great and I usually get two-three meals out of the bag.

Wednesday Night Menu: Szechuan Eggplant with broccoli & Yellow Peppers over Quinoa & a red leaf lettuce salad

Got this amazing Szechuan recipe from The Edible Garden – I altered a few things, not adding as much oil to cook/fry the eggplant. Instead I tried to steam it with a bit of water in the wok. I also added peppers & broccoli once the eggplant was cooked & the sauce was added (I like my veggies crispy). One more addition: sesame seeds. These are just great and add a bit of flavor & crunch.

 

Each and every one of these meals took less than 45 minutes to put together and were packed full of flavor, nutrients, and best of all homemade using whole ingredients. Yes, the cutlets & macaroni are processed – but I try to make the whole foods and veggies the center piece.

What are you cooking this week? Would love to hear about the meals, challenges or questions you have!

Happy Weeknight Cooking!