We’re a day late with this week’s meal plan, because oof, who else is still full? But the show must go on: By Monday, it’ll be back to the routine, so a meal planning we must go. This week, we’re keeping it light on meat and also on cook time to make up for Thanksgiving and also the fact that holiday cookie season will be here, oh, next weekend. So grab a pen, make your shopping list, and stock up before the weekend’s over.
Top: Broccoli Pesto Pasta at The Candid Appetite | Butternut Curry Soup with Coconut Milk at Local Haven | 20-Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp at Sally’s Baking Addiction
Related: Meal plan: 5 easy dinners from a vegan one-bowl meal to the most delicious pork chops.
Turkey and Stuffing Croquettes | Just a Little Bit of Bacon
I normally start with a #MeatlessMonday meal, but who are we kidding? There are still Thanksgiving leftovers to reckon with, so pick one of these great Thanksgiving leftovers recipes and use them up before they go bad. I’m partial to the genius Turkey and Stuffing Croquettes at Just a Little Bit of Bacon (pictured), but there are so many creative options. I mean, Mashed Potato Soup? Genius.
After days of turkey, stuffing, more turkey, and mashed potatoes, it’s finally time to go light. We’re moving Monday’s meatless meal to Tuesday and keeping it super light, but hugely flavorful with this Butternut Curry Soup with Coconut Milk at Local Haven. Buy pre-cut squash to make this super fast.
We love cooking with frozen shrimp because it’s super light and cooks lightening fast, both of which are virutes that I’m looking for in recipes this week. The quick and healthy 20-Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp at Sally’s Baking Addiction looks especially delicious and like the kids will love it too. You have to marinate the shrimp, but even if you do it for the shortest amount of time — 15 minutes — this dinner can still be on the table in 30 minutes.
Related: Meal plan: 5 easy dinners from a clever pasta dish to easy beef fajitas.
Pasta is hardly light, but it’s already Thursday (as in, a whole week after Thanksgiving) and I’ll proudly pat myself on the back for making a healthy pata sauce using this recipe for Broccoli Pesto Pasta at The Candid Appetite. In other words, this is light enough for me. Plus, it’s a one bowl meal complete with carb, veg, and if you follow the recipe which adds chicken, protein too.
I love that this recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes with Buffalo Chickpeas and Cauliflower at The First Mess has exactly the decadent feel that I want by Friday night — twice baked potatoes! buffalo anything! — but is actually a vegan recipe. If you’re not vegan, I suggest throwing a little butter into the chickpea filling and topping the finished product with some crumbled blue cheese too. Yum.
