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This week’s meals center around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, like extra virgin olive oil. But the theme is convenience, showing you how to nourish your body without spending endless hours in the kitchen.
You’ll find many easy, heart-healthy staples, like , tuna, canned beans, rotisserie chicken and low-sugar barbecue sauce. From a Sweet-Potato Parfait to a Sheet-Pan Salmon Niçoise Salad to Vegetarian Chili and Swedish Meatballs, you’ll enjoy tasty meals that take little effort. Dinners are mainly sheet pan and one-pot meals, and most take less than 20 minutes of work. Enjoy!
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What to Eat This Week, February 19, 2024
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Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Breakfast
Many people wonder if eggs are okay on a heart-healthy diet. According to the (AHA), they are. Most people can safely eat a whole egg per day or seven per week, though it also helps to include them in a plant-forward diet that limits saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. We featured an easy two-egg scramble on this week’s menu, so you can eat it up to three times and stay within the AHA’s limits.
by Grace Parisi
No need to fuss with an omelet when you get get the same flavor from a scramble. The recipe makes two servings, but you can scale it to eat multiple times over the week. It’ll keep in the fridge for a few days. Serve your scramble with a cup or piece of fruit.
by Joy Bauer
Rather than choosing processed carbs, like a bagel, sugary cereal or a piece of white toast, at breakfast, give a try. It’s a better choice for taming hunger and giving your body the nutrients it needs to thrive. Meal prep the sweet potato puree in advance and then assemble the rest of the parfait the morning of.
Lunch
Two minimal meal prep options save you time and money this week. The salads will keep in the fridge for several days, so consider making a big batch to use throughout the week.
Edamame-Tuna Salad
Tuna is one of our favorite pantry staples because it’s a quick and budget-friendly source of protein and . Here it’s mixed with frozen, shelled edamame, another nourishing meal prep staple. While this recipe serves one, you can easily multiply the servings and make a bigger batch of this salad to enjoy throughout the week. It’ll keep up to four days in your fridge.
Mix 1/2 can tuna, flaked and drained, ¼ cup shelled edamame, frozen and thawed, and ¼ cup shredded with a store-bought vinaigrette. Serve the mixture in a whole-grain pita or over salad greens.
by Gaby Dalkin
Barbecue chicken and quinoa are prepped in advance and then tossed with a few ingredients to create a tasty and filling lunch. If you don’t feel like making the chicken, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead. And choose a barbecue sauce with no more than 6 grams of added sugar per serving. You can also swap in unsalted canned or frozen corn for the corn on the cob to streamline the recipe further.
Dinner
This week’s dinner lineup features meals that are full of flavor, but light on hands-on time. Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy casserole, a hearty chili or a fish dish that will wow your diners, there’s something for everyone.
by Lauren Witonsky
Loads of beans make this chili heart-healthier than a meaty version, but it’s just as hearty, flavorful, and satisfying as a traditional version. Keep the sides simple and serve it with a basic green salad.
by Kevin Curry
This is an example of a with plenty of heart-healthy fats, from the omega-3s in salmon and anchovies to the monounsaturated fats in the kalamata olives and extra virgin olive oil. And since it’s made on a sheet pan, you can tend to other things while dinner is cooking. One way to fill that time: Prep extra veggies and boil additional eggs to have on hand for the week.
by Seamus Mullen
Just 10 minutes of prep and your work is done. Every night should be this easy! Serve your chicken and veggies with a side of the quinoa you batch-cooked to make the Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad lunch.
by Joy Bauer
Several swaps make these meatballs healthier than the traditional version. Lean ground turkey replaces the classic ground beef and pork blend. And replace the usual breadcrumbs. In this case, the creamy gravy is flourless and butterless and uses a small amount of light cream cheese instead of heavy cream. The result tastes indulgent but spares you unhealthy amounts of saturated fat. Serve the meatballs with steamed green beans and brown rice egg noodles.
by Casey Barber
Spend 15 minutes chopping and combining ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning, and come home to a comforting casserole later that day. Though the recipe says any type of milk will work, we recommend low- or fat-free milk to keep the saturated fat low. Serve with sautéed green beans.
Snacks
Snacks that contain whole food sources of protein and fiber offer a winning formula that keeps you full for hours. Here are a few ideas:
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slices with nutty dip. To make the dip, mix plain with nut or nutless butter.
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Ricotta cheese topped with grape tomatoes.
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Red peppers with goat cheese-pesto dip. To make the dip, mix store-bought pesto with goat cheese. Thin with olive oil if needed.
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Frozen spiced with tahini. To make, sprinkle cinnamon and cacao powder over banana slices and freeze until firm. Drizzle with tahini.
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Baby carrots with hummus.
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