In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleYour Meal PlanSomething to Sip OnWhat’s Cooking This Weekend

In This ArticleView All

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In This Article

Your Meal Plan

Something to Sip On

What’s Cooking This Weekend

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Hi everyone! My name is Carolyn Malcoun, and I’m the senior food features editor atEatingWell. I’m making a guest appearance in ThePrep this week as part of our spotlight,It’s 5:15 p.m.—What’s for Dinner?I’m happy to be here!

I don’t know how it happened, but it’s Labor Day weekend already. Our 11-year-old daughter, Lila, went back to school on Wednesday, and we’re looking forward to a low-key weekend. But I know my life will be very hectic next week—Lila joined the school field hockey team and also plays soccer. She will have practice or a game every night of the week, sometimes twice. Needless to say, there will be a lot of juggling happening. And having a healthy, nutritious meal on the table that we can alleat together is important—it’s the one time each day we know we will all sit down together and connect. Sometimes we take turns sharing a “rose,” “bud” and “thorn” (the best part of our day, what we struggled with and what we’re looking forward to, respectively), or simply just tell each other silly jokes. To get dinner on the table faster and more easily, I crafted my dinner plan around 15-minute meals all week.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

broiled salmon with miso black pepper

Just because dinner is ready in 15 minutes doesn’t mean I have to sacrifice flavor or nutrition, like with Wednesday’sMiso-Glazed Salmon. Since I always have frozen salmon portions, miso and soy sauce on hand, I can easily whip up this recipe any time. If I’m lucky, I’ll remember to thaw extra salmon and cook up a double batch to flake over salads for extra protein the rest of the week. To make an easy and nutritious side dish, I like tossing green vegetables like broccolini with oil, salt and pepper and spreading them on a sheet pan. I’ll pop the veggies on a rack in the bottom third of the oven, and they’ll cook up nicely while the salmon broils. In addition to protein, salmon also delivers anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, both of which are helpful for Lila’s muscle recovery after practice and for keeping my husband and I feeling our best too. And the broccolini and corn on the cob provide lots offiber—a nutrient that does everything from lower our risk of heart disease to help us maintain good gut health.

Monday:Peanutty Soba Noodleswith sliced mangoTuesday:Spicy White Bean & Spinach Saladwith whole-grain baguetteWednesday:Miso-Glazed Salmonwith roasted broccolini (see above) andMicrowaved Corn on the CobThursday:Chicken & Cabbage Salad with Nuoc Cham Dressingwith sliced pineapple and whole-grain baguetteFriday:Mushroom Lettuce Wrapswith brown rice

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watermelon mint mocktail

Lila adores watermelon, so it’s a fruit we often have in the fridge. But since we’re only a family of three, we’ve been making mocktails and cocktails that feature watermelon (particularly sincewatermelon is a hydrating fruit) to help get through it before it goes bad. A favorite at our house is thisWatermelon Mint Mocktail. It’s super refreshing, plus adding mint gives it mojito vibes. And it’s easy to turn into an adult beverage with a shot of rum or tequila.

Get the Recipe:​​Watermelon Mint Mocktail

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Try a Recipe:13 Fruity Cobblers, Crisps & Crumbles You’ll Want to Make All Summer Long

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