November Healthy Dinners: What to Cook (Oct 31)

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With a new month on the horizon, this week’s menu is all about November Healthy Dinners featuring vegetables dieticians say we should have on our plates weekly. Simple, hearty, fall-inspired meals packed with healthy nutrients and autumn flavor.

10 Vegetables You Should Eat Every Week According to Dieticians

I recently came across a list at Eating Well of 10 vegetables that dietitians recommend we eat weekly. After a brief glance, I knew we should develop a menu featuring these vegetables. Almost like a healthy fall-food roadmap of delicious autumn flavors.

According to dietician Alena Kharlamenko, M.S., RD, these vegetables are packed with essential nutrients, we should be adding to our plates weekly.

1. Arugula:

This green is high in vitamin C and is a source of potassium, calcium, magnesium and folate. (Arugula recipes)

2. Butternut Squash:

Packed with nutrients, with 1 cup containing close to 50% of the Daily Value for vitamin C and over 10% each of potassium, fiber and magnesium. (Butternut Squash recipes)

3. Carrots:

This nutrient-dense vegetable is rich in vitamin C, beta carotene, fiber and potassium. (Carrot recipes)

4. Onions:

A naturally low-calorie and low-fat food, they’re a source of essential micronutrients including vitamin C and potassium. Interestingly, the outer layers of onions have been shown to have the highest concentration of antioxidant compounds, so try to peel them as minimally as you can.

5. Brussel Sprouts:

Contains over 100% of the Daily Value for vitamin C and over 10% of the Daily Value for fiber. (Brussel Sprout recipes)

6. Mushrooms:

Mushrooms contain fiber, potassium and multiple B vitamins including niacin (vitamin B3), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). (Mushroom recipes)

7. Potatoes:

These nutrient-dense vegetables offer an excellent source of essential nutrients such as potassium, fiber and vitamin C. (Potato recipes)

8. Bell Peppers:

A lesser-known source of vitamin C, bell peppers, especially brightly colored ones like red, yellow and orange, are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant involved in iron absorption, skin and tissue repair and immune function. (Peppers recipes)

9. Green Peas:

“Green peas are one of the highest protein-containing veggies that are also loaded with fiber,” says Gabrielle McPherson, M.S., RDN. One cup contains over 25% of one’s daily fiber needs alongside 8 grams of plant-based protein. (Peas recipes)

10. Beets:

One cup of beets contains 4 grams of fiber and over 10% of the Daily Value of potassium. Beets are also a source of folate, magnesium and phosphorus.

November Healthy Dinners: What’s on the Menu

When planning this week’s menu, I incorporated as many of the 10 vegetables listed as possible. I will be adding the additional veggies as sides or for healthy lunches throughout the week.

Here’s what’s on the menu:

Monday is Halloween and we’ll be splurging with treats, but a healthy and hearty dinner will go a long way toward limiting those treats! I think. This one-pot dinner features butternut squash and ground meat. It’s easy to make with ground beef, chicken, or turkey. Add greens.

The second vegetable-inspired dinner is a quick version of stuffed peppers, featuring a kaleidoscope of colors. Be sure to serve greens with this healthy casserole on Tuesday.

For Wednesday, it’s pure comfort food with a healthy chicken stew that feeds both the body and the soul.

On Thursday, we’re featuring arugula with an easy-to-made salmon cake served with a healthy salad. I will be serving these on whole grain buns for the guys in my house to keep them full.

I can’t let mushrooms slip through the crack as it’s one of my favorite foods. Friday’s dinner is a scrumptious mushroom soup I’ll be serving with whole grain sourdough and a fall salad.

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