Menu Plan Monday :: 11.28.2016

I can't believe I'm even thinking about food after all I've consumed over the past 5 days. When you can say that, you know it was a good Thanksgiving! But now it's time to buckle down for the next few weeks until Christmas comes and the devouring everything-in-sight begins all over again. The next few weeks are going to be pretty darn healthy around here because we all know how over indulgent the holidays can be. And what fun would they be if we deprived ourselves??

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Pennsylvania Dutch turkey pot pie. I made a batch of turkey stock over the weekend from our Thankgiving turkey. I'll use some of it for this recipe, and the remainder I'll freeze for later. I am linking to a chicken pot pie recipe. I'll be substituting turkey stock for chicken stock, but the rest of the recipe is the same. This is a hearty meal and goes well with a side salad. My mom always served it with iceberg and hot bacon dressing. Because I don't like hot bacon dressing, I always serve a basic house salad with a choice of dressings.

Tuesday - Ultimate nachos. It may not be game day, but we are going to throw caution to the wind here. If you prefer, you can make the basic nachos and let everyone top them on their own. But whatever you do, be sure to serve them up with lots of guac, fresh sliced jalapenos, and fresh salsa.

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Wednesday - Grilled southwestern shrimp salad. Talk about light and healthy. This recipe is perfect for the post-Thankgiving recovery. Have a shellfish allergy? Easy, peasy. Substitute grilled chicken or steak. Done!

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Thursday - 12-minute chicken and broccoli. This meal is always a favorite in our house. Super easy and quick to make. You can add additional veggies if you wish and serve with white or brown rice.

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Friday - White bean and escarole soup. I'll never be able to make it the way my mother-in-law did, but I always try! Rather than using chicken sausage, I'll be using sliced pepperoni (but not the bagged pepperoni. You need to buy a stick and slice it yourself), just as my MIL always had.

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Saturday - Spinach pesto with pasta. I keep batches of pesto frozen so that this meal comes together in a pinch every single time. I add toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan cheese to the top before serving and always serve with an arugula salad.

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Sunday - My birthday!!! I'm taking the day off. :)

As a special treat this week, I'll be making this snack mix. It's a healthy alternative to cookies this time of year.

What's on your plate this week? For more meal time inspiration, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday linkup.

To view all of my menu planning posts, click here. Visit my What's For Dinner, Pasta, and Soups On! Pinterest boards for even more ideas.