ThePrep: Immune Boosting 30-Minute Dinners to Kick Colds to The Curb

February is the official month of colds. It seems like my whole office has the sniffles, me included and, boy oh boy, it sure does stink to not feel well. Whenever I have a cold, I crave a big bowl of steaming hot, brothy soup. It’s my ultimate comfort food and always helps me feel better—plus it’s a great way to get in lots of immune-boosting ingredients to help kick my cold to the curb. Whether you’re sick or not, this week of comforting 30-minute dinners will help you feel your best.

Cozy soups, hearty pastas and comforting curries make it easy to pack in the foods that support a strong immune system (think lots of colorful veggies and antioxidant-rich herbs and spices) while delivering the warmth you crave when under the weather. The Mexican Cabbage Soup for Sunday is one of my favorites because it’s ready in just 20 minutes and delivers a TON of veggies per bowl. Plus, leftovers make for a great weekday lunch!

Tuesday’s One-Skillet Chicken Paprikash with Mushrooms & Onions is another Seaver family favorite, sick or not. I love adding a little chili powder for a kick of heat (which will also open your sinuses!) and serving it over egg noodles. 

Here’s how you can get ahead on prep for the week to make these easy 30-minute dinners even easier:

1. Prep all the veggies for Sunday’s Mexican Cabbage Soup. 
2. Chop the eggplant and onion for Wednesday’s Eggplant Curry (but wait to chop the other veggies). If you want to save a few dollars, make a batch of brown rice at home rather than buying precooked packets.
3. Halve the Brussels sprouts and cut the cauliflower into florets and refrigerate for Friday’s One-Pot Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts.

Sunday: Mexican Cabbage Soup

Monday: Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

Tuesday: One-Skillet Chicken Paprikash with Mushrooms & Onions over egg noodles

Wednesday: Eggplant Curry

Thursday: Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

Friday: One-Pot Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts

We're making shopping easier with a list of all the ingredients you need to make this week's dinners, meal-prep breakfast and featured treat. Get the shopping list.

Meal-prepping these loaded muffin-tin eggs at the beginning of the week means you’ll have a veggie-packed breakfast ready to go every morning. I love using this as a base recipe and throwing in whatever veggies I have in my fridge—one of my favorite combos is broccoli, bell peppers and zucchini.

Get the Recipe: Easy Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins

For a sore throat or a sweet tooth, this creamy 3-ingredient Strawberry-Mango Nice Cream recipe is a tasty treat made without added sugar.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry-Mango Nice Cream