ThePrep: High-Fiber 15-Minute Dinners

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Fiber—it's probably the best thing that ever existed (next to coffee, maybe)! It keeps you feeling full and satisfied after a meal (no hunger pangs an hour after eating), helps your gut stay happy and healthy, keeps blood sugars balanced and helps protect your heart, just to name a few benefits. This week's plan combines the health benefits of fiber with easy, delicious dinners ready in just 15-minutes.

Your Meal Plan

These yummy meals deliver at least 8 grams of fiber, from whole grains, beans and veggies, to help you reach the daily requirement of 30 grams per day. They also deliver on flavor, with recipes like Sunday's Salmon & Creamy Orzo with Spinach & Mushrooms and Tuesday's Broiled Cod with Tomatoes & Herbed Mayonnaise. You'll notice that these two dinners, plus Thursday's Shrimp & Coconut Curry with Eggplant brings the seafood count for this week up to three servings. Beyond being healthy protein sources, the cod, salmon and shrimp in these recipes are also quick-cooking and help to keep these tasty dinners within 15 minutes.

The chicken tenders in Monday's dinner also cook quickly on a single sheet-pan with broccoli and everything bagel seasoning, which means clean-up is fast as well. To add some fiber to this meal and to Thursday's, make a double batch of our Easy Whole-Wheat Couscous. Just a cup brings the fiber count up by 8 grams—which is almost a third of your total daily needs.

Sunday: Salmon & Creamy Orzo with Spinach & Mushrooms (9 g fiber)

Monday: Sheet-Pan Chicken Tenders & Broccoli with Everything Bagel Seasoning over 1 cup Easy Whole-Wheat Couscous (10 g fiber)

Tuesday: Broiled Cod with Tomatoes & Herbed Mayonnaise over 1 cup Easy Whole-Wheat Couscous (9 g fiber)

Wednesday: White Bean, Kale & Kielbasa Soup with 1 piece whole-wheat bread topped with olive oil, salt and pepper (9 g fiber)

Thursday: Shrimp & Coconut Curry with Eggplant over 1 cup cooked brown rice (8 g fiber)

Friday: White Bean & Veggie Salad (13 g fiber)

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Big Batch Snack

Back at the beginning of winter, I was on a baking kick, making yummy cookies and banana bread galore almost every week. But it's been a while since I fired-up my oven to make a sweet treat and this Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake is calling my name. I'll probably make a double batch, so I have one for myself and one to drop off to my Dad for his birthday (Happy Birthday!)

Get the Recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Treat Yourself

I went through a phase where I used to get elderflower cocktails all the time but haven't had one in ages. I love the subtle sweetness and floral flavors you get from the elderflower liqueur and of course the bubbles from the Prosecco. The long weekend—and Valentine's Day on Sunday—is a good excuse to whip up a few of these simple yet fancy-feeling sippers.

Get the Recipe: Elderflower Champagne Cocktail