ThePrep: 400-Calorie Dinners Ready in 20 Minutes Flat

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The saying goes here in Vermont that you're supposed to wait until after Memorial Day to start planting, in case a cold spell brings frost. But the sunny, 80 degree weather we've been having has me thinking otherwise! So, I'm going to go for it and plant like crazy. These fast 20 minute meals will be perfect for this week, as I'm sure I'll have worked up an appetite come dinner time. Plus, they just happen to clock in right around 400 calories.

Your Meal Plan

The Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce that kicks off this week of tasty dinners is full of fresh and delicious flavor. I absolutely love capers and have a jar on hand at all times to jazz up recipes. To add an extra serving of veggies to this meal, I'll pair this with our Zucchini Noodle Cacio e Pepe—but rather than spiralize the zucchini myself, I'll just buy pre-spiralized zucchini noodles from the store to save time. Using frozen riced cauliflower to serve with Monday's Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce is another time-saving strategy to help keep these dinners quick.

And as if things weren't easy enough already, Wednesday's Green Goddess White Bean Salad happens to require just three ingredients—bagged kale-and-broccoli salad mix, canned beans and bottle Greek Goddess dressing. So simple and easy! And Thursday's Grilled Caprese Chicken is a brand new recipe that I'm really excited to try this week. You could pair tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar with just about anything and it'd be delicious, and it works especially well here with grilled chicken. Enjoy!

Sunday: Scallops & Cherry Tomatoes with Caper-Butter Sauce over Zucchini Noodle Cacio e Pepe (381 calories)

Monday: Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce over 1 cup riced cauliflower (404 calories) Watch me make this recipe!

Tuesday: Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes with 1 cup mixed greens topped with 1 Tbsp. Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette (430 calories)

Wednesday: 3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad with 1 (1-inch) piece baguette (433 calories)

Thursday: Grilled Caprese Chicken with 2 cup topped with 2 Tbsp. Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette (428 calories)

Friday: Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta with 1 (1-inch) piece baguette (442 calories)

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Meal-Prep Snack

These healthy energy balls are the tastiest! And the good thing is that I already have most of the ingredients on hand to make them (think oats, peanut butter and honey). In this recipe we mix in chocolate chips and dehydrated blueberries but you can really add whatever you'd like, like nuts or shredded coconut.

Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter & Blueberry Energy Balls

Treat Yourself

I love that I don't have to whip out my blender to make this Fresh Strawberry Margarita. Muddling the strawberries and basil leaves in the cocktail shaker is enough to get that lovely flavor infused into the drink. Yum!

Get the Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Margarita

I hope you all have a safe and happy week, and if you have any questions or requests for future newsletters, please let me know by emailing ThePrep@eatingwell.com!