With a major chill in the air and all of the holiday emails flowing, the season has definitely changed and I must admit I’m loving it. However, just because the joy season is here doesn’t mean we’re kicking our healthy-ish mindset to the curb.

This week featured awesome, big bowls of greens, healthier-than-average meatballs, and a fabulous taco. Are you hungry yet?

Let’s discuss dinner!

Mediterranean Meatballs with Tzatziki and Sautéed French Beans

Recipe via The Modern Proper.

I’m telling you this: meatballs are magic. The most versatile protein out there for weeknight dining at home (and lunch the next day), the mighty meatball can do no wrong (in my opinion). This recipe created absurdly delicious beef-based meatballs with a Mediterranean flair which were served with Tzatziki making it a fantastic duo.

However, if you’re not in the mood for beef, I would try them with ground turkey. Another wonderful protein that’s also a bit healthier. ;) Of course, be sure to use GF panko in this recipe (we use Aleia’s) but otherwise you’re good to go.

We decided to serve the meatballs with a quick plate of sautéed French beans which always taste extra special with plenty of garlic. Sure, we could’ve added a starch such as rice, but honestly the meatballs were so yummy and filling I didn’t want anything else on the plate to distract from their awesomeness. I told you: meatballs are magic. And I love them too much. Best part? The recipe made 33 meatballs! We had leftovers for days… literally. ;)

Thai Chicken Tacos

Recipe via What’s Gaby Cooking.

In my ever-present hunt for tacos that are scrumptious and semi-healthy, yes it’s possible, I stumbled upon a recipe for Thai chicken pizza. Since we didn’t want pizza, I determined that the exact same pizza toppings would definitely create a really delicious taco (or so I hoped). A Thai taco was in the works!

The result was a way-beyond-basic dinner that featured plenty of veggies, delicious, Thai-flavored chicken, and an amazing peanut dressing that would be the base in the tortilla (and that I want for every salad, ever). We used grain-free tortillas by Siete Foods which work wonderfully for taco nights. Just heat them ever so slightly in a flat cast-iron pan for a little crisp on the edges!

We garnished our tacos with peanuts and fresh lime juice, and I fully admit I inhaled my first one in about six seconds. These were too good!! If you’re looking for a taco night with a twist, then these Thai chicken tacos are here for you. Bonus? Dairy free! And the filling can be eaten on its own, taco -salad style, for lunch the next day.

White Beans with Broccoli Rabe and Lemon, turkey meatballs

White Bean Recipe via Bon Appétit.

In an attempt to make a plate of beans and greens more exciting, we added meatballs! Of course we did. Did you read my earlier comments? Meatballs, ever the magic addition, make a medium-level dinner way better. And much more filling. Sure, the veggie was supplemented with white beans and Parmesan, but honestly this dish needed something else. And yes, the recipe was advertised as a side dish, so naturally it needed more. Basic (Italian) turkey meatballs to the rescue!

The white beans and broccoli rabe were good, not great. Quite bitter! And despite not being bitter-averse, even this plate was a bit strong for me. Oh, there is a plethora of lemon, too! This dish was creamy, lemony, and bitter. An interesting combination; I’m glad we had the savory turkey meatballs to balance it all out.

Final thought: the dish wasn’t as presentable when plated as I had hoped. So believe me when I say it tasted much better than it looked!

Super Green Sun-Dried Tomato Herb Salad

Recipe via Half-Baked Harvest.

Holy hearty and happy salad! To close our cooking week we made a major, and mighty, meatless salad that truly delivered. It’s hard for me to get excited about salad nights when it’s cold and all I crave is anything-baked-with-cheese, but this one was different. A healthy salad that tastes decadent?! Sign me up. This one needs to be on all of our tables all winter long.

The greens base was a mix of arugula, kale, dill, and other fresh herbs, which were tossed with a light vinaigrette and the oil from chopped sun-dried tomatoes (another stellar ingredient). In the greens were also carrot slices and plenty of those sun-dried tomatoes. Yum!

To make this salad even better, crumbled feta, avocado, and crispy chickpeas went on top. Wow! Now that’s a trifecta of toppings that will always be awesome. For someone who briefly belittled our scheduled salad night, I was very impressed and overjoyed with the result. Scrumptious and satisfying; I didn’t even reach for dessert. ;)

Note: this dish would be incredible at your Thanksgiving table, holiday gathering, or just your usual Tuesday night. I just loved it and know you (and your guests) will, too.

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As always, please leave a comment below or send us a note with any questions about our meals.

Enjoy!

Mollie and Seth