4 Recipes to Recover from Indulgent Holiday Meals

This week, let’s plan to lighten our post-holiday meals just a tad with roasted shrimp and broccoli, chickpea curry, and more!

By
Marta Rivera
Marta Rivera
Marta Rivera
Marta has 25 years of experience in the food service industry and has been developing recipes for 3 years. She is the author of Taste & See Cooks: Recipes to Inspire, Equip and Enjoy.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated May 16, 2025
Marta Rivera
Week 1 December Meal Plan

The holidays are notorious for indulgent meals, and rightfully so. Throughout the year I try to watch what I'm eating and make healthy meal choices. When it comes to the holidays, the meals are rich and decadent.

As much as I like a decided season of indulgence, even I can only take so much richness. That’s why I break up the series of festive meals with a week or two of lighter fares.

A sweet and spicy shrimp and broccoli dinner in the beginning of the week is pretty hands off thanks to a large sheet pan and the oven. Pork chops on Wednesday make use of in-season pears in a tangy ginger sauce. Thursday’s hearty low carb “brinner” (breakfast for dinner) is an egg dish that is also gluten-free.

Not only will this week’s meals give you a break from extravagant dinners, many of them will cut down on time spent in the kitchen preparing dinner. These recipes can be prepped in 15 minutes or less. 

  • Hot Honey Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

    Spicy Honey Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli on a white plate with a fork.
    Sally Vargas

    Hot Honey Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli is a nod to my favorite Chinese take-out dish. The honey is made hot by an infusion of spicy chilis, so it’s got a bit of kick to it. If you prefer a milder meal, reduce the amount of red pepper flakes to 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon. 

  • Pork Chops With Ginger Pear Sauce

    Pork Chops with Ginger Pear Sauce
    Elise Bauer

    Pork Chops With Ginger Pear Sauce take a smidge over 30 minutes to make, so they’re a great midweek dinner option. If you’re like me and like a generous slather of sauce, I suggest doubling this sweet and sour ginger pear version. I’m going to serve these chops with creamy mashed potatoes and a simple garden salad. 

  • Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry With Sweet Potatoes and Red Peppers

    Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry
    Sabrina Modelle

    Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry With Sweet Potatoes and Red Peppers is a dish I love because I don’t need to babysit it. Thank goodness because I find myself running out of steam this time of year. To shave 4 hours off of the cooking time, soak the chickpeas overnight. Just omit the extra water if you do that. 

  • Joe’s Special (Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, Beef, and Mushrooms)

    Joe's Special Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, Beef, and Mushrooms
    Coco Morante

    If you haven’t gotten on the breakfast for dinner train, this is a great intro. Brinner makes the last meal of the week simple. This recipe is basically an open-faced, less fussy omelet.

Explore More: