We’ve all been there, when you’ve had a long day full of constant decision making at work and now it’s time to make possibly the toughest decision of them all: “What’s for dinner?”
It can be difficult making the choice between convenience and healthy food options but with these easy dinner recipe ideas, you can have the best of both worlds.
Honey Glazed Salmon is both a healthy and delicious dinner option.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of fresh salmon, divided into 4 filets
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 Tablespoons of honey
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cups of mixed baby greens (2 cups per salad)
- 1 cup of your favorite mixed seeds, dried fruit and nuts. (1/4 cup per salad)
- Dressing of your choice
Directions:
- Thoroughly wash your greens and spin them dry or allow to air dry for a bit and then set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan to medium heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the fish in the pan, skin side down.
- Cook about 3 minutes or until the skin no longer sticks to the pan then flip. (Note: I like to remove the skin after flipping.)
- Add the honey to the pan, it should melt instantly and start to bubble.
- Coat the fish completely in the honey and cook through, about another 3-5 minutes depending on how thick the fish is. Be sure to keep a close eye on the temperature so the honey does not get too hot and start to burn.
- Remove the fish from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before placing on the salad so the greens do not wilt.
- When ready, place the fish on the salad, top with the seed and nut mixture and drizzle a dressing of your choice.
Nothing is faster than ordering pizza, except maybe Pepperoni Pasta.
Ingredients:
- Ground beef or ground turkey
- Crushed tomatoes or spaghetti sauce
- Pepperoni
- Pasta
- Parmesan cheese (This is optional but so yummy!)
Directions:
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Make sure to drain any grease. I like to boil the pasta until al dente while I’m cooking the ground beef or turkey.
- Add the tomatoes and seasoning to the meat. Stir the pepperoni into the mixture.
- Top the pasta with the sauce mixture and serve!
Chicken & Spinach Parmesan is best served over noodles.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs small chicken cutlets or breast filets (6 – 8 pieces of chicken)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce
- 2 cups baby spinach (chopped)
- 1 cup mozzarella (grated)
Directions:
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Combine panko and parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
- Coat the chicken with the bread crumb mixture pressing gently to adhere.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the cutlets (do in batches to avoid crowding) and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. (Wipe skillet before repeating with remaining chicken pieces.)
- Remove chicken from skillet and pour half of the pasta sauce onto the bottom of the skillet.
- Gently lay the chicken on top.
- Top each piece of chicken with a couple tablespoons of sauce, 1/4 cup chopped spinach, and two tablespoons of mozzarella. Just spoon and sprinkle till it looks right.
- Place in broiler for 2-4 minutes until cheese just begins to turn golden brown.
- Serve immediately.
If you are looking for affordable and quick, try these Black Bean Burritos.
Ingredients:
- 5 10-inch flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 tbsp canola or olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 large jalapeno, minced
- 3 (15-oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 6 oz. cream cheese, cubed
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place them in the oven to warm for 15 minutes.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, red onion, red pepper, and jalapeño and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in black beans and cook another 3 minutes.
- Add cubed cream cheese and salt and cook until the mixture becomes creamy and heated through. Stir in cilantro.
- Serve mixture in tortillas, with any additional toppings desired.
Chicken Fajita Pasta is a scrumptious skillet meal perfect for busy evenings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, towel dried, and cut into bite-size portions
- 3 tbsp fajita seasoning (homemade or store bought packet), divided in half
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (yellow or red) diced
- 2 bell peppers (any colors) seeded and diced
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (10 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
- 8 oz dry penne pasta
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- In a large heavy pan (like a nonstick) heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat until oil is hot.
- Add chicken and half of the seasoning, tossing to coat well.
- Spread chicken in a single layer and let cook undisturbed for about 1 min, or until browned on bottom side.
- Flip chicken over and repeat until both sides are browned. Remove chicken to a large bowl and set aside.
- Add remaining 2 tbsp oil to the pan over high heat. Once oil is hot, add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic, along with remaining half of seasoning.
- Stir well to coat; stir often and cook until veggies are tender, 2 min. Add veggies to the bowl of cooked chicken.
- Add broth, tomatoes with all its juice, and dry pasta to the same pan.
- Bring liquid to a boil and immediately reduce to a low boil. Cover and let cook for 15 min. until pasta is al dente. Liquid should be mostly absorbed.
- When pasta is cooked, add chicken and veggies back to the same pan.
- Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir to combine and heat through.
