Healthy, Fast Recipes Make Dinner Prep Easy

It’s a weeknight. You don’t want to be cooking in the kitchen after working all day. But you know another drive thru meal of chicken tenders and waffle fries just aren’t healthy for your family. Let’s add more veggies. Let’s make them taste AWESOME. Familiar enough entrees, but with the nutrition AMPED UP. Pizza: on garlic naan with homemade sauce. Tex Mex: seasoned cauliflower rice and fresh toppings. Salad: roasted seasonal veg and homemade dressing. And these recipes are beginner level, as well. You can do this. They should take around 30 minutes and won’t require five skillets and six preparations. 

Substitute ingredients as you please. Don’t like kale? Sub romaine. Miss the meat? Add some sliced chicken. Don’t like goat cheese? Sub feta. Don’t like cauliflower rice? Sub jasmine rice. Rule of thumb for quick meals: shortcuts are encouraged. Use your favorite salsa instead of taking thirty more minutes chopping and mixing your own. No time to cook chicken breasts in the pan? Use precooked chicken or pull from a rotisserie. Buy pre-chopped kale and frozen cauliflower rice. Bottom line, these recipes are adaptable, simple and no stress. Add these to your weekly rotation and change up ingredients each time. You’ll feel like a rock star at the dining room table.

Naan Flatbread Pizzas

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large or 4 mini garlic or plain naan

Teaspoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic

8 oz can tomato sauce

Squeeze of honey

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Variety of chopped toppings

            Protein: pepperoni, meatballs, precooked chicken, ham

            Vegetables: onions, peppers, olives, broccoli

8 oz mozzarella block (grate for freshness, pre-grated to save time)

Shredded parmesan

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500. Apply cooking spray to a baking sheet or a pizza pan. In a non-stick skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Add tomato sauce, honey, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally for five minutes. Take off heat. Gather variety of chopped toppings. Place two large naan or four mini naan onto baking sheet. Spoon sauce in center of naans, spreading in a circle almost to the edges. Sprinkle or place toppings on sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese to desired depth. Bake in oven for ten minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Remove and let cool. Top with parmesan, salt, pepper, basil, hot sauce if desired.

Cauli Tex Mex Bowls

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels or one can corn, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), riced (or one 16-ounce bag riced cauliflower)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 to 3 medium limes)

1 cup diced or shredded cooked chicken (optional), warmed if desired

1 cup pico de gallo or salsa

1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

Instructions

Place the beans, corn, water, chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the riced cauliflower and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is heated through and just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 1/4 cup of the cilantro and the lime juice, and stir to combine.

Divide the riced cauliflower among 4 bowls. Top with the bean and corn mixture, chicken if using, pico de gallo or salsa, and avocado slices. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve warm.

Easy Roasted Vegetable Salad

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

Salad:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 container mushrooms, halved or quartered if large

1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered through the root

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

5 ounces baby kale, chopped kale, or romaine lettuce

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta

1/2 cup toasted butternut squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, or pecans

Dressing:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 small clove garlic, grated or minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425. Chop onions, butternut squash, and mushrooms. Toss on baking pan with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, flipping ingredients once. While roasting, toast seeds or nuts if not already toasted in a non-stick skillet on medium low, stirring frequently until you can smell the seeds/nuts. Watch carefully, they will burn quickly. Make the dressing by shaking all ingredients in a small mason jar with lid, or whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Pour half of the dressing into a large bowl. Once veggies are roasted, carefully put them into bowl with the dressing and gently toss while warm. Add chopped kale, goat cheese, and remainder of dressing, tossing gently. Top with toasted seeds.