Do you ever find it hard to think of new, healthy dinner ideas? If so, you aren’t alone. Even as a dietitian, an actual food and nutrition expert, I, too, still have nights when absolutely nothing sounds appetizing. However, I’ve learned that sometimes the recipe staples in your home may be something new for someone else, so to share, here’s a peek inside my kitchen. I’m sharing some of the quick and easy healthy dinners that I cook for my family on repeat.
1. Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This is one that my husband frequently requests. I enjoy making it because it requires minimal ingredients and comes together in just minutes which is extra convenient on those crazier work days.
I don’t follow an official recipe, so here’s what you’ll need: lean ground chicken, buffalo wing sauce, and lettuce boats. Some days, we keep it this simple. On other days, we add toppings like sauteed onion, chopped celery, cooked brown rice, crumbled blue cheese, diced avocado, or creamy ranch dressing.
First, start by browning the meat in a pan over medium heat. Once it’s cooked, turn the stove down to low, add the buffalo wing sauce, as much or little as you prefer, and let the flavors combine in the pan for at least 5 minutes. Finally, assemble the ground chicken into the lettuce boat, then layer with the toppings you prefer! Pair it with a side of fruit, like sliced peaches, for a well-rounded, simple meal.
Did you know? Ground chicken and ground chicken breast vary in nutritional value more than you might realize. Let’s compare a 3oz serving. Ground chicken contains 160 calories, 9g total fat, 2g saturated fat, and 22g protein, whereas ground chicken breast contains 120 calories, 2g total fat, 0.5g saturated fat, and 25g protein. Both are healthy choices, but depending on your goals, one may better align. This is yet another reason why taking the time to read labels, even on meat, can be helpful.
2. Sloppy Joes
Raise your hand if the name of this recipe brings you right back to childhood. Guilty!
I stumbled on this recipe a while back and knew I had to make it. This recipe always gets picked when I offer to bring a postpartum mother a meal. I love it because my whole family eats it, even my toddler. Plus, it’s easy to double or triple the recipe to make a larger quantity.
The key to making this recipe extra tasty is to chop the red bell pepper and onion finely. This way, the vegetables blend in well with the meat, adding delicious flavor, while not changing the texture too much. I can’t take credit for creating this one, but you can snag the full recipe and list of ingredients here. I usually pair this with a frozen steamable bag of vegetables, like green beans.
Shopping Tip: Read the ingredients on the ketchup you usually purchase. Some begin with high fructose corn syrup instead of tomato puree. Since you’re using ½ cup in this recipe, choosing one with higher quality ingredients may be beneficial if you try to keep your sugar intake low. This option, by True Made Foods, is made of vegetables and free of high fructose corn syrup.
3. Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Are there any Chick-fil-A fans out there? With my family’s southern roots, it’s no surprise that we found ourselves craving their chicken sandwiches a little too frequently, so my husband and I set out to make them ourselves. Once we started making them, we couldn’t stop. It’s also a perfect recipe when feeding guests because it’s a simple meal that delivers high on flavor.
I don’t follow a specific recipe, so here’s what you’ll need: chicken breast, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, buns, lettuce, and tomato. First, cut the chicken breasts evenly to ensure a similar cooking time. Next, marinate the chicken breast in olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Then cook the chicken breast on the grill or in the oven. Place the cooked chicken breast onto your bun and top with lettuce, sliced tomato, and any extra toppings of your choice. We usually serve this sandwich with a mixed green salad and sometimes sweet potato oven fries.
Meal Prep Idea: When working with a protein like chicken breast, buying extra may be advantageous. This way, you will readily have extra to eat throughout the week or freeze for future use.
The Bottom Line
Don’t get discouraged if some week’s cooking seems more challenging than others. This feeling happens to the best of us. Instead, focus on finding simple healthy recipes, like the three listed above, that can make the cooking feel a little easier.
For additional cooking inspiration, check out our recipe section on the blog.
To enter any of the above recipes into the app, visit this tutorial.
