The idea of meal prep and cooking extravagant dinners can be daunting – especially when in the throws of life with two kids. Between getting the girls to activities, working, traveling, maintaining a social life, and, of course, just being tired after waking up with a newborn, cooking can be the last thing on my mind. Alex genuinely loves it and doesn’t take the easy way out (frozen pizza, anyone?) which is why he’s the chef in our house!
Dive in as I share a few healthy dinner recipes that we reach for quite often. They’re simple and wholesome recipes that satisfy the tastebuds and fill the belly.
Adapted from the Defined Dish cookbook, this recipe is always an easy go-to as everyone loves it. Family dinner is calling- here is your perfect answer!
Place the flank steak on a cutting board under parchment paper and use the back of a skillet to tenderize the meat by pounding the steak until it is ½ inch thick. Remove the parchment paper then slice the steak into ¼ inch slices. Add the steak to a large bowl and toss to coat with salt, pepper, and arrowroot.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large nonticket skillet. Add the steak in a single layer to avoid overcrowding the pan (might need to be done in batches). Sear until it forms a deep brown crust, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer all cooked steak to a plate and set aside.
Add the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add beef broth and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.
Return the steak to the skillet and stir in green onions, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.
Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Can be serviced with baby bok coy or broccoli on the side. Enjoy!
Alex’s mom made this bright and flavorful salad in Australia that left me inspired. This recreation is a favorite as it tastes like summertime in Oz… ahh, take me back!
Heat a large griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat.
Slice Halloumi into 8-10 pieces, coat in olive oil salt and pepper. Griddle or fry for 2-3 mins on each side until charred and beginning to melt. (optional: after flipping the first time zest a bit of orange, squeeze a bit of orange juice, and drizzle honey and let sizzle one more minute)
In a large bowl, combine greens, juice of 3 oranges, segments of 1 orange and any salvaged from the juiced oranges, minute leaves, vinegar, and olive oil. Season then gently toss together.
Add chopped walnuts (or pistachios) and salad greens, then toss together. Top with halloumi and season with salt & pepper. Enjoy!
Adapted from the Sunee Side Up Cookbook, these tacos are a great plant based, vegan option. Full of flavor, easy to put together, and you would never know these are made with jackfruit. YUM.
Place drained jackfruit into a large bowl and gently break apart with your hands. Set aside for later.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft.
Add cumin, paprika, ground coriander, and cinnamon to a saucepan and stir for about 1 minute.
Add tomato paste and stir well. Once combined, add coconut aminos, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, pepper and jackfruit. Stir well and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes (stirring regularly).
Serve soft tacos warm – assemble with jackfruit and fresh ingredients. Enoy!
This is such a feel-good meal that has been in our home for decades. Calling my vegans – there are great substitute options in here, too!
Melt butter in skillet. Add meat, onions, garlic. Cook until meat loses red color.
Add water. Cook covered for 10 minutes. Make paste of flour and chili powder by adding a little water to them (the paste should look like the consistency pictured above). Add to meat.
Add beans, tomato sauce, spaghetti pasta. Cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is done. Enjoy! Serves 8 – 10. Preparing the day before planning to serve improves flavor.
This recipe is adapted from Half Baked Harvest – a blog that has go-to recipes for every occasion. I love ramen and find this to be a simple dish to come back to for weeknight dinners.
Melt together the butter, garlic and ginger over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes then add the chili oil, cooking for 1 additional minute.
Pour in the broth, milk, and soy sauce, add in the bok choy and miso, bring everything to a boil. Next, add the ramen and allow for 1-2 for the noodles to become soft.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
A go-to dinner in our household as Chef Alex loves to break out the bread and the food processor. If you’re a meat eater and a fan of chicken, this is an easy, budget-friendly recipe that’s fun for the whole family. Call it an Aussie chicken tender or Chicken Schnitzel, this meal is the way to my heart.
Trim any bits of fat from the tenders or breasts, then place all the chicken on a plate. If you have breasts, you’ll need to cut them down. Place your hand on the top of the breast. Slice carefully & horizontally into the thickest round edge, slicing about three quarters of the way into the breast, unfold the breast into two symmetrical halves (a “butterfly” of the breast). Slice down the middle to divide the breast into two equal pieces. If need be, pound the pieces until they are of uniformed thickness.
Set up three wide bowls and a large empty plate on your countertop. Add the flour in the first bowl. In your second bowl, beat the eggs together with 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 tsp salt until well mixed. In your third bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Place empty plate nearby for your coated schnitzels.
Pour oil into a skillet or sauté pan until it’s deep enough for frying (about ½ inch). Heat the oil slowly over medium.
While the oil is heating, dip each breast one by one into your bowls, starting with coating each schnitzel in flour, then the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. It’s probably a good idea to wash your hands of the contents before repeating the process for the remaining tenders.
Add the schnitzels to the oil over medium heat around 350 degrees F. The oil should not be so hot that it’s smoking or splattering. Fry the tenders in single-layer batches until golden brown on both sides. It should take about 2.5 – 3 minutes per side to cook the schnitzels.
Set the schnitzels on a drying rack (or on a paper towel-lined plate) to drain excess oil. Pro tip: Keep the first batches of schnitzels warm and crispy by placing them in the oven on the lowest setting (ours is 170 F).
Sprinkle the schnitzels with additional salt to taste if desired. Serve hot with lemon wedges or your favorite condiment. The entire meal pictured below was bought at Trader Joe’s and was very friendly on the bank account. Cheap & cheerful wine pairing: Upper Eden, Pinot Noir!
Salad Pairing made easy by a bag of mixed greens, chopped tomato, avocado and dressing.
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Toss with mixed greens and enjoy!
Adapted from Serious Eats, this recipe is vegan friendly and so easy to make. Taking only 15 minutes, this soup is the perfect pair for a grilled cheese sandwich – hellooo family friendly meal with hidden veggies! A winner all around.
Heat only 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan until simmering. Slowly add in the garlic, opinions, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Making sure to stir frequently – cook until onions are softened, should be about 4 minutes.
Add bread and tomatoes and mash using a whisk or potato masher. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer to cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a blender and gradually trickle in half of the remaining olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper then transfer to a bowl for serving.
Garnish with herbs, olive oil, and serve with grilled cheese sandwiches. Enjoy!
This dish immediately transports me to blue skies and white sand through the Mediterranean flavors in each bite. We recreated this from a Home Chef recipe and have made it many times since.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
Sauté couscous with 1tbs olive oil over medium heat, stirring until lightly browned (about 5 mins). Slowly add 1 3/4 cup boiling water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Simmer for 12 mins or until liquid is absorbed.
Pat shrimp dry and stir into couscous
Combine couscous mixture, zucchini, marinara, seasoning blend, 2 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt in a pyrex dish
Bake (uncovered) for 23-25 minutes. Remove dish from the oven. Stir in garlic and herb butter until combined. Top with lemon juice and feta. Enjoy!
All in one skillet dinner – sign me up! Little clean up, simple, delish. This recipe is adapted from the ‘Dinner Tonight’ cookbook.
Sauce:
Preheat the oven to 425*F. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
Arrange the potatoes, brussels sprouts, pancetta, chiles, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper on the prepared baking sheet. Toss to combine.
Lay the chicken thighs in the center of the sheet pan, skin side up, around the veggies. Pat the chicken dry then drizzle with remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown, the potatoes are soft, and the edges of the Brussels sprouts are crispy.
Prepare the hot honey dijon sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Spoon 1tbsp of the sauce over each chicken thigh after roasting for 30-35 minutes. Drizzle 2 tbsp of the sauce over the veggies, reserving some sauce for serving. Return sheet pan to the oven to roast until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has caramelized – should be about 5-8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
This throw-in-the-pot recipe could not be easier and involves little effort. Busy weeknight calls for green chile chicken soup. Magic! The recipe is adapted from ‘Everyday Dinners’ cookbook.
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat then add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes.
Add the chicken, enchilada sauce broth, green chiles, cumin, and oregano. Stir until all ingredients are combined then bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to simmer and stir in rice. Cover the soup and simmer until chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender – should be around 20 minutes.
Use tons to transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow time for them to cool slightly. Cut into cubes and return to the soup. Add lime juice and cilantro to taste.
Serve and top with optional garnishes like avocado, tortilla chips, and lime. Enjoy!
Let me know if you love these recipes as much as we do! Dinner is served, y’all. For dessert, see How to Make Toblerone Mousse, M&M Cookies for Spring, and Grilled Peaches.
