Need some easy and healthy weeknight meals stat? Look no further!
Back in the day, I had a fitness Instagram account and my mojo was healthy recipes! I LOVED creating new recipes and sharing them with my followers. Even though I’m no longer active on that account, it’s still up (I couldn’t bear to delete it), and I am hoping to bring back my passion of healthy cooking to the blog! So I scrolled through my feed and picked three delicious and easy dinner ideas that are tried and true.
Quick note about my cooking and eating philosophy: I try to cook at home using wholesome ingredients as much as possible but I don’t follow any strict guidelines or rules. Also, I’m a super lazy cook so I’m always looking for and creating recipes that are healthy AND convenient (read: no weird foreign ingredients and doesn’t take 5 million years to make). I do my best to eat clean/healthy probably about 80% of the time. When I say “clean” I mean as nutrient-dense and minimally processed foods as possible.
Some clean-eaters might scoff at me because I tend to use a lot of “frozen,” “packaged” and “canned” foods (albeit healthy) as opposed to the freshest of the fresh or organic or what have you. This is PURELY a convenience thing (again, I’m a lazy cook and would rather buy broccoli already chopped or rice already packaged that I can just throw in the microwave). This isn’t ALWAYS the case, but in this season in my life, convenience is a big priority. I have found that eating this way still provides me with a body I’m happy with, lots of energy and more time to do other things I enjoy (like blogging). All this to say, do what works for you. The general consensus seems to be that clean/healthy eating is good for you! But there are a million ways to do it right.
Go ahead and add these easy and healthy weeknight meals to your rotation and let me know what you think!
Meal #1: Sausage and Veggie Hash
Ingredients Needed:
- 1 pre-cooked turkey sausage, sliced
- A handful of baby potatoes, quartered (any kind)
- 2 bell peppers, sliced (I use one green and one red)
- 1 small onion, sliced
- Salsa of choice
- 2 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked (or a microwaveable packet; I like this kind)
Directions:
- Throw sliced sausage, potatoes, bell peppers and onion in a large skillet in a little olive oil; saute until peppers and onion are tender.
- Serve over brown rice or quinoa, and top with your favorite salsa.
Meal #2: Easy Taco Soup
Ingredients Needed:
- 1/2 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 can corn
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can kidney or pinto beans
- 1 can low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ranch seasoning packet
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
- Drain the beans and then throw all ingredients in a crockpot. Set to high for 4-5 hours or to low for 8 hours. Stir gently, cover and walk away!
- If you don’t own a crockpot, first of all, please order one on Amazon. In the meantime, brown the meat in a skillet. Add cooked meat and all other ingredients to large pot, cover and simmer on low for approximately 30 minutes.
- Top your soup with greek yogurt or sour cream, fresh avocado and/or crumbled tortilla chips!
Meal #3: Asian Style Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients Needed:
- 1 lb. lean ground beef, turkey or chicken
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 1 small can water chestnuts, drained and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
Directions:
- Cook the meat in a large skillet until browned, then add in the diced veggies and cook for a few more minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and rice vinegar to make the sauce; whisk until everything is well incorporated. Pour over the meat and veggies in the skillet. Turn off heat and stir until the sauce has soaked into the meat.
- Scoop the mixture into the center of the lettuce leaves and eat like a taco.
You might also enjoy Easy, Six-Can Chili
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