This is THE list of the 21 easiest weeknight dinners that are healthy! Because who has time to spend endless hours in the kitchen?
With three kids in school {<-how and when did this happen?} I’m totally catching on to the fact that if it isn’t quick and simple it isn’t going to happen. When we’re talking quick and simple, I mean made in less than 30 minutes. Of course unless it’s a slow cooker recipe, which is even better.
So while I thought I understood it, I never really have until this moment. It’s the first week of school and I feel like I’m drowning in all things school life, struggling to keep up. By the way, am I the only mom who has yet to turn in all of the appropriate paper work for each kid? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH PAPERWORK?!?
So while I’m juggling hungry kids who are now obviously very tired, while filling out paper work, packing lunches and cooking supper I decided to make it my mission to start a series on “stupid-simple” dinner ideas. Wait, is it too harsh to say that? Hey, I’m just quoting the words of my sister.
Who basically summed it by saying, “If you can create recipes that even I can cook, you’ve hit the nail on the head.”
So here we go!
Actually, there is one little problem….
I have yet to have time to sit down and create these recipes. I mean it’s coming, don’t worry but for now I didn’t want to leave you empty handed. Because life is still happening, kids are still hungry and tired and that paper work still needs to get turned in. So while you wait for the next bundle of recipes to come, I’m going to leave you with a little round-up to get the ball rolling.
But before we get there, I have a question to ask.
Can you help me out?
What is it that you look for a super simple, realistic, doable, practical and easy recipe?
Does it have to do with:
- number of ingredients
- time to prep
- number of steps to prep
What can I keep in mind to make these recipes crazy, ridiculous simple that you don’t even question it?
Obviously having your own personal chef wasn’t one of those options, I did say realistic. But one can dream.
Leave a comment below, send me an e-mail or tag me on social media! I want to know so I can better help you! And now here’s what you’ve been waiting for…. the list of the 21 easiest weeknight dinner ideas that are healthy. Can we say winning?
21 easiest weeknight dinners
Here they are in no particular order…. beginning with…
1. Egg Roll in a Bowl
Because one pan dinners are always the best!
Some additional ways to eat it over multiple meals include:
- Add rice or quinoa to make it a stir-fry feel.
- Add 6-minute eggs for a healthy breakfast.
2. One Pot Sloppy Joes
Make it a complete meal by:
- Adding it on top of a bed of lettuce with roasted root vegetables and avocado.
- Add it on top of sweet potato fries for sloppy joe fries.
- Mix it in a hash with eggs on top for breakfast.
- Stuff it in a sweet potato.
3. Southwest Quinoa and Grilled Corn Salad
No matter if you eat this just as, mix in some protein like chicken, shrimp or beans or top it on a bed of lettuce with chopped tomatoes, this salad is going to meet all of your needs while switching up your norm. Make it once and eat it all week long.
The endless ways to use baked sweet potatoes. The truth is you can stuff anything inside of a sweet potato, warm or cold and make it taste delicious. This base adds the perfect texture, warmth and base for nearly any filling. My favorite way is to add leftover meats, sauteed veggies and my favorite sauce. A great, breakfast, lunch or dinner.
5. Slow Cooker Beef Fajita Tacos
Make a taco bar so everyone can enjoy their favorite tacos, or taco bowl or even a salad. Mix and match is always a hit to include everyone’s preferences.
6. 30 Minute Italian Chopped Salad
Any chopped salad will do, but this provides all the perfect Italian flavors and allows you to be in control of what you add-in and how much while still getting the base of vegetables!
7. 30 Minute Sheet Pan Baked Fajitas
Sheet pan meals are the best! Mix it up by changing out your meats! You can marinate this all ahead of time and freeze for a quick dump and heat meal.
8. 20-Minute Chicken and Rice Soup
This is one of the thousand ways to use leftover shredded chicken. A quick and hearty meal that is even detox friendly. Plus a soup always warms up well.
9. 20-Minute Chicken Lettuce Wraps
One of my favorites to make ahead of time and reheat all week. Put it on rice, inside a lettuce wrap or just eat if with a spoon for a quick low-carb meal. You won’t be sorry you made this!
10. Crispy Chicken Caesar Lettuce Wraps
You can change this up a number of ways but flavor of chip, even going potato free with organic tortilla chips, sweet potato chips or plantain chips. Anything crispy will do. Add in all of your favorite toppings from red onion, avocado, guacamole, tomatoes and Caesar or ranch dressing to pull it all together.
11. 10 Minute Hash with Crispy Eggs
You can change out the plantains for other root vegetables or really whatever you have on hand. Mixed vegetables + ground meat + crispy eggs is one delicious and hearty meal your family can get behind.
12. 6-Ingredient Blender Waffles
What is there to say about waffles that can be made in a blender? Keep them plain, may an egg sandwich with them, layer with yogurt, fruit and chia seeds or make them savory. These waffles will rock your night-time game and make your kids extra happy!
13. 5-Ingredient Blender Protein Pancakes
Just like the waffles these have all the perfect flavors of pancakes without the excess carbs and more protein. Filling, delicious and ready in under five minutes! You’ll never buy a boxed pancake mix again!
14. Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup
Taking leftovers and turning them into something beautiful makes my heart flutter. This is the key to healthy eating. So stop throwing out your leftovers and instead plan for them so you can make one meal become two… or three!
15. Sheet Pan Steak and Fries
One pan, one meat, one vegetable, some healthy fat and spices is all you need to a quick 30 minutes healthy dinner your family will love! Bring them to the table with the smell alone!
16. Sheet Pan Sausage and Vegetables
More sheet pan meals because they’re easy to cook, put together and mix and match. Change out the meat and veggies for different versions of this easy weeknight meal.
17. Slow Cooker Moroccan Pulled Pork
Eat it over rice, in a soup, in a salad wrap or on a sandwich. Do you see how one simple meal can turn into multiple more?
18. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Whether you make this into tacos, put it on rice, in your favorite soup or add a fried egg. Again, another versatile meal that is made quick and even better made into leftovers!
19. Quick Beef and Broccoli
This is the basic stir-fry recipe that will change your week. Just change out the protein and the vegetable keeping the sauce the same and you’ll have a new meal each and every week!
20. 15 Minute Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
You can even make these Korean Beef lettuce wraps ahead of time and put them in bowls with chopped lettuce, rice and some steamed veggies for a grab and go-lunch. Korean beef bowls anyone?
21. Chicken Sausage, Kale and White Bean Sweet Potato Noodle Skillet
Break out the cast iron skillet, spiralize some noodles and step into comfort! Let the cast iron skillet do the work of combining all the perfect flavors into a warm meal at the end of a long day!
