Need ideas for healthy, quick dinners

[Anonymous]

I am currently pregnant and need some ideas for simple, quick, healthy dinners. I do most of the cooking for me and DH and really want to build up my list of of staple, healthy "go to" dinners that take around 30 minutes before baby arrives. We are trying to eat out less now and do more meal planning to save money since day care and a bigger apartment are going to eat a huge chunk out of our budget soon. Can you suggest your go to recipes, blogs, cookbooks? I have tried Blue Apron but it was very costly and the meals took way too long. Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals always seem to take me longer than 30 minutes or require some fancy ingredients I would not normally purchase. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

Skim the 'quick and easy meals' tag on Skinnytaste. I've had a lot of success with recipes from this site.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/search/label/Quick%20and%20Easy%20Meals

[Anonymous]

Here's my absolute favorite, go-to, quick and healthy dinner:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/fish-tagine-with-tomatoes-capers-and-cinnamon-240945

(I agree with you about Blue Apron. Have you looked at ScratchDC? It was much more my speed (and skill level).)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Skim the 'quick and easy meals' tag on Skinnytaste. I've had a lot of success with recipes from this site.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/search/label/Quick%20and%20Easy%20Meals

+1 to Skinny Taste!

We do a lot of tacos, stir fry variations, salads, soups, and crock pot.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I got my DH involved 100% more in meal planning, prep and cooking in my first pregnancy. I was too tired and nauseous to deal and needed to make sure I ate, which if I was responsible for cooking ended up being popcorn or cereal due to my energy level. This has been the best thing I've ever done. He now does most of everything involved with grocery shopping, meal prep, cooking and clean up. In our DC's first year when I was nursing and pumping I was in charge of feeding the baby and he was in charge of feeding the adults. Then it became feeding our toddler something easy, fresh and healthy so we can sit down at a meal together as a family every day. Now that I'm pregnant with our 2nd, I cook what and when I want to but not the rote, what the hell are we eating tonight sort of stuff. It's amazing.

Some things that are staples for us:
- crock pot soups and hearty meals like chicken tortilla soup and stews
- fish, couscous and frozen steamed veggies
- chicken, couscous/quinoa/whatever and frozen steamed veggies
- tacos or quesadillas
- stir fries

I got this cookbook for us this Christmas based on a DCUM recommendations and it has a ton of easy but delicious meals. I find them way easier to make than Rachel Ray's 30 min meals.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761166033?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

[Anonymous]

Go to Penzey's (they have a few stores in the DC area or online) and get some Fox Point seasoning. Most versatile seasoning out there--can be put on chicken, fish, veggies, eggs, made into onion dip.

Then once a week make baked chicken or fish with Fox Pointe (I'll even mix it into some mayo and spread that onto fish or chicken). Then make a side of frozen veggies (add butter and fox pointe) and a side of rice (the one min microwave ones are great) or microwave a bake potato (sour cream and Fox pointe).

Then once a week make Taco meat (Penzey's also has great Taco Seasoning). One week have it in a salad, the next taco shells with a side of rice or corn or beans. The next make burritos.

[Anonymous]

Raosted broccoli with shrimp:
I base it off Melissa Clark's NYTimes recipe.
Preheat oven to 425. Toss broccoli florets (I buy the precut ones) with olive oil, salt, pepper and seasoning mix of choice. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet, roast for 10 min. In the meantime, toss peeled shrimp with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Add to broccoli after 10 min, roast for 10 min longer turning once. Squeeze lemon to finish once out of the oven. I serve it on couscous. This seriously takes less than 30 min.

[Anonymous]

Brown 1 pound of ground turkey. Add 2 cups of your favorite salsa and 1 cup of frozen corn and heat through (I like the fresh one from Costco in the refrigerated section). If you like, before adding the salsa, throw in some peppers/onions and cook for an extra 5 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice or in tacos with shredded cheese. I use half of this for a dinner for me and DH and freeze the other half.

[Anonymous]

Chicken Piccata (various recipes, all good -- so quick and minimal ingredients. One jar of capers will make 3 batches).

"Mezze feast" -- some or all of the following: hummus, tzatziki, pitas, fried/grilled halloumi cheese, marinated beans, olives (whatever catches your eye at the antipasti bar!), easy green salad w/vinaigrette, raw brocc/carrots, green beans w/tomato & oregano. Your choice to make or store buy the components. Insta-dinner!

Black bean and butternut squash tacos

Love this tofu dish (we're not gluten free, but it's still delish): http://www.glutenfreediva.com/2008/02/asian-twist-tofu/, serve with some steamed broccoli and rice. We like brown rice, which takes forever to cook, so I try to do it a day or two before, but also keep a package of "Padma's Easy exotic organic brown rice" that's pre-cooked and frozen when I forget

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am currently pregnant and need some ideas for simple, quick, healthy dinners. I do most of the cooking for me and DH and really want to build up my list of of staple, healthy "go to" dinners that take around 30 minutes before baby arrives. We are trying to eat out less now and do more meal planning to save money since day care and a bigger apartment are going to eat a huge chunk out of our budget soon. Can you suggest your go to recipes, blogs, cookbooks? I have tried Blue Apron but it was very costly and the meals took way too long. Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals always seem to take me longer than 30 minutes or require some fancy ingredients I would not normally purchase. Any ideas?

I like Simply Salads by Jennifer Chandler. It builds on bagged salads mixes, and also includes recipes for all of the dressings.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes we do no cook meals like Greek salad with hummus, whole wheat pita and prepared dolmades.

Greek salad takes me less than 15 minutes to prepare.

We also do make your own sub sandwiches.

[Anonymous]

The America's Test Kitchen 30-minute Recipes cookbook is SO good. I got it after hearing multiple recommendations on here, and it hasn't disappointed yet! Every recipe I've tried has been delicious -- and they all take less than 30 minutes, for real (not like Martha's "quick" recipes or, even worse, Rachel Ray's).

[Anonymous]

This is the OP. Thank you for all the suggestions!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The America's Test Kitchen 30-minute Recipes cookbook is SO good. I got it after hearing multiple recommendations on here, and it hasn't disappointed yet! Every recipe I've tried has been delicious -- and they all take less than 30 minutes, for real (not like Martha's "quick" recipes or, even worse, Rachel Ray's).

Which one is this? America's test kitchen "Quick family cookbook"? or Cook's Illustrated The Best 30-Minute Recipe?

[Anonymous]

Roast halibut - place filets on parchment paper; season with salt, pepper, herbes de provence; put thin slices of lemon on top of the fish; sprinkle with pitted kalamata olives; drizzle with olive oil; bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.