Dinner Tonight!!

destiny637

Hello lovely MFPeeps!

I’m in desperate need of some quick dinner ideas for tonight. . ..let me preface by saying that my cooking experience is, well, less than advanced, how about that?! LOL

Just curious what everyone's "go-to" dinner ideas are. I do a lot of chicken/ground turkey tacos, whole wheat pasta, salads. . . I just feel like I need some new, fresh ideas.

Any advice/idea's are truly appreciated!!

Have a healthy, happy day!!

Jellyphant

If I have those lean porkchops, I cube them up, pan fry them with onions and olive oil, add lots of the veggies my hubs and I like like roasted red peppers, broccoli, sugar snap peas, ect, and add a whole wheel of the laughing cow wedges of cheese and serve with whole grain penne. Suuuuper delish, and easy on the calories if portiioned correctly. I used to do the same recipe but with store bought sauce like vodka sauce, and I'm now literally saving hundreds of calories and sodium.

onawhymm

Here's one of my favorites from Hungry Girl! It makes more than you think so I pack up a couple ramekins before I put in oven and freeze them for another night. This and a salad is YUMMO

Have Your Bake and Ziti Too...
When you find yourself craving a hearty and decadent pasta dish, don't head out to your local Italian eatery -- make this! It's got real pasta and LOADS of flavor, plus it's much lighter than anything you'll pick up at a trattoria.

Ingredients:
5 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) uncooked whole-wheat or high-fiber ziti or penne pasta
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 cups chopped brown mushrooms
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
2 cups fresh spinach (I use the WHOLE BAG!)
3/4 cup low-fat/light ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes (I use the whole 14.5 oz. can)
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain well, place in a large bowl, and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring an extra-large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and raise temperature to medium high. Continue to cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes.
Add spinach to the skillet and, stirring often, cook until spinach has wilted and excess moisture has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ricotta cheese and basil.
Transfer contents of the skillet to the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add tomatoes and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Toss gently to mix.
Spray an 8" X 8" baking pan with nonstick spray, and carefully fill with contents of the bowl. Evenly top with Parm-style topping and remaining 2 tbsp. mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the oven until entire dish is hot and cheese on top has melted, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, and then serve and enjoy! MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe
Calories: 286
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 455mg
Carbs: 41g
Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 16.5g

Hanna82

I buy the single baking potatoes in the store, grab a couple cans of the hormel turkey chili with no beans and throw on some cheese. it's hearty and still pretty low in calories.

I'm also a fan of turkey meat tacos.

bmmarti3

By a digital meat thermometer and a steamer basket.

Preheat the over to 350-425 (it really doesn't matter)
Take a protein (chicken breast, pork chops, etc...)
Cover them with a seasoning (even salt and pepper alone will work)
Line a baking tray with aluminum foil
Jab the meat with the digital thermometer
Throw it in the oven

My thermometer has setting for various meats (rare-well done at various temperatures). When your meat reaches ~5 degrees below the desired temperature pull it out of the oven and let it rest for 5 mins. (it will gain the 5 degrees, or more, out of the oven.)

While you cook the meat put the steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and throw n just about any vegetable you can imagine (asparagus, Brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots, broccoli, anything really).

Steam them for about 10 minutes and your good to go.

Baked lean meat (no butter or oil) and steamed vegetables. I eat this 3-5 days a week. I do spray the aluminum foil with pam to help avoid sticking.

dls06

Salmon filet, 4 oz baked red potato, 1 cup green beans, salad.

helenzback

I had about a 6oz steak with steak seasoning, dry pan cooked about 5 minutes one side and about 3 minutes on the other. Served on a huge bed of rocket and for a sauce/dressing i added 2 tablespoons of water to 1 tablespoon of HP guinness sauce and warmed it in the microwave until the water mixed in (about 35-40seconds).... made a fantastic dressing for only 20 calories.

I too am not that experienced in the Kitchen. My partner is veggie but he is away on business at the moment so i took the opportunity to have steak... To check it was cooked to my liking I cut it in half whilst still in the pan, it was perfect However, only one half made it to my plate, the other half slipped of the fork during transfer and fell on the floor..... What I had though I truly enjoyed, not had steak for so long.

brown_eyed_girl_06

Here's one of my favorites from Hungry Girl! It makes more than you think so I pack up a couple ramekins before I put in oven and freeze them for another night. This and a salad is YUMMO

Have Your Bake and Ziti Too...
When you find yourself craving a hearty and decadent pasta dish, don't head out to your local Italian eatery -- make this! It's got real pasta and LOADS of flavor, plus it's much lighter than anything you'll pick up at a trattoria.

Ingredients:
5 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) uncooked whole-wheat or high-fiber ziti or penne pasta
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 cups chopped brown mushrooms
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
2 cups fresh spinach (I use the WHOLE BAG!)
3/4 cup low-fat/light ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes (I use the whole 14.5 oz. can)
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain well, place in a large bowl, and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring an extra-large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and raise temperature to medium high. Continue to cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes.
Add spinach to the skillet and, stirring often, cook until spinach has wilted and excess moisture has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ricotta cheese and basil.
Transfer contents of the skillet to the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add tomatoes and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Toss gently to mix.
Spray an 8" X 8" baking pan with nonstick spray, and carefully fill with contents of the bowl. Evenly top with Parm-style topping and remaining 2 tbsp. mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the oven until entire dish is hot and cheese on top has melted, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, and then serve and enjoy! MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe
Calories: 286
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 455mg
Carbs: 41g
Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 16.5g

That sounds really good! I am going to take this recipe and hopefully get the stuff for it and make it (if I can get the hubby to agree).