Fast & Simple Dinner Recipes?

abbygipe

I'm working full time, a part-time college student, taking a 32 week Bible study, taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace and I don't know how to cook. I am looking for ANY fast and simple dinner recipes that won't kill my new Diet Profile.

Thanks!

maddymama

Hi,
I haven't tried many of the recipes, but The Flat Belly Diet book has a section of quick to assemble meals that are under 400-ish calories...... I've made one or two of the breakfasts, but that is it. The breakfasts I made were yummy. I haven't tried the lunch or dinner ideas.
Cooking Light has a 5 ingredient 15 minute cookbook that they put out a decade or so ago- all of the recipes are easy and most were yummy. That was my go-to cookbook for awhile.
Think about cooking once for two meals- intentionally make quick to re-heat leftovers.
Good luck,
~maddymama

misroz31

Hungry Girl by Lisa Lillien has some amazing recipes. She has a book called 300 breakfast , lunches and dinners all under 300 calories. The volume of food you get for 300 calories is mind blowing. This includes our favorite comfort foods as well. Good luck

ckncj

I've really gotten into making a "tuna melt" when I'm in a hurry.

I use:
1 Smart-Balance tortilla (80 cals)
1 can of tuna (125 cals - i believe)
use only mustard & dill pickle relish as mix-ins (0 cals)
Reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese (60-80 cals)

Mix up the tuna, then make the "melt" in a fry pan in quesedilla form. It's pretty tasty and quite filling - and low cal!

stephaniezoundi

Grilled chicken diced up and tossed on top of a salad (with or without a tablespoon of dressing)

Stir fry - quickly cook the meat in the skillet, add the veg (for a time saver I buy the vegetables in a pre chopped pack and the turkey/chicken already diced). There are some low calories stir fry sauces availalbe or use a low sodium soya sauce to marinade the meat.

Chilli - great when made with turkey mince (I can send you a recipe if you want it) - makes about 4 servings so is great for freezing or keeping for a couple of nights. Can be put on top of a baked potato for a change or served with brown rice.

Rockindreamer

I would love that turkey chili recipe! =D And my go to quick dinner is grilling chicken with veggies (lots of them variety!) and serving with some jasmine rice.

crazywheaten

Diet Coke Chicken. Tastes just like BBQ chicken, is super easy to make and great for those who are not talented in the kitchen. Mix 1 can of Diet Coke with 1 C ketchup (to keep the sodium down use low sodium ketchup) in a bowl. Place 4-5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts in a pan on stove top. Pour coke/ketchup mixture over chicken and put heat on medium/high 'til sauce starts to boil. Turn down to low/medium and cook for 30 minutes with lid on. Remove lid and cook for final 15 minutes (sauce will thicken). Voila! Done!

tandroes

last night i made swai fish (white unfishy fish). spread olive oil on the baking dish then sprinkled johnnys seasonal salt on the dish and the fish then sprinkled a little pepper and parmesan cheese and baked for 30 minutes and made steamed veggies and salad. the fish is only 70 calories per serving

workinprogress12_2

My schedule is full like yours, fast for my family is taco salad, grilled tilapia fillets (5 min thaw with 7 min grilling on indoor grill...side bar best thing ever for healthy fast cooking!) with instant brown rice with rotel. Feel free to add would love to pray for you along your journey.

cillytilly

Easy Salsa Chicken Cream Cheese

Ingrediants:
4 chicken breasts approx 8 oz unfrozen
1 8 oz block of light cream cheese
¾ cup salsa ( I use medium)


Directions:
1. Microwave cream cheese in 30 sec increments till soft.
2. Place Chicken breasts in 9x13 baking pan. I use glass
3. Mix Salsa and Cream Cheese together and place evenly on top of chicken.
4 Cover chicken with tin foil slightly tented and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 mins
5. Remove tin foil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Makes 4 servings at about 359 calories per serving.

Cooks Note: I serve with no fat refried beans, shredded cheese and diced green onions

Cheesy French Onion Chicken (can be cooked in oven or in slow cooker best in a 4 qt slow cooker for 6)

1 can of cambells french onion soup condensed (beef stock)
8 oz of sliced mushrooms
1-2 cloves of garlic
4 7.5 oz chicken breasts
2 cups of reduced fat mozzarella

Directions:
1. Sautee mushrooms in zero calorie cooking spray not much but enough to coat the pan with crushed garlic.
2. Place Chicken in bottom of baking dish pour condensed french onion soup over chicken breasts. Top with sautéed mushrooms.
3. Cover and bake in oven for 45 mins (or slow cooker for 6 hrs)
4. Sprinkle with reduced fat mozerella and bake for 15 mins or slow cook for 15 mins.

Servings 4, approximately 407 calories.

Cooks note: to reduce caloric intake you can reduce the amount of cheese. Also to reduce sodium intake do not eat broth.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

1 5 lb whole fryer chicken
1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1-2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tsp of black pepper

Directions:
1. Cut lemon in half an squeeze juice out. Only about ¼ a cup needed. Keep lemon halves.
2. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and black pepper in bowl. Mix together and let sit for 15 mins at least. (you can make this ahead of time to let flavors blend)
3. Remove chicken parts from cavity and rinse inside and out of chicken.
4. Place chicken in a 9x13 pan (I use glass)
5. Stuff lemon Halves into cavity of chicken.
6. Rub Lemon juice mixture all of the chicken. Massaging it in. If extra pour into cavity.
7. Bake at 425 for about 90 minutes. Skin will be a dark golden brown.
Servings approximately 6 Calories approximately 255

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (adjusted from better homes and garden) 6 qt slow cooker
Ingrediants:
2 cups of raw mushrooms sliced
1 cup celery chopped
1 cup of carrots chopped
2 cups raw onion chopped
1 cup red bell pepper
1 cut up 5 lbs chicken skin removed bone in
¾ cup reduced sodium chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (for thickening)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 (30ml) can of tomato paste

Directions:
1. In 6 qt slow cooker combine mushrooms, celery, carrots, onions, bell pepper. Place chicken on top of veggies.
2. In a separate container combine broth, wine, tapioca, sugar, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper; pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours high heat for 3.5 -4 hours.
4. In bowl mix tomato paste and diced tomatoes.
5. Remove chicken and turn to high setting stir in tomato mixtere and place chicken on top. Cook covered for 15-30 mins.
Serves 6 and approximately 375 calories.

Cooks Notes: I served with Taste Plus pasta. It was very tasty on its own though if you are trying to cut carbs with a side salad.


The slow cooker is your friend.

cillytilly

White fish in tomato wine sauce
Ingrediants:
1.25 lbs of white fish ( you can use code, tilapia, orange roughy etc you want a mild white fish)
1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
¾ cup diced green onions
2 (16 g) cans of sliced black olives
1 small to medium zucchini
1 small to medium yellow summer squash
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch of thyme
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
1 pinch of rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 cup white wine

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat and stir in chopped green onions. Cook until tender 3-8 mins
2. Mix white wine, tomatoes, olives, zucchini and summer squash in bring to a boil.
3. Stir in basil, thyme, rosemary and black pepper. Place fish on top of mixture.
4. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until fish flakes. If you need to flip fish.

Servings 4 calories 264

Cooks Note: I sprinkled mine with feta cheese. This is a wonderful fresh spring dinner. You can add rice to it also for a full dinner. This goes well with a dinner salad too.

cillytilly

Garbanzo Bean Tuna Salad

1 can of garbanzo beans (rinsed)
1 can of light tuna in water drained
½ cup green onions chopped
1 cup celery chopped
1 medium-large avocado diced
8 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
10 sugar snap peas diced
1 cup of radish slices
1 cup of carrots chopped
¼ teaspoon wasabi powder

Directions:

1. Combine vegetables with tuna and beans.
2. Mix Vinegar and wasabi powder in separate bowl
3. Drizzle over tuna mixture and mix well

Servings 3 at 301 calories

Cooks Note: This is a great summer treat. You can leave the wasabi out if you are sensitive to the spice but it does add a lot of flavor.

misroz31

Another life saver is a George Forman grill. It cooks meat quickly that you could throw over a Salad or rice in no time. You can cook up low fat quesadillas in 4 mins because it cooks from top an bottom eliminating a great deal of cook time.

CeejayGee

Try www.skinnytaste.com - tons of delicious recipes that all are really fast and simple!

Also, I buy some prepared chicken, etc from Trader joe's. It's delicious and can just be warmed up.

CeejayGee

Try www.skinnytaste.com - tons of delicious recipes that all are really fast and simple!

Also, I buy some prepared chicken, etc from Trader joe's. It's delicious and can just be warmed up.

abbygipe

We're finally getting a Trader Joe's in Louisville! So excited

uvachick

I bought the light family meal planner from http://www.myfamilymealplanner.com/. It comes with a grocery list, which makes shopping so easy, it allows me to try recipes I never thought of, and I never have to think about what's for dinner tonight because it always preplanned for me. The recipes are super easy and includes one crockpot meal a week. It has made planning for dinner so much easier and has made it easier for my husband to share in the responsibility of cooking!

Pidders89

i know someone has already said about this but hungry girl is really good! you can have emails from the website too instead of buying a book
xx

Knox_pickles

:drinker:

angief_01

Easy Salsa Chicken Cream Cheese

Ingrediants:
4 chicken breasts approx 8 oz unfrozen
1 8 oz block of light cream cheese
¾ cup salsa ( I use medium)


Directions:
1. Microwave cream cheese in 30 sec increments till soft.
2. Place Chicken breasts in 9x13 baking pan. I use glass
3. Mix Salsa and Cream Cheese together and place evenly on top of chicken.
4 Cover chicken with tin foil slightly tented and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 mins
5. Remove tin foil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Makes 4 servings at about 359 calories per serving.

Cooks Note: I serve with no fat refried beans, shredded cheese and diced green onions

Cheesy French Onion Chicken (can be cooked in oven or in slow cooker best in a 4 qt slow cooker for 6)

1 can of cambells french onion soup condensed (beef stock)
8 oz of sliced mushrooms
1-2 cloves of garlic
4 7.5 oz chicken breasts
2 cups of reduced fat mozzarella

Directions:
1. Sautee mushrooms in zero calorie cooking spray not much but enough to coat the pan with crushed garlic.
2. Place Chicken in bottom of baking dish pour condensed french onion soup over chicken breasts. Top with sautéed mushrooms.
3. Cover and bake in oven for 45 mins (or slow cooker for 6 hrs)
4. Sprinkle with reduced fat mozerella and bake for 15 mins or slow cook for 15 mins.

Servings 4, approximately 407 calories.

Cooks note: to reduce caloric intake you can reduce the amount of cheese. Also to reduce sodium intake do not eat broth.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

1 5 lb whole fryer chicken
1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1-2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tsp of black pepper

Directions:
1. Cut lemon in half an squeeze juice out. Only about ¼ a cup needed. Keep lemon halves.
2. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and black pepper in bowl. Mix together and let sit for 15 mins at least. (you can make this ahead of time to let flavors blend)
3. Remove chicken parts from cavity and rinse inside and out of chicken.
4. Place chicken in a 9x13 pan (I use glass)
5. Stuff lemon Halves into cavity of chicken.
6. Rub Lemon juice mixture all of the chicken. Massaging it in. If extra pour into cavity.
7. Bake at 425 for about 90 minutes. Skin will be a dark golden brown.
Servings approximately 6 Calories approximately 255

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (adjusted from better homes and garden) 6 qt slow cooker
Ingrediants:
2 cups of raw mushrooms sliced
1 cup celery chopped
1 cup of carrots chopped
2 cups raw onion chopped
1 cup red bell pepper
1 cut up 5 lbs chicken skin removed bone in
¾ cup reduced sodium chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (for thickening)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 (30ml) can of tomato paste

Directions:
1. In 6 qt slow cooker combine mushrooms, celery, carrots, onions, bell pepper. Place chicken on top of veggies.
2. In a separate container combine broth, wine, tapioca, sugar, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper; pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours high heat for 3.5 -4 hours.
4. In bowl mix tomato paste and diced tomatoes.
5. Remove chicken and turn to high setting stir in tomato mixtere and place chicken on top. Cook covered for 15-30 mins.
Serves 6 and approximately 375 calories.

Cooks Notes: I served with Taste Plus pasta. It was very tasty on its own though if you are trying to cut carbs with a side salad.


The slow cooker is your friend.

LOVE SLOW COOKER RECIPES!!