What to Make for Dinner? Dinner for Two

marybell82
marybell82 Posts: 122 Member
in Recipes
Ok so normally during the day while im at work, im able to control cravings, snacking and i totally watch what i eat.
Dinner time is the most sinful time, i eat fast food. My bf is not dieting or watching what he eats... only i do that. So when its time for dinner, i never know what to make or where to go. all i can ever think of thats fast to make is lean cuisines or frozen meals. I would like to keep it dairy free as well... which makes it a bit harder... please help.. any recipes or suggestions are greatly appreciated. =)

Replies

  • RoboLikes
    RoboLikes Posts: 519 Member
    Keep some staples in your kitchen you can use to create healthy, quick meals.
    Some examples:
    Tortillas
    Salsa
    Canned or dried beans
    Frozen vegetables
    Bulgar Wheat
    Favorite dried spices
    Frozen Shrimp


    You can pick up different proteins and fresh fruit and vegetables at the beginning of the week to create super quick meals.

    Also, this link has some pretty good meal ideas too!

    http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/quick-easy-chicken-recipes-00400000001025/
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    i feel ya, my boyfriend eats whatever as well and doesn't seem to care about nutritional facts or serving sizes.
    i myself am a vegetarian so i understand your dilemma.

    my kitchen always has tortillas (whole wheat low carb at 80 cal a wrap!!)
    LOTS of veggies (fresh spinach, things to make salads and wraps)
    meatless things (the brand Quorn is soy free meatless, makes breaded chicken cutlets, meat balls, turkey burgers, cheeseburgers, ground beef, chicken strips.)
    i find that tacos with the meatless grounds are quick, only take a few mins to heat up on the skillet and then throw together everything.

    and last night i made a super easy pizzadilla...a whole wheat tortilla spread half of it with spaghetti sauce (you can add fake cheese on it) and some veggies, it was under 300 cals. i always have pasta and rice as well.

    stirfry is easy too, i buy a frozen bag from kroger it's stir fry veggies with noddles, takes maybe 5 mins on the skillet to heat up and then i add my meatless chicken (or anything you want) and some soy sauce, bout a 5 minute meal.

    it can be a challenge though, and when i get home from 10+ hour shift and run with the dog i don't feel like doing much.

    not sure if you will like any of these suggestions but when i am feeling lazy and not wanting to have tons of dishes to do, i lean towards these.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Keep some staples in your kitchen you can use to create healthy, quick meals.
    Some examples:
    Tortillas
    Salsa
    Canned or dried beans
    Frozen vegetables
    Bulgar Wheat
    Favorite dried spices
    Frozen Shrimp


    You can pick up different proteins and fresh fruit and vegetables at the beginning of the week to create super quick meals.

    Also, this link has some pretty good meal ideas too!

    http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/quick-easy-chicken-recipes-00400000001025/

    good ideas!
  • w84skm2c
    w84skm2c Posts: 5 Member
    1 lb Beef or Pork cut - Cut into thin strips
    3 oz Soy Sauce
    2 tbs sugar
    5 tsp salt
    2 head of broccoli (cut into pieces any way you'd like)

    Heat up the skillet (no oil necessary if using non-stick pans) on med/med-high
    Throw strips of meat into skillet
    Cook until meat is completely brown (char a bit if you like)
    Throw in soy sauce and stir the meat to become fully saturated with soy sauce
    Throw in sugar and salt and mix thoroughly into meat
    Cook for about 5 minutes
    Add broccoli cuts
    Stir thoroughly until sauce thickens to your liking.

    My family loves this recipe, and I use it about once a week. It literally takes about 10-15 minutes to make/including cutting the broccoli and meat.

    We also usually have a side of jasmine rice with this dish.
  • steflbrown
    steflbrown Posts: 168
    Try to make a menu for the week over the weekend. That way you can buy all the necessary items and pre-cook certain things. That will make week nights much easier.
  • Time2Thrive
    Time2Thrive Posts: 161 Member
    What has worked best for my wife and I is EMeals. Not sure if you have heard about it. It takes care of all the menu planning and grocery lists. All I have to do is print and go to the store. They have a low fat, low carb, portion control, and many other options to choose from. Hopefully it will help you as much as it has me. http://emeals.com/amember/go.php?r=270931&i=l0
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    I'm in the same boat - my bf isn't watching his intake at all, as he has quite a physical job and is ravenous when he gets home. I just make whatever I want, but give him a bigger portion (make enough for 4, freeze one portion for a lunch for myself, give one to me and two to him). Or I give him more rice/pasta/potatoes to fill out his plate. I sometimes heat up some garlic or herb bread and give him most of it as well.

    Stir fries, or BBQ/grilling are really quick to make. A slow cooker is a great investment for winter (winter is coming up here) as you can prepare the meal in the morning before work and it's ready when you get home.

    Plus... if you're the one that works longer hours... why doesn't he do some of the cooking??? My bf cooks about twice a week if I can't be bothered.
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    1 lb Beef or Pork cut - Cut into thin strips
    3 oz Soy Sauce
    2 tbs sugar
    5 tsp salt
    2 head of broccoli (cut into pieces any way you'd like)

    Heat up the skillet (no oil necessary if using non-stick pans) on med/med-high
    Throw strips of meat into skillet
    Cook until meat is completely brown (char a bit if you like)
    Throw in soy sauce and stir the meat to become fully saturated with soy sauce
    Throw in sugar and salt and mix thoroughly into meat
    Cook for about 5 minutes
    Add broccoli cuts
    Stir thoroughly until sauce thickens to your liking.

    My family loves this recipe, and I use it about once a week. It literally takes about 10-15 minutes to make/including cutting the broccoli and meat.

    We also usually have a side of jasmine rice with this dish.

    This sounds yummy, but that's a lot of sodium. Not judging, just saying that if you're conscious of sodium, you might want to just use soy or at least reduce the salt to 1-2 tsp. :happy:
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    What has worked best for my wife and I is EMeals. Not sure if you have heard about it. It takes care of all the menu planning and grocery lists. All I have to do is print and go to the store. They have a low fat, low carb, portion control, and many other options to choose from. Hopefully it will help you as much as it has me. http://emeals.com/amember/go.php?r=270931&i=l0

    This is AWESOME!! I'm trying this!
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    You should try skinnytaste.com
  • jennafanyy
    jennafanyy Posts: 2
    salad!
  • cloeymi
    cloeymi Posts: 2 Member
    There is a five dollar a month membership. Have you been happy with the recipes? Are the recipes and plans for normal people with easy recipes and familiar ingredients?

    Thanks
  • 7funnygirl7
    7funnygirl7 Posts: 1,176
    I used to use my crockpot all the time when it was just me and my hubby ~ I would put a roast in it in the morning and it was done by dinner time. This way I could just add a side salad, rice, potatoes, yams, noodles, veggies etc.. with it and always had leftovers to make something the next day/night! Good Luck! :smile:
  • HBBrown78
    HBBrown78 Posts: 55 Member
    My fallback is fish. Good lean fish, grilled or broiled with a great rub plus sum yummy sides like a fresh salad, grilled zuchini, or even broccoli. and end it with some fresh strawberries, a touch of splenda and no sugar cool whip! wonderful and low in calories!
  • Time2Thrive
    Time2Thrive Posts: 161 Member
    I have really enjoyed the portion control menu we are on right now. Well worth it for us.
  • emmabooters
    emmabooters Posts: 23 Member
    The crock pot is a miracle. So what if you make more than enough for you and your bf. You will either have left overs or he can have a larger portion size since he's not bothering to watch what he's eating. This is what my husband and I do, and he never has any issues eating whatever it is I'm eating.
  • BeetleChe13
    BeetleChe13 Posts: 498 Member
    For me and hubby, I always thaw out two frozen fish fillets and make some brown rice. Bake the fish and toss whatever veggies the two of you like into the rice. Key is to season the fish well so it doesn't taste bland. It all fits in a bowl and fills us up every time. If you use instant rice, then it only takes 15-20 mins to cook the fish. Not long at all. ^^
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    My quick and easy go to meal is shrimp tacos. I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer. It thaws quick under running water. Sautee with garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil. Add whatever fresh veggies I have on hand...usually zucchini, onions peppers, etc. Serve in a tortilla (corn for me, flour for hubby) with avocado if I have it and cherry tomatoes.

    In fact, you can do a lot of quick and easy things with frozen shrimp.
  • kace406
    kace406 Posts: 80 Member
    I'm always on the lookout for great dinner ideas for 2, so thanks for posting!

    We like to try at least one new recipe a week, but we always have frozen tilapia filets and frozen chicken breasts on hand for quick meals....grill the protein, cook a bag of steam in the microwave veggies or make a quick salad or grill up some fresh veggies, and voila, dinner is served. He's also using MFP to lose weight, but his calorie requirements are higher than mine, so he'll usually have an extra piece of meat or something to fill him up.
  • Time2Thrive
    Time2Thrive Posts: 161 Member
    Just got a message that they are featuring a clean eating plan as well.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    On weekends when Im not busy I cook large portions of healthy meals and freeze the extras for when Im busy. I also keep my weeknight cooking simple cuz Im tired. My typical week looks like this

    Monday- lemon garlic chicken. Dice chicken breast into chunks, chop up one clove of fresh garlic (or when Im really tired I just use a tablespoon of the jarred spice world minced garlic. Throw in pan with teaspon of olive oil and 1 cup of green beans. I squirt lemon juice on the chicken. Prep time 5 minutes cook time I think about 10 minutes

    Tuesday- a lean piece of steak with grilled asparagus. Once again I go nuts with the garlic and put it all in a frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Prep and cook time are about the same

    Wednesday- I brown 4 oz ground chicken or turkey. While its browning I make half a cup of rice. When the meat is almost brown I put in half a cup of frozen pepper strips. When its all done I put them in a bowl and put a teaspoon of tobasco sauce on top and mix well Takes about 15 minutes

    Thursday- 2 eggs, 3 strips turkey bacon 1 slice multigrain toast with a smidge of butter

    Friday- I take one egg and beat it in a bowl. Take 1/4 cup dry oatmeal and blend until it is like bread crumbs and put in a bowl. I cut a chicken breast into strips and dunk first in the egg then coat in the oatmeal. I bake them in the oven at 350 for half an hour
    I usually make sweet potato fries to go with them, cut a sweet potato into fry like strips, put on a baking sheet and and drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over them. They also bake at 350 for a half hour
  • Hernandeak11
    Hernandeak11 Posts: 351 Member
    I'm in the same boat with my boyfriend.

    At home, I try to make healthy versions of things I know he likes, Sesame Chicken (not fried, like in restaurants), for example.

    Sometimes if we can't agree on somewhere pick up food, he'll go to 'his place' and I'll go to my 'healthier place': I know it seems like a hassle, but it works for me!
  • RedHotRunner
    RedHotRunner Posts: 850 Member
    My dinners are simple. A protein, a carb and a veggie. Although your boyfriend isn't dieting, he can still eat like that. Just larger portions.

    Tonite was grilled sausage a salad and a steamed artichoke, with some mac and cheese for the kids (husband is out of town, but he'd have the mac and cheese too).

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