New to mfp and need ideas for dinner...

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tara3103
tara3103 Posts: 107
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been using mfp for about one week and I love it!!! I have been doing good at keeping my food entries and tracking my calories, but I always seem to have a problem coming up with healthy ideas for dinner. Side dishes seem to be the worst. I am on a limited budget and don't purchase "weird" ingredients for a one time use. Anyone have any suggestions other that veggies? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • sparklergirl8
    sparklergirl8 Posts: 5
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    I love cooking up fajitas! I use ground turkey; green, red, & orange peppers; onion; jalapenos, and whole grain tortillas...so yummy! Just don't use a lot of oil!
  • dclarsh1
    dclarsh1 Posts: 83
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    My family has become a little addicted to red beans. You can have them with rice if you want, but we like them just plain too. They make a great side dish for just about any grilled meat/fish/shellfish and I eat the leftovers with an over easy fried egg for breakfast. Here's the basic recipe (makes 4 servings)...

    1 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
    2-3 slices low sodium bacon, cut into smallish pieces
    half a green pepper, chopped
    quarter to half an onion, chopped
    1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
    5 cups water

    In a large pot, sautee bacon, green pepper and onion until pepper and onion are tender. Add the beans, cajun seasoning, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for one to one and a half hours.

    Note: if this takes too long for you, you can always used canned kidney beans (drained and rinsed), omit the water and reduce the cajun seasoning to a half Tbsp. Sautee the bacon a little longer before you add the peppers and onions so it's a little crispy. If you do it this way, you should have red beans in 20 minutes or so.
  • Mirlyn
    Mirlyn Posts: 256
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    My produce staples for dinner side dishes are fresh broccoli (very easy to steam up in the microwave, just put some plastic wrap over the bowl), green capsicum (bell pepper), onions , and zucchini. We make lots of stirfry with the broccoli and bell pepper and onion. I use the zucchini grilled or sauteed as a side dish on its own or I add it to pasta dishes.

    Instead of potatoes, rice, couscous, or mac n cheese - we've been eating quinoa cooked in chicken broth or with low sodium chicken bouillion in the water. High protein and not expensive, cooks quickly. 1 small box of quinoa will last my husband and I a month or more depending on how often we eat it. You can add any produce (the same produce staples I keep on hand) to the quinoa as it's cooking to make a pilaf. Very yummy.

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