In need of some yummy dinner recipes!

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BryKate
BryKate Posts: 74 Member
in Recipes
Hi everyone

So I'm looking for a few dinner options that are full of flavour and really yummy but keeping it all healthy. I'm good at making my breakfasts really imaginative and do a lot of "clean baking" ( just made some sweet potato brownies and no one in my family even realised it was all healthy ingredients!) I struggle though when it comes to dinner to make interesting things. Every night I tell myself I'll be a bit inventive but always end up with some plain chicken or fish with some veg or salad! All so bland. Can anyone recommend some good recipes?

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  • JVCB
    JVCB Posts: 73 Member
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    Try this food blog, it is fabulous!

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/

    Try the stuffed pork tenderloin recipes or the Turkey Stuffed Peppers... my husband's favorites.
  • teresamwhite
    teresamwhite Posts: 947 Member
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    I don't know what your time constraints are, but during the week I know my time is pretty limited, so dinners have to be fast!

    My crew loves anything in a tortilla...quesadillas are especially a hit. We use the high fiber tortillas and low-fat cheese, then pile on the veggies and some seasoned chicken, steak, pork or shrimp. Last night we had Cajun Shrimp with pepper jack cheese, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and zucchini.

    How about Chicken Arrabiata over Spaghetti Squash (the seriously bastardized version)? Season chicken with red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bake a spaghetti squash and use a fork to pull the strings and set aside. Bake chicken. Shred chicken. Place chicken over squash. Pour on red sauce of choice with some red pepper flakes added, throw in whatever veggies you have on hand and bake til heated through.

    i do a LOT of prep and cooking on the weekends, so during the week it is a matter of opening a couple of ziplock bags and tossing everything together. It saves on cleanup and ingredients are already measured and prepped.
  • tehzephyrsong
    tehzephyrsong Posts: 435 Member
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    Stir fry! It's easy to add plenty of flavor without adding plenty of calories, and it's super-flexible. Here's what I usually do:

    INGREDIENTS
    - 1 medium onion, diced
    - 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
    - 1/2 to 1 bell pepper, chopped
    - 1/2 head of broccoli, chopped (approx. 1 cup) (this is also a great way to use the stalk once you've cut off all the florets!)
    - 2 medium carrots, sliced
    - 3-4 mushrooms, sliced
    - Any other veggies you have on hand that you want to use (good for leftover bits that aren't enough to make a side in and of themselves) - baby corn, hot peppers, water chestnuts, bok choy or other leafy green, ginger, anything you like.

    Sauce: ~1/3 cup soy sauce, ~1 tbsp lime juice, ~1/2 tsp sugar, plus any spices that tickle your fancy. I've added tabasco/Sriracha/other hot sauces, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic pepper...I like it hot, lol. Toasted sesame seeds would also be tasty.

    Heat a pan over medium to medium-high heat and drop in a tablespoonish of your favorite oil. I use olive or vegetable, whichever is closer to the front of the cabinet. Sometimes butter if I feel naughty. Toss in the onion and cook until it starts getting soft and translucent, ~8-10 minutes. Add garlic and stir around until fragrant, ~5 minutes. Dump in the rest of your veggies and pour in the soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Stir to coat. Cover and let simmer for a while, stirring occasionally so nothing burns. I usually serve it up when the broccoli turns a bright, vibrant green, because I like my stir-fry veggies to still have some crunch to them.

    You can also add leftover meat to this. Shred up some cooked chicken or beef and toss it in with the veggies, stirring around until it's warmed through. Serve over rice or noodles, or just on its own.

    This makes plenty for two people, and rings in under 400 calories, ish.
  • chefstew79
    chefstew79 Posts: 30 Member
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    We had this over the weekend, Grilled Chicken Skewers (Chicken, Red Peppers & Red Onion) dusted with light brown sugar, curry and koserh salt. Served it with Spaghetti Squash tossed with I cant believe its not butter, black pepper & fresh Oregano.
  • getting_fit86
    getting_fit86 Posts: 128 Member
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    Try this!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1052436-curry-lime-stir-fry
  • NickeeCoco
    NickeeCoco Posts: 130
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    One of my favourite cookbooks is called "The New Regional Italian Cuisine Cookbook", by Hess, Schinharl, and Salzer.

    http://www.amazon.ca/The-Regional-Italian-Cuisine-Cookbook/dp/0764160680

    It has some great stuff in it, and it lists the calorie content for each recipe. Some recipes are healthier than others.


    Another really awesome, super healthy cookbook that I adore, is "Meatless", a Martha Stewart cookbook.

    http://www.amazon.ca/Meatless-Vegetarian-Recipes-Martha-Stewart/dp/B00BXU3DEG/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374584386&sr=1-3&keywords=meatless+martha+stewart


    Then, of course, there's Jillian Michael's "Making the Cut". Now, it is a 30 day diet and fitness plan book (and quite effective, I may I add. I did it and lost 20 lbs.), but the recipes in there are super easy and super quick, not to mention good for you. The first two cookbooks may require more work in the kitchen, but I love cooking, so I don't mind. This book, though, has some good stuff in it, and I still make things from it.

    http://www.amazon.ca/Making-Cut-Fitness-Strongest-Sexiest/dp/0307382516/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374584433&sr=1-1&keywords=making+the+cut

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