Give me your quickest dinner recipes!

Woodsmoke
Woodsmoke Posts: 360 Member
edited April 2016 in Recipes
Bear in mind I am no cooking genius nor particularly fond of cooking in the first place.

I need your twenty-minute-or-less (cooked and fresh) recipes.

I have 8pm finishing shifts and need something uber-quick to cook when I get home.

I'm not veggie but I don't eat seafood of any kind.

Many thanks!

Replies

  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
  • InsipidDime
    InsipidDime Posts: 125 Member
    edited April 2016
    Bacon, eggs, and toast.

    Edit: Crockpots are also great for easy meals.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    Ramen cookie.
    1. Remove from package
    2. Lick top.
    3. Sprinkle season pack.
    4. Eat.
  • bgschill
    bgschill Posts: 1 Member
    edited April 2016
    I too had 14 hour days in my past, and my pressure cooker became my best friend. I could do a pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy in 30 minutes. Same pot.

    4 chicken breast cook in 8 minutes!

    http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-IP-LUX60-Programmable-6-33-Quart/dp/B0073GIN08
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    check out budgetbytes.com i don't know about 20-minutes or less, but the recipes have the total time to make them, and there are a lot of one skillet dishes that take 30-40 minutes.
  • artzymummy
    artzymummy Posts: 46 Member
    I second the slow cooker comment. Best thing is, if you make a large pot of something you portion it out after and you have a super quick meal that you just reheat. I make chili, stews, a coconut curry that I'm particularly fond of (and that probably doesn't even come close to a proper curry) and freeze it all. I freeze rice too, portioned and ready to go. Curry, a small piece of fish (chicken would work well with it), and a bit of rice and I have a quick filling meal that easily fits in my day. I have a meat and potatoes husband, I'm a vegetarian and my oldest son is particular about what he eats. If I didn't think ahead, I'd go crazy... not that I'm not a little crazy anyway. :smiley:
  • JenRainbow1
    JenRainbow1 Posts: 74 Member
    Stir fries are very quick. Use ready cooked frozen meat/leftovers. You can pre cook the rice or just boil noodles (obviously making sure it's a healthy portion). Turn on the wok/frying pan and put a bit of healthy oil in. Cook the meat first, then add chopped stir fry veg, then the rice or noodles. It's that simple.
    Soy sauce is a good thing to add for flavour, or even chillis.
    I love a tandoori spice on my chicken.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Trim/season piece of beef/chicken/pork or open sausage package. Plop on the George Foreman or in a pan. Open freezer, get bag of steamable frozen veggies, put in microwave.

    Meal ready in 5 minutes (ok a bit longer if you're using a grill and have to preheat it). I alternate meats and there are a ton of different frozen veggies available out there (I get what's on sale). Doesn't get easier than this.
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
    Breakfast for dinner!
    Eggs, toast, waffle, fruit
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    anything cooked on the grill...with the advent of warmer weather, I'm grilling everything. It has the added benefit of not having many dishes to do.

    I also like a slow cooker.

    For the kids lately, I've been making tortilla pizzas. They are not low calorie, but are seriously yummy. Heat your oven to 350. spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Put on a tortilla. A small layer of cheese (i use just enough so the next tortilla sticks) another tortilla, a small layer of cheese, tortilla and top with pizza sauce and a more generous layer of cheese and whatever you like on your pizza. Bake for about 20-30 minutes.
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
    I use a lot of lean ground turkey and also chicken. I'll cook a package and divide it into portions. Then when I need it I'll add marinara sauce to serve over instant rice or over some noodles. I've added mushrooms to it and put into a microwaved potato. I'll add some light mayo to it and mix in my rice or my noodles. Lots of different things you can do with it. The key is having some cooked and portioned in fridge.
  • The_Ugly_One
    The_Ugly_One Posts: 23 Member
    Brown some hamburger, mix in a bag of broccoli slaw and cook it with the meat until the broccoli is tender (add a few tablespoons of water to steam the broccoli). Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Divide it up and serve with a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt on top.

    10 minutes from taking the ingredients out of the fridge to shoveling it into your face.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    I keep some packs of Morningstar Farms patties in the freezer. They take about 10 min to heat/cook on a griddle and make a tasty sandwich. With bun and toppings I can keep it around 500 cals.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Woodsmoke wrote: »
    Bear in mind I am no cooking genius nor particularly fond of cooking in the first place.

    I need your twenty-minute-or-less (cooked and fresh) recipes.

    I have 8pm finishing shifts and need something uber-quick to cook when I get home.

    I'm not veggie but I don't eat seafood of any kind.

    Many thanks!

    I get home around 8PM every evening as well! Although my shift is a basic 8-hour at an office, my commute ranges from 3-4 hours total depending on traffic. I struggle with the same issue. I've found that prepping dinner the night before is helpful. For example, tonight we're having turkey meatballs in sauce (will serve with pasta for my boyfriend and his brother - "the fam") which I prepped last night and are ready to be thrown in the oven when I get back (or they can throw it in if they are home before me). Crock pot meals are an easy go-to as well, that can also be prepped the night before if need-be. Tuna salad, basic sandwiches and soup are my other go-to's. Stuff that I always have on hand.
  • Gioeyebrow
    Gioeyebrow Posts: 404 Member
    Chicken tacos grill 1 chicken breast seasond with chicken sesoning or garlic salt and black pepper or just salt and pepper heat up some tortillas and yum

    I like to put gucamole or pico de gallo on mine with lime yum
  • jparks412
    jparks412 Posts: 2 Member
    1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil medium heat with chopped garlic add 4oz chicken breast salt pepper and Italian seasoning. White rice cooked in a casserole dish in the microwave for 7 minutes add salt pepper lime juice and steam broccoli on the stove or in the microwave for 5 minutes. Use condiments like mustard hot sauce and other 0 calorie options
  • kiittenforever
    kiittenforever Posts: 478 Member
    edited April 2016
    Vegetable stir fry with bean sprouts
  • IrmaC94
    IrmaC94 Posts: 39 Member
    Have you tried meal prepping? I started up again and right now I have breakfast (turkey slices, scrambled eggs mixed with spinach, onion, and tomato), lunch (spinach/romaine salad, boiled eggs, grape tomato, croutons, cheese and I alternate the meat. Sometimes I throw it in a wheat tortilla and add/delete some ingredients for a wrap, and dinner (baked drumsticks and red potatoes with sauteed asparagus and grape tomato) prepared. I am loving how super easy it is to come home, drink a protein shake, take a shower, and then pop the meal in the microwave. I'm only prep for about 4 days at a time.

    Don't get me wrong, it sounds like a dull meal plan but it's really not that bad. There are so many websites with ideas.
  • Belitili
    Belitili Posts: 2 Member
    edited April 2016
    Steak with a tomato balsamic salsa. Cut up (cherry) tomatoes and spring onions. Add in balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook your steak rare in a skillet on a high fire, remove from pan and wrap in tin foil. Add in tomato mix and cook for a few minutes until warm and 'sauce' (balsamic vinegar and tomato juice) is reduced.
    Recipe @ http://ponderingtheinternet.blogspot.be/2016/01/surviving-healthyness.html
  • scrap
    scrap Posts: 19 Member
    Costco pre cooked chicken patties on low cal bun or in a salad.
  • mhosner
    mhosner Posts: 264 Member
    I make this simple and easy stir fry.. Here is a link to the recipe on my blog. http://walkingthin.blogspot.com/2015/11/easy-chicken-stir-fry.html

    Love this post.. I am in the same boat. I work 10 hr days and with commute and kid pick up - I am easily away from the house for 12-13 hours before dinner. Slow cookers are a nice idea but not too many things need or should be cooked for 12-13 hours.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    Quesadillas are really fast and you can put whatever you want in them. I love mozzarella, tomato and basil. Chicken and cheese is easy. My favorite is monterey jack, goat cheese, black beans, corn, and bell pepper - mix everything together, spread on tortilla, put another tortilla on top, and cook in pan. I usually only make half, one tortilla folded in half with filling, and that is a perfect sized dinner for me under 300 calories.
  • LaDonna368
    LaDonna368 Posts: 2 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Trim/season piece of beef/chicken/pork or open sausage package. Plop on the George Foreman or in a pan. Open freezer, get bag of steamable frozen veggies, put in microwave.

    Meal ready in 5 minutes (ok a bit longer if you're using a grill and have to preheat it). I alternate meats and there are a ton of different frozen veggies available out there (I get what's on sale). Doesn't get easier than this.
    bpetrosky wrote: »
    I keep some packs of Morningstar Farms patties in the freezer. They take about 10 min to heat/cook on a griddle and make a tasty sandwich. With bun and toppings I can keep it around 500 cals.

  • LaDonna368
    LaDonna368 Posts: 2 Member
    Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
    Brown in a little olive oil till lightly browned, add a can of rotel tomatoes and a package of dry ranch dressing mix.

    In a separate pot..... Canned black beans, rinsed and drained, salt, pepper, lots of cumin and a little powdered ranch.

    Serve chicken and rotel over black beans.

    Very fast, easy and YUMMY!!!!