It is nice to be able to meal prep and plan as much as possible but there are always going to be occasions where that is not possible. Kids are back to school, many of us are working in person, and weekend sport activities have returned.
I want to share 4 easy and healthy recipes that do not require any planning ahead of time. All of these recipes can be made in about 20 minutes.
- Salmon Burgers
Ingredients:
- Canned salmon (I use wild caught Alaska pink Salmon from Costco) 6 oz, makes 4 patties
- 1/2 small chopped onion
- 1/4 cup or more of bread crumbs
- Herbs (dill, parsley)
- Ground mustard powder, salt, garlic powder
- Lemon juice (as needed, at least 1 tablespoon)
- 1 egg
- Olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients together, except the olive oil. I like to add them in the order listed above. Heat up a generous amount of olive oil over medium high heat. Divide the mixture into 4 patties. Once oil is hot (if you throw a small piece of onion or splash water, it will sizzle), start cooking the patties. Lower the heat to medium and cook 3 minutes per side. That is all! I like to serve them with whole wheat burger buns or plain with a side salad. My kids love them! It is one of the few meals that we can all share. They won’t eat the side salad but I cut up cucumbers and heat up Ben’s original 90 second brown rice as their sides.
2. Pasta and meatballs
Ingredients:
- Whole wheat pasta of your choice (penne, rotini, spaghetti), make the whole box or half depending on how many people you are feeding
- 1 jar of tomato sauce
- Frozen turkey meatballs or vegetarian meatballs (Morningstar is my favorite meatless brand)
Instructions:
Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat up tomato sauce in a small pot. You can cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce or heat them up in the microwave and then add them to the sauce. That’s it! I know most people don’t think of pasta and meatballs as a healthy meals but it can be if you use the right ingredients. Bonus points since the whole family eats this too. My daughter doesn’t like sauce, so her pasta just gets butter and Parmesan cheese. She eats meatballs on the side.
3. Tilapia and green beans
Ingredients:
- 2-4 filets of tilapia (one per person)
- Olive oil for cooking
- Basil (fresh or dry)
- Garlic powder, salt
- Lemon juice
- 1 package of green beans (12 oz or bigger)
Instructions:
Heat up small amount of olive oil (2-4 tablespoons) in a skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, brush the tilapia filets with small amount of olive oil and season with basil, garlic powder, salt, and lemon juice. I don’t like pepper but you can use that too. I don’t measure amount of seasonings. Tilapia defrosts super quick. If you remember to take the filet out in the morning, that is great, but it will also defrost in minutes if you run water over it.
Once oil is hot and filets are seasoned, place them in the skillet. Cook each side 4-5 minutes (depends on thickness of fish). While you do this, cook the bag of green beans in the microwave. Most stores sell small or big bags of green beans that can be heated directly in the microwave. The one I get cooks in 5 minutes. I open package into a bowl and prepare it with a small amount of butter and salt. Near East cous-cous is a great side for this dish and it can be made in about 7-10 minutes (few minutes to boil water and 5 minutes to cook it) if you are looking for a little more with your meal. I have not gotten my children to eat tilapia yet, but one day they will!
4. Fried Rice
Ingredients:
- Ben’s original Ready rice, whole grain brown (90 second package)
- Corn, carrot, pea, and green bean frozen veggies (2/3 cup)
- 1/2 small chopped onion
- 1 or 2 eggs
- Sesame oil for cooking (can use olive oil if you don’t have), 1-2 tablespoons
- Soy sauce (low sodium), as much as you need
- Seasonings – garlic powder, basil, pepper if you like it
- Chicken, I use thin tenderloin but any type of chicken that can be cut in small pieces works (you can leave it out if you want a vegetarian option or use a meat substitute)
If you are using chicken, you either have to have defrosted chicken, cooked small pieces of chicken, store bought pre-cooked chicken, or you can defrost some chicken in the microwave (my least favorite thing to do, I probably wouldn’t make this meal if I didn’t have the chicken ready). Heat up a skillet with sesame oil on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, cut up the chicken into 1 inch pieces if they are not small already and season them with garlic powder, basil, and pepper. I use about 1 chicken breast or 4-5 thin tenderloins (I buy big packets from Costco). When the oil is hot, throw the chicken in and cook it until all sides are no longer pink. Add the chopped onion.
Meanwhile, place the frozen veggies in a measuring cup with 1-2 tablespoons of water and cook for 30 seconds in the microwave. Add them to the skillet. Add a little bit of soy sauce. Cook the brown rice for 90 seconds in the microwave. Once all the veggies and chicken have cooked for about 2-3 minutes together, add the rice and more soy sauce. Mix it all together, cook for another minute and make a little hole in the middle of the skillet where you can crack the egg (consider using 2 if you are not adding meat). Let it cook for a few seconds and then scramble it with the mixture of rice, meat, and veggies. Add soy sauce to taste.
Cut a piece of chicken to make sure it is fully cooked. If it’s not, cook the food a little bit longer (2-3 minutes).Check again and keep cooking until chicken is ready. That’s it! My kids may or may not eat this meal with us.
Here are 4 easy, quick, and healthy meals that are great for last minute weeknight ideas. Let me know which one you enjoyed the most and if your kids ate it!