With school back in session, families are busier — including yours. So to help, we’re going to share three simple and healthy recipes for dinner, each of which takes less than an hour to prepare, from start to finish. Try these three quick dinner ideas.
Low Country Boil
CookingLight.com recommends this one-pot recipe, found at EatingWell.com. It takes only 20 minutes of prep time, and 45 minutes overall from start to finish, but the result will seem much more elegant — and the vegetables add a healthy boost of tasty nutrition.
Start by putting 6 quarts of water in a large stockpot, and then add 4 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning, 1 tablespoon each of mustard seeds and coriander seeds, along with 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon each of dill seed and allspice berries, plus two bay leaves. Bring this mixture to a boil, and then add a pound of baby red potatoes and 8 ounces of kielbasa sausage, cut crosswise into eight pieces. Boil for 18 to 20 minutes.
Then add 24 unpeeled raw shrimp, 1 pound of trimmed green beans and four ears of corn that have been husked and then cut in half. Also add 2 cups of frozen pearl onions and cook for five to six more minutes. Drain and, if you’d like, you can add a 1/2 cup of melted, unsalted butter.
Five-Spice Turkey and Lettuce Wraps
Do you want a recipe that’s even faster? These fun wraps take only 30 minutes, and can serve as an appetizer or a light meal all by itself.
To start, add a 1/2 cup of water to a small saucepan and then add a 1/2 cup of instant brown rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for five minutes before removing from heat. Then, put 2 teaspoons of sesame oil in a large nonstick pan and heat on medium high. Add a pound of 93% lean ground turkey and 1 tablespoon of freshly minced ginger. As you cook the mixture, crumble the turkey with a wooden spoon.
Once it’s cooked all the way through, add a finely diced red pepper, 8 ounces of rinsed and chopped water chestnuts, the rice you’ve prepared, plus a 1/2 cup of reduced-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon of five-spice powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for another minute.
On plates, divide Boston lettuce leaves and then spoon the mixture into each leaf. Top with fresh herbs of choice — perhaps basil, mint or chives, or cilantro — and then shred a large carrot and sprinkle some on top of each serving.
To make meal prep even easier, you can prepare the filling ahead of time and then refrigerate it (covered) for up to 24 hours. This dish can be served cold or you can reheat the filling in a microwave.
Vegetarian Tortilla Casserole
If you’re looking for a simple plant-based meal that can be prepared in under one hour, consider this tortilla casserole.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Slice a medium yellow squash in 1/4-inch rounds, and then arrange them on a baking sheet; top with 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt and then bake for 10 minutes, flipping the squash over once. The vegetable should be soft.
Then, mix together1 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella, a 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan and a 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in a small bowl. Now, spray an 8-inch square baking dish. Line it with four 6-inch corn tortillas so they overlap, and top them with the baked squash and two sliced scallions. Put 1/3 cup of salsa verde on top, then 1/3 of your cheese mixture.
Now, place four more tortillas on top, adding a sliced tomato and 9 ounces of thawed frozen spinach (squeezed dry first). Add 1/3 cup of salsa verde and half of your remaining cheese. Put four more tortillas on top, along with another 1/3 cup of salsa verde and the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. The casserole should be golden brown. Remove it from the oven and put two more sliced scallions on top.
