Simple Dinner Recipes Using Healthy Ingredients

Here is my newest recipe that I love. Since you probably don't want to use the fake eggs, just use real eggs. You could also do a bunch of egg whites and a few whole eggs. The first time I made it I used all the fresh herbs, but my daughter didn't like it very much. This last time I added some fresh basil and onions, it was much better. You could change this one out with different veggies, some cheese, different meats, etc. Great recipe! Thanks for posting this question.

HERBED HAM-AND-POTATO FRITTATA Serves 4

• 1 spray olive oil cooking spray
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup cooked lean ham, diced
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free egg substitute
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Coat a 10-inch nonstick, ovenproof skillet with cooking spray.
3. Add potatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes. (Note: If necessary, add water by the tablespoon to prevent sticking.)
4. Stir ham, egg substitute, herbs, salt and pepper in bowl and then add to skillet; cook until almost firm, about 10 minutes.
5. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until browned on top, about 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Cut into 8 wedges and serve. Yields 2 wedges per serving.

Baked Dijon Chicken

4 boneless skinless breasts
1 C Milk in a shallow dish with 1-2 Tb Dijon Mustard mixed in
Bread or cracker crumbs mixed with a few dashes of salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a glass baking pan with cooking spray
Dip chicken in milk/mustard mixture, then dip in crumbs.
Place in single layer of glass pan and bake 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

We do a similar dish with no mustard in the milk; mix about 1/4 c of parmesan cheese in with the breadcrumbs and follow the same dip and bake procedure as above. The second one also works well for fish- Tailapia is what we usually use because it is easy to find and firm enough. Also, the baking time is shorter- not usually more than 20 minutes.

To make the bread crumbs, I toast the heels of the loaf of bread and then crumble them.

Hi T.,

This one is easy, healthy and yummy:

Chicken breasts (we slice them in half to shorten baking time)
pitted kalamata olives
tomoatoes
salt, pepper, parm. cheese

Please chicken breasts in baking dish, salt and pepper them to taste. Sprinkle parm cheese to taste. Top with sliced tomato. Throw in as many olives as desired and make sure to pour some of the juice in too. If you are cheese lovers like we are you can top with sliced cheese as well. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25 min or until chicken is done. (Could take longer if you don't slice the chicken in half)

I sometimes throw chopped broccoli in the dish as well, just add a little water to help steam it.

Another good side dish is asparagus. Wash, cut off the ends, cut into 3rds. Place on a foil covered oven tray, drizzle olive oil over the asparagus and salt and pepper them. Bake on 350 for 15 minutes. (You can do this to broccoli too but it will come out pretty crispy)

Ok, one more! Pizza:

Wholegrain lebanese flat bread (can find them in the wrap section at the grocery store, and you won't even taste the wholegrain)
Napolitana sauce
mushrooms
artichokes
broccoli
asparagus
hot salami or pepperoni
jalapenos
shredded cheese
oregano

Place the bread on pizza trays (or oven tray), spread sauce, top with desired ingredients from list above. Cook broccoli and asparagus in the microwave for 2 minutes covered before placing on pizza. Top with cheese and oregano and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

You might like the "naptime chef" website--everything is quick enough to prepare during nap time, but wonderful recipes--my family has liked everything I've tried.

http://www.thenaptimechef.com/

T., I should have checked further before posting to your other request. I see you are doing what I suggested about requesting recipes by 'email'.

Here is something I do with salmon that the children love...
First, have some cooked rice (either leftovers from another meal or cook up a small amount to use specifically for this) Put two cans of salmon or tuna into a bowl, add approximately the same amount of the rice, an egg, some salt and pepper, a little garlic powder, a little dijon mustard.. or whatever spices you like...
Mix it all well together. Put a little oil into a skillet.. I use non-stick pans, but a well seasoned cast iron skillet would work too (aluminum or stainless steel will tend to stick too much for these, I think). Make patties out of the salmon mixture, and cook them over medium heat about two to three minutes to a side. These don't stick together like a hamburger patty, so be gentle when turning them over. If they do happen to fall apart, don't panic... simply let them finish cooking and put them on the plate as is... they still taste good.
I have also used bread crumbs or cracker crumbs as the filler, but the rice tastes better and is more nutritious.

This is not my recipe it is from http://crockpot365.blogspot.com. I know you didn't want website referrals but I want to give credit where credit is due.

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup
1 15 oz. can of pure pumpkin or fresh pumpkin
1 red onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
2 yams peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped ( I press them)
1 1 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated ( I use 1 tsp ground ginger)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 TBSP sugar (I've used brown sometimes)
4 cups of broth (veggie or chicken)
2 cups of water
optional heavy whipping cream, 1 TBSP per bowl of soup

Use a 6 qt. slow cooker. Add pumpkin, veggies, spices and sugar. Pour broth and water in and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Use an immersion blender to soupify 3/4 to all of soup depending on how creamy versus chunky your family likes (we completely cream it). You can blend it in batches in the blender but be careful. Serve and add cream to the bowls, stir in and enjoy. My family loves this. All five kid including the baby like it. We've doubled the recipe in an 8 qt slow cooker and froze extras for quick lunches.
This seems like at lot but really it is all put together in half an hour which you could do the night before and then cooks all day while you work or play.

The rest of the recipes are ones we've adapted from various cookbooks, family recipes etc..
We also like to make honey mustard pork or chicken
1 TBSP of Honey
1 TBSP of dijon mustard
2 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp of dried oregano

Rub on a pork tenderloin or chicken brests or thighs and bake as normal.

Lemon Dill Salmon

2 TBSP Lemon juice
1 TBSP oil
1 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (or less if your kids don't like it)
About 1 pound of 1 inch salmon steaks (3 or 4)

Mix the marinade and put in a shallow container with salmon and refridgerate to marinate at least 2 hours (i've done overnight in a ziplock bag). Turning a couple times if you can. Either grill at medium-high heat or broil until fish flakes easily with a fork 10-15 minutes.

Lastly Tacos are quick and easy. Any of the meats you like would work with cooked in a skillet with taco seasoning or we just add a diced onion, chili powder and cumin to taste. Start with a little and slowly add more. Then we serve it with corn tortillas, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce or spinach, avocado and salsa.

For a change with rice try cooking rice in coconut milk or chicken or veggetable broth. When we do coconut milk we sometimes add cinnamon and/or nutmeg.

I'm a fan of simple pasta recipes and I always use whole wheat pasta (and we, kids included, can't taste the difference).
cook thin spaghetti or angel hair.
take grape tomatoes, cut them in half. saute them with olive oil, sprinkle in fresh/dried basil. top with a little fresh parmesan. dinner in 15 minutes. If your in need of meat, we make this with side of chicken breast. Or while sauteing add sliced turkey sausage (much less fat than beef).
My favorite source for recipes is good housekeeping, every month they have one or two "healthy meals in minutes." You can look on their website, or I just love that magazine. Some months its "fru-fru" food my kids won't eat. Other times it's simple delicious recipes.
Like fish? One of our recent favorites is simple fish tacos. Use a light fish like mahi mahi or tilapia. you can bake it, but it will cook in saute pan in minutes. cook with a little olive oil, pepper to taste. warm fresh corn tortillas. Mix 1 tablespoon mayo with 2tablespoons lemon. Place fish and chopped cabbage on tortillas. Drip a little of the lemon sauce. top with chopped avocado. I like mine with a little fresh salsa too. This is another 15 minute fix we do probably once a week (skipping the mayo/lemon sauce on occasion, if you use salsa instead its plenty flavorful).
i could go on an on. If these are ones that sound good, write me back and I'll share more! Looking forward to reading others, always looking for simple, quick, HEALTHY meals!

Here's a simple family favorite at our house:

Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin/Sweet Potato Casserole

3 sweet potatoes and/or yams, peeled and sliced thin
2 leeks, sliced (leek is a very mild onion)
1 lb ground turkey or pork
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1 cup shredded mozzerella (low-fat, part skim)
1 cup apple juice or cider

Preheat oven to 350. Brown meat and leeks until meat is fully cooked and leeks are soft (if using turkey I add a small amount of apple juice to the browning to keep it moist). Drain if necessary. Add thyme and fennel seeds to meat mixture. Layer 1/2 of the sliced potatoes/yams in a greased 9X13 casserole dish. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the potatoes/yams. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the meat. Repeat layers. Pour apple juice over the top and cover. Bake for 45 min at 350 degrees. Let stand for 5 min covered, serve.

This is also an easy one to assemble ahead or the night before, just refrigerate until ready to bake. Sometimes I add a clove or two of garlic to the meat mixture for variety. I like to use two yams (orange flesh) and one sweet potato (white/yellow flesh) together in this recipe; the colors contrast nicely and the sweet potato has a slightly different but complimentary texture and flavor. I hope this is the type of thing you're looking for!

J.

Hi there,

I'm glad you posted this question, because who doesn't need new yummy, easy recipes!

quick frittata:
defrost some frozen spinach and drain
chop and saute onions in olive oil
whisk together eggs and spinach
add spinach/egg mixture to the onions, mixing together in the pan at first, then flipping to make little frittata patties

This is kind of like a veggie scramble, and you can add any veggies you like. Sometimes potatoes as well. I make this once a week to sneak some spinach into my daughter's diet. I serve it with a side of veggies that she likes and bread or pasta. You can also make sandwiches out of it.

quick chili:
chop and saute onions in olive oil
add ground beef and pork
add a can of diced tomatoes and some tomato sauce (just plain sauce, not flavored)
add a can of kidney beans
add a can of corn

Serve over rice. The other night we had leftover mashed potatoes and it was really yummy under the chili! I served it with plain broccoli on the side.

white fish in tomato sauce:
thinly slice red unions and saute in olive oil
add can of pureed tomato
add some capers
add fish, cover with the sauce, cover pan and cook

These are really simple, but my 2 year old likes them, they take about 20 minutes, and seem somewhat healthy.

Buon appetito!

For a snack, spread organic peanut butter (assuming no nut allergies in the family) on a whole grain tortilla. Top with thin-sliced bananas and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with some slivered almonds and roll up.

For dinner, Stuffed Green Peppers:
Wash 3 or 4 Bell peppers. Slice in half and clean out seeds and membranes. Boil bell pepper halves in water for 3 minutes and set aside to drain.
Brown 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey. Drain/absorb any oil. Add 1/2 cup chopped onions and cook until almost clear. Add a can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes OR 2 cups chopped fresh roma tomatoes. Add enough water to keep everything moist but not soupy. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 - 2 cups cooked brown or long grain rice (depends on how much you like) and some sweet basil (maybe a couple teaspoons). Salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into bell peppers and bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 25 minutes. Top with a little low-fat parmesan or mozarella cheese.

Serve with a salad and/or steamed cauliflower. Enjoy!

This is not a recipe, but I mix flax seed into almost all of my recipes because Reese has constipation issues. It has no taste, and when mixed into something like bread, brownies, or other baked items you would never know if was there! Just make sure to use ground flax seed so it has a texture similar to brown sugar.

I have too many recipes to post here. I have a subscription to Cooking Light magazine and all of their recipes are a hit. They're easy to make with easy to find and in season ingredients. You can also find them online.

some simple things my kids like:

microwave-steamed fish: put a couple frozen tilapia fillets in a microwave-safe dish, add about 1/4 cup broth with about 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. sugar, grated ginger, 1 tsp cornstarch. Microwave until cooked (time will depend on the microwave). serve over steamed rice with steamed vegetables (my rice cooker has a steamer insert so I put sliced carrots and broccoli in the steamer basket while the rice is cooking)

one-pot mock teriyaki: combine 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup sugar, with some grated ginger root in a covered pan. heat to dissolve sugar, add about 4 frozen boneless chicken thighs, cover, simmer for about 15-20 minutes. when chicken is cooked through, remove from pan and heat sauce to boiling to reduce liquid, return chicken to pan to coat with reduced sauce. add cubed tofu if desired. serve over rice with steamed vegetables

slow cookers (crock pots) are great for making things like chili