See what easy, dietitian-approved dinners I'm putting on the table in my house this week and get the recipes for yourself below!
One thing we never realized as a child was how hard coming up with dinner would be, every night of the week as an adult! Not to mention, making sure it's something healthy, tastes good, and works with the entire family's preferences. Now these options below are some that stay on rotation in our house and don't take hours and hours to make. Check out these delicious, blood-sugar friendly recipes for every day of the week.
Healthy Dinners from a Dietitian:
Monday: Chicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry
On Mondays we try to cook up a large dish that makes several portions worth of food. This way we have leftovers for lunches during the week or a ready-to-go dinner on a night we don't feel like cooking. This recipe is one of my favorites for a delicious stir fry. Sometimes I'll include a side of steamed rice or add a potato or two into the stir fry for a small serving of the starch portion as the rest of this dish is really just protein and veggies!
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday of course!
Taco Tuesday still goes strong in our household and somehow we're still not sick of tacos! I like corn tortillas pan fried in a little olive oil while he likes flour tortillas lightly warmed in the stove or in the microwave. If you've never made tacos from ground turkey, check out this recipe! We always load our tacos with a variety of fresh chopped veggies and I'll sometimes whip up some guacamole if I happen to have avocados in ready condition.
Wednesday: Parmesan Baked Cod
One of our goals this year was to eat more fish, aiming for at least once a week to reap the health benefits of omega-3's like cancer prevention, reducing the risk of heart disease, reducing insulin resistance and brain health. It's even been shown to reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
I like to keep it simple by baking a mild, white fish like cod or haddock and adding simple toppings like cheese, basil or tomato slices and always pair it with non-starchy vegetables sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil.
Thursday: Spicy Taco Soup
A great way to save time during the week and prevent food waste is to play on recipes you've already made. Whenever we make tacos, I love to use the leftovers a few days later to create a whole new dish like this delicious Enchilada Taco Soup. This recipe easily scores 5 out of 5 stars in our household and soup is always a great way to use up some of the other slowly wilting produce in the fridge like peppers, celery and onions.
Friday: Pizza Night
Ending the week with something that feels indulgent always makes healthy eating habits seem more sustainable for the long run. We always plan for pizza night but make it a complete meal by including veggies and protein like this Chicken, Red Pepper and Spinach Pizza. The addition of the protein to pizza makes it super satisfying and I find myself getting full quickly after a couple slices.
Saturday: BBQ Pulled Chicken
There's nothing like heading out for the day knowing you have dinner brewing in the crockpot, and coming home to the smell of something delicious walking in the door! I love making this BBQ Pulled Chicken topped with our favorite low-sugar BBQ sauce and its so easy to shred apart using a hand mixer after cooking for hours in the slow cooker. We layer the BBQ chicken on toasted sandwich thins and pair with fresh veggies like steamed broccoli, corn on the cob and green beans. The recipe can be adjusted to serve a crowd if desired!
Sunday: Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa
On Sunday nights I love to make a hearty meal to end the weekend on a comforting note, and provide me leftovers for work the next day or two. This Stuffed Pepper recipe incorporates the high-fiber complex carb - quinoa, with lean ground turkey to make it feel like the comforting classic stuffed pepper dish you love, but with a lighter twist! The flavors of the mushroom, tomato and cheddar cheese (I always use sharp cheese) add so much flavor to this dish.
Did you enjoy these healthy dinners from a dietitian? What's on your dinner table this week? Share your favorites below and don't forget to check out my favorite snack plate ideas for prediabetes or my pumpkin muffin recipe for this week's dessert!
If you're looking for help with creating your own healthy meal plan or you're interested in building a meal planning habit to help meet your health goals, you can set up a one-on-one visit with me here!
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