I let my dog out one morning this week and realized about 2 hours later that I forgot to let him back in. My overloaded brain moved on to other things and I simply forgot him. Thank goodness it was my furry child and not my real one! Yes folks, it’s Fall. That magical time of light sweaters, pumpkin spice, beautiful leaves, and the onslaught of back to school activities that can send us right into the cuckoo’s nest. I’m stressed and I only have one preschooler and no job outside the home. Kudos to the rest of you juggling careers, multiple kids, and zillions of kid activities!
Dinnertime on Fall weeknights is the cruelest time of the day. We’re all tired from the demands of work/school/parenting, there’s irritability and hanger in the air, and home arrival times are unpredictable. The last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen, preparing, cooking and cleaning up a complicated dinner that may even be demolished in 5 minutes on the way to the next activity (hence the photo choice for this week. Dinner feels like feeding time at the zoo sometimes, right?!). Here are six go-to meals that have saved time and sanity in our houses on busy weeknights (not to mention saving our health and wallets since constant dependence on boxed meals and takeout can wreak havoc on both!) We end with a list of our recipe-free K.I.S. Hall of Fame. Hope you find something that works in your house too.
Super Easy Panzanella Salad at Patti’s
I love this recipe for it’s simplicity and its dressing, but also for it’s versatility. Plus, it is a GREAT way to clean out your fridge! The way I like to adapt it is to use whatever extra veggies I have lying around: leftover peas or corn from dinner earlier in the week, take out broccoli, the remains of the CSA box, etc. This is a great meal for you fellow vegans or vegetarians. For my meat loving hub, he will often tolerate this, but I can jazz his up with some extra rotisserie chicken or leftover protein from earlier in the week. My kiddo – who doesn’t like her stuff mixed – with eat a deconstructed salad with the chick peas, the croutons, and whatever other veg she likes all spread out on the plate so they don’t touch. Get the recipe here: Super Easy Panzanella Salad
Chicken Tamale Casserole at Lauren’s
This has been a staple in our house for a long time. Minimal dishes to wash, short baking time, generally hands and attention free. The recipe is from Cooking Light and here are my modifications:
- 1 egg instead of the egg substitute
- Plain whole kernel corn instead of creamed corn
- I save all the cheese for the top instead of mixing any into the corn bread base
- I like to put the chicken down first, then cover the chicken with the sauce
- If I’m feeling fancy I make my own enchilada sauce (canned is totally fine on a busy night, but if you’ve never done it give it a try sometime. It’s pretty yummy.)
Get the recipe here: Chicken Tamale Casserole
BBQ White Beans with Sausage and Spinach at Patti’s
This is my favorite emergency dinner (other than PBJ sammies or cereal). Again, another meal that will suit just about anyone, and it can be made in 20 minutes, from start to finish! Substitutions can include the following: The recipe uses a meatless sausage. If you want, make it with full-on regular sausage or kielbasa; if you are vegan/vegetarian, just plate your portion before adding the meat in. Use regular BBQ sauce if you want, or search out a healthier, lower sugar one. My hub actually enjoys the meatless meat; we never have any leftovers of this meal. My daughter will eat this, again, in a deconstructed fashion, with sausage and beans on her plate. I usually serve some bread and a fruit to round out the meal. Get the recipe here: BBQ White Beans with Sausage and Spinach
Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs at Lauren’s
Chicken breasts do not go over well in my house. My chef skills always dry them out which means my three year old really struggles to chew them. Thighs to the rescue. Yes, more fat and calories than white meat, but I’m ok with that. Trim the excess fat before cooking, opt for skinless, and enjoy the lower cost and higher iron content. I love this recipe (Cooking Light again – notice a pattern at my house?!) because it’s fast and tasty. There’s a dry spice mix you can alter with what you have in the pantry, the thighs take a few trips under the broiler (use a foil covered pan to make clean up even easier), and you brush with a vinegar and honey mixture. Done! I like to pair with frozen oven fries and a salad or roasted veggie. I give my daughter a teaspoon or two of extra honey to dip the chicken into and she’s happy as a clam. Get the recipe here: Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs
Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans at Patti’s
Although this is actually a recipe from a magazine, I almost feel bad putting this in because it is so damn simple. In 30 minutes, you have a meal that is super filling and almost able to be served to guests. Whoo hoo – fancy! I often keep an extra box of gnocchi on hand just for when I need something FAST. Substitutions can be made to make it vegan: withhold cheese or sub with vegan cheese. In a pinch? Add whatever beans, cheese, or greens you have on hand. You can also use this very same recipe with whatever pasta you may have on hand — just boil it in water as you would typically prepare it. Leftover pasta works GREAT. My kiddo eats the pasta, beans, and cheese, all separated. Get the recipe here: Skillet Gnocchi with White Beans and Chard
Jambalaya at Lauren’s
This may not be a super authentic version straight out of New Orleans, but it’s still a great weeknight go to meal. I picked this recipe because it’s a one pot wonder and it includes two proteins my kiddo rarely refuses: sausage and shrimp. Yes, the ingredient list is a bit long but there’s nothing too outrageous. Most things are probably already in your pantry. If your family isn’t into spicy food, replace the andouille with something more mild (something that comes out of the package fully cooked is definitely quicker) and leave the hot pepper sauce out (put it on the table for everyone to add on their own). As for the shrimp, watch for sales on the bags of frozen peeled shrimp and stock your freezer when the price is right. They thaw quickly under cold running water. Get the recipe here: Jambalaya (you guessed it, Cooking Light magazine again! What can I say? I trust it to punch out yummy dishes with attention to nutritional value).
K.I.S. Hall of Fame (Keep It Simple. We all need this reminder sometimes)
Main Dishes
- Basic tacos or quesadillas (“Turkos” in our house since we prefer ground turkey). Brown it, throw in your own seasonings (chili powder, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt – no packets needed really), add some cheese, black beans, salsa, whatever. Throw it in a tortilla and you’re done. The build-your-own concept is great for finicky eaters and varied family preferences.
- Burgers. Veggie, beef, turkey, salmon, you choose! Fresh or frozen (the frozen salmon burgers at Costco are a new fav at Lauren’s house). Quick trip on a grill pan then add whatever toppings anyone wants that are already in the fridge. Or, mix up a simple new spread (honey + mustard, ketchup + mayo + relish, plain yogurt + lemon + dill).
- Omelets. Plain or clean out the fridge. LOVE eggs for dinner.
- Tuna melts. Mayo and I don’t get along, so I go Rachel Ray style and mix canned light (not white) tuna with olive oil + lemon juice + salt and pepper instead. Put a scoop on an English muffin, top with a slice of cheese and broil. Can sneak a tomato slice or salad greens under there too.
- Grains and beans and greens. Open a can of beans (rinse and drain them, please) into a skillet. Add some grains (rice/kamut/quinoa/couscous/whateve — leftover takeout rice will do!). Heat up. Throw in some greens at the last minute (spinach, kale, chard, whatever you have). Heat up til it wilts. Serve. Add condiments as desired.
- Make your own pizzas. Lots of success here for varied diets/tastes. Use pita pockets, flatbread, left over french bread, English muffins, bagels, or actual pizza shells. Look for a nice low sugar pizza sauce, then go crazy with your toppings!
Sides
- Roasted veggies. This works for just about any veggie your family will eat. Roughly chop, toss with some oil/salt/pepper, pop into a 400 degree oven, check and flip about every five minutes until done the way you like them.
- Nothing wrong with boxed or bagged salad. A bowl of plain salad greens with a simple dressing is nothing to be ashamed of, or add all the fixings.
- Minute brown rice in the box, especially with something saucy that it can soak up. No worries about excess sodium here.
- Microwave rice blends. They are getting pretty creative and adding more nutrient dense grains like quinoa to these. Also, varieties are available with less sodium and more close to homemade ingredients, so read your labels. We like this one in our house:
Easy As Pineapple 