I have gotten to the point that I dread planning and prepping food each week. I am always wanting to try new recipes, new flavors, keep things healthy, and easy to make. It has taken me years to figure out what spices go together and what meals are fast to whip up when I am out of time. That is why I wanted to share some easy weeknight dinners the whole family will enjoy. These recipes are from some of my favorite bloggers who honestly have saved me so much time and energy. So, if you are looking for easy, nutrient packed weeknight dinners, look no further. Read below to find my favorites!
- Sweet and Spicy Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Paleo Chicken Quesadillas
- Steak Stir Fry
- Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Sweet and Spicy Chicken
If you have not had the luck of finding The Whole Cook blog, you have been missing out. This blog has provided me with the most simple recipes. The best part is that they are all healthy and fit my dietary limitations. She does a great job at preparing recipes that use ingredients most pantries already have on hand, which saves me money too!
Our all time favorite recipe from her is the sweet and spicy chicken recipe. We make it, and serve it over rice and also toss in green beans, or broccoli into the sauce for a more well rounded dish. I typically buy frozen veggies so that it makes this dish an all around winner for being easy and cheap!
Its spicy, sweet, and filling! Packed full of fiber and protein which is a win in my book! Hope you give it a try!
Buffalo Chicken Casserole
I am always looking for spicy food and also dishes that are based on vegetables. This dish fits both of those needs. The base of it is spaghetti squash, you then add in onions, peppers, chicken and mix up this amazing buffalo ranch sauce! It has so much flavor that we eat it all in two meals when it should be three! It does require a bit more cooking time than most of her recipes, but I just go for the rotisserie chicken to save myself time! The best part is that my kids even enjoy this dish and its all vegetables and chicken. Try this buffalo ranch chicken casserole and make it a family favorite.
Paleo Chicken Quesadillas
These chicken quesadillas are must try. I have been waiting to find a way to make quesadillas for my family. Since we are gluten free its really hard to find tortillas that taste good and don’t fall apart. I also miss cheese (we cant eat dairy either) so finding an alternative like Siete nacho cheese has been a wonderful addition to our family meals.
This recipe is easy to pull together when you are running out of time in the evening, I recommend keeping these ingredients on hand for when you are in a pinch, or just out of ideas. I also recommend having side dishes like black beans, guacamole, salsa and chips so that the ingredients go further and can provide you leftover the next day, which again saves time and money.
Also, just a side note. This blogger Paleo Running Momma has a plethora of desserts, main dishes, sides, etc. Her vanilla ice cream made from Dates it the best ice cream I have ever had and it has no dairy in it! Keep her blog handy. She has so much goodness on her site.
Steak and Zucchini Stir Fry
We like to switch up our meats during the week because we get sick of chicken! This easy steak and zucchini stir fry full of flavor and vegetables is great served over regular or cauliflower rice. The sauce is light, but packed full of those stir fry flavors we all pay our local restaurants too much money to make each week. I like to do three different squashes in ours. I do green, yellow, and light green just to add more nutrients and texture. You can try and vegetables in this dish and you will not be disappointed. Buy frozen or fresh!
Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
One of the cheapest meats you can buy, is pork. When I am just out of ideas I buy a pack of chops, a frozen bag of veggies (typically broccoli) and a bag of sweet potatoes. You can toss the sweet potatoes and broccoli in the oven at 375 and roast them for 20-30 minutes and then sear the pork chops with salt and pepper in some olive oil in a pan on your stove. Could a meal be any easier? Cheaper? Probably not. Its so easy! You can get creative and try different potatoes and veggies on the side and also marinated your pork for different flavors each week.
I hope these recipes get your family off to a great start with your health, and save you time and money down the road. I also found this list of 20 weeknight paleo meals that has some great ideas too! Check out some of our other recipe articles below!
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