10-, 20- and 30-minute Dinner Meals

Summer is definitely not over just yet, but the familiar sounds of bells ringing to bring some of us into routine are definitely right around the corner! With emotions of fear, excitement, sadness, dread or happiness, the all-too-familiar September rollout can bring along, “ahhhhh, more routine” or “oh no, here comes the piano, hockey, football, dance and all other forms of after-school activities” which may have families scrambling in the evening to ensure dinner still gets attention and is balanced and delicious!

So, as you compile that list of easy to prep lunch box items and grab your child the latest look of the bento lunch box (which, are the greatest things ever made!), I thought I would help set you up for that dinner hour – or maybe half hour you have – so that your gas doesn’t burn too long at the drive-thru window and that you and your families have the best fuel to move through the evening routine.

With a little help from some other fabulous dietitians, check out all of the ideas and find what your Top 10 would be so that you are always one step ahead of the game!

There are only about two or three nights where I personally get to enjoy making a meal and sitting down to eat it for longer than 15 or 20 minutes. It’s the nature of my life sometimes, so I am definitely one to have these go-to meals on hand quite often.

If I can get home for 30 minutes, I try to make something simple, or take something out from the freezer which I made in batch a previous time. My go-to meals often reside around:

• An omolette with a load of veggies and a slice of toast with avocado (*also works well in a wrap to take to go)
• A pasta dish with the focus being vegetables and a protein. My Ground Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta is a staple and never fails!
• A quick easy shrimp stir-fry with a load of fresh or frozen veggies and a quick side of rice
• Salmon in the oven (takes 12-15 minutes) with a head of broccoli (in the microwave) and sweet potato

If dinner needs to be packed or taken on the road, it’s often:

• A two-egg sandwich on two slices of Silver Hills or Ezekiel bread with goats cheese, avocado and lettuce with a baggie of cherry tomatoes and carrots and a fruit as back-up.
• Tuna mashed with avocado and mustard in a whole grain wrap with spinach, maybe a yogurt and almonds. (*note: also works with hard boiled eggs, left-over salmon or left-over chicken breast)
• Left-over or store-bought rotisserie chicken (remove the skin) with tzaziki, lettuce, and cucumber in a whole grain pita pocket, often with a fruit

I absolutely love this idea from Nazima Qureshi of transitioning your lunch in a jar for dinner! Lunch-in-a-jar are so simple and quick, so while you’re making one, why not make an extra to have for dinner!

Making rice one night for dinner? Make an extra batch and keep on hand for Amy Gordin’s take on Vegetable and Fried Rice. This one is a great energy booster, especially for the athlete in your family who may be on her or his feet for a few hours.

I know of a lot of clients (including myself) who like to do a little bit of food prep on a Sunday evening. A few chicken breasts on the BBQ or in the oven are quite popular in many households, and Elizabeth Shaw’s Buffalo Chicken Grain Bowl is sure to please many household palates!

For a great take on Taco Tuesday, check out Dr. Jenn Bower’s Tilapia Tacos. It’s often the best recipes that come together when we’re scrambled for time and we look in the fridge for inspiration – much like this one!

Pasta is simple and most kids (big and small) love it! Which is probably why a lot of RD’s love it too! Check out Kim Melton’s take on Spicy Chicken and Pasta for an extra kick mid-week!

Jodi Danen’s recipe for  Lemon Dill Salmon at The Average RD lends way to another delicious and simple way to cook up your next batch of salmon. With loads of omega-3 fatty acids, not to mention how quick fish generally takes to thaw and cook, this one is sure to become a favourite in your go-to meal list!

And for tonight, Alka Chopra with Nutrition Camp sent along her go-to chicken pasta recipe which she says gets better each time she makes it!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup marinara sauce
• 2 Tbsp pesto (if you have at home)
• 1 Cup Pasta
• 1 bunch spinach, 1 bunch Rapini/or 2 cups of any other green vegetable
• 2 chicken breasts (can use frozen ones) – sliced or cubed
• Seasonings:  Chopped ginger, Chopped garlic, 2 tbsp yoghurt (plain), salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, lemon juice, chilli flakes or any chilli sauce you have at home (optional)

Instructions

1. If using fresh chicken breast – marinate in ginger, garlic, yoghurt (plain), salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, lemon juice, any chilli sauce you have at home (optional). If using seasoned chicken, then just slice or cube.
2. Cook the pasta.
3. Cook the green vegetable.
4. Cook the marinated chicken breast with the marinade or cook the frozen chicken breast in a little bit of oil.
5. Now add some oil in a wok – add the cooked chicken breast and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.  Add the green vegetables, add the marinara sauce and pesto sauce. Lastly add the pasta and cook for another minute or two.
6. You are done.

Finally, don’t forget to pack along some great snacks for your athletes. Energy balls, peanut butter banana roll-up, homemade trail mix, cheese, crackers and fruit, homemade oatmeal banana buttermilk muffins or yogurt and fruit are sure to keep them energized throughout practices or right after before they arrive home.

It does take some planning, some prioritizing — but this is truly and simply what our health deserves – the best nourishment and fuel to get us through the days!