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Eating healthily has always been important to me. I remember focusing on eating all food groups, eating the rainbow, and having a balanced diet as early as 16 years old. I favor a diet where everything is allowed and I don’t restrict myself or my family (other than for our many food allergies). My children have always been offered a wide variety of food. Despite my best effort, I do have a picky eater. I’ve developed many tricks to make sure his meals are still as nutritious as possible. Today, I thought I’d share 7 healthy dinner ideas that I can always count on.
1. Homemade spaghetti
The first of my go-to healthy dinner ideas is spaghetti. The reason this is such a great option is that you can fill it with vegetables without the picky eaters knowing about it. You can use a food processor and chop the veggies as small as needed. Over the years, I’ve been able to cut the veggies a little bigger without a protest. To make it even more appealing to some, you could add grated cheese on top and bake it in the oven before serving. My mother shared the below recipe with me when I left to be on my own and this is a favorite.
- 2 lbs of ground beef
- 5 small onions
- 5 celery stalks
- 1 green bell pepper
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 pack of mushrooms
- 1/4 tsp parsley
- 1/4 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 tsp basil
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp sage
- 1/4 tsp all spices
- 1/4 tsp mint
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp chilly sauce
- 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 cans of tomato cream
- 1 can of tomato paste
- 1 cup of red wine
- 3 bay leaves
Brown the meat until it is no longer pink. Add all vegetables (chopped as finely as you would like) and all of the other ingredients. Let it simmer on low for 3.5 hours.
2- Balsamic and dijon chicken thighs
We love chicken thighs. They have so much flavor and are much juicier than chicken breasts. Our favorite way to prepare them is to marinade them in equal portions of balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard. I let them marinate for at least 30 minutes but you can let them marinate overnight. You can cook them on the barbecue or in the oven, whichever you prefer or have access to. We like to serve them with steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes. It’s quick, and healthy and everyone loves it.
3- Grilled salmon
Our favorite way to prepare salmon is to drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top. You then season it with salt and pepper. Whenever possible I like to grill the fish on the barbecue. However, if you don’t have one or the weather doesn’t allow for it, you can cook it in the oven. We like to serve it with rice and a side of green beans or grilled spinach. If you end up with leftovers, this fish is delicious served cold on a salad for lunch the next day.
4- Stir fry
Stir fry meals are great because of their versatility. I like to incorporate them into our weekly meal plan if I know we will have leftover meat at one of our meals. You really do not need a recipe to make a stir fry. Add any meat and vegetables you have on hand. You first cook your rice. While the rice is cooking, brown your meat (if it isn’t already cooked) and grill your veggies (carrots, celery, broccoli, peas, corn, snow peas etc.). When your rice is cooked, add it to the meat , and veggie skillet and season with soy sauce (coconut amino), salt, pepper and any herbs of your choice. You can even make your stir fry with shrimps, scallops , or add scrambled eggs. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!
5- Prosciutto chicken
This is such a great spring/summer/fall recipe to make on the grill. We like to make this one with chicken thighs. You put a little dijon mustard on one side and lay a spring of rosemary on it. Then wrap a slice of prosciutto around it and use a toothpick to keep it rolled up. When you grill them, the prosciutto gets a little crispy and it’s so yummy. We often serve this with angel hair pasta tossed in olive oil and seasoned with fresh herbs and a side of grilled zucchinis and mushrooms.
6- Shepherd’s pie (AKA pate chinois in Quebec)
I’m sure you have a dish that just reminds you of your childhood. This is the one for me. This is a great comfort food dish. First, you peel and boil some potatoes. During this time, brown some ground beef and diced onions. When the potatoes are cooked, turn them into mashed potatoes. Then assemble the dish. The bottom layer is your beef and onion layer, then add a layer or corn (canned or frozen that you previously thawed) and finally cover with the mashed potatoes. Add a few cubes of butter on top to help it get golden brown. Put the dish in the oven for 20 minutes or so at 350 F. Finish it up on broil to get the top slightly brown.
7- Slow cook roast
Slow cookers exist to make life easier. I make the most simple yet delicious roast. First, place a 2.5-3 lbs roast in your slow cooker. Second, add one can of mushroom cream and sprinkle a packet of onion soup on top. Put the slow cooker on low and let it cool for 8 hours. It will make the most tender and flavorful roast. We like to serve it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli or green beans. Try it, your family will love it!
In conclusion..
Making delicious and healthy meals for you and your family does not have to be difficult. It does not have to take hours and be the most stressful time of your day. I hope you will try some of my healthy dinner ideas and see for yourself. Remember to let me know if you want to see more articles like this.
Until then, bon apetit!
Cat xx