It’s Tuesday night, and you know you’d feel better if you had a healthy, hearty, home-cooked meal, but spending hours in the kitchen is the last thing you want to do after a tough day. So you spend 30 minutes scrolling through Pinterest, another 10 scrounging through your refrigerator, and then 10 minutes trying to get up the motivation to actually start cooking. By that time, you figure, what the heck, it’s so late that you might as well order UberEats or drive through the drive-through. Sound familiar?
This is a situation I hear all too frequently with my clients, and it’s one that can be easily avoided! Save this post somewhere you can access it easily, and pull it up any time you feel you’re in a rut. These 10 Healthy Weeknight Dinners are sure to be a lifesaver when you’re trying to feel your best, but just don’t have much time!
My Top 10 Healthy Weeknight Dinners
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- Egg and Veggie Scramble. About once per week, if I feel like something comforting and quick rather than what I have on my meal plan, I’ll make an egg and veggie scramble. I always keep bags of frozen organic mixed vegetables in my freezer (their nutrient content is just as high, if not higher, than fresh!), and I’ll microwave 2 cups of them for 2 minutes, pop them in a skillet, crack a few eggs on top, stir in some salsa, cook until done, then top with avocado. Filling, balanced, and SO delicious … plus, it’s ready in less than 10 minutes!
- Paleo Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice from Cooking Light. This truly does come together in 20-ish minutes, and tastes delicious. Let’s be honest, though – although the recipe says it serves 4, I’d divide it in half (or maybe eat the whole thing myself!).
- Salsa-Simmered Fish from The Kitchn. This one truly does go from start to finish in 10 minutes! Fish has great health benefits, and can be super simple to prepare, yet many people shy away from making it at home. Use this recipe to give it a shot! Serves 4.
Salsa Simmered Fish – The Kitchn
- Honey and Sesame Glazed Chicken Breasts with Green Beans from MyRecipes. Let’s be honest, a baked chicken breast and boiled broccoli can get boring, but chicken and veggies are still healthy eating basics. Spice up your healthy dinner with this flavorful and quick twist. I recommend doubling the green beans or adding in another veggie as well! Serves 4.
- Spiralized Puttanesca from Cooking Light. A hearty bowl of pasta … made from sweet potatoes? Plus rich, delicious Italian flavorings, and plenty of healthy fat to keep you full? Consider this one a win! Serves 4-6.
- Simple Chicken Stir-Fry: Simply heat a large skillet with 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil, add in 1 lb of chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes, and cook until browned. Add in 2 diced bell peppers, 1 diced onion, 1 Tbsp. diced garlic, and 1 tsp. minced ginger, stirring frequently, until onions start to be translucent (about 4 minutes). Add in 1 head of broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces, and 2 Tbsp. coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce. Cook 3-4 more minutes, and serve! Serves 4.
- Ethiopian Inspired Berbere Chicken Curry from Get Inspired Every Day. If Ethopian food sounds out of your weeknight comfort zone, I get it. But this dish is so comforting and satisfying, so I suggest you give it a go! The Berbere spice you’ll need can be found here, and you can sub in whatever veggies you have on hand. Serves 4.
Ethiopian Inspired Berbere Chicken Curry – Get Inspired Every Day
- Avocado Deviled Egg Salad from PaleoRunningMama. Comforting and healthy, especially when served with raw veggie dippers! Serves 4, and doesn’t save well for more than a day, so halve the recipe for just one extra serving if it’s just you!
- Chopped Chickpea Greek Salad from Ambitious Eats. A can of chickpeas, some veggies, olives, and some feta are all you really need to make this hearty and delicious, lettuce-free salad. For an extra time saver, try Tessemae’s Green Goddess Dressing. Serves 4.
Chopped Chickpea Greek Salad – Ambitious Eats
A Meal Prep side note: If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I prepare 15-18 meals per week on Sundays. It’s a huge sigh of relief for me not to have to worry about cooking or deciding what to eat on any given night. This is what works for my lifestyle, as I generally don’t get home from work until 8pm and take a very short break for lunch, not leaving me time to prepare anything. If this type of batch cooking might work better for you, too, my Meal Planning Webinar has all my best tips and tricks to make meal planning and food prep fast, efficient, and fun. Check it out here!
Now it’s your turn … What’s your favorite healthy weeknight dinner?
These are GREAT recipes Megan. And you really hit this one for those of us who have to work a full day.
It is so hard to come home and eat healthy! Thank you!