Easy Main Dish Recipes for Busy Weeknights
A while back I asked if any of you had some super easy main dish recipes to share for busy weeknights. Below is a healthy dinner recipe from Jeanne and one from Melissa (thank you both, I only have a photo of Jeanne!), and I’m asking everyone to continue to email your recipes, too. Everyone has at least ONE easy recipe for busy nights, right?
Here’s my list: our version of fast food these days!
Jeanne shows below how she adapted what she calls a “junk recipe” into a more nutritious meal with better ingredients…
Cheeseburger Cups
Servings: 12 cups
Ingredients
- Instead of 1 pound conventional ground beef, use 1 pound hormone free ground beef (grass-fed is even better – see sources for safe, healthy meat.)
- Instead of 1/2 cup ketchup , use 1/2 cup organic ketchup (to avoid HFCS)
- Omit 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard can stay!
- Instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce, replace with 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic/onions (or try this worcestershire that is good!)
- Instead of 1 12-ounce tube of buttermilk biscuits, replace with your favorite homemade biscuit recipe mixed up (to avoid trans fats and seed oils.) Here’s my homemade biscuit recipe!
- Instead of 1/2 cup cubed Velveeta -ICK!, use 1/2 cup cubed cheddar
Instructions
- Mix up your favorite biscuit recipe (enough for 12 biscuits). Divide biscuit dough into 12 pieces. Press each biscuit onto the bottom and up the sides of a buttered muffin cup.
- In a large skillet cook beef, garlic, onions until browned; drain. Stir in ketchup, mustard. Set aside.
- Place 1 cheese cube in each biscuit cup. Spoon beef mixture into cups.
- Bake at 400* for 14 – 16 minutes or until golden brown.
- My kids love these as a quick between-event snack. The biscuit was sturdy enough so they could eat it in the car if necessary. I just made these again yesterday, but substituted sausage for the beef. I wrapped two cups in foil and placed in the freezer. I plan to reheat in the toaster oven for 15 minutes or so at 350* and serve as a breakfast.
From Melissa:
Sausage Dinner
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 pound no-nitrate organic chicken sausage (I love Aidell's)
- I jar chunky organic salsa
- 1 can organic black beans
- 1 package frozen organic corn
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- grated cheddar
Instructions
- Slice the sausage and brown in in a large pan.
- Drain the salsa, reserving the juice in a small bowl (you want about 1/3 of a cup, discard any more than that).
- Add the beans and corn to the pan.
- Whisk the flour into the reserved salsa juice.Add salsa juice/flour to pan, and stir until thickened.
- Voila–you're done! Serve with grated cheddar on top.
More you might like:
- Find more recipes here! (In many different categories.)
Beth says
I tried the cheeseburger cups this week. The kids loved them and they sure came in handy.
Thanks!
KitchenKop says
I took it to mean that the last thing she needed were *certain types* of calories right now. (The empty kind.)
Julia, good reminder on the need for healthy fats, though!!
Julia says
Thanks for the recipes!
-The Diaper Diaries..I’m confused, if you’ve just had a baby, why on earth would you not need calories? It’s so important to eat good nourishing fats when you are recovering and nursing your little one. Congratulations on your babe 🙂
The Diaper Diaries says
I am currently getting meals brought to me since I just had a baby and it has only been a week and I need something healthy. The food is soooo appreciated, but so bad for us. And the last thing I need right now is a bunch of calories. Ugh. These are great ideas!!
Living A Whole Life says
Thanks for all the great recipes! I’m always looking for new, kid-friendly, healthy recipes!
Karla
Beth says
Kelly,
Thanks for posting these family-friendly quick dinners.
Beth
Catherine@ Healthy Fit Mom says
We love taco salad. It still takes about a half hour to prepare but it is so healthy and every body loves it. My kids have eaten it since they were young toddlers. This is the kind of recipe that kids will eat their salad.
-1 lb of grassfed ground beef
-Homemade taco salad seasoning (can make in bulk – recipe found here: https://www.savingdinner.com/archives/recipes/taco_seasoning.html)
-1 head of Romain Lettuce
– Veggies (peppers, grated carrots,cucumbers, tomatoes, onions)
– Shredded cheese of your choice
– homemade ceaser salad dressing (almond oil, anchovies, garlic, parmesan cheese, and mustard powder). I will post this recipe on my blog today and submit to RFW.
– Salsa – can be an organic store bought or home made lacto-fermented.
– Real sour cream or yogurt
Brown the ground beef and add taco seasoning. Wash and chop salad and veggies. Place salad and veggies in a bowl. Add your browned beef, ceaser salad dressing, salsa and sour cream on top. Grate cheese over top.
Super yummy and oh so AWESOME! This is a five star recipe.