With so many things to do every day – so much work to handle, kids to raise, and obligations to attend to – preparing a healthy dinner can be a challenge. But that’s no excuse to settle for pre-packaged dinners and processed foods. There are plenty of healthy dinner recipes you can prepare in just a few minutes.
Quick and Healthy Dinner Recipes
To inspire you, here’s a list of some healthy and easy low-carb weight loss recipes that will help you stay on track. Whether you’re new to cooking or a seasoned chef (or fall somewhere in between), these recipes take half an hour or less to prepare.
Spiced Lentils with Rice or Noodles
Lentils are rich in polyphenols, which gives them strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Ingredients
- 7 oz can of cooked lentils
- 1 can of cooked rice or noodles
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- ¾ fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1/2 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon of grated ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon of ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric
- ¼ cayenne pepper
- Sea salt
Instructions
Blend together the tomato paste, maple syrup, pepper, onion, garlic, lemon juice, ginger, and salt. Cook the drained lentils with the cilantro and the blended sauce over medium heat in a pot or pan. Stir frequently. Add the ready-cooked rice or noodles and enjoy.
Sweet Potatoes with Chickpeas and Avocado Smash
Sweet potatoes promote gut health, and they are rich in eta-carotene. In addition to sweet potatoes, this dinner recipe includes a healthy green smash, plus chickpeas and a tahini dressing.
The list of ingredients may seem long, but you can get this meal ready in 10 minutes or less.
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 cup of green peas
- 1 can of chickpeas
- 1 avocado
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2/4 cup of red onions
- 4 tablespoons of tahini
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- A pinch of cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- chili flakes
- sea salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
Put the potatoes in an oven-safe dish and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. Next, prepare the chickpeas. Add the avocado oil, half of the onions, and 1 garlic clove, then cook for 2 minutes. Add the chickpeas, salt, and pepper and cook for 7-8 minutes more.
To make the smash, mix the peas, avocado, olive oil, 1 garlic clove, and the rest of the onions, and then blend until smooth.
For the dressing, whisk the tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and spices in a bowl.
Cut the potatoes in half and stuff them with the green smash and chickpeas. Drizzle with the dressing.
Coconut Green Pasta
This recipe includes 14 grams of protein and over 3 grams of fiber. It’s a healthy take on a classic dinner dish.
Ingredients
- 7 oz wholegrain or gluten-free pasta
- 7 fl ounces coconut milk
- 1 cup of spinach
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tablespoon of extra-virgin oil
- ½ tablespoon of lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon of ground ginger
- ½ tablespoon of chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
Instructions
Mince the garlic and cook in a saucepan until golden brown, then add the ginger, pepper, lemon juice, and coconut milk. Cook for 5 minutes more.
Take off the stove top and then cook the pasta. Before the pasta is ready, add the contents of the saucepan to your blender with the spinach. Pour the contents of the blender back into the saucepan and add the pasta.
Dine Healthy and Save Time
The easy dinner recipes on this list are quick to make and can turn dinner into the most enjoyable meal of the day. Whether you dine alone or cook for your family, don’t say no to a healthy and delicious recipe. Start with the ones above and keep exploring new ones every week. The possibilities and the flavors are endless.
