3 Quick And Healthy Dinner Ideas

Dinner is a basic meal that we often end up neglecting.

Whether it’s due to fatigue or a lack of time, we tend to consume low-nutrient, high-calorie meals in the evening. To help you remedy this problem, we present 3 ideas for healthy, filling dinners that contain essential nutrients below.

In addition to interfering with our sleep, bad habits can lead to obesity. But is it possible to prepare healthy dinners after a long day at work? The answer is yes. And you won’t need to spend a lot of time there.

3 ideas for healthy and quick dinners

1. Express chicken pan-fried

It’s a quick, light and economical recipe. This is why it is one of the best ideas for healthy dinners. We opt for chicken here, but you can cook any type of meat and vegetables.

You can also prepare a vegetarian version, with pieces of tofu, for example. Also, you can add sunflower and sesame seeds to provide more nutrients and a crunchy and appetizing texture.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup of brown rice (200 g)
• 1 cup of chicken breast (250 g)
• 2 carrots (cut into julienne)
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce (60 g)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (30 g)
• 1 julienned red pepper
• 1 julienned yellow pepper
• Bunches of broccoli or cauliflower
• Sunflower and sesame seeds

Preparation method

• In a large saucepan or a wok, pour the olive oil and heat.
• Then add the garlic, scallions and peppers
• Sauté for a few minutes.
• Add the chicken and let brown until the pieces are white and golden.
• Then add the broccoli, carrot and soy sauce.
• Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• In another saucepan, cook the brown rice with a drizzle of olive oil and the sufficient quantity of water.

The way to serve this dish will depend on the taste of the guests. You can mix the cooked rice with the pan and serve it with the seeds on top. But you can also serve them separately, with the rice as a side dish.

2. Complete pasta with pesto and cherry tomatoes

Recently pasta has had a bad reputation in slimming diets because  it contains carbohydrates. While it is certain that we should moderate our daily consumption of flour and starch, we should not exaggerate either.

Indeed, carbohydrates are essential energy sources for our body. In this recipe, we use whole-grain spaghetti to provide fiber and promote digestion.

Ingredients

• 75 g of wholemeal pasta per person
• Cherry tomatoes at your convenience. You can also use round tomatoes or sundried tomatoes.

For the pesto:

• Nuts or almonds (5 to 7 units)
• Fresh basil (10 to 15 leaves)
• Lemon juice (1 teaspoon)
• Olive oil (4 tablespoons)
• Garlic (1/2 clove)
• Salt to your taste

Preparation method

We opted for making a homemade pesto, but you can also buy it ready-made.

• In a bowl, put all the sauce ingredients and mix then set aside.
• Fill a pot with water to cook the pasta.
• On the other hand, wash the cherry tomatoes (or any other type of tomato) and let them dry.
• When the pasta is cooked, quickly (over high heat) the tomatoes with olive oil, in a saucepan or frying pan.
• Drain the pasta then place it on the seared tomatoes and add the pesto.
• Turn off the heat immediately so as not to burn the sauce.
• Finally, serve with grated cheese.

3. Lemon salmon fillets

This is one of the quickest ideas for the most delicious, convenient, and well-presented healthy dinners. It is ideal when receiving guests or just to have fun.

Ingredients

• Lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to your liking
• 1 or 2 salmon fillets per person
• Juice of 1/2 lemon per squeeze
• Accompaniment according to your preferences (mashed potatoes or squash, rice or wholegrain pasta, salad, etc.)

Preparation method

• First, make sure the salmon fillets have no bones.
• Then cut a square of aluminum per net.
• Cover a metal baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the fillets on it.
• To season the salmon, add salt and pepper to your liking.
• Then squeeze 1/2 lemon on each fillet. Bake at 180 ° until the salmon is cooked through.

During this time, prepare the accompaniment of your choice. Before serving, add a few lemon zest to each fillet to flavor your dish.