A stack of dirty dishes is NOT what a busy mom needs at the end of the day. These super simple one pot meals will satisfy your family without the added clean up factor.
Whether you work from home or are rushing out the office door, getting EASY dinners on the table are key to keeping your sanity on a busy weeknight. But, getting easy HEALTHY dinners on the table can be a challenge.
And, getting easy healthy ONE POT dinners can seem like an impossible task. But, not tonight! Nope.
Tonight you’re gonna check all the boxes.
If you’re looking for a way to make easy healthy one pot dinners that your family will devour, then check out my TOP 5 recipes that are sure to salvage the weeknight dinner rush without hitting up the drive-thru.
WHAT CAN I COOK IN ONE POT?
So many of my recipes have developed out of this question: What can I cook in one pot tonight?
When it comes to one pot dishes, I literally start with my pot. Then, I see what protein I have. Next, my starch. Finally, my veg. The last thing I do is pick a flavor profile. Like, am I going Italian or Mexican with what I have.
Limitations breed creativity. Especially in the kitchen.
When it comes to making something out of nothing in the kitchen, I’m ya girl. That’s why I love a one pot meal. These’ll have you out of that kitchen (without a mound of dishes) and ready to start that bedtime routine like a champ.
BONUS: They’re flexible. You don’t have ground beef? No worries, sub in chicken. Same goes with the veggies–just use what you’ve got.
It’s more about the big picture than the little details.
All of my recipes are built to stand a little tweaking. They don’t fall apart when you start substituting.
#1: Asian Pork Tacos (NO COOK)
Okay, so there’s two ways to go about getting your main ingredient: without lighting up that smoker. You can easily cook pulled pork in a crock pot, or you can buy it precooked at the store. I’ve done both.
When you buy it at the store, you can find it with BBQ sauce & without. My favorite is at Sam’s Club. It comes in two containers that are a bit larger than the ones at the regular grocery stores. It may be called pulled pork or carnitas. Either way, It works beautifully.
You can totally get the BBQ version. I’ve purchased it by mistake & had to make it work, which of course it did. I mean, it’s pulled pork.
Also, you can sub out ready made smoked chicken, too. (Find it here at Sam’s) Just did this last week & LOOOVED it.
#2: BBQ Shrimp
One of the easiest ways to get dinner on the table is by going the sheet pan route. Sheet pan meals are a godsend! I love throwing a bunch of ingredients on a pan and popping it in the oven. You just can’t beat it on a busy week night. Plus, the clean up is quick & easy, too!
This mouth watering dish will have you (and your kids!) drooling. I’m serious. All you need to do is grab a baguette & get to dippin!
#3: Meyer Lemon Spatchcock Chicken
This is a super easy meal that looks like it will take you all day. That’s what’s so brilliant about it. If you haven’t spatchcocked a chicken, then you HAVE to try this out! It’s like the best shortcut ever if you’re a lover of crispy chicken skin.
Spatchcocking is just cutting out the backbone of the chicken and flattening it down so that the chicken cooks super quick. Added bonus: the skin of the entire chicken gets crispy! Love it.
Works with turkey, too! Also, any root veggies go with this dish. You can’t go wrong with carrots, onions, celery, butternut, acorn squash, beets, and on…..
#4: Loaded Greek Pasta Salad
This is perfect all summer long! Grill the chicken outside (zero pans to clean!), and then boil your pasta. The rest is just chopping and mixing! This is also a great one to turn into a veggie dish for Meatless Mondays. It’s divine either way.
This is also an easy healthy one pot dinner that does double duty. Cook once and eat this twice because it gets better the next day.
#5: Muffin Tin Veggie Pot Pies (With Puff Pastry!)
It’s just like a regular chicken pot pie, but it’s got our favorite meat substitute: garbanzo beans. Also, you make them in muffin tins. I mean, its adorable, easy, and filled with veggies!
With only 5 ingredients, you’ll be scratching your head wondering why you haven’t tried this before. Your kids are gonna love it.
EASY HEALTHY HOME COOKED MEALS
Working moms lead extraordinarily busy lives, and easy healthy one pot dinners can be a game changer when it comes to getting home cooked food on the table fast.
These dinners prove you don’t have to have a whole lot of time, fancy ingredients, or crazy kitchen skills to make an easy dinner.
Whether you’re cooking a sheet pan dinner, a stove top dinner, or grilling–it’s just gonna make life easier when you use fewer dishes. But, you know what would be even better?
Having your partner cook dinner for you a few times a week…
Is that happening in your world? If not, then let me tell you a story that ends with me getting my ZERO kitchen skills having husband to cooking just as much as I do.
Even on weeknights.
Even without asking.
I started him on “NO COOK” meals–mostly just assembly required. Just like the ones in my Rush Hour Recipes freebie–(psssst–go get it now!).
After a little routine & lots of delicious no-cook meals, he’s now baby-stepped his way into Easy Cook Meals.
That’s right, he actually cooks for our family. Like, regularly. Yes, it’s a thing! Curious? Wanna get a little of that action at home? Let me show you how.
You need Dinner Plans Starter Kit in your life, trust me!
Check it out HERE!
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