A Month of Easy Dinner Ideas

Hey hey! It’s been insanely busy around here, as we’re in the home stretch of the ‘building a house/moving for a second time this year and I’m also writing a book’ process and we are SO READY to finally be in a home again. It’s been tough trying to cook healthy dinners in our tiny apartment kitchen, and we’ve found we’re eating out A LOT more than we should be… which is not only bad for our budget, but awful for our waistlines as well. My husband and I both have packed on the pounds and can’t wait until we can grill out and have more fresh food again!

My goal for 2017 was to cook more dinners at home, and despite the challenges we’ve been doing just that. With all the sports and academic schedules though, squeezing in home cooked meals has been TOUGH. So we’ve rounded up a month’s worth of EASY and DELICIOUS dinners you can make, even when time is tight. I’ve also been putting my Skinny Taste Cookbook in heavy rotation, many (though not all) of those meals can be made in under 30 minutes. Plus, the slowcooker has been my quick-dinner-prep-BFF. Making one-dish dinners such as the ones in Sheet Pan Suppers has also been a huge help, both time and clean-up wise! With time and unpacked supplies extra tight with just 22 days until we move, I’ve been hitting up the easy recipe file pretty hard.

On that note, here’s a month’s worth of easy dinner ideas all in one post; bonus is that many of these can be modified to be gluten-free by using GF pasta or flour, tamari instead of soy sauce, and gluten free panko instead of breadcrumbs:

This Sweet and Tangy Sheet Pan Dinner is served with potatoes, asparagus and tomatoes, and the salmon is coated in a delicious tangy sauce.

Have a restaurant dinner at home with this PF Chang’s copycat for Mongolian Beef.

Get all the flavor of stuffed peppers in a much easier Unstuffed Peppers Casserole that you can make in just 30 minutes.

Get a spicy kick to the taste buds with this easy peasy One Pot Chili Rigatoni.

Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi is tossed in olive oil and lemon juice and served with roasted tomatoes and asparagus topped with crumbled feta.

Make this tasty Chicken, Potatoes and Peppers Skillet anytime you want a quick dinner with simple ingredients.

Enjoy an easy, cheesy dinner with this Creamy Sausage Pasta dish. Doesn’t it look amazing?

Don’t have 30 minutes? Try this Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry that’s ready in just 20 minutes. You can’t get much easier than that!

When you’re craving a healthy dinner that’s packed with veggies, this One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken recipe really hits the spot.

Use jarred alfredo sauce to bring this Crispy Prosciutto and Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo dinner quickly.

You can make this Easy Chicken Marsala Skillet with ingredients you already have on hand – chicken, mushrooms and pasta in a thick, savory sauce.

On chilly days, warm up with a big bowl of Buffalo Chicken Soup.

A One Pan 5 Ingredient Chicken Skillet helps you feed your family in a flash.

Kids and adults alike with love these scrumptious Ginger Thai Chicken Patties. Eat them as dippers with sweet chili sauce or put them on buns for yummy sliders.

Serve this One Pot Balsamic Chicken and Veggies dish over a hot bed of pasta or rice.

You should always keep shrimp on hand because it’s perfect for easy weeknight dinners like this 30 Minute Shrimp Coconut Curry.

If you’re watching your carbs, this Pork and Broccoli Stir Fry is perfect. And if you’re not, serve it over a bed of warm rice to make it extra delicious.

Kids gobble up this One Skillet Cheesy Taco Pasta. Seriously, try it. It’s so good!

Creamy BLT Pasta is a yummy twist on your favorite sandwich, but the cheese and spinach make it even better.

Serve this Lemon Butter Chicken over wilted spinach for an easy and healthy meal any night of the week.

Nothing says comfort food quite like chicken and dumplings, but who has the time? You do! Skillet Chicken and Dumplings bakes up in about 25 minutes.

Personally, I love meals with lots of colors. How gorgeous is this Smoked Turkey Sausage Tortellini Pasta?

Here’s a Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner with Peanut Sauce that you have to try! The sauce pairs well with the roasted broccoli and peppers too.

This One Pot Mexican Rice Skillet is great with either ground beef or ground turkey. The whole family will enjoy it.

Make a huge batch of Smoked Sausage and Rice… the leftovers are even better the next day!

For those nights you’re craving takeout noodles, try this Vegetarian Noodle Stir Fry with Orange. It’s even better than the stuff you get at the restaurant!

For a yummy make ahead dish, try this Cheesy BLT Pierogi Skillet Dinner. It reheats very well.

Meatloaf is one of my favorite comfort foods, but when it’s made with beef, it’s not exactly the healthiest meal, is it? These Italian Turkey Meatloaf Muffins are a lighter alternative!