9 Easy and Healthy Dinner Ideas To Rescue You On Weekdays!

Weekdays after work be like, “Who’s gonna cook now? Let’s just order!” Not that we are against it, but then eating from outside every other day can screw your health and can take a toll on your digestion as well! But it’s time you bid your worry a sweet goodbye and try these super easy, healthy, and quick recipes. We hope that you discover your inner master chef and fall in love with cooking, cause they are easy to prepare, fresh, and healthy! Let’s do it then.

Creamy Corn And Red Pepper Soup

You Will Need:

Sweet Corn: 2 cups (Preferably fresh, if using frozen then thaw it)

Cashews (Whole): 1/4 cup

Red Bell Pepper: 1 large, deseed and roughly chopped

Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon

Cumin: 1 teaspoon

Red Chilli Powder: 2 teaspoons

Onion: 1 small, peeled and cut into quarters

Garlic: 2 cloves, peeled

Water: 1 cup

Salt and Pepper: To taste

Ready In: 10 Minutes

Makes: 5 Small Cups

How To Make:

In a pan, add olive oil and wait until it heats up. Add cumin to splutter. Now add the onions, garlic and stir fry until light golden brown. Add in the cashews and bell pepper and stir a little and set aside to cool. In a large blending jar, add 1 cup corn, red chilli powder, half cup water and the fried ingredients. Blend well. Add in the other half cup water and blend again. You could choose to add less or more water based on the consistency you like. Now  transfer it into a microwave bowl or pan and heat it slightly. Add in the remaining corn and serve warm or cold. Add salt and pepper to taste. Goes great with dry toast by the side.

 

Lentil Soup

You Will Need:

Lentils: 3 cups of mixed lentils of your choice, washed. (You can use a combination of Masoor dal and moong dal)

Onion (peeled and chopped): 1 1/2 cup

Tomato: 3 medium. Washed and chopped

Ginger (peeled and grated): 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric: 1 teaspoon

Water: 6 + 2 cups

Cumin: 1 teaspoon

Fresh Coriander (washed and chopped): A little more than a handful

Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons

Lemon: Half

Salt: To taste

Ready In: 20 Minutes

Makes: 5 Small Cups

How to Make:

Heat olive oil in a big pot (or pressure cooker). Add cumin, ginger, 1 cup onion and saute it for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes and turmeric and saute. Add half the coriander, the lentils, water, and cover cook it. If you’re using a pressure cooker then 3 whistles on medium-low flame will cook them perfectly well. Once the lentils are done, transfer into a large bowl. With a hand blender, blend the lentils coarsely to give it your desired consistency. Add salt, lemon, and garnish with the raw onions and remaining coriander. Serve hot. Goes great with pita bread or flatbread.

 

Chicken Noodle Soup

You Will Need:

Chicken Broth: 5 cups

Onion (peeled and chopped): 1 cup

Carrot (peeled and chopped): 1 cup

Lettuce (chopped) : 1 cup

Dried Oregano and Basil: 1 teaspoon each

Black Pepper Powder: 1/2 teaspoon

Bay Leaf: 1

Dried Egg Noodles: 2 cups

Chicken (cooked and chopped) : 2 cups (chop as per desired size)

Salt: to taste

Ready In: 20 Minutes

Makes: 4 Cups

How to Make:

In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, all the vegetables, basil, oregano, bay leaf, and pepper powder. Bring to boil and cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Open the lid, remove the bay leaf and add the dried egg noodles. Cover and simmer for another 8 minutes; don’t forget to add the chicken 2 minutes before. Add salt as per your taste. Serve hot, is a stand alone dish that’s not just yummy but filling too.

 

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Baked Chickpea Tomato Eggplant Cups

You Will Need:

Eggplants: 3 medium sized

Onion (peeled, cut lean and long): 1 Large

Tomato (deseeded and chopped): 3 medium

Garlic Cloves (peeled): 3-4

Chickpeas (soaked and boiled): 1 cup (to make instantly pick canned chickpeas)

Olive Oil: 3 tablespoons

Rosemary (dried): 1 string

Salt and Pepper: To taste

Ready In: 20-30 Minutes

Makes: 3 Small-Medium Eggplants

How To Make:

Cut the eggplants or brinjals in half and scoop out the flesh using a spoon. Set them aside and chop the scooped halves. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees celsius. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Add the sliced onions and garlic and cook until golden brown. Add about half a teaspoon salt, chopped tomatoes, rosemary and cook while stirring continuously until the tomatoes get mushy. Simmer on medium-low flame for about 5-7 minutes and then add the drained chickpeas. Add the chopped eggplant and cook until the sauce is fragrant. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper accordingly. Now, stuff the eggplant cups with this sauce and transfer it into a baking dish. Drizzle olive oil and toss them into the oven to bake for 20 minutes. It’s ready by the time you finish a warm shower. You can garnish this dish with some rosemary leaves. Serve hot or cold as you like.

 

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

You Will Need:

Onion (peeled and sliced): 1 small

Cucumber (peeled and sliced): 1 medium

Paneer: 2 cups pressed

Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons

Olive Oil: 2 teaspoons

Cheese: 4 slices

Dried Dill: 1 teaspoon

Black Pepper and Salt: As per taste

Whole grain bread: 8 slices

Dip:

Yogurt (non-fat): 1/2 cup

Garlic Cloves: 1 (minced)

Olive Oil: 2 teaspoons

Lemon Juice: 2 teaspoons

Dill Leaves (chopped): 1 teaspoon

Salt and Pepper: to taste

Ready In: 20 Minutes

Makes: 4 sandwiches

How To Make:

In a pan add oil. Once heated, add the onions and saute until they turn translucent. Add the paneer and fry for a minute. Turn off the flame and add the dried dill, pepper powder, salt, lemon juice, and set aside. To make the dip, add yogurt, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, dill leaves, salt, and pepper to a medium sized bowl and mix well. Set aside. For the sandwich, divide the paneer mixture into 4 equal parts. Layer one side of a slice with cucumber, top it with one portion of paneer and 1 cheese slice. Put it in the griller and let grill until golden brown. Cut as desired and enjoy with the cold yummy dip.

 

Vegetable Frittata

You Will Need:

Eggs: 3 Whole and 3 whites only

Paneer: 1/2 cup

Seasoning (your choice, rosemary preferred): 1 teaspoon

Onion: 1, chopped

Garlic Cloves: 3, crushed

Mixed Veggies of your choice: 1 and 1/2 cup (bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli etc)

Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons

Salt: To taste

Red Chilli Powder: 1 teaspoon

Ready In: 20 Minutes

Makes: 4 servings

How To Make:

Preheat the oven to 230-250 degrees celsius. In a bowl, add the whole eggs, whites, and paneer and whisk well. Add the seasoning and mix well again before setting it aside. In a thick bottomed ovenproof pan, add oil. Once the oil heats up, add the garlic and onion and fry until golden brown. To this, add the vegetables and cook covered until they’re just tender. Add salt and red chilli powder and reduce the flame. Now slowly add the whisked mixture to spread evenly over the vegetables in the pan. When the edges start to turn golden brown, toss the pan into the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover it. Let it sit this way for another 5 minutes before cutting it into wedges. Serve with golden brown toast by the side.

 

Easy Quinoa Pizza Bowls

You Will Need:

Quinoa: 3 cups, soaked and cooked

Pizza Sauce: 2 cups

Mozzarella: 2 cups, shredded

Pizza Toppings of your choice: 3 cups (onions, green peppers, mushrooms, lean boiled skin out chicken etc.)

Chilli Flakes and Oregano for added flavour. Optional.

Ready In: 25-30 Minutes

Makes: 6 servings

How To Make:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a for and then stir about half a cup of pizza sauce in it. Let the two combine well. To 6 large ovenproof ramekins, smear oil or use cooking spray. Now to each of these ramekins spread 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce evenly at the bottom. Add 3-4 tablespoons of quinoa and press with the back of a spoon to flatten. Add one layer of mozzarella and then the pizza toppings. Repeat again: pizza sauce, quinoa, mozzarella, and toppings. End with a light sprinkle of mozzarella. Try not to overflow the ramekins. Transfer them into a baking tray and toss it into the oven for 20 minutes (until the top layer of cheese is melted or golden brown based on how you like it). Sprinkle some chilli flakes and oregano and the pizza bowls are ready to serve.

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Honey Mustard and Red Onion Barbecued Chicken

You Will Need:

Chicken Thighs (skinless and boneless): 4 pieces

Chicken Breast (skinless and boneless): 4 pieces

Chicken Stock: 1 cup

Onion (peeled and chopped): 1

Honey Mustard Sauce: 1/2 cup

Sugar: 1/4 cup

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): 1/4 cup

Garam Masala: 1/2 teaspoon

Chicken Curry Powder: 1/2 teaspoon

Oil: 2 tablespoons plus a little extra

Salt and Pepper: To taste

Ready In: 25 Minutes

Makes: 4 servings

How To Make:

Place a grill pan on medium-low flame and heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onions and saute them for a couple of minutes. Pour in the ACV and reduce it to half; cook for about a minute or two. Add in the sugar to mix them all well. Slowly stirring add in the chicken broth, the honey mustard sauce and the powders. Boil and simmer. On another grill, place the chicken smear with some oil; cook for 5 minutes on each side. Baste chicken with the liberal amounts of sauce and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Repeat on the the other side. Cook for another 3 minutes before transferring the super yummy chicken into the platter. Serve hot and enjoy!

 

Spicy Honey Garlic Salmon

You Will Need:

Salmon Fillets: 3 strips

Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon

Soy Sauce: 1 tablespoon

Honey: 1/4 cup

Fresh Lemon Juice: 1 tablespoon

Mustard Seeds: 2 tablespoons

Garlic Cloves: 4 crushed

Spicy sauce (your choice): 1 tablespoon (tabasco, chilli-garlic etc)

Chilli Flakes: 1/2 teaspoon

Fresh Coriander (washed and chopped): handful

Lemon (sliced): 1

Salt and Pepper: To taste

Ready In: 20 Minutes

Makes: 3 servings

How To Make:

Marinate the salmon with salt and pepper and set aside. In a mixing bowl mix honey, hot sauce, soy sauce, mustard seeds, lemon juice, chilli flakes, and a pinch of salt and set aside. Heat oil in a ovenproof pan and toss in the salmon. Fry on one side until half done. Flip the salmon and add garlic. Cook until golden brown before adding the sauce mixture. Toss in the lemon slices and cook until the sauce reduces and gets sticky. Turn off the flame and chuck the pan into the oven for 2 minutes or until the surface becomes slightly dark. Goes great with rice. Garnish with chopped coriander before serving.

 

Eating healthy marks a key beginning to everything good. So cook right and eat right. And with these recipes you are sure to satisfy your taste buds and have a happy diet too. If you loved this article, do not forget to like and share. If you want to suggest some of your great healthy recipes, let us know in the comments section below.