In A Recipe Rut? Try These 4 Easy And Healthy Dinner Ideas This Week (2024)

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I don’t know about you, but ever since the quarantine started I feel like I have used up all of the recipes I had in my arsenal. When it’s time to make a grocery list, I just draw a blank and have no idea what to even make.

And since I don’t want to eat the same four meals every single week, I’m always looking for new ones to try. My only two requirements when looking at new recipes are is it easy to make and is it on the healthier side (since quarantine has included a lot of indulging).

If you feel like you are in the same boat as well then you are in luck, because we are sharing four easy and healthy dinner ideas that are so yummy! So make a list, head to the grocery store, and enjoy having this week’s meals planned for you!

Mushroom Cauliflower Bake

In A Recipe Rut? Try These 4 Easy And Healthy Dinner Ideas This Week (3)

An easy, cheesy, and veggie-heavy casserole!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 boxes of Banza Penne
  • 1 head cauliflower (about 6-7 cups of florets)
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 3/4 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 24 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • fresh sage, sliced into thin ribbons

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook Banza. Drain and rinse.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the cauliflower, and cook for 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked cauliflower to a blender with 2 cups broth, milk, oil, salt, and saut̩ed garlic. Puree until very smooth.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the 3 tablespoons butter in a very large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saut̩ until juices have been released and then re-absorbed.
  4. Toss the cooked pasta, cauliflower sauce, and mushrooms together. Add the remaining cup of broth to help the consistency stay saucy.
  5. Transfer to a deep 913 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered at 400 for 10-15 minutes. Top with fresh sage ribbons.

7 Whole Grain Flakes Crusted Halibut

In A Recipe Rut? Try These 4 Easy And Healthy Dinner Ideas This Week (4)

Fish with a perfect crust with an Asian sauce to enhance the flavor!

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 ounces wild-caught halibut fillets, cut into two pieces
  • 1 free-range egg white, slightly beaten
  • 1 cupcrushedKashi®7 Whole Grain Flakes cereal
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup sliced organic carrots
  • 1 cup sliced organic bok choy
  • 1/3 cup sliced organic scallions
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (preservative-free)
  • 1 teaspoon dark agave nectar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Dip one side of halibut in egg white and then into Kashi®7 Whole Grain Flakes cereal, forming crust that adheres to fish. Let stand, uncovered, in refrigerator about 1 hour or until fim.
  3. In large ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add fish, crust side down. Cook about 2 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
  4. Turn fish. Place in hot oven. Roast, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until juices run clear and fish flakes easily with fork. Remove from oven. Transfer fish to plate. Loosely cover to keep warm.
  5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to same skillet. Heat over medium heat. Add carrots, bok choy and scallions. Cook and stir about 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, ginger, vinegar and agave nectar. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through.
  6. Add cilantro and sesame oil to vegetables in skillet. Toss to combine. Transfer to 2 serving plates. Top with fish pieces. Serve immediately.

In A Recipe Rut? Try These 4 Easy And Healthy Dinner Ideas This Week (5)

The perfect fall pasta dish!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 box Banza Rigatoni
  • 3 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 fresh sage leaves, plus some smaller fresh ones to serve
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ½cup Califia Farms Almondmilk
  • ¼cup cashews, soaked in water for at least an hour then drained
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Toasted walnuts, roughly chopped to serve (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Roast the butternut squash: Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking tray and arrange butternut squash cubes out on it. Sprinkle with salt and pop in the oven. At the 20 minute mark, take out the tray, flip the cubes over with a spatula, sprinkle sage leaves over the butternut, and rotate the tray. Put it back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the butternut squash is golden brown and tender.
  2. While the butternut is roasting, make the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small pan over a medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant but not browning. Add Almondmilk and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and cook for 3 minutes at a simmer. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender.
  3. Add cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and garlic powder to the blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
  4. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions. Drain and combine pasta with a few spoonfuls of sauce, tossing to combine. Fold in roasted butternut and crispy sage leaves, adding more sauce for desired consistency. Top with fresh sage leaves and toasted walnuts and enjoy immediately.

Thai Curry Soup with Crunchy Coconut Almond Butter Chickpeas

In A Recipe Rut? Try These 4 Easy And Healthy Dinner Ideas This Week (6)

With the cooler weather now, there is nothing better than a warm bowl of soup with a crunchy topping!

INGREDIENTS

Crunchy Coconut Almond Butter Chickpeas:

  • 1 tablespoon coconut almond butter
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and thoroughly dried

Soup:

  • 1 tablespoonolive oil
  • 1medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 2tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2tablespoons turmeric
  • 1 teaspoonsalt
  • 2medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1(14-ounce) can light coconut milk
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 3 tablespoons Justin’s Coconut Almond Butter

Toppings: shaved red cabbage, fresh cilantro, microgreens, crunchy coconut almond butter chickpeas

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. To make the crunchy chickpeas, preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine almond butter and coconut oil in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds to melt. Toss chickpeas in almond butter mixture. Spread into an even layer on baking sheet. Bake 1 hour, or until chickpeas are crunchy.

  2. For the soup, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the curry paste, turmeric, and salt. Sauté 3-4 minutes more . Add the sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and broth. Simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.

  3. Cool slightly and transfer to a blender with Coconut Almond Butter and puree until smooth and creamy. Add in more water or broth to thin out the soup as needed.

  4. Serve warm topped with shaved red cabbage, cilantro, microgreens, and crunchy chickpeas, as desired.
In A Recipe Rut? Try These 4 Easy And Healthy Dinner Ideas This Week (2024)

FAQs

What to cook when in a food rut? ›

Throw in these simple dinner ideas to your weekly meal plan to keep you inspired.
  1. 1Easy canned tuna nachos. ...
  2. 2Easy cheesy lamb bake. ...
  3. 3Easy chicken burgers with apple and slaw. ...
  4. 4Tuna mornay dinner bowl. ...
  5. 5Curried sausages recipe. ...
  6. 6Super easy Tex Mex chicken stew. ...
  7. 7Easy spicy haloumi & vegie skewers. ...
  8. 8Easy Asian salmon tray bake.

What are the top 10 healthiest dinners? ›

It's dinnertime: ZOE members' top recipes
  • Chickpea & broccoli pasta.
  • Lentil & eggplant stew.
  • Veggie shepherd's pie.
  • Harissa traybake.
  • Noodle salad.
  • Cod & salsa salad.
  • Kale salad.
  • Mushroom stir-fry.
Mar 19, 2024

What to cook when you have almost nothing? ›

15 Delicious Things to Throw Together When You're Pressed for Food Options
  1. Buttery, gooey grilled cheese. ...
  2. PB&J because duh. ...
  3. Tuna melt tostadas. ...
  4. Pancakes! ...
  5. Scrambled eggs. ...
  6. Waffles. ...
  7. A Hagrid-size bowl of cereal. ...
  8. Spaghetti carbonara.
Apr 28, 2020

What is a food rut? ›

You're in a food rut if this sounds like you… – You're sick of eating the same things over & over. – You're bored with food & feel uninspired. – You order take-out often. – You default to frozen pizza (or something similar) multiple times a week.

What is to cook food directly under heat? ›

Broil: Cooking a food by placing it on a rack in the oven that is directly under the heat source.

What to cook for food snobs? ›

Food Snobs
  • Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi Linguine - Asili Glam. Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi Linguine - Asili Glam. ...
  • 1:07. Stuffed Baked Potato Extravaganza 🥔 ...
  • Sweet Potato Muffins. ...
  • Garlic Butter Shrimp with Asparagus. ...
  • Prime Rib Roast Au Jus Perfect Every Time! ...
  • Old Bay Shrimp Boil - Cooking is Messy.

What should I eat for dinner to lose belly fat? ›

Studies indicate that a diet rich in high protein foods, such as eggs, fish, seafood, legumes, nuts, meat, and dairy results in overall less abdominal fat, more satiety, and an increased metabolic function. Adding fiber-rich foods to meals is also a key in keeping off the body fat.

What to make for dinner when nothing sounds good? ›

What to eat when nothing sounds good: 25 balanced meal ideas
  • Ham or turkey & cheese sandwich with a side of fruit.
  • Rotisserie chicken with frozen microwaveable rice and veggies.
  • “Adult Lunchable”: cheese, crackers, deli meat, raw fruits or veggies with dip.
  • Frozen chicken tenders or nuggets on top of a salad.
Jan 11, 2023

What is a life rut? ›

The biggest sign you're stuck in a rut is that it feels like your life is on a negative loop. You end each day feeling tired and rundown – or even start the day that way. Nothing excites you or challenges you. You can't even remember the last time you felt pure joy.

How do I get back into cooking? ›

Here are 18 tried-and-true ways to get back into cooking:
  1. Take a cooking class. ...
  2. Keep it simple. ...
  3. Get creative with your leftovers. ...
  4. Turn on some tunes. ...
  5. Embrace frozen and canned goods. ...
  6. Take advantage of seasonal produce. ...
  7. Try out a new spice or herb. ...
  8. Experiment with international flavors.
Jan 19, 2023

Why do I get in a rut? ›

Reasons You Might Feel Stuck in a Rut

Fear of stepping outside your comfort zone can also cause you to feel stuck in a rut. 6 You want to do something different but a fear of the unknown or a fear of failure is stopping you from taking action.

What to do when you're in a rut? ›

  1. Accept the situation. So, you're stuck in a rut. ...
  2. Identify the cause. If you're stuck in a slump, examining why can help you start pulling yourself up. ...
  3. Take a closer look at your goals. ...
  4. Make small changes. ...
  5. Remember self-care. ...
  6. Give your brain a break. ...
  7. Be more impulsive. ...
  8. Approach things realistically.
May 27, 2020

How do I get out of a meal planning rut? ›

10 ways to end your food rut
  1. Pretend the grocery store is a takeout restaurant. ...
  2. Create a healthy version of a Lunchable from your pantry and refrigerator. ...
  3. Add a couple back-pocket recipes. ...
  4. Riff off family favorites. ...
  5. Put a sauce on it. ...
  6. Try a meal subscription service. ...
  7. Indulge. ...
  8. Stretch your creativity.
Feb 28, 2022

How do you meal prep when you get bored of food? ›

How to Make Meal Prep Not Boring: 10 Fun Tips
  1. Plan Out Your Freezer Meals.
  2. Prep A Variety of Dishes for Your Freezer.
  3. Create Different Homemade Sauces.
  4. Create an Aesthetic Color Palette With Your Food.
  5. Freeze Food Items Rather Than Entire Meals.
  6. Take a Cooking Class.
  7. Dance a Little!
  8. Don't Shy Away From Trying New Things.
Apr 22, 2022

What to cook when hungry? ›

  • 1Quick vegetarian minestrone. ...
  • 215-minute cheese and pepper pasta. ...
  • 35-ingredient meatball carbonara. ...
  • 4Easy teriyaki beef and walnut stir-fry. ...
  • 517-minute beef satay salad bowl. ...
  • 6One-pan Thai coconut chicken and rice. ...
  • 7Speedy chicken and egg noodle soup. ...
  • 810-minute tuna mornay rice bake.

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