Back to Basics: Healthy and Fun Dinner Ideas

Eat to live, don't live to eat." How to live by that mantra, when planning dinners can feel overwhelming? Coach SheriAnne will help put your mind at ease with some healthy dinner menu ideas that are also interesting, simple to prepare and not overly time-consuming. Gain tips on putting healthy portions of protein, veggies and other nutrients on your dinner plates in ways that make dining fun - not boring! The discussion is part of Back to Basics, an ongoing series about living healthier, more fulfilling lives. 

Below are the dinner recipes that were discussed on Tuesday's episode.

Chicken Chili Verde Soup - I prefer to use chicken thighs because they are more tender and shred easily. Cook 4-5 thighs in an instapot with a jar of Salsa Verde of your choice, I, really like Trader Joe’s. Add half of a chopped onion and 2-3 sliced carrots, or whatever veggies you prefer. Remember to take the liberty to add, whatever you would like!

Like I said, in the show, I added my rice, beans, corn, tomato combo to the stew after the chicken was cooked and topped with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and a few tortilla chips. Sometimes I will add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
If you don’t have the rice and bean mixture, I mentioned before, you can add any bean of your choice. The fun thing about soups and stews is you can bring any combo together that you would like.

And soups/stews reheat so easily!

Taco Salad - We have salads every night in our house, and we choose to have them very colorful and lots of chunky vegetables. Feel free to add whatever you would like. The base here is mixed greens topped with yellow and orange bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, heirloom, tomatoes, about a cup of cooked taco meat. Topped with shredded cheese and sliced avocados. Served with pico de gallo or salsa.

Chili Cilantro Lime Shrimp on Zucchini Noodles - Cook the shrimp in a skillet with olive oil, lime juice and lime zest, don’t forget the zest! I add garlic, and a little bit of red pepper flakes for a little kick. While that is sautéing, spiral cut the zucchini and add to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Be sure to not overcook the zucchini noodles or they will become mushy.

If you prefer to do regular noodles, you can absolutely do the same!

Zucchini Boats - This can be a vegetarian meal, or you can easily add meat to the mixture that goes in the zucchini boats. Particular one is vegetarian.
Start out with halving zucchini long ways, score the middle, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes. When you pull the zucchini out, it will be easier to core the middle out.

In a cast-iron skillet, add oil and minced garlic. After you sauté the garlic slightly, add equal parts, cilantro, lime, rice and black beans, a cup of corn, a can of rotelle tomatoes. Heat the mixture through a high, add lime zest and freshly chopped cilantro.
Add the mixture to the zucchini boats top with shredded cheese and put back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the density of your zucchini. Be sure to not overcook as your zucchini will get very mushy.

After I pull it out of the oven, I top it with fresh cilantro.

Baked Salmon with Mixed Grains and Seared Brussels - There are several recipes to follow online for baked salmon. I simply place the salmon in a baking pan and brush the top of it with a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and Italian seasoning and top with a think lemon slice. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15min.

Feel free to get any combo of mixed greens that you would like. I also squeeze lemon juice on top of them.

The brussels sprouts I prefer to cook in a cast-iron skillet. I first cooked bacon and then chop it up. Get the pan searing hot with the bacon grease and toss in the halved brussels sprouts. I add a little coco amino acids for a little extra flavor. I sear the brussel sprouts then turn the heat down and cook for a little longer until the sprouts are the right tenderness.


Enjoy!