As a mother of five, it’s important for me to be able to quickly put together nutritious dishes for my children when they’re hungry. But, as soon as my week gets busier, convenience usually wins out and we end up eating unhealthy foods instead.
After compromising for too many years, I’ve finally discovered a solution that allows me to get both nutritional value and ease of preparation! I’ve discovered four recipes that I can rely on for quick, healthy meals.
One of my favorites is Mac’ N’ Cheese! takes an “eat what you love” mac’n’cheese philosophy, and is based on brown rice and vegetable pasta, with the choice between dairy or vegan cheese sauces all with hidden veggies in every serving.
Can’t you just imagine how convenient it would be to make your own food, knowing exactly what goes into each meal? I’m excited to show you four different ways to incorporate healthy, delicious, easy-to-make dinners.
Sweet Potato Mac’ n’ Cheese
When I want something healthy for dinner but don’t feel like cooking, I turn to sweet potato mac’ n’ cheese. They’re easy, delicious, and nutritious.
To make your own delicious macaroni and cheesy goodness, start by baking your sweet potatoes until tender. Then, blend them together in a blender or food processor along with milk, butter, salt, and pepper.
Fold in your prepared pasta and enjoy! For an added boost of flavor, try topping off your mac’ n’ cheezy goodness with any number of toppings such as bacon, ham, sausage, broccoli florets, peas, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and/or cheddar.
Roasted Vegetable
With these ingredients, add some color to your pot! For this recipe, I like to make Veggie Mac & Cheese. The pasta is made with organic brown wheat flour, zucchini, carrot, corn, and peanut protein, and the veggie mac is a mix of broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and sunflowers; I love that there’s so much variety and nutrition without sacrificing any flavor.
To change it up a little, I’ll roast whatever veggies I have leftover in my refrigerator at the end of the day and mix them into Mac’ n Cheese. This is great as a side dish or as a vegetarian main course. And if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can always throw in some cooked, chopped-up chicken, beef, or shrimp for a complete one-pot meal.
Elevated Mac’ n’ Cheese
My last recipe on the list is a tried and tested favorite: The Cheddar and white cheddar varieties of Mac ‘n’ Cheese paired with endless creative flavor combos! It’s perfect for dinner any day of any month because each serving has a different nutritional punch.
When it’s customizing, I often opt for items I may already have in my kitchen. This makes it so easy and efficient to get an incredible, nourishing dinner without having to spend a ton of money or effort on it. If you aren’t planning to reinvent the wheel too drastically, a pinch of smoked flavors of the cheesy pasta.
You can also make your own unique version by adding roasted garlic to the mixture. To give it a little extra kick, throw in some protein and your favorite vegetables into the mix! I love to top it off with a heaping helping of Campfire Crackersfor some crunchy goodness and extra nutrition! In a nutshell, just go wild and enjoy yourself!
Conclusion:
Cooking healthy meals doesn’t have to take hours and hours! With a few basic ingredients and a little bit of creativity, you can whip up delicious dishes in minutes. Whether you like to cook or simply enjoy preparing meals for others, here are a few quick and easy recipes that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters.