The following are five healthy dinner ideas.
Dinner number one: Prepare a whole baked chicken and serve with rice and frozen veggies. Make double the rice to incorporate it in a later meal during the week and use the leftover chicken to chop and freeze for later in the week. Stock up on frozen veggies. They are picked at the peak of ripeness and will last for months in your freezer. Serve at least two veggies during dinner time.
Dinner number two: red beans and rice. Dried beans are healthy and economical. Cook beans in a crockpot or instant pot. This is a great recipe that freezes well for a later meal.
Dinner number three: healthier spaghetti with lean meat and lentils. Cook one night and eat for two nights! This is a great recipe to eat for nights in a row. By incorporating the lentils, you are getting protein and decreasing the total cholesterol and saturated fat of the recipe.
Dinner number four: chicken pot pie. Use the chicken from Monday’s baked chicken and rice. Incorporate extra veggies in the chicken pot pie such as peas, potatoes, carrots, and celery to the pot pie mixture to add nutrients. This recipe also freezes well.
And lastly, dinner number five: black bean burgers and baked fries. This is a good vegetarian main dish option. The extra burgers would be great for lunch the next day. To bake the fries, simply cut the potatoes into wedges, place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and toss with olive oil and seasoning. Mix and bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes.
This is Carolyn Nichols for Church Health.