Sick of cooking? Make dinner without the stress.

Right now, we’re all home for dinner.

We’re figuring out our new normal, and that includes food.

With restaurants open only for takeout, we’re all forced to cook a little more right now. That leaves us stressing about what groceries to buy, how and where we buy them, and how to turn them into some semblance of a meal that your family will like.

One-dish skillet meals are our friends right now. Got some pasta, a few frozen or fresh veggies and some sort of meat in the freezer? You’ve got dinner. If you’re tired of wracking your brain and Pinterest looking for what to make for dinner, or you’re struggling to get a quick, healthy meal on the table that the whole family will like, raid your pantry and your freezer and try this simple formula: 

Choose at least one item from each of the following three groups, depending on whatever you think would taste good together.  (These lists are examples.  If you think of something that’s not on here, all the better!) Saute the meat and veggies with cooking spray or a bit of heart-healthy oil, (Add the grain last) add your own combination of herbs, spices, broth, olive oil, low-cal/low sodium sauce, wine and/or low-fat cheese (parm and feta are my favorites), and you’re done!

Meat + veggie + grain one-dish skillet meal

Meat or Protein (cut into bite-size pieces) Seafood can be bought frozen.

• legumes/beans (white, red, black, garbanzos, etc.)
• trimmed chicken breasts/thighs
• pork tenderloin
• lean beef
• fish (tilapia, haddock, salmon, etc.)
• shrimp
• lean ground turkey, chicken or beef
• lean turkey or chicken sausage
• scallops
• tofu
• eggs
• walnuts, almonds, etc.

Grain

• whole grain, chickpea or high-fiber pasta
• brown/whole grain rice
• couscous, taboule, quinoa, or any whole grain

Veggie (Fruit) (whatever is in your kitchen, including fresh, frozen or canned. Here are some ideas.)

• carrots and parsnips (Whole carrots have a longer shelf life than baby carrots)
• tomatoes (Canned is fine too.)
• sweet colored peppers
• spinach or another leafy green
• squash or zucchini (Many winter squashes have a long shelf life)
• broccoli
• peas/snow pea pods
• onion, garlic, shallot, scallions
• eggplant
• cabbage (long shelf life!)
• celery

Extra Flavor: Seasonings, dried and fresh herbs, tomato sauce, chicken broth, wine (added during cooking process), feta, parmesan or other cheeses, lemon juice, soy & terijaki sauces, etc.

If you want to go meatless, swap in beans (legumes), nuts or tofu.  Be sure not to go too carb heavy, and include plenty of veggies for low-calorie, fill-you-up fiber.

If you’re more of a follow-the-recipe kind of person, here are two of my favorite recipes using this idea:

Shrimp Fried Rice (Pictured on top. Use whatever veggies you happen to have)

• olive oil/vegetable cooking spray
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 lb. shelled and deveined medium shrimp, thawed
• 4 cups cooked brown rice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 c. shredded or matchstick carrots
• 1 c. sliced snow peas and/or frozen peas
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tbs. lower-sodium soy sauce
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise and sliced

Coat a large nonstick skillet with vegetable cooking spray.  Add eggs, cook until set.  Remove.  Add 3 teaspoons oil to wiped skillet and cook shrimp over medium-high heat.  Cook for 3 minutes, remove.  Add garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds.  Add broccoli, carrots, and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Add snow peas and yellow squash and cook 2 minutes more.  Stir in broth and soy sauce and simmer for 3 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Stir in brown rice, green onions, and eggs.  Reduce heat to low and warm through, about 5 minutes.

Rigatoni With Poultry Sausage & Sweet Peppers (Use penne, bow ties or anything you have.)

• 8 oz. dried, whole grain, high fiber or chickpea pasta
• 1 12 oz. pkg. cooked, low-fat poultry sausage links (I’ve used all kinds)
• 2 medium sweet peppers (yellow, red, and/or orange), cut into pieces.  (I also sometimes throw in other veggies)
• 1/2 cup vegetable or beef broth
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (I leave this out on my kids’)
• 1/4 cut snipped fresh basil
• freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Cook pasta and drain.  Cut sausage into 1-inch pieces.  In a skillet cook sausage and sweet peppers over medium heat until sausage is brown.  Stir in broth and crushed pepper.  Bring to boiling. Reduce to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Pour over pasta, add basil and grated cheese.  Toss gently to coat.  Because this is a broth-based sauce, use a full-flavored broth that you like.