Satisfying, healthy and relatively easy to make, these are the meals I saved for us to revisit when we need some inspiration to cook at home. Some of them are already crowd-pleasers in our house. I focus on the inspiration and almost always go off-script (if I don’t have some of the ingredients, no big deal) so here is your permission to do the same.
Mediterranean Style Halibut with Greek Salad
A beautifully simple meal from Sari Diskin. This is protein and raw fiber perfection. As you all know I’m a fan of buying frozen hake, which works well with this recipe, pasted below:
Ingredients:
2 Filets of Wild Caught Alaska Halibut (Approx 0.75 lbs)
Olive Oil
Oregano, Sea Salt, and Lemon Pepper to Taste
Lemon Wedge
Village Greek Salad
2 Vine Tomatoes, Chopped / Wedged
1 Medium Cucumber, Chopped / Wedged
1 Bell Pepper (I used half red / half orange)
½ Red Onion, Chopped, 1/4 pieces
½ cup Feta Cheese, Cubed
¼ cup Greek Salad Dressing Of your Choice
Directions:
Set oven to broil.
Line a baking dish with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Lay fresh Alaska halibut filets on top. Leave space between the two pieces of fish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt, lemon pepper, and oregano to your taste. Set aside.
Prepare the vegetables for the village Greek salad. Chop cucumbers, vine-ripened tomatoes, red onion, and bell peppers. Add to a large mixing bowl. Cut feta cheese brick into cubes and add to the bowl. Crumbled feta works too. Set aside.
When the oven is ready, add a baking dish with Alaska halibut onto the top rack. Broil for 8 minutes. I personally like my fish flakey, if you like it more well-done leave it in for 10 minutes. This also depends on the thickness of the filets. The ones I used in this recipe were on the thicker side.
While Alaska halibut is broiling, toss the salad and add to a serving bowl or individual bowls. When Alaska halibut is ready, serve with the salad and fresh lemon wedges! Enjoy.
Hibachi Steak Bowls
Habachi Steak Bowls from Butter Be Ready
Find the original recipe here on Butter Be Ready. These Hibachi Steak Bowls are loaded with tender, flavorful pieces of sirloin, sautéed vegetables, and fried rice. If you love Benihana and Kobé Japanese steakhouses, you’ll enjoy these bowls inspired by those restaurants! This recipe is wildly easy and perfect for a delicious weeknight-friendly dinner or meal prepping!
Ingredients
4 lbs top sirloin steak, cut into rough chunks
2 tablespoon mirin
12 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
4 teaspoon ginger paste
4 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground white pepper (or black pepper)
Kosher salt, to taste
8 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
6 medium carrots, thinly cut on a bias
4 medium zucchinis, sliced in half lengthwise & then cut into half moons
8–10 ounces sliced mushrooms (I use baby bella)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2–4 tablespoons teriyaki sauce or Japanese BBQ Sauce (we love Bachan’s!)
For serving: Fried rice & store-bought Yum Yum Sauce
Instructions
Prep & marinate steak. Place the sirloin into a large bowl (or inside a large plastic baggie). Add the mirin, garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, white pepper (or black pepper), and salt-to taste. Toss all ingredients to fully combine, ensuring steak chunks are thoroughly coated. Then set the steak aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Sauté veggies. In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over medium heat. When hot, add the carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms. Cook the veggies, tossing often, until tender and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Season the veggies with garlic powder and salt/pepper- to taste. Then transfer the sautéed veggies to a clean plate and set aside. If needed, carefully wipe the pan clean with a damp paper towel.
Cook steak. In the same pan, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the steak. Cook, tossing beef often, until nicely seared, about 3-4 minutes- careful not to overcook steak into toughness. Then remove from heat, and drizzle in the teriyaki sauce or Japanese BBQ sauce, toss well to coat steak in sauce until chunks are glistening.
Build the bowls & serve. Evenly divide the cooked steak and sautéed veggies into shallow bowls, along with fried rice. Finish off bowls with a drizzle of store-bought Yum Yum sauce (or feel free to serve it on the side) to complete these hibachi steak bowls. Enjoy!
Notes
Store-bought Yum Yum Sauce is typically found in the international section of your local grocery store (near the Asian goods). Stores like Publix, Target, Walmart, and Kroger usually keep it in stock. It’s also available online- I love Terry Ho’sbrand!
Fried rice note: To keep the quick + easy theme rolling for this recipe, I like to use store-bought fried rice that just needs to be heated. It’s available in the freezer section of grocery stores- I love the InnovAsian brand! Otherwise, feel free to make your own or use your preferred choice of rice here.
Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks: https://www.butterbeready.com/hibachi-steak-bowls/
Fresh & Crunchy French Lentil Salad
This recipe is from Zestful Kitchen (click here to see it and read more tips and details) Fresh, crunchy, and full of good-for-you ingredients, this kale and lentil salad is PACKED with flavor and texture from a cumin-infused oil to toasted almonds, feta and Swiss Chard. This is one salad you’re bound to fall in love with. Serve as an entree with chicken or salmon or meal prep and enjoy as lunch all week long.
Ingredients
1 bunch purple kale or regular kale(8–10oz.), stemmed and chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard (8–10oz.), stemmed and chopped
1 ½ cups French green lentils or black lentils
1 lemon
4 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup raw almonds (2.7oz.), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, smashed
½ English cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
½ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
Add kale to a large bowl, season with ½ teaspoon salt, and massage until kale is slightly softened, about 30 seconds. Add Swiss chard and toss to combine.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat; season heavily with kosher salt (about a tablespoon). Add lentils, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender yet slightly al dente; 20–25 minutes.
Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, peel four 3-inch strips of lemon peel, making sure to avoid white pith; reserve lemon for later. Add lemon peels to a small skillet with scallion whites, smashed garlic cloves and oil.
Heat skillet over medium and cook oil mixture, stirring occasionally, until garlic starts to brown and lemon peels start to curl and toast, about 3 minutes. Add almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds are browned, 3–4 minutes. Off heat, stir in cumin seeds and red pepper flakes and let rest in oil 1–2 minutes.
Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set in a small bowl; reserve oil. Pour nut mixture onto a paper towel-lined plate, making sure to get all of the cumin seeds; season with salt and let cool. Discard lemon peels.*
Once cool, mash cooked garlic cloves into a paste using the side of a Chefs knife; transfer to bowl with reserved oil. Juice reserved lemon (should measure about ¼ cup); add to oil and garlic and whisk to combine.
Using a strainer, drain lentils well; add to bowl with kale and Swiss chard.
Add reserved scallion greens, half of the almond mixture, oil mixture, feta, olives, cucumber and parsley; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and top with remaining almond mixture.
Whole30 Greek Meatballs with Home Fries and Salad
Thank you for this one Primal Gourmet. Easy to make and loaded with flavour, these Whole30 Greek Meatballs are perfect for a crowd or meal prep for the week. Serve them with some Home Fries and a big side of salad.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
½ head radicchio, thinly sliced
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced into halfmoons
2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into halfmoons
1 green bell pepper, julienned
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons roughly torn fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon dry mint
¼ teaspoon dry oregano
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1.5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, preferably Macedonian-style
Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste
For the Meatballs and Home Fries:
¼ cup avocado oil
2 pounds yellow potatoes, rinsed well and cut into thick matchsticks
1 pound ground lamb
1 pound lean ground beef
1 yellow onion, finely chopped or coarsely grated
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon dry mint
1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon dry red chili flakes
Instructions
For the Salad:
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients and toss well to combine. Cover and set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
For the Meatballs and Home Fries:
In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients. Using your hands, mix together until just combined. Form into meatballs around the size of a golf ball and place on a sheet pan. Refrigerate 1-4 hours prior to cooking.
Add ¼ cup avocado oil to a large non-stick skillet and preheat to 350F over medium heat. Add the potatoes and evenly spread them across the pan. Cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms are golden brown, around 6 minutes. Toss and continue cooking, tossing occasionally, until crispy, golden brown all over and fork-tender, around 10 more minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a metal mixing bowl, season with salt and toss to combine. Set aside, uncovered, in a warm spot or oven.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the cooking oil and place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned, around 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the other sides are browned and the thickest part of each meatball reaches 145F, around 5 more minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter along with the fried potatoes and salad.
Easy, One-Pot Coconut Thai Chicken Curry
Delicious recipe pasted directly from Alexandra Cooks (thank you Alexandra!)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced
kosher salt
8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs or drumsticks or a combination of both
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (see notes above)
3 to 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 can (13.5 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped, or more or less to taste
3 to 5 ounces spinach, optional
For serving: cooked Jasmine or Basmati rice (or any rice you like)
Instructions
Heat oven to 400ºF.
In a large sauté pan over hight heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and immediately turn the heat to medium-low. Stir every so often, and cook until the onions soften and begin browning at the edges, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the chicken in a large bowl and season all over with kosher salt. Use 1 teaspoon per pound.
Add the curry powder, turmeric, and Thai red curry paste to the onions, and stir until onions are coated in the spices, about a minute. Add the tomatoes, and stir until they just begin to soften, about a minute. Add the can of coconut milk. Fill up the empty can of coconut milk with water and add to the pan. Add the fish sauce and brown sugar and bring to a simmer. (Note: A number of people have had issues with this being too liquidy, so I’ve reduced the amount of water from 2 empty cans to one… hope this solves the issues.).
Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Transfer pan to the oven uncovered and cook for 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced considerably, the chicken skin is brown, and the meat is falling off the bone. If the liquid has reduced too much, add more by the quarter cup. Note: If you make this ahead, you may need to add more water upon reheating.
Add cilantro and stir. Add spinach, if using, and stir. Spoon rice into bowls. Top with chicken and sauce, and serve immediately.
Cheesy Mushroom and Spinach Omelet
The Chunky Chef has the full recipe and notes here. I love an omelet for dinner. Easy to make, very quick and containing more than 30g of protein, this is a great way to start (or end!) your day. It’s versatile too, so if you don’t have mushrooms, leave them out or use another vegetable like bell capsicum peppers, more spinach / Swiss chard or even smoked salmon.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 Tbsp butter, divided
minced fresh parsley, for garnish
additional black pepper, for garnish
Instructions
Heat olive oil in large skillet over MED-HIGH heat. Add mushrooms and onion, cooking about 5 minutes, until golden and soft. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, then stir in baby spinach until wilted.
Transfer mushroom mixture to plate and wipe out skillet. Crack eggs into small mixing bowl with 1 Tbsp water and remaining salt and pepper, and beat with small whisk or fork until blended and a little frothy.
Add 1 Tbsp of butter to skillet and heat over MED to MED-LOW. Add half of beaten egg mixture and stir them around the pan with a rubber spatula, pulling the sides in towards the middle, swirling the pan slightly so the runny egg mixture on top hits the pan and cooks. Cook about 2 minutes, until eggs are just slightly shiny on top.
Add half of mushroom mixture to one side of the omelet, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Carefully lift up the edge of the omelet and check to see if the eggs are lightly golden on the bottom. Once they are, gently fold it over the filling.
Slide omelet out of skillet and onto plate to serve. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining butter, egg mixture, mushroom mixture and cheese. Serve garnished with minced parsley and extra black pepper if desired.
Roasted Broccoli and White Beans
Tracy from Shutterbean says this about her recipe for beans and broccoli: “This is one of those recipes built out of necessity. As in, I need something healthy to put an egg on top of for breakfast/lunch/dinner and don’t want to do that much work. Also, I’m not eating bread right now (IS LIFE EVEN WORTH LIVING??!) and I’m trying to figure out what to eat for breakfast other than my usual egg + toast situation.” Click here to be taken to the original recipe where Tracey shares more beautiful photos, steps and tips.
Ingredients
serves 2-3
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan
3 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 cups broccoli florets
1 15 oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
a heavy pinch red pepper flakes
juice of 1 lemon, plus a few slices to roast
kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper
freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.
Drizzle a baking sheet lightly with olive oil, set aside.
Mix olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Toss broccoli in garlic oil mixture to coat, followed by white beans (be careful not break up white beans with heavy handling). Place mixture on prepared baking sheet, nestling a few lemon slices in the mix. Season with salt & fresh cracked pepper and roast in oven, tossing occasionally for about 15-20 minutes. When beans and broccoli begin to char, top with a heavy dose of Parmesan cheese, turn the oven to BROIL and cook for 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted and starting to bubble.
Remove from oven, squeeze fresh lemon on top to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan and a poached egg if you fancy
Roasted Tomato Tabbouleh with Salmon
Thanks Justine, for this one! This “Roasted Tomato Tabbouleh with Salmon is all about efficiency and simplicity. Everything for this recipe is streamlined – from the grocery list involved to the actual process of the recipe. This salmon tabbouleh is what I would call a perfect weeknight meal. It’s easy, it’s wholesome, it’s refreshing, but it’s also comforting. You get a good hit of vegetables, carbs and protein, as well as a simple dressing that will have you coming back for more.”
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dry bulgur wheat 8.8 ounces
3 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher saltplus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepperplus more to taste
2 cups parsley about 1 bunch
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 pound salmon
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar to taste
1 sprig fresh mint, for topping
Instructions
Add 4 1/2 cups of water to a large pot, add a small palm of salt to the pot, then the 1 1/2 cups of bulgur wheat. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and set aside.
Next prep the dressing, combine the smashed garlic, vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper in a jar. Shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth. Remove the garlic cloves and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Finely chop up the parsley, until no piece is bigger than the tip of a pencil. Add this to a bowl and pour in a third of the dressing, toss to coat.
Chop the cherry tomatoes into halves and portion the salmon into four pieces.
Put your oven's broiler on high, and lower the top shelf in the oven to the middle.
Put the salmon skin-side-down on a naked cast iron pan or nonstick pan. Put these pans on medium heat and let the salmon skin render out, about 4-5 minutes. When the salmon is cooked about 1/2 of the way through, add in a dash of olive oil, then the tomatoes around the edges of the salmon. Top the tomatoes with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Immediately transfer this pan to the oven on the middle rack.
Broil the salmon and tomatoes for 5-7 minutes or until the salmon is golden on top and the tomatoes are charred and bursting. This cooking method is so that the salmon has a crispy skin, a golden top, but a tender center – it's so good.
Add the dressed parsley and the burst tomatoes in with the bulgur wheat. Stir to combine and add the rest of the dressing as you prefer. Season with additional salt, pepper and vinegar as needed.
Plate and top each bowl with a portion of the salmon. Use any reserved dressing to let people top their bowls as they please.