5 Fast & Healthy Winter Dinners

Cooking a healthy dinner doesn’t have to take a long time.  Fast, family-friendly healthy meals take a little planning and a well-stocked kitchen.  Using a healthy meal planning app like DishQuo makes planning, grocery list making, and even shopping, super simple.  A busy mom’s healthy meal planning dream come true.

Winter brings a few extra challenges to cooking a healthy dinner. Limited time for planning and shopping is a common challenge with holidays, travel, and busy schedules.  Here are 5 fast and healthy winter dinners you can enjoy on the DishQuo meal plan.

1. Baked Turkey & Mushroom Casserole

Superfood mushrooms are rich in B vitamins; riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid.  These nutrients are essential to good heart health, digestion, and radiant skin.   Cholesterol-free and packed with antioxidants, mushrooms are great for immunity during the winter months.   Here is a creamy, yet dairy-free, satisfying dinner in one dish.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serving: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• • • • 4 oz fresh turkey breast, diced
      • 1 tbsp olive oil
      • 1/2 cup sweet onions, thinly sliced
      • 1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
      • 1 zucchini, spiralized
      • 2 tbsp almond butter
      • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
      • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp chopped walnuts

Directions

1. 1. 1. 1. Combine almond butter, almond milk, ground black pepper, salt, and chopped walnuts in a small bowl.
         2. Mix well and set aside.
         3. In an oven-safe skillet, add oil over medium heat.
         4. Saute diced turkey breast for 3 minutes while stirring constantly.
         5. Add spiralized zucchini, sliced mushrooms, and sweet onions. 
         6. Continue sauteing for 2 minutes.
         7. Add the almond butter mixture and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
         8. Remove from the oven
         9. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
         10. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.

2. Beef and Sweet Potato Soup

High in fiber, sweet potatoes are great for gut health and digestion.  The fiber also helps regulate the release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream, which is important for healthy blood sugar regulation.  This hearty, yet healthy soup will keep you warm this winter.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Serving: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• • • • 1 tbsp olive oil
      • 1/2 cup sweet onions, thinly sliced
      • 4 oz lean ground beef 
      • 1/4 cup sweet potatoes, diced
      • 1 celery stalk, diced
      • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
      • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1. 1. 1. 1. Add oil to a heavy-bottomed pot.
         2. Saute sweet onions and sweet potatoes for 2 minutes.
         3. Add in the ground beef and dried oregano.
         4. Cook for 4 minutes while stirring constantly.
         5. Add in the celery and vegetable broth.
         6. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
         7. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
         8. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

3. Kung Pao Chicken with Sauteed Bell Peppers

When you think of foods high in vitamin C, does bell pepper come to mind?  It should.  Just one cup of chopped bell peppers exceeds your daily dose of vitamin C.  If you want an extra immunity boost this winter, enjoying bell peppers in our Kung Pao Chicken is an easy way to do it.  Get your Chinese food fix with this lighter fare.

Preparation Time: 8 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

Serving: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• • • • 4 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, quartered
      • 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
      • 2 tsp white wine vinegar
      • 2 tsp cornstarch
      • 1 tsp sesame oil
      • 2 tbsp vegetable broth
      • 2 tbsp olive oil
      • 1 red bell pepper, quartered
      • 1 yellow bell pepper, quartered
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
      • 1 tbsp dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

1. 1. 1. 1. Combine chicken breast, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and cornstarch in a bowl.
         2. Mix well and add sesame oil.
         3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
         4. Fry the chicken until golden brown for 6 minutes, turning halfway through.
         5. Add in red bell peppers and saute for another two minutes.
         6. Add vegetable broth and chopped peanuts; continue cooking for another 2 minutes
         7. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
         8. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

4. Roasted Tofu with Coconut Peanut Sauce

This vegan-friendly, Asian-inspired dinner recipe is delicious and easy.  If you haven’t tried Tofu, here’s why you should.  Tofu is nutrient-dense and contains all nine amino acids, making it a complete protein source.  By itself, it has no flavor, but don’t let that scare you off.  It’s a blank canvas for any flavor you want to create.  

Peanut butter can be an excellent source of protein at 4 grams a tablespoon.  Be sure to look at your nutrition label before purchasing.  Avoid brands that include added sugar.  Look for natural blends that only use peanuts and salt as their ingredients.  

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serving: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• • • • 6 oz firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
      • 1/2 tsp olive oil
      • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
      • 2 tsp garlic powder
      • 1 tbsp cornstarch
      • 8 oz riced cauliflower
      • 1/8 cup lite coconut milk
      • 1/8 cup almond butter
      • 2 garlic cloves, minced
      • 1/2 tsp raw honey
      • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1. 1. 1. 1. Combine tofu, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl.
         2. Mix well until the tofu is well coated.
         3. Place on a small baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
         4. Meanwhile, using a non-stick frying pan, add the riced cauliflower and heat for 3 minutes.
         5. Transfer the heated riced cauliflower to a serving plate.
         6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
         7. Season the peanut sauce with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
         8. Remove the roasted tofu from the oven and place it on the heated riced cauliflower.
         9. Top it with peanut sauce.
         10.  Serve immediately.

5. Mediterranean Bean Soup

Warm up with this veggie-packed, vegan soup.  With a cup of spinach and kale each in this recipe, you get almost half your daily calcium needs.  White kidney beans, also known as cannellini beans, are high in folate.  Folate is especially important for pregnant women in preventing birth defects in fetuses.  Additionally, white kidney beans appear to have anti-inflammatory benefits.  High in phenols, this plant compound may protect against chronic inflammatory diseases.  

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Serving: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• • • • 1 tbsp avocado oil
      • 1/2 zucchini squash, cut into small dice
      • 1⁄4 cup sweet onion, sliced thinly
      • 1 cup fresh kale greens
      • 1 cup organic spinach
      • 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
      • 1 cup vegetable broth
      • 8 oz canned white kidney beans
      • 1/2 tbsp dried basil
      • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
      • 1 bay leaf
      • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
      • 1/2 tsp salt
      • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1. 1. 1. 1. Heat oil in a large pot.
         2. Saute onions and zucchini for 3 minutes on medium heat.
         3. Add dried basil, oregano, bay leaves, and dried thyme.
         4. Continue sweating the vegetables for another 2 minutes.
         5. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
         6. Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and white kidney beans.
         7. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes.
         8. Add in the frozen kale and spinach and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
         9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
         10. Serve into a large bowl.