One of the easiest and quickest dinners I make is salmon, veggies and couscous. A well-rounded, super easy, somewhat healthy meal to make (because it includes a protein AND a vegetable) when you just don’t want to cook dinner.
You know those nights I’m talking about.
You come home after a long day at work, put the kids to bed and wonder what on earth you’ll have for dinner. Problem is that you’re super starving and didn’t do any grocery shopping.
We have these nights more often than I’d like to admit, so I buy the frozen bags from Costco and make sure to always have extra in the freezer “just in case.” It’s the perfect dinner and barely any prep is involved.
Many times I forget to defrost the salmon in the fridge, but that isn’t an issue. As soon as I get home from work, I fill up a large bowl with cold water, put the salmon in and let it sit for about 20 minutes.
(yes, I know my photography skills are seriously lacking, but you get the idea)
If after 20 minutes the salmon is not fully defrosted I massage it and let is sit a bit longer.
Once it’s ready, I heat up my oven, place salmon in a baking dish (or usually a disposable tin so I don’t have anything to wash), pour on a store-bought marinade and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°.
Two of my favorite marinades I always keep on hand are peach-mango salsa and Mikee’s Sesame Teriyaki sauce. Both are delicious with salmon and chicken alike. If you don’t have a marinade, just sprinkle with salt and pepper. DH did that last night and it was delicious!
For sides I also keep it simple. A bag of frozen cauliflower steamed in the microwave and some 5-minute couscous make this a complete meal.
What quick and easy dinners have you made recently? Is there an item you always make sure to have readily available for “those kinda nights?”
Until next time,
Shaindy
Yesyesyes. We totally do this, but with pre-cooked, stick in the oven for 15 minutes chicken schnitzels. Chicken nuggets, I guess you’d call them. Sometimes it’s some other version of chicken, like chicken burgers or even fish schnitzels. (I recognize that this requires you to live in a Jewish community big enough to have this available.) We make that with rice. If I’m up to it, roasted vegetables (cut up eggplant, zucchini, pepper, put on bakign sheet, brush with oil, sprinkle with rosemary = big pieces, easy to check – and oven-roast on top rack for 35-40ish minutes) – or a plain vegetable salad.
I don’t hold myself to doing this not-so-often, either, especially since baby is sensitive to dairy so I’m not eating it.
Also scrambled eggs, sometimes with vegetables in there.
Be not down on thyself, oh busy mother!!! They’re eating and you’re (hopefully) sleeping!