HEALTHY DINNER IDEAS FOR TWO (OR MORE)

I am a firm believer that healthy home cooking should NEVER be boring. Especially if you’re transitioning away from regularly eating highly processed or palatable foods like fried chicken and french fries, preparing colorful, flavorful real food at home with fun seasonings and varied textures is a game changer. If you swap out juicy burgers and sweet creamy milkshakes with dry chicken and sad tasteless vegetables, you’re far less likely to find the motivation to create healthy home cooked meals on a regular basis. If you make meals that prove health-promoting whole foods can be just as wonderful as the unhealthy alternatives, you’ll be happy to carve out time to get in the kitchen. So I encourage you to throw on an apron and create some magic with these healthy dinner ideas for two!

I prepare over 75% of our meals at home, so I rely on a wide variety of recipes and sources of inspiration to keep things exciting. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about healthy home cooking, it’s that variety is everything. It’s not only an important part of making sure you’re getting a wide range of health-promoting nutrients in your diet, it’s also incredibly helpful if you want to feel satisfied and excited about what you’re creating.

All of the recipes included in this round-up are healthy dinner ideas that I return to time and time again. They’re all relatively easy to make, impressive enough to serve guests and delicious enough to crave the leftovers the next day!

EASY THAI GREEN CURRY

This recipe has been a favorite in our house for years. It’s fast, easy, flexible and full of exotic flavor. Best part? You’ll have enough leftovers for 1-2 lunches (depending on how hungry you are!)

PHOTO CREDIT: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Creamy Chickpea Kale Salad

The combination of flavors and textures in this salad make it anything but boring. Serve this as a fulfilling main, or if you have a husband like mine that always needs animal protein, add simple broiled salmon or a leftover chicken breast to beef it up.

Lemon Chicken Breasts

A perfect example of how simple ingredients can come together in a magical dish, this has been on repeat for months in the Misfit Wellness household! I suggest serving over Cappello’s almond flour fettuccini or your favorite rice or pasta with a side of green beans or broccolini.

Baked Coconut Shrimp With Cilantro Lime Rice

This is one of those meals that proves healthier alternatives to deep fried favorites can be even better than the original. The addition of fresh cilantro and lime to the rice is a simple, instant way to make a basic side more exciting using whole, real ingredients.

Spiced Carrots over Lentils with Yogurt

I’m a sucker for roasted carrots with warming spices and love the contrast of sweet and tangy flavors in this easy but super flavorful meal. Perfect for vegetarians, the lentils also add lots of filling fiber and plant-based protein that will satisfy even the most fervent meat eaters.

Asian Cabbage Rolls

My husband and I both LOVE this dish. It’s a fun and unexpected twist on the cabbage rolls he grew up with and the incredible umami flavors make it really hard to put down your fork. Like the green curry, the leftovers are particularly delicious and perfectly compact for bringing to work. I serve this with steamed broccoli and add a side of coconut rice to my hubs plate.

Spatchcock Chicken over Roots & Greens

This meal is the perfect Sunday dinner. Loaded with herbs and garlic, it’s the best kind of proof that whole real foods prepared at home can be even better than a restaurant. You can serve a family of 4-5 with it or do what I do: serve 2 and use the leftovers for multiple meals throughout the week. This is a staple in my meal prep, and a lot of my coaching clients love it for the same reason!

Sauteed Salmon with Citrus Salsa

Not only is this salmon dinner incredibly simple and easy to make, it’s also full of bright bold flavors. This is the perfect meal to make when you’re tired after work but still want something healthy and yummy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Korma

This slow cooker meal has been one of my absolute favorites for years. The spices are so warming and the flavors and textures are beyond comforting. It yields enough food for a hungry family, but is also a perfect Sunday meal prep dinner for 2. The leftovers might even be better than a fresh plate!

RECIPESElizabeth OCarrollApril 29, 2019healthy dinners, healthy dinner recipes, paleo dinner, paleo dinner recipes, healthy lunch recipes, paleo lunch recipes, healthy entertaining, healthy meal prep, meal prep recipes, cleanse friendly, allergy friendly dinner recipes, allergy friendly dinners, how to cook at home, how to cook healthy, how to eat healthy1 Comment