Bored of the same old dinner routine? We have a solution for you! In this blog post, we will share our best 3 easy dinner recipes that are not only mouth-watering but also budget-friendly.
All these recipes can be made in less than 40 minutes, and most of them use ingredients that you probably already have at home.
Zucchini Slice
A slice of fresh, savory zucchini topped with homemade pesto. The perfect addition to any meal or as an easy snack!
Ingredients:
– Zucchini
– Olive oil
– Garlic cloves
– Crushed or minced (optional)
– Basil leaves (or pesto of your choice) – salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation:
To make this easy snack even easier, you can use store-bought pesto!
Spread the sauce on top of a slice of fresh, raw zucchini and enjoy as is or add some extra toppings such as cheese if desired.
You can also add cooked chicken breast slices for an added protein boost.
This simple appetizer will keep well in the fridge for up to three days, so it’s great to prepare ahead when having guests over; cut into bite-size before serving and place them on a platter.
Method:
Slice the zucchini into ¼ inch thick slices and lay them on a plate or tray.
Drizzle with olive oil, top up with salt and pepper to taste, then add some crushed garlic cloves if desired at this stage as well (the garlic flavor will come through stronger once baked).
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and serve immediately as is or topped up with pesto of your choice!
If you’re looking for something more than just an appetizer, why not try baking these together with toast rounds?
The pairing makes for a quick snack perfectly paired up with soup such as tomato basil soup.
Preparation time: 15 mins cooking time:
Thai Beef Salad
Thai beef salad has a refreshing aroma that is mouth-watering and perfect for any occasion.
The flavors are crisp, juicy with hints of spice from hot chiles or red curry paste served on a bed of fresh vegetables in this classic dish that all who try it can enjoy!
Ingredients:
– Beefsteak of your choice
– Red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
– Cucumber, thinly sliced into half
– Moons or chopped if large
– Carrot, cut into julienne slices (matchstick shapes)
For the dressing:
– Lime juice and zest from one fresh lime
– Soy sauce or tamari sauce for a gluten-free option.
You can also try coconut aminos similar to soy sauce but without any wheat products in it, making it perfect for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
If you are not concerned about either ingredient, feel free to use light soy sauce instead, which has less sodium than its darker counterpart! Also, add some sugar and salt, and pepper to taste if desired.
– Fish sauce (optional)
Preparation:
– Marinate the beefsteak of your choice with soy sauce or tamari, a little bit of brown sugar, and lime juice for at least one hour before cooking it
– Slice into thin strips (easiest to do this against the grain after removing from heat).
You can also use leftover grilled meat such as bbq chicken which works wonderfully!
Just make sure that whatever you choose is thinly sliced so as not to overcook it when reheated on top of the salad later.
– Serve over a bed of fresh vegetables such as romaine lettuce leaves, cucumber slices, and peppers in Thai beef salad dressing just before serving, along with some chopped cilantro leaves
Method:
Slice into thin strips (easiest to do this against the grain after removing from heat). You can also use leftover grilled meat such as bbq chicken which works wonderfully!
Just make sure that whatever you choose is thinly sliced so as not to overcook it when reheated on top of the salad later.
Serve over a bed of fresh vegetables such as romaine lettuce leaves, cucumber slices, and peppers in Thai beef salad dressing just before serving, along with some chopped cilantro leaves.
Preparation time: 30 mins cooking time: 15
San Choy Bau
San Choy Bau is a popular Chinese food menu and dish. You found in any Chinese restaurant across America.
It’s made by stir-frying golden brown vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, and snow peas with soy sauce to create an aromatic, savory flavor for your mouth-watering taste buds!
Ingredients:
– Cabbage leaves, cut into half-moons
– Celery stalks, sliced diagonally
– Garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
– Carrots and broccoli florets (optional)
For the Sauce:
– Light soy sauce or tamari sauce for a gluten-free option.
You can also try coconut aminos similar to soy sauce but without any wheat products in it, making it perfect for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
If you are not concerned about either ingredient, feel free to use dark soy sauce instead, which has more sodium than its lighter counterpart!
Also, add some sugar and salt, and pepper to taste if desired.
– Chicken broth cubes dissolved in water (try tom yum soup cubes for extra flavor)
– Corn starch mixed with water
Preparation:
– marinate the beefsteak of your choice with soy sauce or tamari, a little bit of brown sugar, and lime juice for at least one hour before cooking it
– slice into thin strips (easiest to do this against the grain after removing from heat).
You can also use leftover grilled meat such as bbq chicken which works wonderfully!
Just make sure that whatever you choose is thinly sliced so as not to overcook it when reheated on top of the salad later.
– serve over a bed of fresh food and vegetables such as romaine lettuce leaves, cucumber slices, and peppers in Thai beef salad dressing just before serving, along with some chopped cilantro leaves.
– place a small amount of oil in a wok or frying pan and heat over medium-high heat
Method:
– Stir fry the garlic, cabbage, celery, and carrots until tender
-crisp (try to avoid overcooking as this will make them very limp)
– add broccoli florets if desired for extra veggies!
Add sauce ingredients and salt and pepper according to taste-making to dissolve all flavorings before adding corn starch mixture at the end.
Do not cook longer than one minute after mixing everything thoroughly for best results.
Once vegetables are cooked through, remove from heat but continue cooking on the pan while constantly stirring so that it doesn’t start sticking or burning during plating, which can happen quickly due to the sugar content in the sauce.
