Our five-ingredient meal posts from the past (click here and here) have always been a hit, so here are a few more to get your taste buds going! Side note: we haven’t included olive oil as an ingredient because it’s usually a readily available ingredient in the kitchen. Enjoy!
Orange Chicken
Making this dish takes one pot! If you’re vegetarian, you could easily replace the chicken with a frozen bag of veggies or a few chopped fresh veggies (think bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and carrots). You could use them even with the chicken; just toss in the pan at the start of cooking.
Serves 4
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 large orange (juice and zest – but first slice a few thin pieces and set aside for garnish)
3 tbsp sesame oil, separated
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
In a large freezer bag, combine the orange juice, 2 tbsp sesame oil, soy sauce, and honey, then place the chicken breasts in the marinade. Add a ¼ cup of water at a time to make sure chicken is surrounded by the marinade. Place in the fridge for at least an hour—or throw it all together in the morning before you leave for work, and take it out of the fridge at night.
When ready to cook, add 1 tbsp sesame oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken, then pour in the rest of the marinade; as it simmers, the water will cook off and it will become a glaze. Let the chicken sit untouched for five minutes, then use tongs or a fork to flip the pieces over and cook for another five minutes.
Check the middle to make sure the larger pieces no longer have pink on the inside, then transfer the pieces to a serving dish. Use a spatula to get all the cooked-on bits up off the bottom of the pan, stirring into the sauce left over, and pour over the chicken. Top with orange slices for garnish, and scallions or green onions if you have them around!
Nutritional info per serving: 423.5 calories, 13 g fat, 137 mg cholesterol, 605 mg sodium, 710 mg potassium, 19 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 17 g sugar, 55 g protein. 67% RDV Vitamin B-6, 45.6% RDV Vitamin C.
Minestrone Soup
This is an easy soup you can customize with whatever spices you have around, like garlic, paprika, a pinch of cumin, or a handful of fresh herbs. A few ounces of spinach or kale added right at the end of cooking would be great, too!
Serves 6-8
2 28 ounce cans of whole tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 lb of carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
2 medium onions, diced
1 lb pasta noodles, such as shells, fusilli, ditalini, or orecchiette
Empty the cans of tomatoes into a large stockpot and pulse for a few seconds with an immersion blender (or pour into a blender first and pulse briefly) to break up the tomatoes slightly. Bring to a boil over medium heat and add the pasta, then cover and let boil for five minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté the onions and carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the onions begin to brown, uncover the stockpot and add the onions and carrots to it. Add the kidney beans, stir it all together, and let simmer until the pasta is soft, about 10 minutes more. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Nutritional info per serving: 418 calories, 2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 774 mg sodium, 907 mg potassium, 11.5 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 16 g protein. 170% RDV Vitamin A, 58% RDV Vitamin C.
Roasted Squash Salad
This salad is big enough for a filling and healthy dinner! For a smaller, lunch-sized salad, just use less squash. A simple balsamic vinaigrette goes perfectly with this salad.
Serves 4 as dinner
1 acorn squash (or ¾ a butternut squash)
9 oz spring mix lettuce (about 1 bag or 1 head of green leaf lettuce)
2 oz feta cheese
¾ cup dried cranberries
½ cup slivered almonds
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and carefully cut the squash in half, scooping out the middle. Arrange cut-side-up on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 40 minutes or until soft when pricked with a fork. Meanwhile, put the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat and remove when just beginning to darken. When squash is soft, remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the salad.
Distribute the lettuce over four large bowls, then distribute the feta, cranberries, and toasted almonds. Slice the squash (discard skins) into half-inch pieces and distribute evenly over the four salads. Serve and enjoy!
Nutritional info per serving: 265 calories, 10 g fat, 12.6 mg cholesterol, 201 mg sodium, 677 mg potassium, 41 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 15 g sugar, 7.7 g protein. 72% RDV Vitamin A, 17% RDV Vitamin B-6, 48.5% RDV Vitamin C, 17.6% RDV Vitamin E, 22% RDV Calcium.
Dress Up a Plain Suit
