AMAZING 30 MINUTE DINNERS THAT BEAT TAKEOUT EVERY TIME

We all want to eat healthier, but with your busy schedule, who has time? It turns out, you do! It’s not as tough as you think to whip up something fast and flavorful that still feels decadent and delicious 30 Minute Dinners. If you’re tired of suffering your waistline and wallet through one more night of takeout.

30 Minute Dinners #1 – Salmon- Skewers

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed pineapple
• 1 lb cubed salmon
• 3 large bell peppers – chopped
• 3 large white onions – chopped
• 3 tbsp EVOO
• 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium, and soak wooden skewers in water.
2. Skewer pineapple, salmon, bell pepper, onion, alternating.
3. Combine olive oil, chili sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
4. Brush on skewers.
5. Cook 8-10 minutes on the grill.
6. Garnish with sesame seeds and kosher salt. 

30 Minute Dinners #2 – Hearty Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• ½ cup Greek yogurt, plain
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• Romaine lettuce

Instructions

1. Cook your bacon to crispy, drain and set aside.
2. Mix Greek yogurt, Dijon, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined.
3. Add in crumbled bacon, leaving some back for garnish.
4. Serve in lettuce cups with a slice of tomatoes. Top with more bacon.

30 Minute Dinners #3 – Chicken and Roasted Garlic Pizza

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts – cubed
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp dried basil
• ¼ cup cornmeal
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ready-made classic pizza crust

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. Cut the head of your garlic to expose tops of garlic cloves. Place it on a cooking sheet prepped with foil, garlic cloves up.
3. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Fold up the foil and cover completely.
4. Roast until cloves are golden brown. Don’t remove the cloves while they’re still hot!
5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Cook through.
6. Set the chicken aside, and stir the spinach in the pan of oil until it is wilted. Season with red pepper flakes.
7. Whisk ricotta, thyme, oregano, basil and roasted garlic in a small bowl.
8. Sprinkle your worktop with cornmeal and roll out your pizza dough. If you’ve got frozen stuff, or you’re using a slice of pita bread, you can skip out on the meal.
9. Top with mozzarella, ricotta, chicken, and spinach.
10. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

 *note: technically, roasting the garlic makes this recipe take longer, but you can store roasted garlic in the fridge for about a week. Store whole cloves or mashed in an airtight container and use as needed.

30 Minute Dinners #4 – Quick Carbonara

Ingredients

• 350g dried fettuccine (you can use spaghetti noodles if you prefer.
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup parmesan cheese – grated
• ¾ cup bacon
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil with salt.
2. Chop bacon into small pieces as your water boils, and fry in a frying pan.
3. As the bacon crisps up, add garlic.
4. Drain excess fat and set aside.
5. Cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water.
6. Drain the water and take the pasta off the heat.
7. While it’s still steaming, crack the eggs into the pan. The eggs will cook in the hot pasta, and make it creamy.
8. As you beat the eggs into the pasta, add in the bacon, and finally the cheese.
9. Season with salt and pepper.

30 Minutes Dinner #5 – Ultimate Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 16 oz macaroni, dried
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 tbsp ground mustard
• 1 lb bacon, divided
• 4 cups of milk
• 3 cups sharp cheddar – grated
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese – grated
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese – grated
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Cook macaroni according to packet instructions.
3. Shred and blend all three cheeses by tossing in a medium bowl.
4. Cook and drain bacon.
5. Crumble half the bacon and let it cool.
6. Melt butter into cooked noodles. Add cream cheese and ground mustard. Mix well. As the moisture evaporates, add the milk.
7. Take noodles off heat, and add in half the cheese, stirring slowly so it blends smooth and creamy. Add in half the crumbled bacon you set aside.
8. Pour into a casserole dish. Smooth down with a spatula and top with the rest of the cheese, and bacon.
9. Bake until cheese is bubbly, and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

30 Minute Dinners #6 – Tuscan Chicken Skillet

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 red onion – cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ cup sundried tomatoes
• 2 cups loosely packed spinach
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat.
2. Add in the onion and cook until slightly softened.
3. Remove onion from heat, place in a bowl with flour and salt. Toss to coat.
4. Cook chicken breasts on an oiled pan. Cook thoroughly.
5. Add lemon juice and rosemary. Cook down a minute.
6. Add in chicken stock, tomatoes, and onions. Cook for a few more minutes. If your sauce seems thin, thicken it with flour.
7. Stir in spinach until wilted.

30 Minute Dinners #7 – At Home Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 8 oz shrimp, uncooked
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
• 3 green onions chopped
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup peanuts roasted
• 2 limes
• 1/3 cup cilantro
• 8 oz flat noodles
• 1 lime

Sauce

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 5 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp peanut butter

Instructions

1. Cook noodles according to package. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together till everything is thoroughly blended.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium-high heat.
4. Cook the shrimp until it’s pink.
5. Beat the eggs in a bowl.
6. Add oil to your pan, and add in the beaten eggs. Scramble the eggs as they cook.
7. Add in the vegetables.
8. Add in the noodles, bean sprouts and 2/3 of the peanuts.
9. Toss everything, along with the sauce, until the veggies, shrimp, and noodles are coated.
10. Top with peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges.

Everybody indulges a little sometimes, but if you’re tired of takeout, and still feel like you can’t seem to find time in the kitchen, these recipe can help.

They’re a great way to bring the best of takeout home, with a healthier option. Best of all, they’re quick enough to fit into your busy schedule and flexible enough that, once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll love putting your own spin on!

So stay in tonight, pull out your best cookware and save yourself some money, without losing out on convenience with these 30 Minute Dinners.