Even the savviest of moms get flustered by the idea of making a healthy family dinner each night. And although the idea of “healthy” can vary greatly among us mommies, we can all agree that adding veggies and making better choices in ingredients will help make meals more nutritious.
You CAN make easy, quick and (mostly) healthy dinners that the whole family will love. Below are two of my family’s favorite meals, which use similar ingredients to make two very different, but yummy dinners.
Individual Whole Wheat Pita Pizzas
First up … PIZZA!
Yeah, yeah, I know you’re thinking, this mom is delusional if she thinks pizza is considered healthy. Well you CAN “healthify” pizza and here’s how!
What You’ll Need:
- 1 package of whole wheat pitas (6 per package)
- Organic marinara or pizza sauce
- Low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
- Chopped veggies of your choice (I used sliced portabella mushrooms and chopped red bell pepper)
- Turkey pepperoni
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic powder
- Dried oregano
Note: No measurements given, because you can use as much sauce, veggies, cheese, etc. as your taste buds would like — just keep in mind, more veggies and less cheese = healthier!
What To Do:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Place pitas on a flat baking sheet (4-5 will fit)
- Brush each pita with extra virgin olive oil (enough to thinly coat each pita) & then sprinkle a dash of garlic powder
- Spoon a few tablespoons of organic sauce on each pita (I used organic marinara sauce – we always have it in our pantry)
- Decorate your pitas with your toppings (veggies, turkey pepperoni, etc…)
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the toppings
- Add a dash of dried oregano to each pita
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and the pita is slightly golden around the edges
Side Note: I made this entire meal with my toddler hugging on my legs and whining … (sigh)
My hub-a-dubs and I enjoyed our personal pita pizzas with a side salad of organic romaine, garden fresh cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, almonds and a small drizzle of reduced fat ranch dressing. Kylie, my 17-month-old, had mango and strawberries along with her (half) pita pizza.
Turkey Meatball Pita Pockets with Peppers, Onions and Mushrooms
This is one of my hub-a-dubs absolute favorite meals! And the great thing is, it uses many of the same ingredients as the whole wheat pita pizzas, so you’re able to make the most out of your grocery shopping trip.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 package of whole wheat pitas
- Turkey meatballs (frozen or homemade)
- Organic marinara
- Red & green bell peppers ( I used half of each)
- White or yellow onion ( I used half an onion)
- Mushrooms (I used about 1/2 cup of chopped portabella mushrooms)
- Low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
- Garlic powder
- Dried Oregano
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Fresh basil (optional)
For the sake of time, I used frozen turkey meatballs this go-around. If you prefer making your own, here’s a great turkey meatball recipe from Skinnytaste.com.
Note: Again, no exact measurements given — use garlic powder, oregano and S&P to taste. Make your pita sandwiches as big you’d like (remember, bigger = messier) and as many pita pockets as your family will eat!
What To Do:
- Slice pita pockets in half (each pita will make 2 sandwiches, which is one normal serving – my husband ate FOUR)
- Chop mushrooms into 1/2-inch chunks and peppers & onions into strips
- Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat
- Add peppers, onions & mushrooms (season with salt & pepper to taste) and saute for 3-5 minutes
- Add frozen turkey meatballs and about 1 1/2 – 2 cups of organic marinara
- Add a few dashes of oregano & garlic powder, then cover saute pan and let simmer on medium/low heat for 20-25 minutes
- Cut each meatball in half, so they fit nicely inside the pita pockets
- Separate sliced pita pockets carefully and fill with a little shredded cheese, then meatball-veggie-marinara mixture, then more cheese and freshly shopped basil (if desired)
Moms and dads, enjoy with a side of steamed broccoli or a small garden salad! And for the kiddos, some fresh fruit or carrots and celery would be perfect alongside their pita sandwiches.
A few tips and tricks to make life in your kitchen easier:
- When using only half of a pepper, keep the seeds and rind in the half you don’t use — it will keep it fresh longer.
- When emptying a jar of marinara, add about 1/4 cup of water or red wine to the jar and shake with the lid on. Empty the rest of the jar. This helps to get all the yummy sauce from the sides and bottom of the jar … and thins out your sauce a bit.
What are your family’s favorite weekday meals? Please list them in the comments below.