Meals that serve double duty during busy weeknights are my secret to successfully feeding my family healthy when I’m short on time (which is most of the time).
Cooking two meals for the week and then making something else with the leftovers, or simply having the leftovers, makes it achievable. And I always reward myself and my family with one night out or takeout whether its sushi Wednesday or Friday night pizza.
Here are two #fastfixfaves that create four delicious dishes at the #HeanyHouseKitchen on the regular. Find even more recipes on my blog: www.huntingandgathering.co.
The ground turkey from making Turkey & Quinoa Squash Bowls turns into #TacoTuesday. Then Asian Tuna Salad makes both a salad and wrap for lunch or dinner. Just a little prep time and you’re on your way to exploring a world of flavors with this week’s meal plan!
Simply brown 2 pounds of ground turkey, divide and set one aside to prep for these 2 meals.
Turkey & Quinoa Squash Bowls
Serves 6
If you have leftovers, these freeze beautifully to simply reheat in the oven for another meal.
Ingredients:
3 acorn squash, halved
Pinch of cayenne pepper and cinnamon
1 pound ground turkey
2 onions, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon Ras Al Hanout
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup quinoa (or use brown rice if preferred, just will need to simmer longer)
¼ cup dates, finely chopped (you can substitute raisins)
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (I like to use Eden Organic because of the brand’s promise to BPA-free liners)
¼ cup slivered almonds, pomegranate seeds and cilantro for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place halved acorn squash on a baking sheet, drizzle insides with olive oil and a pinch of cayenne pepper, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Place cavity side down and roast for 30-40 minutes until flesh is soft.
2. Saute turkey and onion with olive oil in a medium/large skillet over medium high heat. (If making Turkey Taco Salad later in the week, sauté 2 pounds, divide in half and set one pound aside to refrigerate after cooled.)
3. Add Ras Al Hanout, chicken stock, quinoa, dates and chickpeas simmering about 30 minutes.
4. Garnish with almonds, cilantro and pomegranate seeds and serve.
Tuesday Taco Salad
Try this healthier version of Taco Tuesday. It’s 3 easy steps and under 20 minutes to the table.
Get stocked with these staple ingredients and Taco Tuesday will be a hit at your house next week!
What, you mean you don’t do Taco Tuesday? Pin this and give it a try next week. It’s always easy to know you have at least one meal planned for the week, and something fun the kids can count on. And while we don’t do it every week, we often do some version of Tex Mex because we love the flavors and it’s fast and easy (black bean nachos, quesadillas or burritos) using these same staple ingredients in the #HeanyHouseKitchen.
Tuesday Taco Salad
Serves 4 (or leftovers for 2!)
Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 15-ounce can black beans (I like Eden Organic especially because of their BPA-free liner)
Lettuce (I prefer the crunch of Romaine for this)
Tortilla chips (we tried the Jalapeno Lime flavor by Late July & they are so awesome!)
Shredded cheddar (I use Cabot Jalapeno Light because it’s hormone free & full of flavor)
1 avocado
Salsa (I keep a minimum of two jars of Costco’s Kirkland brand salsa in my pantry at all times, along with their organic tortilla chips because you never know when you’ll need a big easy snack to feed a crowd!)
Salad dressing (We are obsessed with Bolthouse Farms Ranch or Cilantro Avocado works beautifully with this dish – made with yogurt, no preservatives, and only 40 calories – and no they did not pay me to say this! It is that good, I just wanna spread the love friends!)
Instructions:
• Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and add turkey, cumin and chili powder. Cook turkey until browned, about 15 minutes.
• Add beans to warm through, about 2 minutes.
• Assemble salad starting with lettuce, then chips, cheese, turkey and bean mixture, avocado, and salsa. Serve dressing on the side.
Asian Tuna Salad
Spice up your lunch routine in two easy steps.
Double the recipe to make two meals for the week, or make more, depending on your family’s size.
• Take one can tuna + 1/3 cup mayo + ¼ teaspoon Sriracha (if you have it and the time, add 1 stalk of chopped celery).
• Using store bought Asian slaw (I like the one from Costco) or lettuce, drizzle with your favorite sesame dressing (I prefer Newman’s Own Sesame Ginger) and either serve as a wrap or a salad.
