Some healthy one pot dinners will keep you
coming back for more.
Sweet Potato and Pinto Bean Quesadillas
I saw this recipe and had to try it. It called for boiling the potatoes. I microwaved them on a paper plate with a wet paper towel. It worked great and kept it one pot.
Ingredients
3 small sweet potatoes scrubbed don’t peel
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground chipotle chili pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 large green bell pepper cored and diced
2 cloves garlic diced
1 can reduced sodium pinto beans rinsed and drained
6 medium whole wheat flour tortillas
1.25 cups of shredded cheese
Toppings of your choice to serve
Instructions
Cut the potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Place on a large paper plate, cover with a wet paper towel and microwave 5 minutes. Check to see if they are tender enough to mash with a fork, if they are not microwave until soft enough. Mash with a fork or your potato masher, add the chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and chipotle chili pepper. Stir and mix to incorporate.
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet at medium high. When hot add the onions and bell peppers, saute 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the other 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Continue to saute until the onions are clear, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl add the potato mixture, the onions and the pinto beans. Stir together until evenly mixed.
Lightly wipe the pan the onions were cooked in, and turn the heat to medium. Place 1 tortilla in the bottom, spread 1 cup of the mixture evenly onto the tortilla. Sprinkle generously with cheese and place another tortilla on the top. Heat about 2 minutes per side until warm and lightly browned. Put onto a plate and cut into quarters.
Serve with toppings of your choice.
Chicken Stir Fry w/Vegetables
This recipe calls for brown rice that is already prepared, which is not quite a one pot recipe. I included it because it sounded really good to me.
Ingredients
1.5 tablespoons of olive oil
1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
1 medium onion diced
4 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 table spoon of minced fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 red bell pepper cored and thin sliced
12 ounces of broccoli slaw
1 cup of shelled edamame fresh or frozen and thawed
1 cup of mandarin oranges packed in juice, drained
Prepared brown rice for serving
Instructions
In a large mixing cup stir together 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey, rice vinegar, cornstarch and red pepper flakes until smooth and let set.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large deep skillet at medium high. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften.
Add the chicken, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and salt. Cook while stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked completely and the juices run clear when cut, about 6 or 7 minutes. Place the chicken and onion on a plate.
Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Add the bell pepper and cook 3 minutes then add the broccoli slaw and cook until the vegetables are browned lightly and still crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Put the chicken, onions and edamame into the pot, add the soy sauce mixture over the top and stir to combine.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove from the heat, place the oranges on top and serve over your prepared brown rice.
Taco Pasta
The only thing I want to say about this one is “Tacos and Pasta”, what’s not to like.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 pound of skinless boneless chicken breast, cubed in 3/4 inch cubes
1 medium onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 red bell pepper diced
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1.5 teaspoons of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
2 cups of low sodium chicken stock
1 cup of salsa
1 can of tomato sauce (8 ounce)
1.5 cups of uncooked whole wheat pasta
1 can of reduced sodium black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Your choice of taco toppings
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet at medium high. When the oil is hot add the chicken, onion, and red and green bell peppers. Cook until the chicken is browned and cooked completely through and the onions are clear, about 8 to 9 minutes.
Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook while stirring until the garlic is fragrant about 30 seconds, now add the chicken stock, salsa, tomato sauce, pasta and beans.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Allow to simmer stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender, about 12 to 16 minutes. Watch that the pasta doesn’t get dry, if it does you can add a little water.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in half of the cheese and sprinkle the rest on top.
Serve hot with the toppings of your choice.
Mexican Chicken and Rice
I’ve said it before Mexican food and rice go great together.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
1 medium onion chopped
1 or 2 large jalapenos, seeds removed and diced
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 teaspoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup of long grain brown rice
2 cups of chicken stock
1 can of diced tomatoes (15 ounces)
Any tortillas, chips and toppings of your choice
Instructions
In a large deep skillet heat the olive oil at medium high. When hot add the chicken, jalapeno, onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is browned and the onion is softening. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, stir to coat the chicken. Cook for 30 seconds then add the black beans, rice, diced tomatoes and chicken stock.
Bring the ingredients to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. At 30 minutes check to see if the rice is tender, if it is not tender let simmer until it is. Make sure it doesn’t dry out. You can add a little water if necessary.
Remove from the heat. Serve with any chips, tortillas and toppings of your choice.
Chili Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese with extras, and all in one pot oh yeah.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small onion diced
1 pound of skinless boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of chili powder
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
2 cups of low sodium chicken stock
1 can of low sodium black beans rinsed and drained
1 can of low sodium red kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 can of tomato sauce (15 ounce)
1 can of diced tomatoes w/green chilies (10 ounce) do not drain
2 cups uncooked whole wheat elbow pasta
1 cup of shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high. When hot, add the onion and saute until it starts to soften, about 4 minutes then add the chicken, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until the chicken is browned and cooked completely, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the chicken stock, black beans, kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and pasta. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Allow to simmer until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the cheese until fully melted.
Serve warm with your choice of toppings, and extra cheese.
When All is Said and Done
Healthy one pot dinners are not hard to use at any time. They are tasty, varied and in some cases just like what you eat most of the time.
Jacky