No Recipe Needed

As a mom of five, I love making dinners that are inexpensive, healthy, quick, and simple! Recipe-free meals meet all of the above criteria and make dinner a cinch. Here are some of my favorites:

Beans & rice with organic green beans. We love black-eyed peas served over organic brown rice. First, soak a whole bag of beans overnight. In the morning, drain the beans and add them to a crockpot along with 4+ cups veggie broth, 1 chopped green pepper, 2 chopped onions, salt & pepper. Let simmer all day. Steam rice and green beans before dinner, top with beans, and voila: a super simple meal.

Soup (from a package.) I love Bob’s Red Mill Vegi soup. You just add veggie broth and whatever else you may want to throw in: corn, green beans, or potatoes. Pair this with a salad, bread or crackers. #DONE

Baked potato (of any kind) and steamed veggies. I’ll often bake a huge sweet potato and serve it with peas and corn. The more I eat this combo, the more I crave it!

Spaghetti (or your favorite pasta) with bread and salad. I use an oil-free spaghetti sauce (Kroger’s Simple Truth brand mushroom pasta sauce is my go-to). Sometimes, I add black olives, onions, garlic, and sautéed zucchini to make the sauce a bit heartier.

Tex-mex. I’ll buy Amy’s Kitchen brand bean burritos and do a build-your-own taco bar, topping salad or burritos with a medley of olives, salsa, guacamole, onions, tomatoes, refried beans, and rice. Rice tip: I sprinkle taco seasoning on leftover rice to make a sort of “meat.”

Pizza. Buy your own crust and build away! We love going cheese-less loading up our pies with finely chopped veggies and olives.

Veggie sandwiches. Grab some whole-wheat bread and pretend you are at Subway (only better!) Top with any veggie you desire—we love adding avocado butter: smashed avocado with a dash of salt—and serve with fruit or a side of oil-free pretzels