Healthy Family & Kids Dinner Recipes

We love finding new ways to use our kitchen tools and appliances. These toaster-oven quesadillas with peppers and avocado are the perfect example of an unexpected toaster-oven hack we had to share.

Just a touch of butter adds silkiness to the balsamic sauce that coats broccoli and meaty mushrooms in this easy broccoli side dish recipe.

Smoked paprika and smoked Gouda give this broccoli-and-cheese soup recipe a double hit of smoky flavor. If you can't find smoked Gouda, smoked Cheddar gives delicious results as well.

Using a cast-iron skillet for this healthy pizza recipe gives you deep-dish pizza results with extra-crispy sides, but you can make it free-form too. Stretch the dough into a 12-inch oval and place on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Top and bake at 450 degrees F until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp, about 20 minutes.

Simple steps give this broccoli salad recipe a more nuanced flavor: soaking the onion tempers its bite and toasting the cumin enhances its aroma. Serve alongside grilled chicken, pork or fish.

Almond flour (aka almond meal) makes the coating on these broccoli "fries" extra-crunchy and flavorful. Find it in the gluten-free section of large supermarkets and natural-foods stores.

Resist the temptation to turn the broccoli over while it roasts in this easy recipe. Leaving it cut-side down means you'll get deliciously caramelized results.

Tofu definitely benefits from a marinade, in this case lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs. In this vegetarian salad recipe, the tofu is pressed first, which concentrates its subtle soy flavor and improves the texture by removing some of the water. But what really makes this recipe special is the Parmesan cheese crust that transforms the tofu into a soft, cheesy "crouton."

There's no cream in this silky mushroom soup. Pureed potatoes give this vegan mushroom soup its creamy texture. Be sure to use Yukon Gold--russets don't provide quite the right texture.

Edamame gives this veggie-packed vegan pasta salad a bit of feel-full protein. Serve topped with extra freshly ground pepper, if desired.

Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers' market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Laced with tangy-sweet pomegranate molasses and fragrant spices, this healthy and delicious Persian stew is traditionally prepared for festive occasions. Here we make it with chicken for a quick and easy dinner but it can also be made with lamb stew meat for special occasions. Serve with brown rice to sop up any extra sauce.

This squash recipe will leave you with some extra green tahini, which you can use as a salad dressing or a dip for crudités. Serve with a roast chicken and mixed green salad for a complete meal.

These open-face, knife-and-fork steak sandwiches are topped with Gruyère cheese to make them reminiscent of a Philly cheesesteak. If you can't find shaved sandwich steak in your grocery store, try slicing a flank steak very thin.

In this quick vegetable side dish, maple-vinegar-glazed carrots are topped with gomasio, a blend of toasted sesame seeds and salt. Find gomasio in the natural-foods section or Asian-foods section at large supermarkets or at Asian markets. Or substitute 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

In this family-style meal, a platter full of salmon and roasted and raw vegetables--served with a Northern Italian-inspired garlic-anchovy dip--lets everyone choose their own dining adventure. Serve with crusty bread and white wine.

A twist on a classic grilled cheese, this caprese sandwich adds pesto and tomato for a quick and simple campsite meal.

We wrap tender chicken with strips of bacon that crisp up when placed under the broiler. It's a fast recipe for a satisfying, healthy meal.

This easy kid-friendly dinner pairs healthier oven-fried chicken with crisp, raw vegetables and a homemade ranch dressing for dipping.

Skip the takeout and make these easy, healthy gyros at home. Lean chicken breast is flavored with classic gyro seasonings and tucked into a whole-wheat pita with veggies and a cool tzatziki sauce. Look for tzatziki--Greek cucumber-yogurt sauce--near other prepared refrigerated dips like hummus and salsa.