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  6. 24 Fast & Easy Dinners When You're Too Tired to Cook

24 Fast & Easy Dinners When You're Too Tired to Cook

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Alex Loh Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD August 08, 2020
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Sometimes, you're just too tired to cook dinner, and we can relate to that. But takeout isn't always an option, so we've pulled together these fast and easy dinners to make life a little simpler. These dinners take just 20 minutes to make and have three steps or less, so it'll barely feel like cooking (and you can always leave the dishes to tomorrow). Recipes like Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta and Beefless Vegan Tacos are delicious and a great option for those lazy nights.

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20-Minute Chicken Cutlets & Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Tomato Sauce

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets & Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Tomato Sauce
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This low-carb chicken dinner whips up in only 20 minutes, thanks to thin-cut chicken breast and packaged zucchini noodles. If you have a spiralizer and want to make your own zucchini noodles, use two medium zucchini. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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Crispy Gnocchi Pasta with Tomatoes & Leeks

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These gnocchi are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside because you sauté them in hot oil. Plus, they leave a little fond (crispy brown bits) in the pan that adds toasty flavor to the tomato and leek sauce, which is cooked in the same pan. Since this easy gnocchi recipe calls for store-bought shelf-stable gnocchi, it's quick to prepare--just 20 minutes, start to finish. Opt for whole-wheat gnocchi to get 2 extra grams of fiber per serving compared to white. This easy and healthy dinner is easy to customize too: see Tips for variations with shrimp, pesto instead of butter, and pork chops instead of gnocchi. Source: EatingWell Magazine, October 2019

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BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous

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In the U.S., dry whole-wheat couscous has been partially cooked, making it a quick-cooking (5 minutes!) whole-grain weeknight dinner champ. And when you buy peeled shrimp, plus a bag of prechopped kale and bottled barbecue sauce, the savings in prep time helps to get this healthy dinner done in a jiff. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Mussels with White Beans & Tomatoes

a bowl of mussels with tomatoes and white beans
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Cooking mussels may seem intimidating, but here we've made it quick and easy. We've added white beans to turn this classic mussels-in-white-wine-sauce dish into a heartier weeknight meal. Serve with whole-grain crusty bread to sop up the flavorful broth. Source: EatingWell Magazine, December 2019

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Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes & Lemon-Dill Sauce

Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes & Lemon-Dill Sauce
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You won't want to let a drop of this creamy lemon sauce go to waste. Serve with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes to soak it all up. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2020

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Sesame Instant Ramen Noodles with Broccoli & Soft-Boiled Egg

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Jazz up basic ramen noodles with toasted sesame oil, quick-cooked broccoli and a jammy soft-boiled egg. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2020

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20-Minute Creamy Italian Chicken Skillet

20-Minute Creamy Italian Chicken Skillet
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Chicken cutlets cook quickly and are highlighted with a creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. Serve it with whole-wheat pasta or rice to make it a meal. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2020

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Coconut Shrimp Curry with Instant Ramen Noodles

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A splash of coconut milk and some curry powder elevate ordinary ramen soup into a memorable bowl of noodles. Add protein with cooked shrimp or cubed tofu and a pop of freshness with cilantro and lime juice. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2020

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Beefless Vegan Tacos

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Take taco night in a new direction with these healthy vegan tacos. We've swapped crumbled tofu for the ground beef, without sacrificing any of the savory seasonings you expect in a taco. You can also use the filling in burritos, bowls, taco salads and to top nachos. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2019

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Chicken & Veggie Quesadilla

Chicken & Veggie Quesadilla
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This easy quesadilla recipe uses canned cooked chicken to save time. You can also use leftover cooked chicken or turkey if you have it. Dice the vegetables up to 1 day ahead for even speedier prep. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2020

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Build-Your-Own Grilled Cheese

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It's called a grilled cheese, so why not make it on the grill? Multiply this recipe by the number of people you're serving, then set out all the toppings and let everyone make their own creations. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July / August 2020

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Pasta e Fagioli with Instant Ramen Noodles

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Quick sautéed vegetables, canned tomatoes, dried oregano and canned beans transform ramen noodle soup mix into this classic Italian favorite in minutes. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2020

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Creamy Spinach Pasta

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This might be one of the creamiest light pasta dishes you've ever had! The mascarpone cheese adds a richness to the spinach pasta that's unexpected--especially in a healthy pasta recipe. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes

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Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry with Spinach

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This stir-fry recipe calls for buying shrimp that's already peeled and deveined, which saves you about 10 minutes of prep time. Want this on the milder side? Swap ketchup for the chili-garlic sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2020

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20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce
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Serve these quick chicken cutlets with creamy pesto sauce over your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020

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Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta

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We opt for fresh spinach pasta here--it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2020

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Black Bean-Cauliflower "Rice" Bowl

Black Bean-Cauliflower "Rice" Bowl
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This aromatic cauliflower rice bowl comes together in minutes and is a simple meal for one. Using frozen riced cauliflower instead of rice keeps the carbs in check--and makes for quicker prep. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2020

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Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Feta Penne Pasta

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In this quick 20-minute dinner recipe, tender penne pasta is combined with garlic, roasted red peppers and spinach and topped with crumbled feta cheese for a fast and easy Mediterranean-inspired meal. This recipe was graciously shared by EatingWell reader Dottie Carpenter, who states, "Recipes are no good if they're not shared!" Source: EatingWell.com, March 2020

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Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions
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Whisking a beaten egg into simmering broth is a quick and easy way to add creaminess and protein to noodle soup mix. Add freshness with a handful of baby spinach at the end. This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 2 and use the whole package of noodles. To cut back on sodium, look for noodle varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2020

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Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli

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Everyone loves teriyaki chicken--and this one is better for you with much less added sugar. It's also gluten-free so long as you use tamari (aka gluten-free soy sauce). Feel free to swap out the broccoli for any veggie--carrots, snow peas, green beans--that you have on hand. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes

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Looking for a new way to turn a bag of frozen cheese ravioli into a satisfying and healthy dinner? This easy pasta recipe calls for just five ingredients but is loaded with fresh flavors. By using grape tomatoes, prewashed spinach and prepared pesto, we eliminate all prep work, making this 15-minute Caprese-inspired ravioli the ideal weeknight meal. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019

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Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry with Green Pepper, Pineapple & Bacon

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This sweet, spicy and super-easy shrimp-and-vegetable stir-fry starts with a very small amount of bacon in the wok, which creates drippings that add tons of smoky flavor to the vegetables and shrimp that go in next. Keep the salt in check by using reduced-sodium tamari sauce. To complete this easy healthy dinner, add cooked brown rice. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2019

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Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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Take taco night to a new level with sweet potato taco "shells." Tender sweet potatoes pair perfectly with spicy taco meat, creamy cheese and crisp lettuce. Let everyone customize their taco potato with their favorite toppings. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2019

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    1 of 24 20-Minute Chicken Cutlets & Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Tomato Sauce
    2 of 24 Crispy Gnocchi Pasta with Tomatoes & Leeks
    3 of 24 BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous
    4 of 24 Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
    5 of 24 Mussels with White Beans & Tomatoes
    6 of 24 Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes & Lemon-Dill Sauce
    7 of 24 Sesame Instant Ramen Noodles with Broccoli & Soft-Boiled Egg
    8 of 24 20-Minute Creamy Italian Chicken Skillet
    9 of 24 Coconut Shrimp Curry with Instant Ramen Noodles
    10 of 24 Beefless Vegan Tacos
    11 of 24 Chicken & Veggie Quesadilla
    12 of 24 Build-Your-Own Grilled Cheese
    13 of 24 Pasta e Fagioli with Instant Ramen Noodles
    14 of 24 Creamy Spinach Pasta
    15 of 24 Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry with Spinach
    16 of 24 20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce
    17 of 24 Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta
    18 of 24 Black Bean-Cauliflower "Rice" Bowl
    19 of 24 Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Feta Penne Pasta
    20 of 24 Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions
    21 of 24 Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli
    22 of 24 Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes
    23 of 24 Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry with Green Pepper, Pineapple & Bacon
    24 of 24 Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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