3 Easy Weeknight Dinners - When You're Time-Poor and Budget-Conscious

Balancing a busy schedule while trying to eat healthily can be challenging. However, with a little planning, you can eat delicious and nutritious meals without breaking the bank or spending hours in the kitchen. In fact, with these recipes, you won't even need much in the way of cooking skills!

Here are 3 easy weeknight dinners that are perfect for anyone who wants to eat well, and not spend a fortune.

1. Turkey Burgers - serves 4

Harness of the power of turkey mince for this delicious burger recipe. Have as a traditional burger in a roll, or on top of a salad or rice. So versatile and so tasty, you can make this whole recipe but save leftover patties for another quick-dinner occasion.

Ingredients

• 500g turkey mince

• 1 tbs mayonnaise

• 1 tbs Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  

Instructions

1. Make the patties. In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together. Divide the mixture evenly and form 4 large patties. At this stage, you can wrap and freeze any patties you want to use another time.

2. Cook the patties. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the patties for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.

3. Assemble the turkey burger. Enjoy the patties plain or assemble them into turkey burgers with your favorite toppings and condiments!

OPTIONAL ITEMS FOR SERVING

• cheddar cheese slices

• sliced tomato

• sliced onion or caramelized onion

• pickles

• lettuce

• ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise

• brown rice + steamed vegetables, in a bowl

Why It's Great: Turkey is not only a great source of protein, it is less inflammatory than red meat and has less saturated fat. It also contains a good amount of an amino acid (protein compound) called tryptophan, which is converted to seratonin in the brain. To help this amino acid cross the blood brain barrier, have your turkey burger, then go for a 20 minute walk! The blood flow helps move this important compound into the brain, where it's needed - plus, a walk after a meal is great for digestion.

2. 15-minute chow mein - Serves 4

For this one, think of 2-minute noodles convenience, but actually nutritious. Comes together with only one cooking tool - a kettle!

Ingredients

• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms

• 4 x 72g packets chicken 2-minute noodles

• 3 cups shredded Chinese cabbage (wombok)

• 1 large carrot, grated

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 3 tsp sesame oil

• 400g can baby corn, drained, rinsed, halved diagonally

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

• 2 cups sliced barbecue chicken

• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Prep mushrooms: Place mushrooms in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes.

2. Cook the noodles: Meanwhile, place noodles and flavour sachets in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 4 minutes. Add cabbage and carrot. Cover. Stand for 1 minute. Drain.

3. Prep the sauce: Drain mushrooms, reserving 1 tablespoon soaking liquid. Thinly slice mushrooms. Combine oyster sauce, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil and reserved mushroom liquid in a bowl.

4. Put it all together: Add mushrooms, corn, half the onion and 2/3 of the sauce mixture to noodle mixture. Toss to combine. Divide noodle mixture among serving bowls. Top with chicken. Drizzle with remaining sauce mixture. Serve sprinkled with chilli and remaining onion.

Why It's Great: Firstly, it's so fast and requires basically no cooking materials aside from a kettle! You could even make this at work. It's also nourishing, as it contains not only a lot of fibre (and flavour), but the immune-boosting properties of shiitake mushrooms - a great thing to have in the cupboard in times of cold and flu. This meal works well for food prepping, if you have a few separate containers.

3. Fridge-Cleanout Okonomiyaki

This one is for the people (like me), who have the best intentions for their veggies, but end up with a few in the bottom of the fridge. Don't despair and don't waste them! Turn them into a delicious (and nutritious) Japanese pancake.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs

• ½ cup water, stock, or dashi broth (you can make your own or use an instant powder; I usually just use water)
  

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour, or a GF substitute

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 4 cups finely shredded cabbage of your choice (or swap out up to 2 cups for shredded Brussels sprouts, carrots or zucchini - anything bright and crunchy that you like)

• 4 to 8 spring onions, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup thinly sliced Pickled Ginger or anything pickled in your fridge (not essential, but really delicious!)
  

• 1/2 cup diced leftover meat, optional if you have something else you want to use up

• Neutral oil, for frying

Optional toppings: okonomiyaki sauce (below or storebought), mayonnaise (kewpie brand if you can get it – it drizzles more easily other mayo), katsuoboshi (dried bonito flakes), nori (roasted seaweed), sesame seeds, extra thinly sliced scallions and pickled ginger

Instructions

1. Lightly beat the eggs and water/stock/dashi in a large bowl, then whisk in the flour, salt, and baking powder.

2. Stir in the cabbage/other vegetables, scallions, pickles, and any additional ingredients until everything is coated in the egg mixture. 

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a good pour of neutral oil until the pan is evenly covered. Scoop roughly half the mixture onto the plate into a large patty and fry until the bottom is set and golden-brown, about 7 minutes. Try not to press down on the pancake too much, you want to keep it puffy rather than dense.

4. Carefully flip it over and cook the other side until nicely browned, then transfer to a plate and cook the other pancake.

5. When you’re ready to eat, drizzle with the okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise and any other toppings you like. 

Want to make your own okonomiyaki sauce? Whisk together the following:

• 2 tablespoons ketchup

• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce or ½ tablespoon oyster sauce plus ½ tablespoon vinegar, or a vegetarian version of either

• ½ tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Taste and add more worcestershire or vinegar if you want it tangier, more sugar or honey if you want it sweeter, more soy if it needs salt. This is just a rough recipe; all brands will taste different, so it’s up to you to adjust until you love the taste and want to smear it all over your okonomiyaki. 

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I hope you enjoy these recipes! Even if you try one of them today, your tired and overworked body will likely thank you for it. If you want more nutrition ideas, book in for an appointment with me today.