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Ohiogal

(31,672 posts)
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 02:01 PM Jan 2018

I'm looking for suggestions for a healthy dinner

Something that appeals to men with hearty appetites, healthy, doesn't bust your budget, and is quick to prepare. Although the last one could be overlooked if it's a crockpot meal.

Oh, and we don't eat red meat.

Ideas?

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I'm looking for suggestions for a healthy dinner (Original Post) Ohiogal Jan 2018 OP
nothing like a stir-fry dawg day Jan 2018 #1
Sounds great! Ohiogal Jan 2018 #2
I reduce it until it's thick dawg day Jan 2018 #6
If you wan't hearty, butterfly and roast a whole chicken on a proper broiling pan LuvLoogie Jan 2018 #3
That's what I did last Sunday csziggy Jan 2018 #7
Red beans and rice fits all your criteria Major Nikon Jan 2018 #4
Thank you! I will try it! Ohiogal Jan 2018 #5
How active are they? A fireman neighbor once said he Hortensis Jan 2018 #8

dawg day

(7,947 posts)
1. nothing like a stir-fry
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 02:09 PM
Jan 2018

You'll want to start the rice (about 22 minutes) first. Cut up a few chicken breasts (strips) and different veggies-- broccoli, carrots, celery, spinach, pretty much anything except potato. (This is probably evil, but I toss the carrot pieces in with the rice to steam as they take awhile to get soft.) If you like drain a can of pineapple or orange, or peel and cut up an orange.

Then in a wok or deepish skillet, heat enough oil to coat the bottom. When a drop of water sizzles, fry up the chicken. That will happen quick. (Make sure to cook through but then take them out immediately so they don't get tough.) set chicken pieces aside. Throw veggies in to the pan and stir and fry. Keep stirring until they start to wilt and get soft (but not too soft).

Take off heat. Put cooked rice in a bowl. put stir-fry on top. You can make a sauce ahead of time (like orange juice reduced a bit with soy sauce), or use a commercial asian sauce like sweet-sour, or just use soy sauce. Throw the fruit if you're using last.

This doesn't keep for more than a few minutes, so serve immediately and eat it all. The leftovers won't be very good because everything will mush. So eat it all!

dawg day

(7,947 posts)
6. I reduce it until it's thick
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 09:41 PM
Jan 2018

Or another way to do it is to use orange juice concentrate (and don't add any water). It's already thick.

To thicken, I usually use that agar agar (which is derived from some seaweed?). A little thickens a lot. But I learned by experience that you need to put the agar agar into a few TB of COLD water and mix before you add it to the sauce.

Orange juice and soy sauce is a great combination.

LuvLoogie

(6,855 posts)
3. If you wan't hearty, butterfly and roast a whole chicken on a proper broiling pan
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 02:20 PM
Jan 2018

The fat will, for the most part render, into the pan. You can also roast some brussels sprouts or saute some asparagus

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/how-to-butterfly-a-chicken-0154990

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
7. That's what I did last Sunday
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 10:46 PM
Jan 2018

Big roasting chicken, spatchcocked, tucked the wings under. I'd bought it a while back, rubbed with herbs and spices before freezing.

Chopped 4 carrots, 4 stalks of celery, two onions, two large cloves of garlic, and about a pound of small red potatoes, put those in the bottom of the pan, toss with some olive oil then put the chicken on top.

Baked 45 minutes, drizzle some olive oil on the chicken skin, then drizzled some chicken broth over the top.

OMG it was delicious! It made four meals for the two of us. I had part of a breast and a good amount of dark meat left. Friday night I made a quick meal with a small packaged noodle thing, the chicken breast and a can of mushrooms. Yesterday I made chicken salad with the dark meat,then made and froze six chicken salad sandwiches. I had enough left to make another small sandwich today.

So that chicken made us about twelve dinners, and I will have sandwiches for two weeks! (I eat a half sandwich with salad or soup for lunch.)

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
4. Red beans and rice fits all your criteria
Sun Jan 21, 2018, 02:49 PM
Jan 2018

Many people swear by the Camellia brand. It's a good idea to soak them overnight and throw out the soak water in the morning. The Camellia recipe is a good starting point, but I break with tradition in a number of ways like cooking it all day in a crock pot. I usually use either a ham shank or turkey leg. I don't bother chopping up the garlic and just throw some cloves in whole since I use a crock pot. I also use a whole sprig of rosemary just thrown in. I do cornbread rather than rice.

Before serving I finish seasoning with salt, Cajun spices, and top with chopped scallions. At the table I offer more Cajun seasonings and Louisiana style hot sauce.

http://www.camelliabrand.com/recipes/camellias-famous-new-orleans-style-red-beans/

At any rate it's pretty healthy. Lots of protein, good carbs, fiber.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
8. How active are they? A fireman neighbor once said he
Mon Jan 22, 2018, 09:50 AM
Jan 2018

often easily burned 5000 calories in a day. So much for that guy's reality, but calories needed for health can go either way. Sadly for me, my very favorite recipes are all high carb.

Someone offered a great tip on a foodie forum for both health and not wasting food that I've tried to follow at least mostly as often than not. She plans her meals first around the vegetables in the crisper/market, then takes the meat needed out of the freezer.

Shifting primary planning focus to vegetables hasn't cured my pasta craving, but it's helped significantly. Can't make a nice grains, nuts and veggies salad that's half luscious fresh veggies if I don't have them, and sometimes all carbs are just planned out of the meal, second vegetable instead.

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