Easy Dinner Recipes

Whole Wheat Broccoli Cheese Hand Pies

savory whole wheat broccoli cheese hand pies

Apple, cherry, and blueberry pie are satisfying and delicious, but pie can be much more than dessert. The savory type, including these whole wheat broccoli cheese hand pies, are the ultimate comfort food. They are an easy, fun dinner and leftovers make a convenient, portable lunch.

How to Make Savory Vegetarian Hand Pies

Broccoli cheese calzone is a regular on the menu in my house because it’s easy to make, takes just four ingredients, and the entire family loves it. I make the rather large calzone often and I thought it was time to give my trusted recipe a new twist.

I use short cuts whenever possible to get meals on the table fast. In this case, I opt for prepared whole wheat pizza dough. Use store-bought regular pizza dough (made with white flour) if you prefer, or make your own dough with this recipe.

I typically use fresh broccoli in this recipe, but frozen, thawed, and well-drained broccoli works, too. To save time, you can also choose pre-shredded cheddar cheese or a block of cheese cut into thin slices, or a combination.

These hand pies are messy, so no need to be super neat about the filling!

Pair the hand pies with fruit and milk for an easy, delicious meal.

Savory vegetarian hand pies with broccoli and cheese

Don’t worry about the cheese. Use whatever type you have on hand.

Savory vegetarian hand pies with broccoli and cheese ready to go into the oven.

Get your kids involved in assembling the hand pies. They’re fun to make!

Golden brown savory vegetarian hand pies with broccoli and cheese

Whole Wheat Broccoli Cheese Hand Pies are cute, a bit messy, and delicious!

Print Recipe

Whole Wheat Broccoli Cheese Hand Pies

Easy, delicious comfort food that's portable!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: broccoli, cheesehandpies, handpies, savoryhandpies, vegetarianhandpies

Servings: 8

Ingredients

10 cups chopped, cooked 1-inch broccoli florets
16 ounces whole wheat pizza dough
16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or sliced thin
3 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400˚F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut into 8, 7-inch circles. (I use an inverted bowl to do this.) You may need to gather up the dough and roll it out again to make eight circles.
Place half the cheese on the rounds to within a half inch of the edge of each piece of dough. (The cheese forms a barrier between the dough and the broccoli to keep the hand pie from getting soggy.)
Place about a cup of broccoli on top of the cheese and top with remaining cheese.
Fold the dough in half over the broccoli and cheese filling, and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.
Gently transfer the hand pies on to the baking sheet and brush with olive oil.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before eating.

Notes

Per hand pie: 436 calories, 23 grams fat, 11 grams saturated fat, 56 milligrams cholesterol, 838 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber, 21 grams protein, 481 milligrams calcium.

Tuna Burgers With Smashed Avocado and Tomato

tuna burger topped with smashed avocado and tomato on a whole grain bun on plate with baby carrots

Tuna burgers are ready in less than 30 minutes!

We make tuna burgers with smashed avocado and tomato a lot at our house. I love the recipe so much that I included it in my book, Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy.

If you’re looking for an affordable, meatless meal, or you want a break from regular hamburgers, give these burgers a try.

Canned tuna helps you include seafood at least twice a week

Experts suggest that adults eat at least two fish meals weekly, and that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume two to three meals a week. However, you don’t need to be pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive to enjoy the benefits of these burgers!

My burgers are made with canned tuna, an inexpensive, convenient source of several nutrients, including protein, iodine, and omega-3 fats necessary for an adult’s heart health, and for a baby’s brain development and vision.

Use an empty tuna can to form the burgers so that they are uniform in size and fit on the buns or English muffins.

The tuna burgers should be cooked until golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside.

Pro Tip

Make a double batch of this recipe and freeze half. They are easy to reheat for a quick lunch or dinner.

cooked tuna burgers wrapped to freeze for later use

Wrap cooked, cooled tuna burgers well and date the package. They will last for several months in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave and make the avocado/tomato topping just before serving.

tuna burger on bun topped with avocado-tomato mixture

Delicious and nutritious Tuna Burgers With Smashed Avocado and Tomato pack omega-3 fats, fiber, protein, and much more!

Print Recipe

Tuna Burgers with Smashed Avocado and Tomato

A budget-friendly, meatless option for lunch or dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easydinnerrecipe, fishmeal, tunaburger

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 5 1/2-ounce cans or pouches of tuna, drained
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or red onion
2 teaspoons dried dill
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pitted ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 small tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 2-ounce whole wheat: sandwich buns, sandwich thins, or English muffins, toasted if desired

Instructions

Place the tuna in a medium mixing bowl and break into small pieces with a fork.
Add the bread crumbs, eggs, shallots, and dill, and stir until combine well.
Form the mixture into four burgers of equal size.
In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook burgers for about four minutes on each side.
In a small bowl, combine the avocado and tomato until just mixed, mashing lightly while stirring.
To serve, place burgers on sandwich buns and top with the avocado-tomato mixture.

Notes

Per serving:
430 calories; 14 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat); 139 milligrams cholesterol; 810 milligrams sodium; 40 grams carbohydrate; 8 grams fiber; 39 grams protein

Easy Beef and Bean Chili

bowl of chili with beans, beef, yellow and red bell pepper

Using beans in chili cuts down on the meat in this hearty dish.

Chili is the perfect meal for cooler days, and you can put it together fast with canned goods, such as beans and tomatoes. Easy beef and bean chili is is lighter on beef than most recipes, packed with vegetables, and features a secret ingredient that boosts flavor and nutrition without overpowering the dish.

It’s a good idea to make a double batch of this easy, nutritious dish, especially when you have lots of mouths to feed. Freeze what you don’t use for later.

Why canned beans are good for you

Canned beans are a godsend. Beans supply protein, fiber, potassium, and many other vitamins and minerals. And, as part of a balanced diet, beans can help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood that lead to clogged arteries and heart disease.

In addition, beans are rich in prebiotics that feed the good bacteria in your gut, which benefits your health in several ways. Most of your immune system is located in your gut, which is why it’s helpful to eat foods that promote the beneficial bacteria that help prevent you from getting sick.

two hands holding uncooked legumes (beans)

It’s OK to used canned beans, which are already cooked!

I choose canned beans for the sake of convenience and because I usually forget to buy dried beans and soak them! Rinse canned beans to reduce their sodium content by as much as 40%.

How to make vegetarian chili

This recipe is flexible. Skip the meat and add more beans and tomatoes to make a vegetarian chili, or use different types of beans, such as white kidney beans and garbanzo beans.

Also, I’m a wimp, so I keep the heat to a minimum. You can add chili powder, jalapeño peppers, more cumin, or any other spice you like. It’s your choice!

Unsweetened cocoa powder intensifies the flavors in chili and other savory dishes.

How to Use Cocoa Powder in Chili

You may be used to cocoa powder in brownies, cake, and smoothies. While cocoa powder is often associated with desserts, I also use it in this chili recipe. Unsweetened cocoa powder upgrades easy beef and bean chili by intensifying the flavor, and you won’t even know it’s there.

Cocoa powder is also good for you.

Cocoa contains antioxidants called flavonoids. While it’s unclear exactly how flavonoids benefit health, they may help to lower blood pressure, which protects the heart and the brain.

Buy unsweetened cocoa powder that hasn’t been treated with alkaline, which reduces flavonoid content. Avoid Dutch-process cocoa, which has lower flavonoid levels.

Print Recipe

Easy Beef and Bean Chili

Delicious and nutritious chili that's easy to make from pantry staples and is ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beans, chili, easydinnerrecipe, groundbeef

Servings: 6

Ingredients

8 ounces 95% lean ground beef or 100% ground turkey breast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 16-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, not drained

Instructions

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook, breaking it up into very small pieces.
Season meat with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
Add the oil to the saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Add the onion and saute for two minutes or until soft.
Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute.
Add peppers, and continue to cook until peppers are soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the beans, tomatoes, cocoa powder, and meat to the pan. Combine thoroughly.
Cover, and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes

Nutrition facts per serving: 291 calories, 21 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams fiber, 9 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 586 milligrams sodium

5 Stress-Free Family Meals

September is National Family Meals Month. I’m a big fan of eating together, but I also know that even the thought of making that happen on a regular basis can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s a good idea to have 5 stress-free family meals on repeat!

young boy eating spaghetti at a table

Why Family Meals Matter

It’s no wonder why there’s an entire 30 days devoted to encouraging families to eat together more often. Experts frequently tout the benefits of family meals, including better nutrition, improved school performance, and higher self-esteem in children.

In a perfect world, spouses, partners, and kids would be home at the same time, nobody would be cranky, tired, or hormonal, and nobody would complain about the food. But we know that rarely happens.

Still, as the mother of three, it’s important to try.

Sitting down together over a meal helps kids in a number of ways, no matter how often your three year-old wanders off in search of something more interesting, your partner turns up late, or your teen turns up her nose at what’s for dinner.

family-eating-at-the-table-619142

Do you really need to eat together as a family?

Family meals help kids develop a sense of regularity and routine that could carry into later life. A study of college students suggests eating at the same time promotes better nutrition. And, eating together allows you to teach kids good table manners and expose them to new foods.

If you can’t make family meals happen as often as you like, take comfort in this: A large study that examined the effects of family dinners on children found that spending time with your kids and taking an interest in their daily lives matters most for their well-being, whether that happens during at meal times, or at other times.

Interested in more family meals with less stress? I highly recommend lowering your standards.

5 No-Fuss Family Dinners

Keep dinner as simple as possible. Cook at home as often as you can, and don’t worry about dining out or ordering in every so often, but do make healthier choices.

Here are five healthy dinners you can have on the table in 20 minutes or less:

Stir-fry 8 to 12 ounces of lean ground beef or 100% ground skinless, boneless turkey breast with a large chopped onion, cumin, and salt and ground black pepper. Combine with 1 cup canned, drained black beans. Spoon the cooked meat/bean mixture onto 4 whole wheat tortillas. Top with shredded cheese, chopped tomato, lettuce, and low-fat sour cream. Or make this chili, and pair it with fruit.

Easy Beef and Bean Chili from www.betteristhenewperfect.com

Store-bought rotisserie chicken; salad of prewashed greens, cherry tomatoes, and olives; quick-cooking grain such as whole wheat couscous, and milk.

Grilled cheese or tuna melt with sliced tomato; cup of lentil soup (beans are vegetables!); fruit, and a cup of yogurt.

Serve Brinner (breakfast for dinner): French toast made with whole grain bread, fruit, milk; pancakes made with whole wheat flour served with fruit and milk; or an omelet prepared with cheese and leftover vegetables, with fruit, milk, whole grain toast or roll.

Kids love breakfast for dinner like these pancakes with blueberries.

Pizza prepared with whole grain tortillas or whole wheat Naan bread and store-bought shredded cheddar cheese; green salad; fruit.

Here are some additional family-friendly meals:

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Easy Dinner Recipes