10 Easy and Affordable Meal Ideas for Busy Weeknights

Please see the recipes below!

1. Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chickpeas:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork and bake for 45-60 min or until tender.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chickpeas, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 min or until chickpeas are crispy.
Cut open sweet potatoes and top with chickpea mixture and a dollop of yogurt.

2. Egg Fried Rice:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggs and scramble until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, add frozen peas and carrots and sauté for 2-3 min or until heated through. Add chilled rice and green onions, and stir to combine.
Add soy sauce and sesame oil and stir until rice is evenly coated. Return scrambled eggs to skillet and stir to combine.

3. Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas:

In a large skillet, cook black beans and corn with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper over medium heat for 5-7 min.
Heat a separate skillet over medium heat. Place one tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Add black bean and corn mixture on top of cheese, and cover with another tortilla. Cook until cheese is melted and tortilla is lightly browned, then flip and cook the other side.
Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa or sour cream, if desired.

4. Lentil Soup:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3-4 min.
Add carrot and celery and sauté for another 3-4 min.
Add lentils, broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 min or until lentils are tender.
Serve hot with crusty bread or crackers.

5. Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Preheat oven to 375°F
In a large skillet, cook ground beef or turkey over medium-high heat until browned.
Add onion and garlic and cook until softened.
Add cooked rice, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
Pour tomato sauce into the skillet and stir to combine.
Stuff each bell pepper with the beef and rice mixture and place in a baking dish.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min.
Remove the foil, sprinkle shredded cheese over the tops of the peppers, and bake for an additional 10 min or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve hot.

6. Sheet Pan Fajitas:

Preheat oven to 400°F
In a large bowl, mix together sliced protein, bell peppers, onion, olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Spread the mixture out onto a sheet pan and bake for 20-25 min, stirring once or twice, or until the protein is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Serve with warm flour tortillas.

7. Tuna Salad:

In a medium bowl, mix together tuna, mayo or Greek yogurt, celery, onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Serve on bread or lettuce.

8. Baked Chicken Thighs:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Rub the spice mixture onto each chicken thigh, making sure to coat both sides.
Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish, skin side up.
Bake for 35-40 min, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy.
Let the chicken rest for a few min before serving.

9. Zucchini Noodles with Tomato Sauce

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 min until fragrant.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 min until the sauce has thickened.
Add the spiralized zucchini noodles to the sauce and stir to coat. Cook for 2-3 min until the noodles are tender.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

10. Veggie Omelet

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables and cook for 2-3 min until they start to soften.
Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and let it cook for 1-2 min until the bottom is set.
Sprinkle shredded cheese over half of the omelet and use a spatula to fold the other half over the cheese.
Cook for an additional 1-2 min until the cheese is melted and the eggs are cooked through.
Serve hot.