Time Saving, Healthy Weekday Dinners!

Although I love to cook, and I definitely love to eat, I must admit that sometimes during the week I come home from work so tired that I don't have the patience or the energy to whip together a homemade dinner.  But unfortunately what happens when I don't eat a real dinner is that I end up eating more calories in snacks than I would have consumed if I had just made something healthier, and more substantial for dinner in the first place!

So to overcome this hurdle and help myself and my husband find the time to cook more often, eat healthier, and save time in the process, I have started a new routine on Sundays...Rinse and Chop Veggie Sunday!  Here's what I do...

1. I place an order from Fresh Direct and order a variety of fresh vegetables that have a long shelf time.  Last week this included lettuce, carrots, celery, and scallions.

2. I begin rinsing and chopping...

Before I wash the lettuce I chop it, and then put it in our OXO Stainless Steel Salad Spinner.  At $49.99 this is not a cheap kitchen appliance, but it cuts down on time washing your greens, and the stainless steel bowl is multipurpose.  It serves as a serving bowl that is both attractive and functional, and it keeps lettuce crisp for days...literally!

3. Next I get to spinning...

4. Chop up a variety of veggies...and voila!

Now you have enough lettuce and chopped vegetables to serve as the base of your dinner for at least four days of the week!

Rinsing and chopping at the beginning of the week has really improved my weekly eating habits, and it has taught me that if I come home for dinner and I have a fridge full of washed and cut vegetables, I am SO MUCH more likely to toss together a fresh, healthy, and low calorie dinner, than if I came home to a freezer of ice cream, and a pantry of cereal!

AND...washing and preparing vegetables at the beginning of the week not only saves time and calories, it also saves money!  Doing this extra prep at the beginning of the week has definitely cut down on our ordering out during the week.

And just in case you are curious...here are a few things we were inspired to make with our prepared veggies last week...

A Light and Healthy Caesar Salad

Shrimp Fried Rice

Bacon, Walnuts, Gouda, and Apple Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

And to make this healthy and time saving routine a success, I suggest always keeping your pantry stocked with a few staples that will turn your boring greens into a delicious meal in just minutes.  Here are a few of my favorites...

Green Olives
Walnuts
Cashews
Apples
Dried Cherries
Dried Cranberries
Parmesan
Cheddar or Gouda Cheese
Japanese Ginger Dressing
Newman's Own Lighten Up Balsamic Vinaigrette
Newman's Own Lighten Up Sesame Ginger Dressing

Do you think this would help you save calories and time during the week?! 

Next week I will follow up with a few of my favorite recipes for hearty dinner salads that you can make on the fly when you have a stocked fridge of prepared veggies and greens.

Do you have any tips on eating healthier and saving time when it comes to cooking dinner during the week?

Happy eating and drinking!