Sharing a roundup of the high-protein dinners I make when I don’t feel like cooking.
Hello friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a great morning so far. Here I am preparing for a business trip to San Diego and taking coaching calls all morning.
In today’s post, I wanted to share with you a bunch of dinner options — especially the high-protein dinners I always come back to when I don’t feel like cooking. The Pilot disappears more often than not, which means I need nutritious, easy, realistic after-school meals, basketball dribbles, and general chaos at the end of the day.
These are the dinners that save me when I don’t want to think, chop up a million things, or stay in the kitchen all night.
My go to staples
I keep these things on hand almost all the time:
Grilled chicken
Minced meat
Frozen wild salmon (always from ButcherBox)
Frozen or roasted vegetables (I will roast a large skillet once and use it all week)
Easy sauces (I love Kevin’s sauces from Thrive Market)
Gluten-free rice and pasta
Power groups (a lifesaver when you’re in trouble)
And now…the 10 best lazy, high-protein dinners. Please steal these and then help a girl by sharing your favorites in the comments.
High protein lazy dinners
1. Salmon dishes
I prepare the rice in the Instant Pot (rinse the rice, add equal parts rice and water, and cook by hand for 12 minutes – perfect every time). While the rice is cooking, I air fry the frozen salmon with salt and pepper. I’ll cut up a cucumber, microwave it, and snack on seaweed. Top the rice with salmon, edamame, cucumber, and seaweed, and sprinkle with tamari and Sriracha.
2. We roll the eggs in a bowl
Kids go crazy for this, and it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day. Easy, quick and full of protein.
3. Easy tofu + stir-fried noodles
Kids love tofu, so I try to include it about once a week. I drain the tofu, wrap it in paper towels, and place a heavy skillet over it for 10-15 minutes. Then I sauté them with vegetables and add them to cooked pasta and an easy sauce, like my homemade peanut butter sauce or Kevin’s sauce.
4. Tacos with Barbacoa Butcher Box
The ButcherBox Barbacoa is elite. It’s fully cooked and frozen, so I heat it up on the stove. I prepare fajita vegetables (onions, bell peppers, garlic, and cumin) and serve the whole thing with avocado and coyote tortillas.
5. Teriyaki chicken, vegetables and rice
If I have time, I cook the chicken in the Instant Pot; Other than that, shredded roast chicken works great. I sauté any veggies I have on hand (onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, broccoli), cook the rice in the Instant Pot, and then heat everything up with Kevin’s teriyaki sauce. Boom.
6. Spanish tortilla with chickpeas and vegetables
It’s probably my number one comfort meal now, especially after Spain, where we can get it every day at the market (the best ever). It takes about 30 minutes but is mostly hands-off. I serve it with homemade hummus, sliced vegetables, and fruit.
7. Breakfast for dinner
When the pilot is gone, breakfast and dinner are almost guaranteed.
Our go to:
Three ingredient pancakes
Breakfast tacos with salsa
Crustless quiche (I make it early in the day and keep it in the fridge)
8. Chicken crust pizza
Veneer:
1 pound ground chicken
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Mix the chicken and seasonings, then flatten into a 12-14 inch disc (about 1/3 – 1 inch – basically a giant burger patty). Bake for 25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Add the marinara and vegetables, bake for an additional 5 minutes, and finish with fresh basil and feta.
9. Shrimp pesto pasta
Saute the shrimp with garlic, salt and pepper while the pasta is cooking. Add lemon peel to shrimp and toss with store-bought pasta and pesto. Served with a salad or grilled vegetables.
10. Burger bowls
We love burgers. I cook the waffles early in the day, then serve them over lettuce with red onions, tomatoes, pickles, fries (Alexia’s waffle fries are our favorite), and a little secret sauce.
For cooking, we use Our Place and Caraway – I love having non-toxic cookware that also looks great on the stove.
If you are working on increasing your protein, my favorite protein powder is Truvani. I mix it with Daily Nutritional Support to make my daily protein pudding and add berries and hemp seeds.
And if you’re looking for more meal inspiration, Sculpt Society just launched Nutrition — and I’m using it to get new ideas. You can use GINAJAN if you want to check it out!
Tell me, my friends: What is your favorite protein-rich dinner? Please share the goods in the comments.
xo,
Jenna
Note: If you are eating “clean” but still feel stuck, this is something I monitor closely with clients. You can learn more about 1:1 support here if you’re curious.