Smart Strategies for Fast, Inspired Weeknight Meals (Truly!)

The best way to prepare healthful meals in a hurry is ultimately the way that best suits you: your pantry, your cooking methods, and your style. Here are several simple, versatile strategies that can help you put quick, nutritious meals on the table night after night.

The nutritional value of vegetables varies dramatically based in large part on their color. Including at least three colors will give your meal visual appeal as well as a variety of nutrients. Make a one-pot pasta primavera: Add some chopped vegetables during the last couple of minutes of cooking the pasta, drain, and toss with a healthy drizzle of olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Or saute some onions and bell peppers in olive oil in a large skillet while the pasta cooks; add some marinara, heat until warmed through, and then toss with the pasta. Drizzle your favorite vinaigrette over leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken just before serving to give it a new dimension. The same trick also works wonders with fish or pork (or even with vegetables) when you don’t have the time to marinate.

Related: 35 Pantry Staples for Healthy Eating

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Leftover takeout noodles or rice from last night’s dinner is a great start for tonight’s supper. Stir-fry some broccoli and shrimp, then add the leftovers and a drizzle of soy sauce and other desired flavorings, and you have a one-pot meal in a flash.

Shiitake Fried Rice

This popular dish tastes better made with leftover rice or rice made a day or so before and refrigerated. Bring the rice to room temperature before using.

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced diagonally
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
6 ounces snow peas, strings removed and halved crosswise
2 cups cooked basmati rice
2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Cook’s Note
To trim shiitake stems, use a paring knife to remove the woody stems; cut as close as possible to the cap. Do not try to remove by pulling or twisting because the delicate caps will tear.

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm 1 teaspoon oil. Add eggs; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook until set, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice.

2. Add remaining oil and onion to pan; cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 4 minutes. Add carrots; cook, stirring, until they begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.

3. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and snow peas; cook, stirring, until snow peas are vibrant green, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add rice, soy sauce, and vinegar; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in sliced egg.

Since breakfast is hailed as the most important meal of the day, why not have it twice? A vegetable omelet with whole-grain toast, a poached egg atop salad greens, or a fried egg on an English muffin with sliced tomato can be quick and unexpectedly satisfying.

Related: 25 New Ways to Eat Avocados

Perfect Egg Sandwich

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 large egg
Coarse salt
1 toasted English muffin, or a 3-inch piece soft baguette, split
Cooked bacon (optional)
Cooked sausage patty (optional)
Grated Gruyere (optional)
Chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, or basil (optional)

1. Heat butter in a small nonstick skillet until melted. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a pinch of salt. Add egg mixture to skillet.

2. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, gently pull the egg away from the sides of the skillet toward the center. As the eggs start to set, stir them gently until curds form, about 2 minutes.

3. When egg is completely set, fold the egg into quarters and place on the bottom half of the English muffin or baguette. Add cheese, bacon, sausage, or herbs, as desired; top with remaining half of English muffin or baguette.

Salad greens offer convenience and nutrients. Upgrade from iceberg-lettuce salad mixes to darker salad greens, such as spinach, arugula, and mesclun, for maximum nutrition, particularly energy-enhancing B vitamins. Add a protein such as canned light tuna, turkey or chicken, or beans for an almost-instant meal.

Chopped Salad with Tuna

The secret to making a great chopped salad is to cut the ingredients into chunks that are all the same size and to include contrasting textures. Instead of using tuna, try leftover cooked chicken.

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 head romaine lettuce (about 1 pound), chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can (6 ounces) tuna in oil, drained and flaked
1/2 cup black olives (about 20), such as Kalamata, Gaeta, or Nicoise, pitted and slivered
1/2 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cups fresh curly parsley, coarsely chopped

1. Place vinegar in a large salad bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream, whisking to emulsify.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, and toss well to combine.

To keep rice from getting boring, try a different variety. Nutty brown rice comes in all shapes and sizes, including fragrant basmati. Enhance its flavor with grated lemon zest and fresh herbs, such as cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, or a small handful of nuts, which can spruce up rice’s nutrition as well as its appeal. Or try whole-grain couscous or quinoa in place of rice.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

A stir-in of cilantro and lime juice transforms plain cooked rice into a lively side that’s an ideal accompaniment for Mexican main dishes.

1 cup long-grain white rice
Coarse salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 16 to 18 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Stir into cooked rice, and fluff with a fork.

Streamline your favorite healthy recipes by looking for shortcuts. Some steps can be done in advance or tweaked to cut back on the number of pans used, minimizing last-minute prep, multitasking, and cleanup. Pesto (homemade or store-bought) can be tossed with pasta, stirred into cooked grains such as rice, barley, or quinoa, or spooned over cooked chicken cutlets and roast chicken. Salsa also works well with virtually any protein or grain.

Basil Pesto

This simple Italian sauce brings summery flavor to all sorts of dishes, including pizza and pasta. Pesto is traditionally made with cheese, but it’s just as good without (it freezes better, too).

1 cup walnuts or pine nuts
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 cups (4 ounces) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.

3. In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze.

Little touches matter. Even the simplest meal can seem more special when it’s presented on your favorite dishes, accompanied by candlelight or music, and lingered over rather than rushed.

Wendy Bazilian is a doctor of public health and a registered dietitian. She is a coauthor of “The SuperFoodsRx Diet” (Rodale; 2008).

More from Martha Stewart:
Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family
20 Classic Comfort Food Recipes from Martha Stewart
36 Dinners You Can Make in Just 15 Minutes!
42 Slow-Cooker Recipes Worth the Wait

Need another easy recipe for your weeknight rotation?