I’m sharing a roundup of lazy protein-packed dinners that I make when I don’t feel like cooking.
Hello friends! How are you doing? I hope you’re having a great morning so far. I’m here getting ready for a business trip to San Diego and have coaching calls all morning today.
For today’s post, I wanted to share a roundup of dinner options – especially high protein dinners that I always resort to when I don’t feel like cooking. The pilot is away quite a bit, which means I need nutritious, easy, and realistic meals after school pickups, basketball games, 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 spend all night in the kitchen.
My staple foods
I almost always have these on hand:
Roast chicken
minced meat
Frozen wild salmon (always from ButcherBox)
Frozen or roasted vegetables (I roast a large skillet once and use them all week)
Simple sauces (I love Kevin’s sauces from Thrive Market)
Rice and gluten-free pasta
Salad Sets (Life Saver When You’re in Need)
And now…my top 10 lazy, protein-packed dinners. Please steal these and then help a girl by sharing your favorites in the comments.
Lazy high protein dinners
1. Salmon shells
I make rice in the Instant Pot (rinse rice, add equal parts rice and water, cook manually for 12 minutes – perfect every time). While the rice is cooking, I air fry frozen salmon with salt and pepper. I chop a cucumber, microwave edamame, and grab some seaweed snacks. Top the rice with salmon, edamame, cucumber and seaweed and drizzle with tamari and sriracha.
2. Place egg roll in a bowl
The kids love it and it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day. Easy, quick and full of protein.
3. Easy to fry tofu and noodles
The kids love tofu so I try to add it about once a week. I drain the tofu, wrap it in paper towels, and place a heavy skillet on top to let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Then I stir-fry it with vegetables and toss it with cooked noodles and a simple sauce, like homemade peanut butter sauce or Kevin’s sauce.
4. Tacos with ButcherBox Barbacoa
The ButcherBox Barbacoa is elite. It’s fully cooked and frozen, so I just heat it up on the stove. I make fajita veggies (onion, peppers, garlic, cumin) and serve everything with avocado and coyotas tortillas.
5. Teriyaki chicken, vegetables and rice
When I have time, I cook chicken in the Instant Pot; Otherwise, shredded rotisserie chicken works great. I sautee all the vegetables I have (onions, peppers, zucchini, carrots, broccoli), cook rice in the Instant Pot, then heat everything together with Kevin’s teriyaki sauce. Boom.
6. Spanish tortilla with hummus and vegetables
Probably my #1 favorite food at the moment, especially after Spain where we could get it at the market every day (best ever). It takes about 30 minutes but is mostly hands-free. I serve it with homemade hummus, chopped vegetables and fruit.
7. Breakfast for dinner
When the pilot is away, breakfast for dinner is almost guaranteed.
Our contact points:
Three ingredient pancakes
Breakfast tacos with salsa
Bottomless quiche (I make it earlier in the day and keep it in the fridge)
8. Chicken crust pizza
Crust:
1 pound ground chicken
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Mix chicken and seasonings, then flatten into a 12-14 inch disk (about ¾-1 inch thick – basically a giant burger patty). Bake for 25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Add marinara and vegetables, bake for another 5 minutes and finish with fresh basil and feta.
9. Shrimp Pesto Pasta
While the pasta is cooking, sauté the shrimp with garlic, salt and pepper. Add lemon zest to shrimp, toss with pasta and store-bought pesto. Serve with a salad set or roasted vegetables.
10. Burger bowls
We love burger bowls. I make the patties earlier in the day and then serve them over salad with red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, fries (Alexia waffle fries are our favorite), and some secret sauce.
For cooking we use Our Place and Caraway – I love non-toxic cookware that looks good on the stove too.
If you’re working on increasing protein, Truvani is my go-to protein powder. I mix it with Daily Nutritional Support to make my daily protein pudding and top it with berries and hemp seeds.
And if you’re looking for more meal inspiration, Sculpt Society just launched Nutrition – I’m using it for fresh ideas. You can use GINAJAN if you want to try it!
So tell me, friends: What’s your favorite protein-packed dinner? Please share the goods in the comments.
xo,
Gina
PS: If you’re eating “clean” but still feel stuck, I take a close look at this with my clients. If you’re curious, you can learn more about 1:1 support here.
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