The sun is shining through the window and it has me dreaming about warmer weather and sunshine! About this time of year I always start dreaming about our garden and the beautiful herbs, veggies, and berries I want to grow. Sadly, at our new apartment we don’t have a place for planter boxes, so somehow we will have to get by without our summer garden. This is definitely the saddest, hardest thing about moving! Here’s hoping we can borrow some gardening space from friends.. Or maybe I’ll look into utilizing our community garden space? 🙂
But anyways.. The warm summer months have always made it easier for me to eat fresh fruits and veggies. I just crave fresh, raw produce when engulfed by the summer heat.
Winter eating tends to be a little harder. When Carter and I first got married we ate mostly rice and meat, sometimes pasta. Occasionally a veggie stir fry and very occasionally a salad. I just didn’t realize all the veggie opportunities the world had to offer. Somehow in my mind, salads were the ONLY option for a veggie side to go with a meal. If we weren’t in the mood or if the salad didn’t “match” the menu item, we usually had no veggie!
The last year has sparked a remarkable change. Probably being pregnant and then having a new baby to care for, my mentality has completely transformed. I realize that veggies are a CRUCIAL part of my diet and I just don’t feel the same without them. I have also learned that I do best with a variety of veggies. Not just salad every night! I have realized that on top of eating a balanced meal, I need to listen to my own body’s needs and seasonal patterns. We don’t eat as many salads in the winter because I feel our bodies need warm, nourishing, seasonal produce. In summer? Bring on all the fresh garden veggies.
With that being said, here are some of our favorite dinner dishes that INCLUDE VEGGIES IN THEM. Rather than thinking of a separate veggie that goes with the main dish, the veggies are part of the main dish. This makes meal prep and healthy eating SO MUCH EASIER. So here you go! Our favorite recipes that include veggies in the main dish.
P.S. To pin the individual recipe, please follow through to the link it came from so we can give these amazing chefs the credit they deserve!
Delicous and Easy Tandoori Chicken with Vegetables from Foodiecrush.com
There is so much I love about this recipe. It’s simple to make, bakes on one cookie sheet in the oven, and has the perfect blend of spices and flavors. I am such a fan of roasted veggies, and the Indian spices on the cauliflower and carrots are to die for. Pair this with a pile of rice and it is to die for.
Simple Sheet pan Chicken Fajitas from Life Made Simple
These are by far our favorite (and the easiest) fajitas we have had. We also love these cooked over a campfire… prep everything at home before leaving and throw it in the fire wrapped in foil. It is AMAZING!
Flavorful Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken and Garden Veggies from Half Baked Harvest
We had this a few weeks ago and the flavor was absolutely AMAZING. We gave our 7 month old a taste and he would cry every time we turned away to feed ourselves! The veggies in this are absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to make it with fresh home grown veggies this summer!
Copycat Rumbi Teriyaki Rice Bowls from Favorite Family Recipes
I have always been partial to Rumbi’s teriyaki sauce… it’s got the perfect amount of sweet and tangy. This recipe is such a perfect copycat! Pair the sauce with your favorite veggies, chicken and rice and it’s one of our absolute favorites!
Middle Eastern Shakshuka from Tori Avey
This dish offers such a unique blend of flavors. With a tomato base and the perfect blend of spices it is DELICIOUS.
Fall Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili from COOKIE + Kate
Butternut squash, red pepper, tomato, onion… this is probably the first dish I go to make when the fall chill starts to set in.
Flavorful Thai Red Curry Chicken and Veggies from Carlsbad Cravings
We are definitely big curry fans over here! I grew up eating mostly Indian curry dishes, but I love the different flavor of Thai curries. This one is my favorite so far!
Copycat Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad from Well Plated
I like that this version uses yogurt in the dressing, making it healthier, but still delicious. I find that substituting yogurt while still frying the chicken is a good compromise 😉
Delicious Japanese Yakisoba from Simply Made Recipes
We have finally found a good Asian noodle recipe that we like! Our favorite part is the cabbage ♥.
To-die-for Cafe Rio Copycat Pork Salad from Plum Street Collective
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥. Need I say more?
AMAZING Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Creamy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette from Half Baked Harvest
This salad is seriously AMAZING. I made it for the first time in the fall and it was so flavorful and filling. The cauliflower and chick peas are roasted in the tastiest spice blend, making this so flavorful! We paired it with grilled pork chops, but with the peas and cauliflower it could make a delicious meal on its own!
So there you have it. My top 10 dinner recipes with built-in veggies. Share your favorite veggie-inclusive meals in the comments below and please let me know what you think if you try any of these!
