September is Family Dinner Month, and with good reason! Eating at home is a great way not only to bond with your family, but also to enjoy new flavors while keeping your sodium low, your budget trim and your nutrition high. These recipes offer inspiration to keep family dinner night fun and interesting without breaking the bank.
Crispy Chicken
This dish is cooked in the microwave for convenience, but don’t think that means bad food: we were surprised to find this chicken to be one of the juiciest prep methods we’ve tried. (3 Guiding Stars)
Falafel Burger
Chickpeas are an awesome staple to keep in the cupboard, and this recipe is the perfect way to turn that staple into a simple, delicious family meal. (3 Guiding Stars)
Salmon Black Bean Salad
Our handy trick for keeping this dish cheap: go for the skinless, boneless Wild Alaskan salmon in a can. It’s not on the mercury watch list, it’s sustainable and it’s usually a couple bucks cheaper per pound than fresh. (3 Guiding Stars)
Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup
Cold season, homework season, season of the rising chill: they all sometimes call for comfort food, and nothing is more comforting than this easy, delicious soup. (2 Guiding Stars)
Chicken Piccata with Pasta & Mushrooms
If you’ve got a little leftover wine from the weekend and the need for a quick, slightly fancy meal in the middle of the week, this piccata is worth a try. (2 Guiding Stars)
Honey-Lemon Chicken Skillet
This is a good template for a simple meal. Grab whatever lean protein you’ve got, whatever veggie (frozen or fresh) and whichever whole grain is easiest. Marry them with a sauce that gets most of its flavor from things like lemon and garlic, rather than salt and sugar. Enjoy. (1 Guiding Star)
Spicy Korean Tacos
Meatless Monday will be the favorite meal of the week with these little flavor ninjas. If you have the time to let the tofu marinate in the sauce a bit before cooking, you’ll love the flavor even more. (1 Guiding Star)