3 Easy Dinners for Working Parents to Try This Week

I’ve been there. It’s 4:00. You have to start thinking about dinner (if you haven’t already) and you don’t know what to cook, especially if you have a picky toddler like mine who only eats pasta, pizza, rice and fruits. And before you wonder if she’s always been like this: I’ll tell you: no. We did “baby-led weaning” and she used to eat beans, tortillas, meat, chicken, spices. And then she turned one and she suddenly became Italian.

First, of all: I’m not a nutritionist so these recipes and ideas are LITERALLY what we make to keep ourselves and 2-year old toddler alive for another day when we don’t have much energy left to go above and beyond.

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1 - Sneaky Veggie Pasta Sauce

A toddler-approved red sauce with hidden veggies and protein. No one has to know.

Servings

− 4 +

STEPS

1. Prep and cook the veggies: Wash and chop 2 cups cups chopped veggie of choice (butternut squash, carrots, yellow squash, or sweet potato) into small, even pieces — the smaller they are, the faster they cook. Add them to a pot of boiling salted water and cook until completely fork-tender, about 10–15 minutes. You want them soft enough to blend smooth with no chunks.

2. Puree the veggies: Drain the veggies and transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add a splash of water or broth if needed to get it moving. Blend until completely smooth. Set aside. This is your secret weapon.

3. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 ounces oz pasta of choice according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining — it can help loosen the sauce later if needed.

4. Cook the protein: Heat 1 tablespoons tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 0.5 yellow onion, diced and cook until softened and translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder) and stir for 30 seconds. Add 1 pounds lb ground beef or ground turkey (or protein of choice) and break it apart with a spoon. Season with 1 teaspoons tsp adobo seasoning and 0.5 teaspoons tsp paprika. Cook until no pink remains and the meat is fully browned, about 6–8 minutes. Drain any excess fat.

5. Build the sauce: Pour 1 jar of red tomato sauce (24 oz) into the pan with the cooked meat. Add the veggie puree and stir everything together until fully combined. The sauce should look like a normal red sauce — your toddler will never suspect a thing. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If you want heat for the grown-up bowls, add 1 pinch pinch red chili flakes to individual servings.

6. Combine and serve: Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water and stir. Serve immediately. Topping with parmesan is never a bad idea.

NOTES

• Veggie tip: Butternut squash and sweet potato add a subtle sweetness that blends beautifully into red sauce. Carrots are the most neutral. Yellow Italian squash keeps it light. All disappear completely once pureed.

• Protein swaps: For salmon or chicken, skip the adobo and season simply with garlic, salt, and pepper so it doesn't overpower the sauce. Chop or shred into small pieces before adding to the sauce.

• Make it ahead: The veggie puree can be made in batches and frozen in ice cube trays. Pop out a few cubes and stir directly into any sauce — weeknight dinner just got even easier.

2 — Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Peppers, Carrots & Rice

One pan, minimal cleanup, and a combo the whole family will eat. Pick it up on autopilot when you can't think of anything else.

Servings

− 2 +

STEPS

1. Preheat: Preheat your convection oven or air fryer to 400°F.

2. Season the chicken: Place 4 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs on a sheet pan. Drizzle with half the 2 tablespoons avocado oil and season with 1 teaspoons adobo seasoning and 1 teaspoons harissa seasoning. Coat evenly on both sides.

3. Prep the veggies: Add 2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced, 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced, 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced, and 2 carrots, thinly sliced to the same pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil, sprinkle with 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste, and toss to coat. Spread everything out in an even layer so it roasts rather than steams.

4. Roast: Roast for 25–30 minutes 30:00, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F) and the veggies are tender with some caramelized edges. Flip the veggies halfway through if you want.

5. Cook the rice: While the pan is in the oven, cook 1 cups white or brown rice. We are a rice on a stovetop family, so it’s a 2:1 ratio of water to rice. Bring the water to a boil, add rice, a small spritz of oil and a dash of salt. cover and simmer on low heat until the water evaporates. One cup dry rice yields about 2 generous servings.

6. Assemble and serve: Scoop rice into a bowl, top with chicken and veggies. Add 1 tablespoons sauce of choice for serving (optional) if you like — a drizzle of hot sauce, tahini, or chimichurri all work great here.

NOTES

• Meal prep tip: Double the veggies and roast them all at once. The extras keep in the fridge for 4–5 days and can go into the sneaky veggie pasta sauce, a lentil soup, or scrambled eggs the next morning

3 — Sheet Pan Salmon with Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash & Quinoa

Hearty, colorful, and comes together on one pan. The macha salsa at the end ties everything together.

Servings

− 2 +

Steps

1. Preheat: Preheat your convection oven or air fryer to 400°F.

2. Start the veggies and beans: Add 1 sweet potato, chopped into cubes, 1 cups chopped butternut squash, and 1 can of garbanzo beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed to a sheet pan. Drizzle with half the 2 tablespoons avocado oil, sprinkle with 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste, and toss to coat. Spread into an even layer. Roast for 15 minutes 15:00.

3. Cook the quinoa: While the veggies roast, cook 1 cups quinoa according to package directions. One cup dry quinoa yields about 2 generous servings.

4. Add the salmon: Pat 2 salmon fillets dry and place on the pan with the veggies. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil and season with 1 teaspoons adobo seasoning and 1 teaspoons harissa seasoning. Return the pan to the oven and roast another 12–13 minutes 13:00, until the salmon flakes easily and the veggies are caramelized.

5. Assemble and serve: Scoop quinoa into a bowl, top with salmon, veggies, and beans. Add a spoonful of 2 tablespoons macha salsa for serving (optional) for a kick.

Notes

• Butternut squash tip: Chop a whole squash at the start of the week. Use what you need here and save the rest for the sneaky veggie pasta sauce or a lentil soup. One chop, multiple meals.

• Garbanzo beans: They crisp up beautifully in the oven alongside the squash and sweet potato. Pat them dry before adding to the pan for best results.