Putting together a healthy, balanced dinner is difficult when rushing from activity to activity, Mairlyn Smith shares three wonderful ideas for simple, wholesome dinners you’d be proud to serve your family!

Tuna bowl

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup (125 mL) cooked brown rice, long, medium or short grain, barley or quinoa
• ½ cup (125 mL) grape tomatoes cut in half
• ¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup (60 mL) finely sliced green onion
• 1-85 g tin Clover Leaf Spicy Thai Chili Flaked Light Tuna
• Juice of half a fresh lime, just cut the lime in half and squeeze in as much as you want
• 1/8 avocado, cut up
• Hot sauce to taste

Method:

Assemble all the ingredients into a large single serving deep bowl, toss up and eat with chopsticks.

Mexican Jacket Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 small baking potatoes (Russets) or sweet potatoes
• 2 – 398 mL cans beans with tomato sauce, heated
• ½ cup (125 mL) fresh deli salsa, mild, medium, or hot
• ¼ cup (60 mL) strong grated cheddar cheese
• ½ cup (125 mL) fresh chopped cilantro, optional
• ½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced green onions
• Hot sauce, if desired

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C) or use a microwave.

Scrub potatoes well and pierce with a fork.

Bake or microwave 4 potatoes until they are cooked through. Microwave, approx 12-20 minutes. (Oven bake 1-1 ½  hours)

Cut each potato in half; gently squeeze the ends together to make the potato open up. You are making a potato receptacle, okay a bowl. Spoon over approx. ¾ cup (180 mL) of the beans into each potato.

Top each with 2 tbsp (30 mL) deli fresh salsa.

Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated cheese.

Sprinkle each with 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped cilantro and green onion.

Sprinkle with hot sauce if using. Serve.

Makes 4

One Jacket Potato = to one serving.

One serving contains: 335 Calories, 7.3 g Total Fat, 2.9 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 351 mg Sodium, 57 g Carbs, 9 g Fiber, 6.7 g Sugar, 13 g Protein

Chicken Wrap

Ingredients:

• 1 cooked deli chicken, skin removed and torn into pieces
• 100% whole grain soft tortillas
• 1 avocado, chopped
• Salsa
• Chopped green onion
• Chopped cilantro – if you like it
• Grated sharp cheese, if desired

Method:

Warm tortillas in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or until soft and warm.

Place one tortilla on a plate; add chicken, avocado, salsa, green onion, cilantro, and cheese over top. Fold and eat.

Courtesy Mairlyn Smith
www.mairlynsmith.com
@mairlynsmith