4 Pantry Staple Dinners in Under 30 Minutes

Busy schedules, long days, and limited time shouldn’t mean sacrificing nutrition. That’s why having a few reliable pantry staples on hand can make healthy dinners easier and less stressful. In this blog, our dietitian Rita shares four simple, nourishing dinner ideas you can make in under 30 minutes using ingredients you likely already have at home. These meals are designed to be flexible, balanced, and realistic for busy weeknights, without compromising on flavor or health.

Before the recipes, Rita offers a helpful reminder: these dinners take about 15–20 minutes to prep and cook(excluding crockpot time). The first round might take a little longer as you get comfortable with the ingredients, but once you get the hang of it, they quickly become easy, go-to meals.

1.   Quick Chicken Wraps

Ingredients:

• Rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken breast
• 2 avocados
• Butter or Boston lettuce (for wraps) OR Siete brand cassava flour tortillas
• Sugar free salsa or hummus

Directions:

1. Rinse the lettuce and separate the leaves.
2. Shred some chicken from the rotisserie chicken.
3. Slice the avocados. Place a few slices in each leaf. Top with chicken. Add some salsa.
4. Wrap and enjoy!

Dinner Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 medium bag of organic spring mix or organic spinach
• 1 BPA-free can of chickpeas or beans of choice
• tsp sesame or pumpkin seeds
• Shredded carrots (your preferred amount)
• Diced tomatoes (your preferred amount)
• 1 can wild-caught salmon
• Balsamic vinegar & olive oil to taste (if using store bought, look for low sugar options and avoid options made from canola oil or soybean oil)

Directions:

1. Place the salad in a large bowl. Add toppings. Add in dressing and mix well.
2. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Surprise

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes (or enough to feed the family)
• 1-2 BPA free cans of chickpeas
• 1 lemon
• Diced grape tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• Fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Wash and prick the sweet potato with a fork. Microwave for about 5 minutes or until fork-tender.
2. While the potatoes cook, heat the chickpeas in a pot over low to medium heat.
3. Dice grape tomatoes and chop cilantro.
4. Slice the lemon into wedges
5. When the potatoes are done, slice an opening and give it a squeeze to make it open wider
6. Add in some chickpeas, tomatoes, and cilantro. Squeeze a lemon wedge over top and enjoy

Gluten Free Quinoa Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. grass-fed beef
• 1/4 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tbsp. gluten free tamari or coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp. ketchup (if possible, make sure it doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking stone or dish with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Mix all ingredients together and form meatballs from the mixture.
3. Cook for about 15 minutes or until meat is golden brown. Yields around 15-16 meatballs.
4. While meatballs are cooking, slice a spaghetti squash lengthwise. Place face down in a baking dish with an inch of water in the bottom. Microwave for 10-15 minutes, until a knife slides into the shell without resistance.
5. Let cool until easy to handle and use a fork to scrape the flesh out.
6. Serve meatballs with pasta sauce over cooked spaghetti squash.

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Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With a well-stocked pantry and a few go-to recipes, nourishing meals can fit into even the busiest days. These four dinners are meant to simplify weeknight cooking while supporting long-term wellness. If you’d like more personalized nutrition guidance or meal-planning support, our team at Connected Health is always here to help you build habits that work for your lifestyle.