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Occasionally new recipes develop unplanned. That is the case with this quick sheet pan dinner. 

I originally planned a dinner with a more lengthy preparation including shrimp and asparagus with risotto. We had a schedule change in the week and I no longer had the extra time needed to stand and stir arborio rice into the creamy side dish of risotto. 

I’ve roasted shrimp before and it doesn’t take long to cook. The bunch of asparagus I had were thin and would roast in about the same time as the shrimp. So I decided to roast them together for an easy dinner. 

Here are a couple of other sheet pan dinners I love:

• Turmeric Chicken and Veggie Sheet Pan Meal

• One Pan Balsamic Chicken, Green Beans, and Potatoes

Do you have any sheet pan dinners you enjoy? If so, share with me. 

To your best health and wellness,

Jen

Roasted Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus Sheet Pan

Serves: 3-4

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1lb uncooked shrimp, tail and shell removed, deveined 
• 1lb asparagus spears, ends trimmed
• 3 tbsps olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch of crushed red pepper, optional
• 1 lemon wedge

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
2. Arrange the asparagus along one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with about a Tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. (Note: If you have thicker asparagus spears, you may need to roast them for 5 minutes by themselves, then add the shrimp.)
3. In a medium-size bowl, mix together 2 Tbsps of olive oil, the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper, if using. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Spread shrimp on the other half of the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through and the asparagus is tender. 
5. Drizzle shrimp with lemon juice before serving.

I am not even sure how I should start this post other than… 

You have to try this recipe!

Meat eater, vegetarian, or vegan...I have you covered in this so yummy Mexican dish. 

I don’t think I have ever met a person who didn’t like Mexican food. Unfortunately, Mexican food can be rather unhealthy. But this dish is packed with whole, real foods--veggies and protein with a taste of cheese, if you want it.

There are 3 reasons this dish gets 5 stars:

1. The tasty homemade enchilada sauce. You can’t buy anything in the supermarket that will be as good as this sauce, either in taste or quality of ingredients. It is really what makes this dish.

2. It is simple to put together. Mexican entrees tend to dirty so many dishes and have so many parts. This is sorta the same, BUT… it is so much easier to put together than traditional enchiladas for example. And it is an all-in-one dish.

3. You can customize it to your tastes and dietary preferences. Vegan? No problem. Omit the chicken and cheese. Vegetarian? No problem. Omit just the chicken. Don’t like it spicy? No problem. Omit the jalapeno and reduce the chili powder in the sauce. Want it extra meaty? No problem. Add extra chicken or ground beef. 

If you give this recipe a try, you have to promise me something… comment back about how good it was or share it on social media and tag @7corewellness. 

I look forward to hearing how you make it.

To a successful, busy, AND healthy lifestyle,

Jen

Healthy Vegetable and Chicken Enchilada Casserole (with Vegan & Vegetarian Options)

Serves: 4-8

Total time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

For the casserole:

• 8-12 corn tortillas
• Enchilada sauce (recipe below)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1-2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (omit for vegan and vegetarian)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided 
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (omit for vegan)

For the enchilada sauce:

• 1 tsp of olive oil
• ½ cup of finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 (14 oz) can of tomato sauce
• 1 Tbsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of cumin
• ½ cup of water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush a 9x13 casserole dish with olive oil.
2. For the sauce: In a small saucepan, warm 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.
3. For the filling: In a large skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion until softened. Add garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute. Then, saute the red pepper bell and jalapeno until softened. Next, add the zucchini and cook until softened. Add the black beans, corn, spinach, and chicken (if adding). Stir and cook until warmed through. Stir in ¼ cup cilantro. 
4. Pour ¼ of the enchilada sauce at bottom of the casserole dish. Place a single layer of corn tortillas on the sauce (You may need to cut them in half). Layer with ½ of the filling, then ⅓  of the cheese, and another ¼ of the enchilada sauce. Repeat with a layer of corn tortillas, remaining filling, ⅓ the cheese, and another ¼ of the sauce. The final layer consists of the remaining tortillas, sauce, and cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. 

Note: To make it vegan, omit chicken and cheese. To make it vegetarian, omit the chicken. To make it meatier, add more chicken or ground beef. To make it less spicy, omit the jalapeno and decrease the chili powder in the sauce. To make it spicier, add more jalapeno.

Do you need to get more vegetables in your day? This soup will help. It is loaded with them!

In fact, it is a complete meal with six different vegetables, quality protein from the ground beef, good carbs from the potatoes and corn, and good fat from the cooking oil and beef. 

Though it requires some preparation with chopping a few of the vegetables, this is a simple, tasty, one-dish meal. 

The bonus of it being a one-pot meal is you will save time on clean up afterwards. A couple of my other favorite one-dish meals are One Pan Balsamic Chicken, Green Beans & Potatoes, and 30 Minute Chicken and Roasted Broccoli Pesto.

This recipe from allrecipes.com inspired my version below.

If you give this recipe a try, share it with us in the comments below.

To a successful, busy, AND healthy lifestyle,

Jen

Vegetable & Ground Beef Soup

Serves: 4  

Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth or water
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or large stockpot. Add ground beef, break apart and cook until browned and no longer pink. About 7 to 10 minutes. Drain excess grease.
2. Add carrots, celery, and onion to the ground beef. Stir and cook until the vegetables are softened. Another 7 to 10 minutes. 
3. Add potatoes, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth or water, peas, corn, green beans, thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
4. Turn heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender, about 30-45 minutes.

Notes: If you use water, to get more flavor, fill the emptied tomato sauce can with water and add it to the pot. Also, add more salt and pepper.

Here is a healthy spin on Chicken Parmesan. No pounding, breading, or frying chicken. One skillet to cook and bake the dish. So it is easy.

What really brings additional flavor is browning the chicken in a skillet with sautéed garlic before covering it with sauce and topping it with cheese and basil.

I served it with a simple side of steamed broccoli, but you can pick your favorite green vegetable. Steamed green beans, sautéed zucchini, roasted asparagus, or a mixed green salad are other complementary choices. 

When you try the recipe, let me know what you think in the comments below. Do you have a family favorite recipe you wish was healthier?

Cheers!

Jen

Easy Healthy Chicken Parmesan with Steamed Broccoli 

Serves: 4     Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
• 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• 4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese or 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp packed fresh, chopped basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil 
• 2 large Broccoli crowns

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. 
3. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Be careful not to burn.  
4. Add seasoned chicken breast and cook on each side for 4 minutes, browning the sides. 
5. Pour sauce over the chicken. Layer fresh mozzarella on top or cover with shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh or dried basil.
6. Place skillet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through. May need to cook up to 15 minutes longer for thick breasts.
7. While the chicken is in the oven, cut broccoli in florets and place in a stovetop steamer basket or use another preferred steaming method. Cook until desired tenderness. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes: 

• Other good green vegetable options:  steamed green beans, sautéed zucchini, roasted asparagus, or a mixed green salad.