Quick and easy dinner recipes...

Sometimes it's really hard to squeeze dinner in on workout nights.  I usually leave work around 5:30, and by the time I get home and changed, it's usually 6:30 or so before we can start.  And after we finish, I'm out of commission for at least fifteen minutes while I attempt to regain the ability to breathe normally, so dinner isn't even on my radar until about 7:30.

So on workout nights, we usually do one of three things for dinner:  (1) have something cooking in the Crock Pot so it's waiting for us when we finish running, (2) have something easy that Micah can put together for us while I recover on the couch :), or (3) go grab Subway or Chipotle after we finish. 

Just in case any of you also have trouble fitting dinner in, I thought I'd share some of our quick/easy dinner ideas.

{Crock Pot Recipes}

I big, red puffy heart my Crock Pot.  I love being able to set it on low when I head to work in the morning and have it do all the hard stuff while I'm gone.  One of my favorite Crock Pot recipes isn't super diet-friendly, but I thought I'd pass it along anyway.  It's called Angel Chicken, and it's delicious.

 

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It calls for a whole stick of butter, but I've done it with half a stick instead and reduced-fat cream cheese, and it's still super yummy.  So try it that way if you're trying to cut calories. Serve it over some rice (which you can stick in a rice maker before you head out to run), and you're good to go!

For more figure-friendly Crock Pot recipes, check out skinnytaste.com's slow-cooker recipes.  The Chicken Ropa Vieja looks amazing, and I love her idea of making it into a "Chipotle" burrito bowl with some cilantro rice and black bean salad!

We've also made this Slow Cooker Cilantro-Lime Chicken, which was delicious!

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{Other Quick and Easy Dinners}

Micah has really gotten into mixing up salads for us lately.  Now truthfully, he sometimes loads it up with more "bad" stuff than I probably would, but they're always delicious.  Here's my favorite version:

- romaine lettuce (I fork over the big bucks for the pre-washed stuff because the convenience is worth it to me)

- grilled chicken (I buy the pre-cooked/sliced stuff, and a big bag usually works for 2-3 meals)

- grape tomatoes (again, more expensive than buying romas and cutting them up, but much easier)

- reduced-fat feta cheese

- kalamata olives

- dried cranberries

- croutons (optional)

- Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

(And if you've got some strawberries lying around, they'd also be a great addition to this salad.)

You could also do something like these Skinny Chicken Enchiladas, which could be prepared ahead of time and then thrown into the oven right when you get back from your workout.

Another favorite of mine is my Summer Spaghetti.  You could use whole-grain pasta and throw in some pre-grilled chicken for protein for a healthier version.  And it's really quick to throw together.

Lastly, but not least, we love to do my Papaw's Tilapia with some roasted asparagus.  Both take less than 15 minutes to bake and are super simple to prepare.

How about you guys - what are your favorite quick and easy recipes?