You’ll only need 20 minutes or less to prep these four- and five-star-rated meals. Each of these tasty recipes is lower in calories and carbs, and sticks to heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium for a diabetes-friendly dinner you’ll want to make on repeat. Recipes like our One-Skillet Garlicky Salmon and Broccoli and Creamy Pesto Shrimp with Gnocchi & Peas are delicious ways to shake up your routine any night of the week.
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High-Protein Veggie Sandwich
Ali Redmond
From beans to tofu to tempeh bacon, this high-protein veggie sandwich formula can help mitigate blood sugar spikes and keep you feeling full until your next meal.
One-Skillet Garlicky Salmon and Broccoli
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
This dish combines tender, flaky salmon with crisp, garlicky broccoli and bell pepper, all cooked in one pan. Packed with lean protein, omega-3s and a generous serving of veggies, this is one recipe you’ll want on repeat.
Creamy Pesto Shrimp with Gnocchi & Peas
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Prop stylist: Shell Royster, Food stylist: Emily Hall
This speedy dinner combines shrimp with pillowy gnocchi, pesto and peas in a creamy sauce. For a bit of heat, sprinkle in some crushed red pepper, or garnish with grated Parmesan cheese to enhance the savory flavor.
Chickpeas alla Vodka
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
Chickpeas are swimming in a creamy vodka sauce that gets enhancements from sautéed garlic, onion and vibrant green baby kale. Crispy, toasted whole-wheat bread is perfect for dipping. You can customize this dish easily by using chard or spinach in place of kale.
One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
Diana Chistruga
Shrimp and broccoli cook quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve this healthy shrimp recipe over whole grains or rice.
Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This vibrant and wholesome soup recipe helps support your well-being. It’s packed with a variety of colorful vegetables, like tomatoes, which contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help reduce inflammation.
Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Food Stylist:Chelsea Zimmer
A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner recipe—the flavorful oil they’re packed in is used to sauté the shallots and the actual tomatoes help to add delicious flavor to the creamy sauce. Served with perfectly cooked salmon, you really can’t go wrong with this easy 20-minute weeknight meal.
Pistachio-Crusted Halibut
A layer of pistachios combined with panko breadcrumbs on top of the halibut fillets provides a delicious crunch and a pop of vitamin B6, a nutrient important for blood sugar regulation.
Sheet-Pan Beef & Cabbage Noodles
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
Forget the wok and all that stirring! This stir-fry comes together in only 20 minutes on one baking sheet under the broiler. The trick to a perfect sheet-pan stir-fry is making sure your ingredients are spread out well on the pan so everything cooks evenly.
Spaghetti with Creamy Lemon-Spinach Sauce
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Give your veggie servings a boost with this easy spaghetti with spinach sauce recipe. Loosely inspired by the flavors of classic pesto, this vibrant pasta packs in plenty of spinach and basil with a garnish of nutty walnuts and savory Parmesan cheese.
Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.
High-Protein Tex-Mex Chicken Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Make this grab-and-go Tex-Mex–inspired soup with rotisserie chicken for this easy meal-prep soup. The frozen pepper-onion mix adds flavor and saves time in the kitchen, while the black beans add fiber and protein.
Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? Turn it into another weeknight-friendly dinner with this lemony garlic pasta.
Mushroom & Tofu Stir-Fry
This tofu veggie stir-fry is quick and easy, making it a great go-to weeknight meal. Baked tofu has a firm, toothsome texture that crisps well in a hot pan. You can find it in flavors like teriyaki and sesame, both of which are delicious here. Or opt for a smoked version, which has the same texture with a more robust flavor. Serve it over brown rice.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts
Serve this summery strawberry spinach salad alongside soup or a half sandwich, or top with grilled chicken or roasted salmon for a complete and easy healthy meal.
Lemon Chicken Pasta
In this easy lemon chicken pasta recipe, we love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken, quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby spinach, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes.
Tex-Mex Pasta Salad
A light and creamy green-salsa dressing highlights this easy pasta salad with Southwestern flavors.
Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad
This easy salad allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can’t find it, you can use romaine instead.
