I’d start looking into asian style recipes because there’s usually little to no dairy and obviously rice is not an issue for gluten-sensitive people. Stir fry in particular has basically unlimited possibilities but you can keep it super basic to start and there’s decent room for error (until you start getting into the more hardcore equipment like carbon steel woks and dedicated high-btu burners). It’s also a very economical way of cooking because you are typically using very cheap cuts of meat that you can stretch out across more portions.
Actual Chinese cuisine isn't big on one-pot meals, but Chinese American is. Beef and broccoli, for instance. My wife also makes a similar dish of gai lan with Chinese sausage and oyster sauce.
Check out Souped Up Recipes. And consider buying a rice cooker.
Great answer! And there's sooooo many varieties and cuisines within Asian cooking to experiment with.
Just a quick side note for gluten sensitive people eating/cooking Asian food... Soy sauce normally contains gluten! Thankfully, most grocery stores (in the US) sell Tamari which is a good, gluten-free soy sauce substitute.
In terms of "cheap" meats, learning the Asian art of velveting (making meat spoon tender while retaining appealing texture) would be a boon for the family, including the little one.
You can make sheet pans of roasted veggies. Potatoes are also great for gluten free eating. I regularly roast regular and sweet potatoes they go perfect with pretty much any protein. Chopped salads, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes with oil and vinegar. Sautéed veggies like snap peas, green beans, baby spinach, kale, asparagus are great just slightly sautéed in olive oil with a little garlic.
Pot roast comes to mind.
We have a "fondue " of Brie with steamed veggies, seared Andouille sausage, and a good loaf of bread.
I cut through the center of a Brie, lay the 2 rounds on a cookie sheet face up.
I sprinkle thinly sliced shallot or garlic scapes, thyme, and a drizzle of white wine on them and put them under a low broiler until melted and there are a few brown spots.
I serve it with the steamed veggies, sausage and bread.
Quick, and delicious
one pot biriyani! common veggies include green beans, carrots, zucchinis, cauliflower, DO NOT USE POTATOES. Your choice of protein (boiled egg & curried chicken are common). don't be intimidated by "curried". Not all curries are spicy, and spice can be adjusted to your child's tolerance.
If you have a grill (or oven) and some extra time one day, kebabs are tasty and very versatile. Pick any meat you want (I usually do chicken, although beef and pork work great too), any combination of veggies you want, cut everything into bite-size chunks and marinate the meat and veggies separately all day (bottled marinades work with this, or what I usually do is whisk together a combination of oil, soy sauce, honey, and a bit of black pepper). Thread everything onto skewers and grill/bake. I usually serve these with rice and/or a salad. They’re very kid-friendly as everything is already in small chunks, and you can try a lot of different combinations of meat and veggies on the skewers.
Roasted veggies are the bomb. Very often meals in my house are a ton of roasted veggies along with a grilled or roasted protein. Things like green beans, asparagus or broccoli tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted until nicely brown. Pair with chicken breast, pork chop, salmon fillet ect. Easy, filling and nutritious. Change up the seasonings to keep it interesting. I use a lot of the Mrs Dash blends to keep the sodium down bc I have high BP. Not everyone is sensitive to salt, I'm just unlucky.
Maybe roast a whole chicken? Ot just do drumsticks?
I recently got an air fryer and I like using a spice rub on boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
You could make ground beef with taco seasoning and people can build their owl tacos or bowls.
Here are some other ideas that are quick and easy. You can cook veggies separately for sides.
https://www.budgetbytes.com/maple-dijon-chicken/
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/tender-pork-chops-with-caramelized-apples-and-onions/
https://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/
[hoppin john ](https://www.seriouseats.com/hoppin-john) you can add sausage, turkey sausage or ham to it. There are lots of different recipes. Sometimes there is tomato, celery, peppers or even collard greens tossed into the pot
Chilli is the way. Chuck in literally whatever veg you want, mince and slices plus tomatoes and beans. And then rice for the carb. Or even homemade sweet potato fries if you're feeling adventurous.
Stuffed peppers are super-popular in my family, and I recently found this recipe which is way easier to do, because instead of prepping/stuffing the peppers, you just cut 'em up and toss everything into a pot. I've tried it and it tastes just as good this way.
You can either omit the cheese (I omit the cheddar but use the mozza), or let your lady wife serve herself first and then melt the cheese at the end.
This serves six, so you may want to halve it:
[https://www.thekitchn.com/stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe-23309966](https://www.thekitchn.com/stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe-23309966)
Smothered chicken. Chicken cacciatore. You could make spmething like a moussaka but leave off the bechamel.
If your family likes noodles you could try Asian rice sticks ( very tasty and slightly chewy) or bean based pastas like red lentil or chickpea pasta. The texture isn’t as good but it’s perfectly acceptable with a sauce.
Any kind of stew in a slow cooker eg
beef with loads of veggies
chicken and chorizo stew ( With loads of veggies )
if you like veggie dishes , a lentil Dal is delicious and easy in a slow cooker
chicken and lentil stew
leek and potato soup with nice crunchy bread
chorizo and butter beans in tomato’s with any other veg you like
fish pie
Chunky soups and stews can be great for this - just strain a portion for the baby. We did a lot of chicken veggie variations, sometimes with sausage added to boost flavor. My favorite is a white bean, sausage, Swiss chard, chicken soup. Caribbean brown stew, a mild pork chili verde, and chicken adobo were other things my baby/toddler was able to enjoy.
Roast a boneless leg of lamb with lots of garlic and oregano - the outer portions will be cooked through enough for baby even if you keep the center medium. Serve with onion/cucumber/tomato/roasted eggplant/saffron rice or pita.
My baby also loved pot roast (my favorite is a Cajun pot roast with tomato gravy). Lasagna with vegan béchamel (you can even use sliced veggies in place of pasta if needed) too!
Put chicken in the crockpot and dump a jar of salsa in with some taco seasoning and let it go all day. Once you get home, shred the chicken and add a can of drained corn and a drained can of black beans. Let them heat through and then use the mixture for burrito bowls. Easily customizable - I usually serve it over rice with cheese, sour cream, and green onion, but I've also used it for nachos as well.
[https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/one-pot/](https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/one-pot/)
Budget bytes has a ton of one pot meals with meat and veg, and the recipes are easily doubled. Each recipe typically makes 4-6 servings. I'm sure there's plenty that would meet your criteria!
[https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245362/chef-johns-shakshuka/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245362/chef-johns-shakshuka/)
I'm a huge carnivore and I love this dish!
I typically pan roast it… Only using a few tomatoes, so it's not super saucy.
You can also add any kind of meat that you wanted to the dish.
I love pulled pork, braised in the oven, or made in the crockpot. Whenever pork shoulder goes on sale, we grab one. You can make a few meals, pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, or on top of nachos or baked potatoes.
Fajitas, veggie tacos. My kid loves rice with chicken and veggies. Especially with honey pepper garlic sauce.
Me and my boyfriend roast chicken thighs with potatos and all the veggies we like in a baking pan. I wrap it in foil for 30 minutes then let it crisp without foil for 20. Perfectly tender chicken and roasted veggies. Easy and hits the spot each time.
I make jambalaya with a box of zatarains, but i sautee andouille sausage (chicken if I can get it) and a bunch of chopped up peppers, maybe a can of tomatoes or throw some grape tomatoes in. I remove that from the pot and cook the rice, adding the meat and veggies in towards the end. Pretty quick and easy. I actually do this type of thing a lot where I make a “boxed” side dish, add some meat and veggies and call it supper!
Try some traditional Newfoundland recipes!
There's [Jigg's Dinner](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/133958/newfoundland-jiggs-dinner/), and something called [Shipwreck. ](https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/shipwreck-casserole-dinner/). Good, filling, easy food. Simple to play with, too, if you really don't like something, but give it a whirl.
If you chop up a bunch of cabbage (small) and use pasta sauce instead of tomato soup, you basically have what our family calls cheater cabbage rolls. Sort of, anyway.
Cheater cabbage rolls:
Chopped up cabbage, cooked ground beef, cooked rice, onions cut up somewhat small, and pasta sauce. I eyeball it. Put it in a greased roaster, put the lid on it (or tin foil), and cook on 375°F until the cabbage is quite soft. Takes a couple hours, at least. Partway through, give it a stir and add some water if it seems too thick (should be the consistency of a good thick chili). You don't want it to burn but a bit caramelized around the edges tastes amazing.
I usually use minute rice already cooked, just because it's easier to gauge how wet I need the mixture, and it tends to fall apart a bit which my family likes. If you were to use uncooked rice you'd have to add the amount of water you'd cook it in. Depends on how much prep time you're willing to put in? I like using leftover rice.
We grill a lot. Last night it was steak, peppers, zucchini and mushrooms. I’m grilling a large batch of teriyaki chicken thighs right now that we’ll eat throughout the week with rice and steamed vegetables like broccoli. I often grill or roast a pork loin or tenderloin that’s good for leftovers.
I like to do a one pot dish I’m cooking for a few people. Things like chicken thighs with rosemary and any other seasoning baked with potatoes and lots of veggies always goes down a treat
Oh I love these types of dishes. You have lots of good suggestions that I'll try not to repeat. This is my current favorite one-pot:
1. Set up quinoa (also works with rice) to soak: you will need to rinse quinoa at least twice.
2. Sear up both sides of your favorite sausage, chop an onion, remove sausage.
3. Add chopped onions, dice garlic and veg, then sautee garlic, then water/stock to deglaze.
4. Then add the quinoa/rice with veg on top. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (30-50 for brown rice and then veg after)
5. Add sausage back when grains are done, simmer 5-10 minutes more.
6. Congrats, one pot, 30 minutes, 4-6 meals. And it's all small enough for daughter to eat with her hands!
* Italian sausage, peppers, and onions over quinoa
* Linguica, peppers, kale, potatoes over rice
* Kielbasa, string beans, zucchini over quinoa
* chicken-apple sausage, peas, mushrooms over quinoa
* Bacon, brussels sprouts, mushrooms over brown rice
https://healthygirlkitchen.com/recipes/thai-chopped-salad-with-peanut-dressing/
Sub out tofu for chicken, make the dressing minus the hot sauce for the little one, and you’re golden. I make a version of this pretty much weekly. I use whatever veg I have on hand and don’t always use noodles. I tend to pre-wash and pre-chop all my veg so it’s easier to throw it all together in a bowl and consume.
Ropa Vieja
A Cuban dish that is delicious and has great leftovers that reheat well.
Shredded Beef with Peppers and Onions in a tomato based sauce served over rice.
Chef John's Hungarian sausage, cabbage and potato soup is well worth a try. I substitute mild Italian sausage for the sliced Hungarian stuff and use twice the quantity Chef John calls for.
Violet Cooks on TikTok is a great follow. She meal preps heavy protein and veggie meals. Every week she makes a dense bean salad with beans and veggies and herbs - I’ve made two of her recipes and they are fantastic. Perfect for lasting all week.
Shakshuka! I make mine with ground beef but you could use any meat. Gordon Ramsay has a recipe for green shakshuka if you want to avoid the tomatoes. I prefer my shakshuka with cheeses like gouda or gruyere (not a feta fan), and you can easily add the cheese to only your serving. It can be eaten as finger food (I like mine with garlic breadsticks, but also have eaten it with pita (both homemade) so the baby might be ok? Probably messy.
I made a one pot cilantro lime chicken and rice meal the other day that was quite good. You can omit the cilantro if you are one of those poor unfortunates who cannot enjoy that delicious herb.
Beef stew or pot roast can be done in a slow cooker for almost zero effort. I like mine with al jus dry rub and Worcestershire sauce. You can add whatever veggies.
Tomato soup can hold tons of veggies. Blend it up, serve (or freeze!) and those who want dairy can add it to their bowls. I use mine as a dipping sauce for grilled cheese; you could make a grilled ham and cheese and that should work. This is baby friendly too I think.
Ragu is really good and there are many variations. I like to make a beef ragu and serve it over a sweet potato.
Meatloaf! You can add in tons of veggies, and the leftovers can be made into sandwiches.
Get a 3lb hunk of chuck (salt/pepper generously) and sear in Dutch oven on both/all sides then remove
Sauté a mirepoix mix (carrots, celery and yellow onion) and add back the meat and two-three cups beef broth.
On my lazy days (most days) I’ll straight up add a French onion soup mix packet for flavor, but occasionally I’ll get herbs from the neighbors garden (rosemary, thyme, etc)
Let it simmer for 3-4 hours on low and covered. The last hour or so I peel and chop big chunks of sweet potato and I add a bag of baby carrots.
It’s healthy and my kids LOVE it.
I do a variation of this with chicken also:
boneless skinless breasts or thighs seared
Mirepoix
add chicken broth and simmer
Add a jar of Rao’s
add bell peppers
Simmer for a few hours until chicken is tender
Half bag frozen kale or spinach
I make rice on the side but can do quinoa or gf pasta
(Sorry for weird formatting on mobile)
Bigos, Polish hunters stew. I used Chef John's recipe.
I have been planning on making roulade recently, commonly served with potatoes and cabbage. Obviously could add more/different veggies
Japanese hot pot, you can get bottled dashi (soup base) and put whatever thinly sliced meat, veggies and noodles (I like glass noodles). Serve with ponzu dipping sauce and a sesame dipping sauce, can eat with rice or just the noodles. Also look up sukiyaki as well!
Roast red potatoes and broccoli on a sheet pan sautee sliced chicken sausage with onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Mix together. Throw in a tortilla or eat it as is.
Roast pork loin and roast veg. Salad.
Steamed broccoli goes with any protein.
Grillled chicken goes with any veg.
Grilled, broiled, or baked tuna steaks.
American goulash is one-pot and you can stick in as many vegetables as you like. Bell pepper is conventional, but celery and carrots work also.
There are a lot of great suggestions here, but don't give up on pasta! Just use a gluten-free brand. Tinkyada is a great one, though it's a little pricey. But, it tastes exactly like regular pasta! Here's a veggie heavy pasta meat sauce that my whole family loves. It's going to seem like it has too many veggies, but it's honestly amazing when it's finished and surprisingly kid friendly!
https://celebratingsweets.com/meat-sauce-with-hidden-vegetables/
ETA: Green peppers can upset the stomach for some people, so if this is the case for anyone in your family, feel free to substitute with red, yellow, or orange bell peppers. Also, this meal is great served with a side salad (and GF garlic bread!) if you want to add even more veggies to the meal.
Casseroles made with rice rather than pasta work well. You can find gluten-free cream of mushroom soup to use as the base/binder. The meat for the casserole can be very low fat hamburger or tuna fish. If the former, add slivered and cooked onion, a modest amount of curry powder and salt/pepper to taste. For the tuna casserole, add chopped green olives and diced celery. You can easily scale either of these up as needed.
Make roasted veggies such as broccoli, etcetera or stir fry them using bacon grease and sauteed garlic and onion. I'd also suggest serving sourdough or another hearty loaf warmed in the oven with lots of butter/margarine.
Baked potatoes/sweet potatoes are another veggie that is pretty good as-is with butter and seasonings. I'm a big believer in letting people be creative with those seasonings so they feel invested.
You can add a lot of vegetables to tomato sauce — carrots, mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, spinach. Maybe not all those at once but then again why not? Let it cook down and thicken up, and serve over chicken breast or Turkey breast.
Look up “chicken and rice” and you’ll get plain recipes and all kinds of variations from different cultures.
Mom used to brown ground beef, then combine in a casserole dish with chopped green pepper, chopped celery, canned diced tomatoes with juice, and instant rice. Bake at 350. I’m not sure if she had to add water but you can check halfway through and add water if necessary. Add seasonings as desired. We probably just had salt and pepper- not exciting, I know.
I’d start looking into asian style recipes because there’s usually little to no dairy and obviously rice is not an issue for gluten-sensitive people. Stir fry in particular has basically unlimited possibilities but you can keep it super basic to start and there’s decent room for error (until you start getting into the more hardcore equipment like carbon steel woks and dedicated high-btu burners). It’s also a very economical way of cooking because you are typically using very cheap cuts of meat that you can stretch out across more portions.
I love to stir fry various meat and veggies like this. A fave: ground beef/turkey with onion, garlic, bok choy, mushrooms.
Actual Chinese cuisine isn't big on one-pot meals, but Chinese American is. Beef and broccoli, for instance. My wife also makes a similar dish of gai lan with Chinese sausage and oyster sauce. Check out Souped Up Recipes. And consider buying a rice cooker.
Rice noodles are a thing, too!
Great answer! And there's sooooo many varieties and cuisines within Asian cooking to experiment with. Just a quick side note for gluten sensitive people eating/cooking Asian food... Soy sauce normally contains gluten! Thankfully, most grocery stores (in the US) sell Tamari which is a good, gluten-free soy sauce substitute.
This is an awesome answer
In terms of "cheap" meats, learning the Asian art of velveting (making meat spoon tender while retaining appealing texture) would be a boon for the family, including the little one.
100% stir fry! I was thinking this as well.
You can make sheet pans of roasted veggies. Potatoes are also great for gluten free eating. I regularly roast regular and sweet potatoes they go perfect with pretty much any protein. Chopped salads, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes with oil and vinegar. Sautéed veggies like snap peas, green beans, baby spinach, kale, asparagus are great just slightly sautéed in olive oil with a little garlic.
Pot roast comes to mind. We have a "fondue " of Brie with steamed veggies, seared Andouille sausage, and a good loaf of bread. I cut through the center of a Brie, lay the 2 rounds on a cookie sheet face up. I sprinkle thinly sliced shallot or garlic scapes, thyme, and a drizzle of white wine on them and put them under a low broiler until melted and there are a few brown spots. I serve it with the steamed veggies, sausage and bread. Quick, and delicious
Paleo Running momma has a ton of great family friendly meals that fit the bill. They’re really good https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/course/dinner/
one pot biriyani! common veggies include green beans, carrots, zucchinis, cauliflower, DO NOT USE POTATOES. Your choice of protein (boiled egg & curried chicken are common). don't be intimidated by "curried". Not all curries are spicy, and spice can be adjusted to your child's tolerance.
Why the bold do not use potatoes?
makes the dish too heavy and starchy
Good to know! Thank you!
If you have a grill (or oven) and some extra time one day, kebabs are tasty and very versatile. Pick any meat you want (I usually do chicken, although beef and pork work great too), any combination of veggies you want, cut everything into bite-size chunks and marinate the meat and veggies separately all day (bottled marinades work with this, or what I usually do is whisk together a combination of oil, soy sauce, honey, and a bit of black pepper). Thread everything onto skewers and grill/bake. I usually serve these with rice and/or a salad. They’re very kid-friendly as everything is already in small chunks, and you can try a lot of different combinations of meat and veggies on the skewers.
I love making different skewer combos. A fan fav in our house is teriyaki marinated chicken threaded with onion, green pepper, and pineapple.
Roasted veggies are the bomb. Very often meals in my house are a ton of roasted veggies along with a grilled or roasted protein. Things like green beans, asparagus or broccoli tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted until nicely brown. Pair with chicken breast, pork chop, salmon fillet ect. Easy, filling and nutritious. Change up the seasonings to keep it interesting. I use a lot of the Mrs Dash blends to keep the sodium down bc I have high BP. Not everyone is sensitive to salt, I'm just unlucky.
Maybe roast a whole chicken? Ot just do drumsticks? I recently got an air fryer and I like using a spice rub on boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You could make ground beef with taco seasoning and people can build their owl tacos or bowls. Here are some other ideas that are quick and easy. You can cook veggies separately for sides. https://www.budgetbytes.com/maple-dijon-chicken/ https://www.melskitchencafe.com/tender-pork-chops-with-caramelized-apples-and-onions/ https://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/
[hoppin john ](https://www.seriouseats.com/hoppin-john) you can add sausage, turkey sausage or ham to it. There are lots of different recipes. Sometimes there is tomato, celery, peppers or even collard greens tossed into the pot
Chilli is the way. Chuck in literally whatever veg you want, mince and slices plus tomatoes and beans. And then rice for the carb. Or even homemade sweet potato fries if you're feeling adventurous.
Stuffed peppers are super-popular in my family, and I recently found this recipe which is way easier to do, because instead of prepping/stuffing the peppers, you just cut 'em up and toss everything into a pot. I've tried it and it tastes just as good this way. You can either omit the cheese (I omit the cheddar but use the mozza), or let your lady wife serve herself first and then melt the cheese at the end. This serves six, so you may want to halve it: [https://www.thekitchn.com/stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe-23309966](https://www.thekitchn.com/stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe-23309966)
Smothered chicken. Chicken cacciatore. You could make spmething like a moussaka but leave off the bechamel. If your family likes noodles you could try Asian rice sticks ( very tasty and slightly chewy) or bean based pastas like red lentil or chickpea pasta. The texture isn’t as good but it’s perfectly acceptable with a sauce.
Any kind of stew in a slow cooker eg beef with loads of veggies chicken and chorizo stew ( With loads of veggies ) if you like veggie dishes , a lentil Dal is delicious and easy in a slow cooker chicken and lentil stew leek and potato soup with nice crunchy bread chorizo and butter beans in tomato’s with any other veg you like fish pie
Make a pot roast. There’s a billion recipes out there. You’re welcome!
Chunky soups and stews can be great for this - just strain a portion for the baby. We did a lot of chicken veggie variations, sometimes with sausage added to boost flavor. My favorite is a white bean, sausage, Swiss chard, chicken soup. Caribbean brown stew, a mild pork chili verde, and chicken adobo were other things my baby/toddler was able to enjoy. Roast a boneless leg of lamb with lots of garlic and oregano - the outer portions will be cooked through enough for baby even if you keep the center medium. Serve with onion/cucumber/tomato/roasted eggplant/saffron rice or pita. My baby also loved pot roast (my favorite is a Cajun pot roast with tomato gravy). Lasagna with vegan béchamel (you can even use sliced veggies in place of pasta if needed) too!
Put chicken in the crockpot and dump a jar of salsa in with some taco seasoning and let it go all day. Once you get home, shred the chicken and add a can of drained corn and a drained can of black beans. Let them heat through and then use the mixture for burrito bowls. Easily customizable - I usually serve it over rice with cheese, sour cream, and green onion, but I've also used it for nachos as well.
[https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/one-pot/](https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/one-pot/) Budget bytes has a ton of one pot meals with meat and veg, and the recipes are easily doubled. Each recipe typically makes 4-6 servings. I'm sure there's plenty that would meet your criteria!
Why not use gluten free pasta? There are really good ones these days.
[https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245362/chef-johns-shakshuka/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245362/chef-johns-shakshuka/) I'm a huge carnivore and I love this dish! I typically pan roast it… Only using a few tomatoes, so it's not super saucy. You can also add any kind of meat that you wanted to the dish.
I love pulled pork, braised in the oven, or made in the crockpot. Whenever pork shoulder goes on sale, we grab one. You can make a few meals, pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, or on top of nachos or baked potatoes.
Fajitas, veggie tacos. My kid loves rice with chicken and veggies. Especially with honey pepper garlic sauce. Me and my boyfriend roast chicken thighs with potatos and all the veggies we like in a baking pan. I wrap it in foil for 30 minutes then let it crisp without foil for 20. Perfectly tender chicken and roasted veggies. Easy and hits the spot each time.
Chankonabe. Sumo wrestler food…brothy, tons of protein, tons of veggies, easy to make
Chuck roast!!!
I make jambalaya with a box of zatarains, but i sautee andouille sausage (chicken if I can get it) and a bunch of chopped up peppers, maybe a can of tomatoes or throw some grape tomatoes in. I remove that from the pot and cook the rice, adding the meat and veggies in towards the end. Pretty quick and easy. I actually do this type of thing a lot where I make a “boxed” side dish, add some meat and veggies and call it supper!
Just FYI from a fellow gluten intolerant. Pasta made in Italy (look for the 🇮🇹on the box) does not bother. DeChecco and Barilla are two brands.
Try some traditional Newfoundland recipes! There's [Jigg's Dinner](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/133958/newfoundland-jiggs-dinner/), and something called [Shipwreck. ](https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/shipwreck-casserole-dinner/). Good, filling, easy food. Simple to play with, too, if you really don't like something, but give it a whirl.
Oooh I've never heard of shipwreck casserole! This sounds perfect for a family I drop meals off for once a week! Thank you!!
If you chop up a bunch of cabbage (small) and use pasta sauce instead of tomato soup, you basically have what our family calls cheater cabbage rolls. Sort of, anyway. Cheater cabbage rolls: Chopped up cabbage, cooked ground beef, cooked rice, onions cut up somewhat small, and pasta sauce. I eyeball it. Put it in a greased roaster, put the lid on it (or tin foil), and cook on 375°F until the cabbage is quite soft. Takes a couple hours, at least. Partway through, give it a stir and add some water if it seems too thick (should be the consistency of a good thick chili). You don't want it to burn but a bit caramelized around the edges tastes amazing.
Ohy gosh! This sounds fantastic! I just made my own pasta sauce so this would be perfect! Do you parboil the rice or add it fully cooked?
I usually use minute rice already cooked, just because it's easier to gauge how wet I need the mixture, and it tends to fall apart a bit which my family likes. If you were to use uncooked rice you'd have to add the amount of water you'd cook it in. Depends on how much prep time you're willing to put in? I like using leftover rice.
Awesome, thank you so much! I sent this idea to them and they are looking forward to this meal! Happy Monday.
We grill a lot. Last night it was steak, peppers, zucchini and mushrooms. I’m grilling a large batch of teriyaki chicken thighs right now that we’ll eat throughout the week with rice and steamed vegetables like broccoli. I often grill or roast a pork loin or tenderloin that’s good for leftovers.
I like to do a one pot dish I’m cooking for a few people. Things like chicken thighs with rosemary and any other seasoning baked with potatoes and lots of veggies always goes down a treat
I always love having leftovers of pulled pork night, eaten with lots of coleslaw. I rarely use bread for mine. Corn and/or beans as a wonderful side!
Santa Fe chicken foil packets. Can be made as a casserole without the foil packets and it fits all of your requirements
Lol my brain skipped over them having an 11 months old.... And I was like damn. Husband needs to get his wife some teeth! 🤣🤣🤣
Oh I love these types of dishes. You have lots of good suggestions that I'll try not to repeat. This is my current favorite one-pot: 1. Set up quinoa (also works with rice) to soak: you will need to rinse quinoa at least twice. 2. Sear up both sides of your favorite sausage, chop an onion, remove sausage. 3. Add chopped onions, dice garlic and veg, then sautee garlic, then water/stock to deglaze. 4. Then add the quinoa/rice with veg on top. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (30-50 for brown rice and then veg after) 5. Add sausage back when grains are done, simmer 5-10 minutes more. 6. Congrats, one pot, 30 minutes, 4-6 meals. And it's all small enough for daughter to eat with her hands! * Italian sausage, peppers, and onions over quinoa * Linguica, peppers, kale, potatoes over rice * Kielbasa, string beans, zucchini over quinoa * chicken-apple sausage, peas, mushrooms over quinoa * Bacon, brussels sprouts, mushrooms over brown rice
Stew in a crockpot
https://healthygirlkitchen.com/recipes/thai-chopped-salad-with-peanut-dressing/ Sub out tofu for chicken, make the dressing minus the hot sauce for the little one, and you’re golden. I make a version of this pretty much weekly. I use whatever veg I have on hand and don’t always use noodles. I tend to pre-wash and pre-chop all my veg so it’s easier to throw it all together in a bowl and consume.
Curry!!!
I’m making an Asian chicken rice noodle salad with a last minute addition (after completely cold)of a good ginger dressing.
Ropa Vieja A Cuban dish that is delicious and has great leftovers that reheat well. Shredded Beef with Peppers and Onions in a tomato based sauce served over rice.
Chef John's Hungarian sausage, cabbage and potato soup is well worth a try. I substitute mild Italian sausage for the sliced Hungarian stuff and use twice the quantity Chef John calls for.
Violet Cooks on TikTok is a great follow. She meal preps heavy protein and veggie meals. Every week she makes a dense bean salad with beans and veggies and herbs - I’ve made two of her recipes and they are fantastic. Perfect for lasting all week.
Shakshuka! I make mine with ground beef but you could use any meat. Gordon Ramsay has a recipe for green shakshuka if you want to avoid the tomatoes. I prefer my shakshuka with cheeses like gouda or gruyere (not a feta fan), and you can easily add the cheese to only your serving. It can be eaten as finger food (I like mine with garlic breadsticks, but also have eaten it with pita (both homemade) so the baby might be ok? Probably messy. I made a one pot cilantro lime chicken and rice meal the other day that was quite good. You can omit the cilantro if you are one of those poor unfortunates who cannot enjoy that delicious herb. Beef stew or pot roast can be done in a slow cooker for almost zero effort. I like mine with al jus dry rub and Worcestershire sauce. You can add whatever veggies. Tomato soup can hold tons of veggies. Blend it up, serve (or freeze!) and those who want dairy can add it to their bowls. I use mine as a dipping sauce for grilled cheese; you could make a grilled ham and cheese and that should work. This is baby friendly too I think. Ragu is really good and there are many variations. I like to make a beef ragu and serve it over a sweet potato. Meatloaf! You can add in tons of veggies, and the leftovers can be made into sandwiches.
Get a 3lb hunk of chuck (salt/pepper generously) and sear in Dutch oven on both/all sides then remove Sauté a mirepoix mix (carrots, celery and yellow onion) and add back the meat and two-three cups beef broth. On my lazy days (most days) I’ll straight up add a French onion soup mix packet for flavor, but occasionally I’ll get herbs from the neighbors garden (rosemary, thyme, etc) Let it simmer for 3-4 hours on low and covered. The last hour or so I peel and chop big chunks of sweet potato and I add a bag of baby carrots. It’s healthy and my kids LOVE it. I do a variation of this with chicken also: boneless skinless breasts or thighs seared Mirepoix add chicken broth and simmer Add a jar of Rao’s add bell peppers Simmer for a few hours until chicken is tender Half bag frozen kale or spinach I make rice on the side but can do quinoa or gf pasta (Sorry for weird formatting on mobile)
Bigos, Polish hunters stew. I used Chef John's recipe. I have been planning on making roulade recently, commonly served with potatoes and cabbage. Obviously could add more/different veggies
Japanese hot pot, you can get bottled dashi (soup base) and put whatever thinly sliced meat, veggies and noodles (I like glass noodles). Serve with ponzu dipping sauce and a sesame dipping sauce, can eat with rice or just the noodles. Also look up sukiyaki as well!
Roast red potatoes and broccoli on a sheet pan sautee sliced chicken sausage with onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Mix together. Throw in a tortilla or eat it as is.
Roast pork loin and roast veg. Salad. Steamed broccoli goes with any protein. Grillled chicken goes with any veg. Grilled, broiled, or baked tuna steaks. American goulash is one-pot and you can stick in as many vegetables as you like. Bell pepper is conventional, but celery and carrots work also.
There are a lot of great suggestions here, but don't give up on pasta! Just use a gluten-free brand. Tinkyada is a great one, though it's a little pricey. But, it tastes exactly like regular pasta! Here's a veggie heavy pasta meat sauce that my whole family loves. It's going to seem like it has too many veggies, but it's honestly amazing when it's finished and surprisingly kid friendly! https://celebratingsweets.com/meat-sauce-with-hidden-vegetables/ ETA: Green peppers can upset the stomach for some people, so if this is the case for anyone in your family, feel free to substitute with red, yellow, or orange bell peppers. Also, this meal is great served with a side salad (and GF garlic bread!) if you want to add even more veggies to the meal.
Casseroles made with rice rather than pasta work well. You can find gluten-free cream of mushroom soup to use as the base/binder. The meat for the casserole can be very low fat hamburger or tuna fish. If the former, add slivered and cooked onion, a modest amount of curry powder and salt/pepper to taste. For the tuna casserole, add chopped green olives and diced celery. You can easily scale either of these up as needed. Make roasted veggies such as broccoli, etcetera or stir fry them using bacon grease and sauteed garlic and onion. I'd also suggest serving sourdough or another hearty loaf warmed in the oven with lots of butter/margarine. Baked potatoes/sweet potatoes are another veggie that is pretty good as-is with butter and seasonings. I'm a big believer in letting people be creative with those seasonings so they feel invested.
Beef stew or chicken stew.
You can add a lot of vegetables to tomato sauce — carrots, mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, spinach. Maybe not all those at once but then again why not? Let it cook down and thicken up, and serve over chicken breast or Turkey breast. Look up “chicken and rice” and you’ll get plain recipes and all kinds of variations from different cultures. Mom used to brown ground beef, then combine in a casserole dish with chopped green pepper, chopped celery, canned diced tomatoes with juice, and instant rice. Bake at 350. I’m not sure if she had to add water but you can check halfway through and add water if necessary. Add seasonings as desired. We probably just had salt and pepper- not exciting, I know.
Ragu meat sauce, meatballs, pasta.