Dinner time is around the corner, and you want a healthy meal, but you just don’t feel like making it. Don’t rush to the closest fast-food drive-thru or order take-out, again. We’ve got some solutions that will make you feel good about your mealtime choices.

These one-bowl meals are awesome for those days when you aren’t in the mood or just don’t have the time to make anything, and you still want to stick to your healthy meal plan. They’re also super delicious, so you may just want to make them part of your regular meal plan.

1. Spicy Sofritas Veggie Bowl

Get ready to love tofu. This amazing recipe uses tofu the way it was meant to be used — a wonderful protein that sucks up the delicious flavors of the foods around it and echoes it with a delightful texture.

In addition, tofu is packed with nutrients like amino acids, calcium, iron, and micronutrients. Once you master the art of using it, you’ll become a convert in no time.

This spicy meal can be adjusted to suit your tastes, but the base recipe is as follows.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups uncooked white rice

4-5 limes

2 handfuls of fresh cilantro

16 ounces extra firm tofu

14 ounces can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2-3 avocados

½ cup red onion, minced

Sofritas Sauce Ingredients:

1 roasted poblano pepper

4 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce

2 tablespoons of adobo sauce

2-3 cloves garlic

½ cup tomato salsa

2 tablespoons canola oil

½ teaspoon salt

A pinch of sugar

Directions:

1. Roast poblano pepper. At the same time, cook the rice while adding the juice of three limes. Toss rice with chopped cilantro and salt when finished cooking.

2. Mix the sauce and the soft roasted pepper in a food processor with the rest of the sofritas sauce ingredients until you get a paste consistency.

3. Slice the tofu, and use paper towels to press out excess moisture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the tofu until it just starts to get golden and crispy. Then scramble with a spatula. Add the sofritas sauce to the tofu along with ½ cup water and pinto beans. Cook about 15-20 minutes, adding more water if it starts to dry out.

4. Mash avocados and add red onion, more cilantro, and the juice of 2 limes. Season with salt to taste.

5. Layer your bowl with cilantro, lime, rice, sofritas mixture, and guacamole.

2. Quinoa, Chicken, and Kale Pesto Bowl

How about some healthy whole grains to really fill you up while supporting whole-body health. Quinoa is a super grain packed with nutrients, and it’s got a great tasting earthy texture to it.

Another benefit of quinoa is that you can make a batch, refrigerate what you don’t need immediately, and eat the rest throughout the week. This recipe gets infinitely easier to make if you have pre-made quinoa.

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa (uncooked)

1 cup water

½ cup white wine

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kale pesto

2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup green onions, sliced

1/3 cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons parsley, finely minced

Kosher salt

Kale Pesto Ingredients:

4 cups raw curly kale, stems removed

2 garlic cloves

1 lemon, juiced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup olive oil

Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, combine water, wine, quinoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk together and cook according to directions. If you have pre-cooked quinoa, you can skip this step.

2. Combine all kale pesto ingredients, except olive oil and salt, in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Then slowly pour in olive oil with the processor running, and mix until smooth. Add salt to taste.

3. Divide quinoa into 2 large bowls and add chicken, tomatoes, and green onions. Drizzle with kale pesto, and sprinkle on almonds and parsley. Add additional salt to taste, if necessary.

3. Raw Apple-Cinnamon & Chia Breakfast Bowl

When you want breakfast for dinner, skip the pancakes and head directly to this delicious recipe instead. Rather than feasting on empty calories, this time you get the apple’s dietary fiber and the comforting flavor of spicy and healthy cinnamon.

Just a heads up, this recipe whips together quickly, but it needs to rest in the refrigerator for anywhere from one hour to overnight — so it’s best made in advance.

Ingredients:

3 honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and divided

4-5 Medjool dates, pitted

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Toppings:

Raw walnuts

Raisins

Dried cranberries

Hemp seeds

Directions:

1. Finely dice one apple.

2. Take the remaining two apples, cut into large pieces, and add to the food processor with the dates, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Process for 2-3 minutes. Pour this into a container and add your finely diced apple with chia seeds.

3. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

4. Divide into two bowls and sprinkle with your favorite toppings.

4. 7-Spice Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

This fun play on teriyaki is actually pretty quick and easy to make. In fact, you may find that you love the 7-spice seasoning so much that you want to create a big batch and store it for future use. 

While the meal is quick and easy, your body will love that you’re eating chicken, packed with loads of essential nutrients and protein.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Kosher salt

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup sugar

¼ cup of mirin

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

4 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Japanese 7 spice Shichimi Togarashi (below)

2 cups cooked rice

1 carrot, shaved

4-6 green onions, shaved

1 cup shelled edamame

Sesame seeds for garnish

Ingredients for Japanese 7-Spice Shichimi Togarashi:

½ sheet nori

1 tablespoons ground orange peel

4 teaspoons ground red pepper

2 teaspoons sesame seed

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry, and season with salt.

2. In a small pan, add soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Mix cornstarch with water, add to sauce in pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.

3. Add rice vinegar, add your spice blend, and cook until the sauce thickens, stirring as needed.

4. Spray a grill pan and put on medium heat. Cook the thighs for about 5-7 minutes per side and baste with the sauce. Cook an additional 2 minutes on each side and remove from pan. Let rest tented under tin foil for 3-5 minutes.

5. Spoon rice into bowls and then layer with carrots, green onions, and edamame. Slice chicken meat and add on top. Drizzle the entire bowl with sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds.

The Bottom Line

When there’s no time to spare, or you just don’t feel like cooking, these quick and easy meals help you stick to your healthy food resolutions.

If you want to save even more time, make some ingredients ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. Having these pre-cooked items handy cuts your prep time drastically and makes a healthy meal an easy option.