Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Cooking 101
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
SUBSCRIBE
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. 125 Ways to Make a Meal

125 Ways to Make a Meal

September 04, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
How this is the math we can get down with: 5 versatile proteins + 5 go-with-anything sauces + 5 hardworking sides = a new arsenal of 125 different fast and easy dinners.
Start Slideshow

1 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Make a Meal

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey

With a handful of favorite recipes, any cook can keep their family fed and happy. But this collection of recipes is unique. We've put together 5 versatile proteins, 5 go-with-anything sauces, and 5 hardworking sides. Mix and match each of these recipes (we designed them all to work together), and you have four months of fast, easy dinners. That's 125 recipes you can reference endlessly for a dinner plate that will never be boring. Find your family's favorites, save them, pin them, print them. Then on busy weeknights when you need something you know they'll love and enjoy, you have an almost-bottomless resource at your disposal.

1 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sauce: Tarragon-Mustard Rémoulade

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Tarragon-Mustard Rémoulade

For this traditional French sauce, we cut the fat and calories by using a base of canola mayonnaise, and then we season it with shallots, parsley, mustard, capers, and tarragon.

2 of 16

3 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Protein: Grilled Flash-Marinated Skirt Steak

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Grilled Flash-Marinated Skirt Steak

Don't have a lot of time marinate? Just go with intensely flavorful ingredients (like soy sauce and vinegar); a half hour or less will take you from bland to grand.

3 of 16

Advertisement

4 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Side: Buttery Roasted Cauliflower

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Buttery Roasted Cauliflower

This quick 30-minute side gets its flavor from a mixture of shallots butter and fresh chives.

4 of 16

5 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sauce: Greek Yogurt Sauce with Garlic and Mint

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Greek Yogurt Sauce with Garlic and Mint

This creamy sauce adds 4g of protein to your meal courtesy of 2% Greek yogurt. While prep only takes 5 minutes, be sure to leave time (30 minutes) for the sauce to chill.

5 of 16

6 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Protein: Broiled Salmon with Lemon

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Broiled Salmon with Lemon

For quick weeknight meals, go for the broiler. It preheats in a flash and acts like an upside-down grill, bringing salmon and veggies to perfect doneness in just 10 minutes.

6 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Side: Simple Blistered Broccolini

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Simple Blistered Broccolini

Broccolini has a milder flavor than broccoli and tastes delicious roasted and simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

7 of 16

8 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sauce: Roasted Almond Romesco

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Roasted Almond Romesco

This red pepper-based Spanish sauce is typically eaten with fish, but the blend of roasted red bell peppers, almonds, garlic, and paprika makes a zesty addition to a variety of dishes.

8 of 16

9 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Protein: Simple Leek Frittata

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Simple Leek Frittata

When there's nothing else in the fridge, you can always count on a carton of eggs. If you don't have a leek for this frittate, go with an onion. Feel free to toss in other sautéed veggies too.

9 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Side: Lemony White Bean-and-Arugula Salad

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Lemony White Bean-and-Arugula Salad

An quick side salad with cannellini beans lends healthy plant-based protein to your meal, and a simple DIY dressing keeps sodium low by using less salt than bottled versions you'll find in the grocery store.

10 of 16

11 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sauce: Herb-and-Scallion Salsa Verde

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Herb-and-Scallion Salsa Verde

This isn’t your average salsa. No tomatillos, no lime juice, or cilantro. Instead, this gorgeous green-hued salsa gets its vibrant color from fresh parsley and basil. Those fresh herbs combined with green onions, briny capers, and tangy Dijon mustard, this salsa brings a boost of flavor to any weeknight meal. Dress up fish or chicken dishes, or use it as a dipping sauce or topping. Tip: make sure to chop herbs instead of keeping them whole. Fresh, pungent herbs are one of the easiest ways to make your dinner more interesting, and flavor without adding on an excess of calories.

11 of 16

12 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Protein: Smoky Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Smoky Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts

The pungent flavor of fresh herbs is possibly the easiest way to make your dinner more interesting. Use chopped herbs to make sauces, and add whole leaves to salads.

12 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Side: Pickled Onion Slaw

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pickled Onion Slaw

A quick slaw makes a tangy side that pairs with an assortment of main dishes. Our homemade version keeps the cabbage crisp. We honey to sweeten ours.

13 of 16

14 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sauce: Lime, Soy, and Maple Drizzle

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Lime, Soy, and Maple Drizzle

This Asian-inspired sauce is a fantastic mix of spicy and sweet with both crushed red pepper and maple syrup. But the best thing about it? It's ready in just six minutes.

14 of 16

15 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Protein: Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions

A whole pork tenderloin can take anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes to reach doneness, depending on how you cook it. But thinly sliced medallions take only 6 minutes.

15 of 16

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 16

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Side: Savory Sweet Potato Mash

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Savory Sweet Potato Mash

Get your daily dose of vitamin A with this nutritious side. In addition to providing you with 400% of your daily vitamin A requirement, you'll receive a boost of vitamin C and fiber. So grab your thyme, butter, milk, salt, and pepper, and start mashing.

16 of 16

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 16 Make a Meal
    2 of 16 Sauce: Tarragon-Mustard Rémoulade
    3 of 16 Protein: Grilled Flash-Marinated Skirt Steak
    4 of 16 Side: Buttery Roasted Cauliflower
    5 of 16 Sauce: Greek Yogurt Sauce with Garlic and Mint
    6 of 16 Protein: Broiled Salmon with Lemon
    7 of 16 Side: Simple Blistered Broccolini
    8 of 16 Sauce: Roasted Almond Romesco
    9 of 16 Protein: Simple Leek Frittata
    10 of 16 Side: Lemony White Bean-and-Arugula Salad
    11 of 16 Sauce: Herb-and-Scallion Salsa Verde
    12 of 16 Protein: Smoky Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts
    13 of 16 Side: Pickled Onion Slaw
    14 of 16 Sauce: Lime, Soy, and Maple Drizzle
    15 of 16 Protein: Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions
    16 of 16 Side: Savory Sweet Potato Mash

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Cooking Light

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    MeredithCooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Cooking Light. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

    View image

    125 Ways to Make a Meal
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.