Dinner, the last core meal for many of us. Growing up, dinner was on the table between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. My family of six sat down to eat a meal put together by my mom, while the news played in the background. What is put on the dinner table can be influenced by work hours, after school programs, being single, married, having kids and economic status. A lot of my own cooking is inspired by what my mom made.

Simple, comfort and healthy are the themes my mom wove into each meal, although the healthy theme did not go over well with most of my siblings when we were younger. Most meals included a protein, starch, vegetable and we rarely ate out. Dinner throughout the week was simple, where Sunday dinners were a little more special.

If you struggle to find time to cook a healthy meal, create a weekly menu over the weekend and invest in a slow cooker. Having a menu in place and doing some meal prep beforehand can cut down the time it takes to put together a meal.

Slow cookers can come in handy when you have a later start and finish to your day. Throw your ingredients in the slow cooker set it on low for the whole day and when you get home, your meal is ready to go.

When preparing food for the week, understand the life expectancy of raw or cooked produce, meats, breads, condiments etc. There is nothing worse than having an expensive protein go to waste. Here are a couple of of my favourite meals.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Sausage and Kale

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • One 3-pound (1.4 kg) spaghetti squash
  • 3/4 pound (340 g) turkey sausage (or any favorite sausage)
  • 1/2 cup minced red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced1 to 2 cups thinly sliced kale
  • 1 cup (100 g) coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
  • Kosher or sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Oil a sheet pan with one tablespoon of the oil, or line the sheet pan with Silpat.
  2. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice off 1/2-inch from the ends of the spaghetti squash. Then stand the squash up on one of the ends to stabilize it, and cut the squash in half, top to bottom. Scoop out any seeds and stringy bits inside, and place the squash halves cut-side down on the oiled or lined sheet pan. Poke the tops of the halves with the tip of a sharp knife.
  3. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until you can easily poke the sides of the squash with a fork. Remove from oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Then using the tines of a fork, scrape out the “spaghetti”-like strands of the squash to a bowl.
  4. Pinch and remove small chunks of sausage from the sausage casings to a plate.
  5. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Add the sliced kale and cook for a minute or two. Add the sausage, and cook without stirring, until the sausage starts to brown, then stir and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage bits are cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Add the spaghetti squash strands to the sausage mixture and stir to combine, cook until the squash is heated through, about a minute.
  7. Remove from heat and add the grated Parmesan cheese and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients

  • 2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
  • 1 large red onion, chopped (1 cup)
  • 1 Green and Red Pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (16 oz.) red kidney beans, drained rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz.) tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp. Smoked Paprika
  • 2 tbsp. Oregano
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Optional

  • Tabasco (for more heat)
  • Sour cream (to finish, balance heat)
  • Sharp cheddar cheese (to finish)
  • Green Onion (to finish)
  • Crusty bread (to dip)
  1. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef, onion peppers over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.
  2. In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix beef, onion and remaining ingredients.
  3. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.