Quick & Easy
Weeknight dinner solutions
These five meals prove you can grill up something great in less than 30 minutes
Grilled Halloumi and Asparagus Salad
Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings
The star of this salad is halloumi, a traditional Middle Eastern cheese that holds its shape perfectly when grilled. Serve with crusty bread.
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed 1 pkg (250 g) halloumi cheese,
cut in ½-inch (1 cm) thick slices 1 head Boston lettuce, torn 4 cups torn romaine lettuce ¾ cup cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp red wine vinegar Pinch each salt and pepper
Place asparagus on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning often, for 3 minutes.
Add halloumi; grill, covered and turning once, until asparagus is tender and slightly grill-marked, and halloumi is grill-marked, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, on platter, combine Boston lettuce, romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes. Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; toss with salad. Top with asparagus and cheese.
PER SERVING: about 304 cal, 16 g pro, 24 g total fat (11 g sat. fat), 9 g carb (3 g dietary fibre, 3 g sugar), 63 mg chol, 769 mg sodium, 458 mg potassium. % RDI: 36% calcium, 13% iron, 86% vit A, 37% vit C, 98% folate.
CHANGE IT UP Skillet Halloumi and Asparagus Salad In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp vegetable oil over medium heat; cook asparagus until tender- crisp, about 10 minutes. Set aside. In same skillet over medium heat, cook halloumi, turning once, until golden, about 4 minutes. Continue with recipe.
TOTAL TIME
Grilled Chicken and Balsamic Radicchio
Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Makes: 4 servings
Looking for an alternative to traditional grilled vegetables? Try radicchio. Once grilled, the bitter leaves take on a lovely smoky flavour and tenderness. Serve with a sliced warm baguette.
2 tbsp liquid honey 1 tbsp grainy mustard ¼ tsp each salt and pepper 1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless
chicken breasts 2 heads radicchio
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Stir together honey, mustard and half each of the salt and pepper; set aside.
Place chicken on greased grill over medium heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes. Brush with half of the honey mixture. Grill, covered and turning and brushing frequently with honey mixture, until no longer pink inside, about 7 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil; let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, keeping root end intact, cut each radicchio into 4 wedges. Whisk together vinegar, oil and remaining salt and pepper; drizzle over radicchio.
Add to grill; grill, covered and turning once, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to platter; top with goat cheese and chives. Serve with sliced chicken.
Soy Lamb Chops With Carrot Salad
Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings The mixture of soy sauce and green onions gives lamb chops an earthy boost of umami, or savoury taste. Ask your butcher for frenched lamb chops (chops with the bones exposed). ¼ cup soy sauce 2 tbsp packed brown sugar 4 green onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 frenched lamb chops (about
1¼ lb/565 g total) 4 carrots (about 9 oz/255 g total),
grated cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise ½ cup fresh cilantro, torn 2 tbsp lime juice 4 tsp fish sauce 1 tbsp vegetable oil ½ tsp granulated sugar 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1
Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, green onions and garlic; scrape into shallow dish. Add lamb chops and turn to coat; let stand for 10 minutes.
Place chops on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until desired doneness, 5 to 7 minutes for medium-rare.
Meanwhile, in bowl, combine carrots, cucumber and cilantro. Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, oil and sugar; drizzle over salad. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with lamb chops.
PER SERVING: about 202 cal, 16 g pro, 11 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 12 g carb (3 g dietary fibre, 6 g sugar), 32 mg chol, 628 mg sodium, 556 mg potassium. % RDI: 5% calcium, 11% iron, 123% vit A, 13% vit C, 16% folate.
CHANGE IT UP Skillet Soy Lamb Chops With Carrot Salad In large skillet, heat 2 tsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat; cook chops, turning once, until desired doneness, about 6 minutes for medium-rare.
Salmon and Caper Burgers With Dill Cucumbers
Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings
A refreshing alternative to beef burgers, this salmon version is flavoured with tangy lemon juice and grainy mustard. For an even lighter dish, replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
½ cup sour cream ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill 3 tbsp grainy mustard 1 lb (450 g) salmon fillet, skinned 1 tsp grated lemon zest 3 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed ¼ tsp each salt and pepper 4 ciabatta buns 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cucumber, chopped 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and
sliced
Combine sour cream, half of the dill and half of the mustard; set aside. Cut salmon into chunks. In food processor, pulse together salmon, remaining mustard, lemon zest, 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, capers and half each of the salt and pepper until coarsely combined. Shape into four ¾-inch (2 cm) thick patties. Place patties on greased grill pan or in skillet over medium heat; cook, turning once, until grill-marked and instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into centre registers 158ºF (70ºC), about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, brush insides of buns with 1 tbsp of the oil. Add to grill, cut sides down; grill until slightly crisp, about 3 minutes.
In large bowl, whisk together remaining oil, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper; add cucumber and toss to coat.
Spoon 1 tbsp of the sour cream mixture over bottom half of each bun. Top each with patty, 1 tbsp of the sour cream mixture and one-quarter of the avocado slices; sandwich with top bun. Serve with cucumber mixture.
PER SERVING: about 561 cal, 29 g pro, 32 g total fat (7 g sat. fat), 41 g carb (7 g dietary fibre, 4 g sugar), 66 mg chol, 824 mg sodium, 793 mg potassium. % RDI: 12% calcium, 24% iron, 7% vit A, 28% vit C, 72% folate.