Four Easy Sheet Pan Meals

Featured in the October issue of Lifestyle Magazine https://visalialifestyle.com/ 

Photo credit: Lifestyle Magazine

The best part about a sheet pan meal is the easy clean up. Or maybe it’s the simple ingredients. Or that you can throw it in the oven and focus on other things while it cooks (like enjoying a glass of wine with friends or family, or making the kids’ lunches for the next day). It’s also a great way to meal prep for the week. However you look at it, it’s obvious why sheet pan meals are a permanent rotation in our house. It’s also very easy to switch out the basic ingredients and come up with an entirely different meal. Here are some of my favorites:

Chicken

with Sweet Potatoes, Onions, and Asparagus

I prefer chicken thighs when doing sheet pan meals as chicken breasts dry out easily in the time it takes to cook the veggies. Pair this with some hearty veggies - here we use sweet potato, red onions, and asparagus. They can all cook at the same temp for about the same amount of time, making this an ideal combination. The creaminess of the sweet potatoes is also balanced by the red onion. I like to combine different colors, which translate to different nutrients (also, it’s pretty). Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus (whole or cut into 1 inch pieces)

1 large sweet potato (cut into 1 inch pieces)

1/2 red onion (chopped)

1 bulb of garlic (peel cloves, discard the very small ones as they burn)

6 chicken thighs

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.Pre-heat oven to 450 and place baking sheet inside while it heats.

2.Toss veggies and chicken in a bowl with olive oil.

3. Spread in one layer on hot baking sheet.

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Bake for 30-40 minutes until cooked through. Enjoy!

Nutritional Benefits

Chicken: 3 oz has 21g of protein. Choose skinless for less fat.

Sweet potatoes: fiber and beta-carotene

Red onions: quercetin, allicin, chromium

Asparagus: fiber, folate, and Vitamins A, C, and K

Salmon

with Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots

If you’ve never had roasted broccoli or cauliflower, you’re missing out. It’s a completely different vegetable. Roasting these veggies brings out a creaminess and sweetness you didn’t know was there. Pair with salmon for some great omega-3’s and you’ve got a delicious, high fiber, heart healthy meal. Serves 4

Ingredients

4 salmon filets (skin on)

1/2 head broccoli florets, cut into small pieces (1 inch)

1/2 head cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces (1 inch)

1 lbs carrots, cut into pieces

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.Pre-heat oven to 400.

2.Toss veggies with olive oil and spread single layer on baking sheet.

3. Bake for 10 minutes, then stir and add salmon to greased pan, skin side down.

4. Add 1-2 lemon slices on top of salmon.

5. Cook for another 15 minutes. When white (albumin) starts to show in salmon, it is done. May need to reduce cook time if salmon filets are thin.

6. Squeeze remaining 1/2 lemon juice over salmon and veggies. Serve with rice or green salad.

Nutritional Benefits

Salmon: 21g protein in 3 oz, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, B vitamins

Broccoli: fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, iron, potassium

Cauliflower: fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants

Carrots: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, iron

Sausage 

with Bell Peppers and Onions

Bell peppers are another great roasting vegetable. They are low in calories and high in Vitamin C and other antioxidants, and their different colors are both visually appealing and have different flavor profiles. Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lbs sausage (mild Italian) cut or squeezed out of casing into 1 inch chunks

3 bell peppers (pick 3 different colors), cut into 1 inch pieces

1 yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.Pre-heat oven to 400.

2.Toss veggies with olive oil and spread in single layer on baking sheet.

3.Add sausage to sheet and bake for 10 minutes, flipping halfway, then another 10 minutes, until sausage is cooked through.

4.Serve over rice or with a green salad.

Nutritional Benefits

Sausage: 16g protein in 1 link (4oz) sausage *high in saturated fat, so limit servings

Bell peppers: fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium

Yellow onion: quercetin, Vitamin C, chromium

Harvest Veggies Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, Beets

This is one of my favorites, and it’s easy to switch out the veggies based on what you find locally, in season, or in your grocery store. Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lbs butternut squash (or acorn squash) cut into 1 inch pieces

1 lbs brussels sprouts

2-3 beets (golden or regular)

garlic (1 whole bulb)

1/2 cup roasted pecans

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.Pre-heat oven to 400.

2. Cut the top part off of the garlic bulb and rub with olive oil.

3.Toss veggies with olive oil and spread in single layer on baking sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic bulb to sheet.

4.Bake for 15 minutes, then stir and bake for another 15-20 minutes until squash is pierced easily with a fork. Larger pieces of squash may take longer.

5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with roasted pecans, dried cranberries, and crumble feta or goat cheese for some extra fall flavor.

Nutritional Benefits

Butternut squash: potassium, Vitamin A, fiber

Brussels sprouts: fiber, antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin K

Beets: folate, manganese, potassium, Vitamin A, iron

Pecans: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, calcium, potassium, zinc