Ditching Girls Supper

Tuesday has often been deemed girls supper in my  house. DH works late and just heats up a leftover of some sort or perhaps a frozen pizza.  Sometimes I intentionally plan on the weekend that there is a decent leftover from a pot of soup or a large hot dish for Tuesday, but regardless I generally do no cooking, and dinner is a free for all of what me and the girls feel like eating. With being under the weather on the weekend, I didn't do any big cooking. DD#2's violin teacher cancelled her lesson, unfortunately due to migraine so no one needed to leave the house once we were home. I ended my work day from home as I had a mid afternoon meeting on route between my office and home so it didn't make time sense to battle the start of rush hour traffic to go back to the office. The timing was right for a proper meal. 

I had two large sweet potatoes so those were washed, peeled, and cut into large wedges, lightly topped with a little oil, cinnamon, and salt and pepper and roasted. While those were in the oven, I made a batch of chili bean burgers, my take on Jack Monroe's 9 p bean burger, mine probably cost about 30 cents per burger. I sauteed an onion and a shredded carrot (though this time it was a handful of baby carrot needing to be used up), and once soft, I added a can of chili beans, in spices. I cook down the juices in the beans until dryer and the beans are soft, sort of mashing with a spoon as I do so. After I take off the heat, I stir in a couple spoons of flour to stiffen up a bit, then throw in the fridge to cool off enough to form into balls.  I cook 4 balls in a lightly oiled pan flipping at about 2 minutes, then smooshing them down to more of a patty shape.  I cook about three minutes on that side, turn over again, and cook another minute. They are delicate, so getting the first good crust is essential to handling them. DD#1 ate one, saved one for her lunch today, and tossed the other two in the freezer. 

I made hamburgers for DH, DD#2, and me. I had forgotten DH picked up a three pound chub of meat. I haven't had a burger in months, and while this was fattier meat, when you roast in the oven, they stay nice and juicy. One burger for each of us girls, and two for DH, and two one pound portions of hamburger went into the freezer. We had a large wedge of iceberg lettuce still from tacos and fajitas last week, a forgotten tomato that was still firm, a few grated baby carrots, and the last of some black olives made a terrific little side salad. Not a bad weeknight supper. I wasn't tempted a bit to snack last night, and I believe I kept the calorie check fairly intact. The extra time not battling traffic and the cancelled appointment gave me the extra time to do a putzy meal.  

Monday was frozen cheese ravioli in diced tomatoes-not the greatest, but I could assemble and get in the oven in less than three minutes, then let it bake while running after work errands and picking up the kids from choir. When you haven't spent time on the weekends planning and preparing meals ahead, what are some of your go to weeknight meals?  Keeping in mind I'm trying to raise the nutrition level around here, I don't want to resort to too many pasta and grilled cheese nights. Who has some inspiration for me?