Sheet Pan Meals - Easy Recipes for Healthy Dinners

Sheet Pan Meals

Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Courtney Rae Jones, shares easy tips & recipes for healthy, well-balanced dinners.

Sheet pan meals are my favourite way to prepare well-balanced meals with very little prep work and few dishes! In fact, one pan is all you really need! Sheet pan meals are also very versatile and can be quite cost-effective. Most sheet pan meals are done in 30 minutes or less, and provide leftovers for lunches the next day. Sheet pan meals can be repurposed in a number of ways - you can use the proteins and veggies in salads, pastas, soups, stews, stir-fries, curries, etc.

The Basic Formula for Sheet Pan Meals

To prepare a sheet pan meal, simply choose:
- 1 to 2 cups of veggies per person
- 3-4 ounces of protein per person
- a good quality oil
- some spices and seasonings

Toss everything on a prepared sheet pan and roast between 400 and 425’F until proteins are cooked through and vegetables slightly tender. Proteins cans include: chicken, turkey, beef, pork, salmon, shrimp, tuna, tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, halloumi, paneer, etc. Drizzle cooked veggies and proteins with sauces or dressings for extra flavour. If desired, serve with whole grains such as pasta, rice, quinoa for a dose of healthy carbs.

Tips for Preparing Sheet Pan Meals

  1. Use unbleached parchment paper to line your baking sheet to allow for easy clean up.

  2. Avoid overcrowding your pans. Veggies need space when roasting - otherwise you might get steamed veggies. Split veggies and protein onto two plans to avoid overcrowding.

  3. Choose vegetables with similar roasting times or place veggies with different roasting times on separate halves of the pan or on separate pans entirely. Cook depending on length of time it takes for veggies to become fork tender.

  4. Make sure to toss the veggies and proteins with some oil to prevent drying them out.

  5. When using leafy greens, toss with roasted veggies and proteins after cooking is completed to prevent excessive wilting.

Sheet Pan Meals Inspiration

Looking for some sheet pan meal inspiration? Try these options:

Courtney Rae Jones is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. She is also a Culinary Nutrition Expert having completed her certification in alternative & specialized diets through the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. She specializes in digestive health and balancing women’s reproductive hormones. Check out Courtney’s website at www.crjnutrition.com.

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