Who doesn’t want to whip up a quick dinner when you are caught up between zillions of things. We have got this sorted for you. Following are quick dinner ideas for busy moms. All these recipes are quick and healthy. Preplan your dinner and make the preparations in advance so you can make these recipes instantly. 

For suppose: Chop the vegetables and store them in the refrigerator. Make vegetable broth in advance. In such a way you can save a lot of time and this helps you to whip up any recipe quickly. 

I personally love rice as it makes you full, but doesn’t give any bloated feel. Rice digests faster as compared to wheat. There are several benefits of eating rice like it is an excellent complex – carbohydrate food, rice is gluten-free and non-allergenic, it is low in fat and sodium, and free of cholesterol and of course it is delicious.        

1. Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice
4 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 bowl diced red tomato
2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp paprika powder
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro/ coriander for garnishing

Procedure:

1. In a large cooking pot add veg broth and bring it to boil, now add rice. Cover the lid and cook on low flame until it is done.
2. Transfer to a large plate.
3. Melt the butter in a large cooking pot.
4. Add the cumin seeds; add the onions immediately because cumin seeds will turn black if you wait for a few minutes.
5. Sauté it until slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook again for one minute.
6. Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients (spices). Cover with the lid and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes.
7. Add the cooked rice to the tomato mixture and stir well to combine thoroughly.
8. Turn off heat. Garnish with fresh cilantro or fresh coriander. Serve hot!!  

2. Spinach Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked rice
1 bunch of spinach (washed and coarsely chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 tbsp garlic-ginger paste
2 green chilli
1 cup fresh coriander
1 tsp black pepper
2 cloves
2 cardamoms (grind to a smooth paste)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp pure ghee
Salt to taste
¼ cups roasted cashew nuts (for garnishing)

Procedure:

1. Boil the spinach for 5 minutes by adding little water. Grind it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
2. In a large cooking pot add ghee. Add cumin seeds and chopped onions. Sauté the onions, now add ginger-garlic paste, cook again for few seconds.
3. Now add chilli paste mixture and ground spinach. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.
4. Add sugar and salt.
5. Now add the cooked rice. Mix well thoroughly. Garnish with roasted cashew nuts. 

Note: Add little hot water if the mixture becomes thick. 

3. Coconut Caribbean Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups of rice
2 tbsp edible oil
¾ cup fresh shredded coconut
1 large onion chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup Fresh Coriander leaves finely chopped
1 ripe mango
peeled and cubed or 1 orange peeled and separated
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white pepper powder
Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a large cooking pot.
2. Add cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste and bay leave sauté it for 1 minute. Add onion stir again it becomes golden brown.
3. Now add the coconut and fry it for few seconds.
4. Add the washed rice stir it for one minute. Sprinkle with pepper powder, sugar and salt. Mix well all ingredients.
5. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
6. Cover with lead; simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until rice becomes soft.
7. Remove from the heat and mix with mango and coriander leaves. Serve hot!!    

Note: add ½ cup thick coconut milk for better taste

4. Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (rice grains must be separated)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ tbsp split black gram
½ tbsp chana dal
1 tbsp curry leaves
3 green chillies vertical sliced
1 tsp cumin-mustard seeds
½ tbsp turmeric powder
Pinch of sugar
3 tbsp edible oil

Procedure:

1. Transfer the cooked rice to a large plate.
2. Add salt, lemon juice and sugar. Mix well and keep it aside.
3. Heat the oil in a small cooking pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds.
4. Add black gram stir until it becomes a little golden.
5. Now add chana dal and curry leaves. Fry it for a few seconds as curry leaves will turn out too crispy.
6. Now add sliced green chilli. Fry until it becomes a little crispy. Add turmeric powder.
7. Pour this mixture on the rice prepared and mix thoroughly. 

Note: You can add fried cashew nuts or peanuts for garnishing. You can make this recipe with leftover rice or cook the rice before 4-5 hours of making this recipe because rice grains must be separated. Rub a little cooking oil on the cooked rice and keep it aside to cool down. It will help to separate the rice grains.    

5. Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 cup cooked rice
2 tbsp oil
1 cup cabbage (thinly sliced Chinese style)
1 onion vertical chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
½ capsicums chopped
¼ cup carrot (chopped into thin strips)
¼ cup spring onion (chopped)
2 green chillies (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
1 tsp soya sauce

Procedure:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste, onion and chillies fry until its golden brown.
3. Add remaining vegetables and sauté over a high flame for 5 minutes.
4. Now add cooked rice, salt, green spring onion and soy sauce mix well and sauté for another 2 minutes. Serve hot!!