To cut down on delivery/drive thru expenditures and pounds, I try to do one “cook day” a week, but let’s face it, that doesn’t always happen. So here are some easy last-minute dinner ideas for you!

Big Salad with Hummus Dressing

Let’s face it, salads are a little boring. However, they are great for easy meals and are perfect for using up leftovers. I try to have lentils and green on hand, and we each can throw in what we like. The dressing is easy as pie because it uses your favorite flavor of pre-made hummus. Okay, so maybe not the chocolate hummus, but seriously, any other kind is fine! Healthy, yummy, and easy. What more could you want?

Ingredients

• Leftover grilled/roasted/poached meats and vegetables
• Greens – your favorites (I love the peppery bite of arugula, while my family prefers the heft of romaine)
• Lentils, cooked according to package directions (these are great because they take only about 20 minutes to cook, and you can keep them in the fridge for up to a week) or precooked/leftover couscous, quinoa, rice, farro, or other grains
• Raw vegetables – whatever you might have on hand; spiralized vegetables/Zoodles are great for this, as are sprouts
• Hummus dressing
  • To make this dressing, simply thin down pre-made hummus with lemon juice. Or if you prefer a creamy dressing, stir in some Greek yogurt along with the lemon

Directions

Choose your ingredients. Place said ingredients into a bowl. Toss with a couple of tablespoons of dressing. Eat. It’s that easy!

Smoked Salmon One-Pot Pasta

One-pot pasta dishes are great for summer – minimal cook time and easy clean up! Smoked salmon is available at most grocery stores and is perfect for easy summer meals.

Ingredients

• 12 oz linguine
• 1 bunch asparagus, woody stems removed, or enough green beans, topped and tailed, for four people
• 10 oz frozen peas
• 16 oz ricotta, divided
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 shallot, peeled and minced
• 1 bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped, divided
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 oz smoked salmon***

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook for 7 minutes. Add the asparagus to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Add the peas to the pot and cook for another minute. Drain the pasta and vegetables, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta and the vegetables with half of the ricotta, the lemon zest and juice, the shallot, and most of the fresh dill. Add the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time until you get the consistency of the sauce that you like. (Some like it drier, some like it soupy. We don’t judge!) Divide into four bowls, top with the smoked salmon and the remaining ricotta and dill. Enjoy with a green salad and some good bread.

*** You can choose either hot smoked salmon or cold smoked salmon for this. Hot smoked salmon is cooked during the smoking process and can be divided into chunks. Cold smoked salmon is cured (like gravlax or lox) before smoking at a cool temperature. To use cold smoked salmon, slice into long strips. Either is delicious!

The post Easy Meals for When You Don’t Want to Cook first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The owners of Terra Mediterranean, bothers Adam and Jalal Chanaa, began their restaurant careers in a tiny spot on Lower Greenville in Dallas back in the late 80’s, called Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill. Each morning, Adam would go to the farmers’ market to buy fresh food for the day and Jalal would prepare it. They built their reputation on those fresh ingredients and the bold flavors of traditional Mediterranean food. Over the years they have expanded throughout DFW and in 2010 expanded to Fort Worth. Since 2010, Terra Mediterranean has been a staple in Fort Worth for a quality Mediterranean meal.

Generally derived from Greek and Lebanese cuisine, the menu at Terra is diverse and delicious. There are of course decidedly Greek and Lebanese offerings like the amazing Gyros and baked Kibbie, but you don’t have to look too hard to find other Mediterranean influences. Some of my favorites are the Hummus with Lamb and Pine Nuts, Saffron Chicken and the Grilled Sea Bass.

Terra is a fun, trendy spot with great food, atmosphere and service, so it is on our short list of Date Night Dinner Destinations. However, one of the things I love best about Terra is the lunch buffet. It is perfect for a quick, healthy and affordable meal as well as a great opportunity to sample the menu, discover new foods and enjoy your favorites. I am terrible about settling on one dish at a restaurant and ordering it every time I go there. The lunch buffet at Terra has opened my palette to several items I might never have otherwise ordered. While you won’t necessarily see every menu offering on the lunch buffet, it is a great way to expand your culinary horizons.

Now, for those of you who have resolved to eat healthier in 2018, the Mediterranean diet is a proven way to do it. With the focus on fresh fruits & vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and minimal processed foods, the Mediterranean diet makes for simple, easy, and a fun style of cooking.  However, when you get tired of cooking for yourself Terra Mediterranean provides a healthy and delicious alternative that will keep you on your new, healthier track.

For all of you Mediterranean cuisine lovers and culinary adventurers we are hosting a tasty giveaway. Comment below here on the blog with your favorite dish at Terra or one you are looking forward to trying in 2018, and you will be entered for a $75 gift card from Terra Mediterranean. Comments are open until 6 pm on Wednesday, January 10, and the winner will be announced on our Facebook page at 8 pm the same day. Good luck!

The post The Gift Of Great Food: A Tanglewood Moms Giveaway first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.