What can you make in 15 minutes?

I’ve reached the point in my life as a mother of three children where 15 minutes is sometimes all I have to get something on the table. What can I make in that amount of time? A phone call for pizza delivery, which I do from time to time. But that’s unsustainable, and the truth is, there are a ton of serviceable dinners that can be out in short order; it just requires a tiny bit of planning. The most important thing to remember is to limit ingredients, to always have certain things on hand and to forget the idea that dinner always has to be a protein, starch and vegetable. Here are a few suggestions that are both fast and healthy.

Turkey Chili. This can be ridiculously fast if you limit the ingredients. Use dark meat turkey–it’s better for you and there is less fat to clean up. If you have time to add chopped onion, great. To the cooked meat and onion, add a can of beans, a large can of tomatoes (pureed, chopped or whole), chili powder, salt and cumin to taste. It comes together fast, and only requires that you have thawed meat on hand. Everything else is from the pantry.

Omelettes, Pizza and Quesadillas. What do these dishes have in common? They’re great delivery devices for leftover veggies, cheeses and bits of meat. They’re also generally popular with children. Moreover, from eggs to pizza crusts to shredded cheese, the ingredients have long shelf lives.

Heavy Apps. Toasted bagels with smoked salmon, turkey, cheese or avocado. Cucumber canapés. That old reliable, the veggie tray with a creamy dip. A salad of bagged spinach. Fresh fruit with poppy seed dressing. Wild rice with a few nuts and cranberries thrown in. Sauteed chicken strips with store bought peanut sauce. Breadsticks rolled with salami. Kids love pick-ups and, a combination of foods like these are a perfectly acceptable dinner for a busy family.