Q: My fiancé and his four bandmates practice at our house about once a week and I try to make something hearty and healthy for them after a long night of jamming. I've already exhausted pizza, roasts, and burgers. Any ideas for other kinds of healthy man-grub?
Sent by Katy
Editor: Do you have a grill? Almost anything coming off a grill is very often a sure win for a crowd of hungry dudes (and gals, for that matter!). Also, maybe explore some Mexican foods: fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas, and tacos.
Readers, what ideas do you have?
Related: Hearty Sauces and Meatballs: 11 Dishes That Freeze Well
(Image: Emma Christensen)
Straw Mat from The ...

I think the unhealhier you eat, the more junk it takes to satiate. I'd try salmon burgers and guacamole or something like that.
Chili, beer can chicken (grill or oven), spaghetti, gumbo.... all can be made healthy with ground turkey, wheat pasta, turkey sausage, etc....
How about...
Roast beef, Arugula and Parm Hoagies, Cajun Chicken on Pasta, Chicken Sausage with Veggies and Potatoes, Turkey Meatballs, Slow Cooked Barbacoa with Brown Rice and Mexican Veggies, Turkey Shephard's Pie, Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Tuna Melts (with low-fat mayo and cheese and extra veggies in the mix)?
Hope these give you some ideas!!
Man-nachos!
Try layering multi-grain chips, freshly grated sharp wisconsin cheddar, pinto beans, cuban beans, salsa fresca, shredded chicken (lightly seasoned and pan fried with cumin, garlic, salt and paprika), broil, and serve with chopped up scallions on top and your choice of guac, sour cream, or salsa! It takes no time at all and my boyfriend loves them!!
Also, try making some buffalo chicken tenders using chicken tenders, egg whites, panko, bake half way on cookie sheet at 350, then dip in buffalo sauce (franks with butter...more butter=less spice) and bake until done
I'm always looking for recipes that are hearty and healthy (and freezer friendly) because I like to make big freezer meals in individual servings for my college aged brother. (I suspect/ know he doesn't eat very well so I try and help him out whenever I come to visit.) So far his favorites have been very spicy black bean soup with bacon, homemade freezer burritos with chicken and sweet potatoes and this recipe from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/11/swiss-chard-and-sweet-potato-gratin/
Looking forward to seeing the other suggestions.
I'd say that if they are tired of what you are making, tell them to get up and make their own food.
A big pot of beans (pinto, or navy for example) with a ham bone, and a pan of cornbread. Fresh, crisp slaw. Gallons of iced tea. Brownies for dessert.
white bean chicken chili: ground turkey sloppy joe's: pulled chicken (chicken thighs + bbq sauce in the crock pot): ground chicken burgers w/ frank's red hot and blue cheese mixed in: a big pot of pasta with the sauce made from crumbled Italian turkey sausage, mushrooms, white beans, canned tomatoes and chopped onions, garlic, carrots; Italian turkey sausage baked with peppers and onions; fish tacos w/ grilled or baked fish; shrimp sauteed in butter, white wine, and Worcestershire sauce (served with French bread and a salad); whole wheat mac n' cheese with brocolli, peas, and chopped chicken; red beans and rice with a little bit of smoked sausage....
Lasagna - the best thing about lasagna is that you can add in a ton of healthy veggies and no one will ever know. The next best thing is that you can make lasagnas in advance and freeze them, then pop them in the oven when the guys come over.
Mexican night - brown up a bunch of ground beef/turkey with spices and then provide tortillas and a ton of chopped veggies (tomato, lettuce, cabbage, onion, cilantro, avocado etc), some salsa, and let the guys assemble their own dinners.
Big pot of crockpot stew or chili - pretty self explanatory. Serve with a tossed salad for the veggies.
Sloppy joes made with half and half ground beef and ground turkey. I love homemade sloppy joes and you can serve them with the traditional hamburger bun or use tortillas or stuff the filling into whole grain pitas.
Chicken pot pie - there are tons of healthy versions online that you can bake in a huge casserole. Another thing that you can stuff a ton of healthy veggies into and pre-make and put into the freezer for an easy prep on the night of the band practice.
when my man's father had heart surgery over the winter, i took it upon myself to make sure the family was all fed while they took care of his father; so hearty and healthy was my mantra.
The dish that went over the best was a revamped version of baked ziti. I started with whole wheat pasta; made a rue from olive oil, whole wheat and skim milk, with a good dose of parmesan cheese; sauteed some turkey sausage, broccoli rabe and tomatoes. Mix, put in a casserole dish, top with a little more cheese and bake.
My friend's guacamole is out of this world. He's from El Salvador and the ingredients sound so odd... hard-boiled eggs, radishes, etc. But this is real, authentic guac and anyone I have given it to begs for the recipe.
http://foodforthoughtlinds.blogspot.ca/2011/07/willies-guacamole.html
Chocolate-Covered Katie also has some awesome chickpea deep dish chocolate chip cookie bars that you would swear are "real" cookies. No one I've served them too has ever known there are chickpeas in them, and everyone has loved them:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/31/deep-dish-cookie-pie/
@SISTERFUNKHAUS Those were more thoughts exactly (but with one expletive in there).
Darnit, I meant my thoughts.
I don't think she means they are complaining, just that she wants to mix it up a bit.
Anything taco-y is always popular. Roasted root veggies with lots of bacon (well, lots of bacon not too healthy) and cabbage, grilled sausages with piles of sauteed peppers and onions, baked potato bar, hearty bean and/or vegetable soups... the possibilities are endless.
I would also ask them what they like best - maybe they've got favorites like lemon and vegetable pasta, or grilled fish tacos, or chopped vegetable salads - you can never know until you ask!
I wasn't aware that food was gender-specific.
Okay, macaroni and cheese is not by any stretch of the imagination "healthy," but with added-in roasted veggies and/or a salad, you could at least mitigate the damage. And I don't know anyone who doesn't love the nostalgia-inducing taste of mac'n'cheese.
Also, jeez, what's with the hostility about making dinner for her fiance? Isn't cooking for the people we love one of the best parts about being in the kitchen?