When she said girl dinner, I smiled. I thought girl dinner meant a pick-and-mix meal of little things and lots of flavors. Cheese, crackers, fruit. Nuts. Charcuterie, avocado. Olives.
My favorite aspect of girl dinner was always the assembling of it. It’s always a mash-up of my favorites little bites.
Sometimes hummus and tomatoes and cucumbers and some pita bread.
Other nights dark chocolate and strawberries and a small or large amount of wine!
Usually, it’s just whatever I have and that’s part of the fun.
But what I liked about girl dinner is that it’s a very good, very pure, version of self-care. It can be an opportunity to go out and be waited on, to eat little bites, to taste each little morsel, to imbibe but not in a rush, to have a meal in a balanced way and supplied with no other fuss, a thing I can give myself every time.
Here are a few of my best Girl dinners!
The 9 Best girl dinner and recipes
1. Mediterranean Girl Dinner
When planning a light, tasty and healthy dinner, my thoughts often turn to foods from the Mediterranean, the place I love to take trips to.
A combination of fresh vegetables, juicy tomatoes, scented herbs and the best quality olive oil with the occasional addition of lean proteins, in the form of grilled chicken or fish, and whole grains is hard to beat.
My favorite trait of this cuisine is its simplicity and freshness, which makes it ideal for an evening meal.
Here is my Mediterranean Girl Dinner reipe:
Ingredients
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Mix vegetables: In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and Kalamata olives.
Add cheese: Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
Dress salad: Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture.
Toss salad: Lightly toss everything to ensure even coating.
Serve immediately or chill for a refreshing, easy meal.
2. Picnic Girl Dinner
I love preparing the perfect picnic dinner for two. Nothing beats slicing some ripe cherry tomatoes, adding some creamy burrata, fragrant basil, a dollop of balsamic glaze and some salt and pepper.
Add some thin slices of savory prosciutto, an assortment of cheese and a crusty baguette.Â
I know of no greater pleasure than eating well-prepared food outdoors, under the shade of trees and under pure blue skies.
Ingredients
Baguette or ciabatta bread
Variety of cheeses (e.g., brie, cheddar, gouda)
Cured meats (e.g., salami, prosciutto)
Fresh fruit (e.g., grapes, apple slices)
Olives or pickles
Instructions
Prep the Bread: slice the baguette or ciabatta into easy-to-eat pieces or just tear apart some hunks.
Set Out Cheese and Cured Meats: Cut cheeses and cured meats into thin slices or small bite-size pieces, then arrange them in an appealing manner on a serving platter or board.
Fresh Fruits: Wash and chop grapes into clusters, and apples into thin slices.
Arrange on the platter.
Add olives or pickles: drain olives or pickles and either put them in small bowls or place directly on the platter.
Pack and Serve: Pack into individual containers for transportation; serve into individual baskets on a blanket or picnic table; eat your Picnic Girl Dinner!
3. Charcuterie Girl Dinner
I don’t think anything is more delightful for me to put together and serve than a charcuterie influenced spread comprised of my favorite semi-hard, soft and blue cheeses, fresh fruits, chopped kalamata olives, artisan breads and cured meats.
I always add a bevy of nuts, too, everything from nutty Lupin to Marcona almonds to pecans to pistachios. I’m pretty well stocked when it comes to charcuterie board appropriate dips – from eggplant to mushroom to bean based dips.
My goal with this is to make the meal look as lovely as possible, and to provide guests with everything they want from a casual dinner or appetizer spread.
Charcuterie Girl Dinner
Ingredients
4 oz assorted cured meats (such as prosciutto, salami, and chorizo)
4 oz assorted cheeses (such as brie, gouda, and cheddar)
1 cup mixed olives
1 cup fresh fruit (grapes, apple slices, or berries)
10-12 assorted crackers or bread slices
Instructions
Arrange the meats: Put your cured meats on a platter, leaning them against each other, folding and rolling them as appropriate for presentation.
Cut the cheeses – cut the cheeses into small, bite-sized (or thin slices and) distribute them on the dish.
Add the olives: Scatter the mixed olives around the platter for easy access.
Fruit round-up: Heap the fresh fruits all the way around the perimeter of the meats and cheeses.
Serve alongside crackers or bread: Put the crackers or bread slices alongside or right on the platter.
Enjoy your Charcuterie Girl Dinner!
4. Comfort Food Girl Dinner
If I’m looking for a plate that gives me the comfort of a hug, that’s when I reach for dishes made with comforting ingredients like creamy mashed potatoes, tender roasted chicken, and rich, gooey cheese. This food hits the spot and reminds me of my childhood.
Not only does it taste great, but it’s also easy to make and there aren’t a lot of steps involved.
Ingredients
2 cups macaroni pasta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook macaroni pasta according to the package instructions, then drain.
In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat.
Stir in the milk and cheese until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Return the pasta to the cooking pot, stirring to coat the macaroni with the cheese sauce.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve warm.
5. Sushi Girl Dinner
One of my favorite dietary pleasures is dining at a sushi restaurant and enjoying a meal comprised of a selection of sushi rolls. Most sushi consists of thin slices of raw salmon, avocado, cucumber, and perhaps some wasabi encased in seasoned vinegared rice and wrapped in seaweed.
To describe it with one word, it is delicious.
Ingredients
1 cup sushi rice
2 sheets nori (seaweed)
1/2 cucumber, julienned
1/2 avocado, sliced
100g sushi-grade salmon or tuna, sliced
Instructions
Make the Sushi Rice: Wash 1 cup of sushi rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Cook according to package instructions.
Let the rice reach room temperature.
Spread a thin layer of the sushi rice onto the nori, making sure there is at least a 1-inch border on all sides.
Slice the cucumber, avocado and fish into thin slices and then arrange these slices on top of the rice.
Roll and Slice: The sushi should be wrapped tightly in the bamboo mat, then sliced with a sharp knife.
6. Veggie Platter Girl Dinner
For me, a perfectly constructed veggie platter is the ultimate girl dinner: crunchy carrots, or creamy avocado slices, sweet cherry tomatoes and cucumber rounds on a big plate with a few dips on the side (hummus and tzatziki are my go-to).
And some roasted chickpeas or nuts round out the texture and protein.
This kind of dinner provides vitamins and minerals to make you feel great on the inside.
Ingredients
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup hummus
1/2 cup sliced bell peppers
Instructions
Arrange the baby carrots and cherry tomatoes on a platter.
Slice the cucumber into rounds and add to the platter.
Put out the hummus in a small dip bowl in the center of the plate.
Slice the bell peppers into strips and arrange them around the hummus bowl.
Serve immediately as a healthy, colorful appetizer or light dinner.
7. Taco Night Girl Dinner
My ideal dinner is big on flavor, small on fuss, DIY-friendly, and ideally delicious – which is why I love taco night. My perfect taco is served with a mix of spiced ground beef, salsa, cilantro, and guacamole – though mine always has an array of other vibrant toppings that add a surprise element to every bite.
Taco Night Girl Dinner
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning mix
8 soft or hard taco shells
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend)
Instructions
Brown meat: Brown the ground beef or ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat.
Taco Meat: add taco seasoning mix and prepare as directed by the package (usually by adding water and bringing to a simmer until thickened).
Taco Shells: Warm: While the meat is simmering, warm the taco shells in the oven or microwave, according to the package directions.
Assemble Tacos: Fill each taco shell with a portion of the cooked meat.
Add Toppings: Top with shredded lettuce and cheese.Serve and enjoy your Taco Night Girl Dinner!
8. Pasta Girl Dinner
Cooking nice meals is one of my favorite things, particularly involving pasta. Homemade sauces with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic and nice olive oil are just ideal.
Cooking pasta is extremely relaxing and I feel it fits any mood since you can prepare pasta as light and simple as an Aglio e olio or as lavish and filling such a creamy Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
200g pasta (your choice of type)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and heat two tablespoons of olive oil.
Add minced garlic, and gently sauté until fragrant.
Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the pan, cooking until they become soft and release their juices.
Toss in the cooked pasta and mix until all the pasta is coated with the tomato and garlic sauce.
Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
9. Breakfast-for-Dinner Girl Dinner
Though there’s something about the breakfast-dinner crossover that feels right: cosy and soothing. I usually make scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and light, golden waffles drenched in syrup, rounded off with a side of fruit.
Perhaps there’s something about these flavors and scents that brings back a comforting sense of memory, turning a simple midweek meal into something charming and nostalgic, open to everyone?
Breakfast-for-Dinner Girl Dinner
Ingredients
2 large eggs
2 slices of whole-grain bread
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Toast the slices of whole-grain bread until they are golden brown.
In a non-stick pan, cook them to your personal preference (scrambled, sunny-side up, over-easy).
While the eggs are cooking, mash the avocado and season with salt and pepper.
Spread the mashed avocado evenly over the toasted bread slices.
Top each slice with the cooked eggs and garnish with cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!