26 Impressive Dinners for Two

Holiday ham leftovers take weeks to finish. Instead, prepare a basic one pound pork tenderloin just as you would prepare a ham. The result is a traditionally brined, brown-sugar-coated "ham" for two in just one day. It even comes out pink! This recipe uses pink brining salt from Williams Sonoma, but you could use Prague #1 instead. 

One pan, a handful of ingredients, and 30 minutes are all you need to put this impressive pork chop skillet dinner on the table. This flavor-packed, single-skillet supper is an easy dinner for two that feels like something special. It’s also an ideal recipe for one, as the leftover chop and veggies reheat well for a next-day lunch worth looking forward to. 

We upgraded the classic pepper and cheese pasta dish with chunks of supple Maine lobster for an incredible dinner-for-two. Meaning, “date night” needs to happen at home this week. Of course, this dish is easily doubled if you’re serving more than two. 

Mango salsa, quinoa, black beans, red pepper, avocado, corn and pumpkin seeds? You can call this the healthy burrito bowl.

The fragrant orange glaze caramelizes as the salmon quickly cooks under the broiler.

This elegant octopus salad strikes the right balance between refreshingly light and richly comforting, making it an impressive choice for any occasion. As intimidating as it may seem, preparing octopus at home is easier than you’d think. Octopus can be found at specialty grocery stores (such as Whole Foods), fish markets, and Asian or international markets. The key to preparing this wow-worthy seafood at home is giving the meat a preliminary cook (no matter how you intend to proceed in preparing it) in order to tenderize the meat. In this recipe, we first simmer the octopus in a flavorful, aromatic-filled cooking liquid and finish the cooking process by marinating the pre-cooked octopus in a citrusy vinaigrette. This marinade infuses flavor and continues to break down the protein for a tender, delicious bite. Just be sure not to leave the octopus soaking in the marinade for longer than suggested, as the acid will begin to deteriorate the quality of the meat. That said, the octopus can be poached and refrigerated up to a few days in advance if you want to prep ahead. Similar to kefir, labne is a tangy-rich yogurt cheese that can be found at a Mediterranean, Greek, or Lebanese market or in some specialty grocery stores. Labne is also incredibly easy to make at home if you have trouble finding it already prepared. 

Here, the yolk of the fried egg serves as a dressing (without you having to do anything extra) to coat nutrient-dense quinoa. Pancetta adds a snap of savory satisfaction to earthy kale, while all-season cherry tomatoes, meaning you can make it whenever, lend a fresh pop of bright flavor. Sub steel-cut oats, bulgur, or leftover brown rice for quinoa. The hot sauce gives this simple dish a kick in the pants.

This salad for two has all the components of a steak house-style dinner in a simple, low-calorie main dish salad. And it's ready in less than 20 minutes. Resting the steaks is important, as it retains juiciness. If you were to cut a steak without resting, the juices leach out of the steak and the texture and flavor would be compromised. Also, if you haven't made your own Blue Cheese Dressing before, now's the time to start: It's preservative-free and with much fewer calories. 

Rachel Yang, chef-owner of Joule in Seattle, reinvents the classic peppercorn steak with a not-too-hot Sichuan peppercorn rub that produces a pleasant tingly sensation in the mouth. With the zesty kale slaw, it adds zaps of excitement to a romantic dinner. At the restaurant, Yang uses a lesser-known, flavorful cut called teres major; we've substituted widely available filet mignon.

7 Fast and Filling Soups: Perfect for fast days, cook these meals, and then take single portions. Lose weight the 5:2 way. This healthy, quick and easy recipe is featured in the soups section of the new 5:2 Starter's Guide to The 2-Day Diet. The book provides a selection of over 100 tasty recipes to help you meet the daily 500 calorie allotment for the 2 days of intermittent fasting, as required by the 5:2 Diet.

A quick sauté in oil toasts the orzo slightly, so it takes on a nutty flavor. The oil coating also keeps the pasta from absorbing liquid too quickly, so it won't overcook.

We suggest buying poultry blend herbs, which will provide a mix of rosemary and thyme in 1 package (instead of buying 2 separate packages). Be sure to reserve half of the pork for the next day's lunch.

This recipe goes with: Winter Salad with Easy Herbed Pork Tenderloin

For a hearty, summer salad that’s bursting with fresh, seasonal finds from your local farmers’ market, this healthy dish is about to be your go-to dinner. Topped with an simple grilled fillet of salmon and tossed in a light, citrus vinaigrette, this salad allows the fresh flavors of the produce to shine through. Substitute or add different produce items based on what’s in season and what you like. If you don’t have a grill, a grill pan can be easily substituted.

 While octopus may not be your typical weeknight the warm and nuanced flavors in this rustic dish absolutely say comfort food, which makes this a perfect gateway recipe for anyone cooking octopus at home for the first time. Plus, braising is an excellent cooking method for octopus, as this allows you to bypass having to pre-cook the octopus by boiling or slow roasting in the oven. The initial sear seals moisture into the meat and then the octopus tenderizes and soaks up flavor as it simmers in the aromatic tomato sauce—the longer you allow it to cook, the better this dish gets.  Octopus can be found at specialty grocery stores (such as Whole Foods), fish markets, and Asian or international markets. Just be sure to ask the fishmonger to clean your octopuses and remove the beaks before wrapping ‘em up. Served with simple, crisped fingerling potatoes, this dish is guaranteed to impress.

Trout gets an extra-crispy crust from the almonds. You could sub flounder for the trout and pecans or walnuts for the almonds.

Lunch: Keep hunger pangs away with these healthy and delicious dishes! 150 calories and under. Lose weight the 5:2 way. This healthy, quick and easy recipe is featured in the lunch section of the new 5:2 Starter's Guide to The 2-Day Diet. The book provides a selection of over 100 tasty recipes that meet the daily 500 calorie allotment for the 2 days of intermittent fasting, as required by the 5:2 Diet.

The key to preparing this whole fish is scoring deep cuts for quick and even cooking. 

You'll want to double the sweet and spicy sautéed pecans for snacking during the week. Sub fresh summer fruit like blueberries or nectarines for the raspberries.

Lunch: Keep hunger pangs away with these healthy and delicious dishes! 150 calories and under. Lose weight the 5:2 way. This healthy, quick and easy recipe is featured in the lunch section of the new 5:2 Starter's Guide to The 2-Day Diet. The book provides a selection of over 100 tasty recipes that meet the daily 500 calorie allotment for the 2 days of intermittent fasting, as required by the 5:2 Diet.

Make sure the cast-iron skillet is hot before adding the steaks so that they get a nicely browned crust on both sides. We like both red and orange peppers, though just one color will work.

These crab cakes hold together best with dry, finely ground whole-wheat breadcrumbs; if you use whole-wheat panko, they may fall apart in the pan. Chives have a delicate onion flavor that won't overpower the crab. This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 4.