Two Word Time Saving Tips for Healthy Meals in Minutes
by Stella Louise
Confession time: I eat straight from the box. Saves time and no dishes. Well, I used to anyway–until a health scare forced me to mend my lazy eating habits and make an effort to have well-balanced, nutritious meals. The eating habits have improved; the laziness remains. Here are a couple of my secrets for easy, healthy meals in two words:
1. Trader Joe’s — I’ve always been a fan of their frozen food section. Spinach lasagna, broccoli quiche, vegetarian burritos. But I’ve found some new favorites to round out my healthier diet:
Butternut Squash Soup – comes in a 32 oz. box of regular or organic. They also have flavors like Carrot-Ginger and Tomato/Red Pepper. The butternut squash is my favorite–heat it up for 3 minutes in the microwave, add some crackers and cheese (I actually take them OUT of the box and put them on a plate now!) with a piece of fruit for dessert and you have a very nutritious lunch. Who knew beta-carotene could taste so good?
Tuna in Yellow Curry Sauce – I stumbled over this while buying my Butternut Squash soup. It comes in a 7 oz. box and I wasn’t sure what to think, but for a $1.39 I thought it was worth a shot. Was it ever! The tuna and potatoes in a curry sauce come in a sealed aluminum packet. I cook up a bit of couscous (the middle eastern version of minute rice!), throw it on a plate, pour the contents of the aluminum packet over top and microwave for a minute. Really yummy!
2. Stir Fry — two more time saving words! My easy stir-fry chicken (or beef or shrimp or scallops–whatever suits your fancy) features another great Trader Joe’s find–frozen Stir Fry vegetables!
First I make a serving of Minute Rice–the pre-cooked long grain brown version. (See, that’s how lazy I am! But cooking brown rice takes FOREVER and if the good people at Minute Rice want to do all that work, that’s fine with me!) Then I heat up some olive oil in my wok. Mince some garlic, chop some onion, throw it in and stir it around until the onion gets translucent. I cut a boneless chicken breast into small pieces and throw it in with the onion and garlic. Let the chicken sear a bit and then measure out about two cups of frozen stir fry vegetables and throw that in. Then I add some seasonings: salt, pepper, maybe some paprika if I’m feeling wild. Oh, and the soy sauce! (I get little packages of soy sauce every time I get my take-out sushi. I’ve accumulated quite a collection. If you need any, let me know!) I throw in two packages along with the cooked rice and stir it all around. A whole meal in a wok! Well, there’s also the pot for the rice, I guess.
3. Aluminum Foil — If you really hate washing pots and pans like I do, aluminum foil is a godsend! I use it to cook up chicken and fish–no muss, no fuss! I take a sheet of foil, put the chicken or fish on top, season it with lemon juice or soy sauce (got to use all those packets up!) as well as salt, pepper, garlic–whatever mood I’m in, seal up the aluminum foil into a packet, and put it on top of a cookie sheet in the oven to cook. You can also slice up some zucchini, carrots, peppers–add seasonings and wrap it up in aluminum foil to steam in the oven.
So there you have it–two word time saving tips for quick, healthy meals and a simpler life!
Fashiontribes Lifestyle Expert Dining VS Eating Trader Joes Shopping Style Expert Food Cooking With Imagination NutritionSpeedy VS Fast FoodTricks of the Trade Los Angeles Healthy Eating Groceries LA Story Blogs Shoppping+Exert
LA Story .
>
