Eating Healthy on a ‘Time Budget’!
You get home late. You’re starving. You reach for the pre-packaged, preserved, or prepared food. It’s got 1500mg of sodium, a handful of chemicals you’ve never heard of, and some hydrogenated oils but you have no mental energy to even think about cooking a meal right now.
Instead of vowing to ‘eat healthier tomorrow,’ have some quick, easy, and CLEAN staples on hand that can be thrown together in 10 minutes or less with close to no mental energy!
Important: Even though your meal prep may be abbreviated, DO NOT INHALE YOUR FOOD!! Chew. Chew. Chew. RELAX. Breathe. Chew. Breathe.
You do NOT need indigestion, heartburn, or stomach churning after dinner and a long day!
PLUS, if you do not chew your food thoroughly, you will not absorb all of the nutrients you just prepared!!
Breathe and Chew!!
Option #1: Clean-Eating Fiesta Rice & Bean Mix, greens salad
The “Engine 2” brand has several mixes that are completely clean and natural with no additives. Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute rice & bean Fiesta mix for 6-8 minutes. While it’s sizzling, place lettuce on the plate. Get out some olive oil and/or vinegar, salt, pepper, and your favorite spice (cumin, garlic) or fresh cilantro. Place steaming Fiesta Mix on top of lettuce. Add dressing and spices. Enjoy!
Option #2: Riced Vegetables, protein of choice, potato
Another fantastic staple to keep in the freezer is riced vegetables. They are simply vegetables shredded to resemble rice granules. They cook up in minutes, are usually free of oils, preservatives, and sodium, which allows you to toss in a modest amount of your own seasonings!
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, saute for 5-7 minutes, season with salt, pepper, and spices of your choice! It makes a beautiful base for leftover protein, beans, or potatoes. Riced vegetables are gaining popularity and can be found in just about every grocery store in the frozen section! Look for cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Option #3: Omelet, toast, sauerkraut, microgreens
Who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner?! Eggs contain amino acids and good fats to keep you satiated, sauerkraut contains naturally-occuring probiotics to balance your gut bacteria, greens bring some phytonutrients to the meal, and I always like to keep some frozen sprouted Ezekiel bread on hand. I literally toss it in the toaster for 3 minutes and it gets fresh and crispy while I prepare the rest of my meal. Add some curry powder to your omelet for anti-inflammatory benefits!!
Option #4: Grains, veggies, and homemade dressing
On the weekend, cook up a batch of whole grains (quinoa, millet, buckwheat, rice, barley). Add in whatever veggies are in the refrigerator (carrots, celery, onion). Let it cool and place it in a clear (glass) container.
To prepare, warm it up in a skillet for 5 minutes or pop it in the microwave. To make a delicious and simple dressing, whisk together some olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste as you go along and season as needed. Also try using tahini with lemon juice or infused olive oils and spices. Add some honey, mustard, maple syrup, or ginger – get creative! (Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is sold with the peanut butter and should be refrigerated after opening. Be sure to stir it before using it since it separates like natural peanut butter.)
In this picture, I cooked up some wild rice, roasted carrots, and tossed in the rest of the parsley I had in the refrigerator. I topped it with some toasted pecans and a touch of goat cheese. Paired with a lemon olive oil dressing, it was fantastic – and so easy!!
Option #5: Dips for Dinner!
A go-to favorite in our house is a smorgasbord of dips and dippers! Homemade guacamole takes minutes – or store-bought is fine too! I whip up hummus in minutes, but look for a healthy store-bought hummus and display it as if it was homemade! Like salsa? Keep an organic salsa on hand. For dippers, try sliced cucumbers, carrots, or bell peppers, baked crackers, gluten-free tortilla chips, or organic rice cakes!
Option #6: Tuna Salad or Sandwich
Canned tuna is the protein-filled gold-medaler for quick dinners! Toss with heart-healthy olive oil, black pepper, lemon juice, spices, and herbs (dill, parsley) for a 5-minute dinner! Top a salad or fill a sandwich. Add a side of crunchy carrots or toasted nuts, and you’ve got a balanced meal!
Thank you for reading this post! I hope it is able to inspire some healthy meals for you and your family! If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to reach out!!
