Go To foods! (Quick easy ideas)

ettaterrell
ettaterrell Posts: 887 Member
edited November 24 in Social Groups
I don't know if anyone is like me or not but I tend to have go to foods because I cant come up with something different that is easy. Mine is a salad, plane old salad with steak or chicken left over in it. I love salad so it's ok but I would love to have other go to choices. So what's yours? I seen (stalking my friends diaries) someone had burger patties, I think Walmart has a johnsonville version. Quick and simple love the idea for once a week maybe but need more ideas.. so please share yours!! (even a quick sweet idea would be good but I've cut all sweets almost)
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Replies

  • Azuriaz
    Azuriaz Posts: 785 Member
    edited September 2015
    Steak cooks in five or ten minutes on a counter grill. I eat burger patties when I'm broke. They're good enough.

    The crock pot is my friend for chuck roast and black pepper/curry turkey thighs cooked in olive oil. Not quick of course, but makes plenty of tasty leftovers for a day or two (chuck roast keeps better than turkey thighs, though). Well, unless it's so tasty I eat it all that day!

    Cheese but I eat too much of it right now. Stuff is too cheap and easy to grab out of the fridge.

    I like to spice things up (especially plain old ground beef) with hot sauce. Franks seems to have no ingredient other than peppers.

    (Edit: it has vinegar, salt, garlic powder, water, and peppers)

    For quick no-cook, Earth Fare is the only place I've found with no fillers roast beef. It's sea salt and pepper and roast beef. Three ingredients, that's it.

    Disclaimer: I don't work for Franks or Earth Fare, with my student loan debt needs, they can't afford me!

  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    Boring is good for weight loss. ;)
  • bluefish86
    bluefish86 Posts: 842 Member
    Sardines packed in oil are great if you're in a rush. I dump them on some spinach or salad greens when I'm in a rush and have less than 5 minutes to prepare my lunch. Sometimes I'll throw in a handful of nuts or seeds and/or a couple of cherry tomatoes if they're there. It's an instant salad! Full of protein and healthy fats!
  • Keto_T
    Keto_T Posts: 673 Member
    I always have flash frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts and salmon filets in the freezer. Throw them on cookie sheet, douse with peanut oil, sprinkle with favorite spices, cook in oven. Easy.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Rotisserie chickens from the store, any anything batch cooked. Making up 4-5 pounds of taco seasoned hamburger meat at a time has been a life saver!
  • Lillith32
    Lillith32 Posts: 483 Member
    I recently found the world's easiest recipe for dinner. Take a tray of chicken thighs, cut them up in pieces, and pan fry them in butter or coconut oil until they're browned but not done all the way (2-3 minutes per side). Take them out on the plate, add broccoli and any other veggies you want to the pan, cook them until they're not quite done (about 3 minutes). Add the chicken back in, throw in salt and pepper to taste. Add a jar of Thai red curry paste and a can of coconut milk. Bring to simmer, let it simmer a bit (5-10 minutes). Enjoy delicious dinner, and have enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
    My no cook option is sardines in oil and an avocado.
  • carlsoda
    carlsoda Posts: 3,430 Member
    I buy Ground Sirloin Burgers from Costco and they are delicious! Also Turkey Burgers, chicken breast (Costco is my friend!) I also like canned sockeye salmon with real mayo - yummy! Trader Joes for avocado, nuts and frozen green beans. And lots and lots of salad with bacon ranch dressing! :)
  • Azuriaz
    Azuriaz Posts: 785 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Rotisserie chickens from the store, any anything batch cooked. Making up 4-5 pounds of taco seasoned hamburger meat at a time has been a life saver!

    I can't find any that doesn't have rice flower and/or isn't injected with some filler water salt mix or other (Making it cost more, doing nothing for me, the buyer!). Suggested stores? I want one ingredient. Chicken. Okay, a dash of salt and pepper would be fine, too.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    edited September 2015
    Azuriaz wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Rotisserie chickens from the store, any anything batch cooked. Making up 4-5 pounds of taco seasoned hamburger meat at a time has been a life saver!

    I can't find any that doesn't have rice flower and/or isn't injected with some filler water salt mix or other (Making it cost more, doing nothing for me, the buyer!). Suggested stores? I want one ingredient. Chicken. Okay, a dash of salt and pepper would be fine, too.

    I honestly hadn't looked at all the ingredients. I'm not gluten/grain sensitive, so I have to say I hadn't really cared to look. Makes sense though. Injecting stuff makes it easier on them. I agree on the ingredients. We need a rotisserie roasting bit that's home size.

    Roasting a whole chicken just isn't quite the same, though close.

    Lillith32 wrote: »
    I recently found the world's easiest recipe for dinner. Take a tray of chicken thighs, cut them up in pieces, and pan fry them in butter or coconut oil until they're browned but not done all the way (2-3 minutes per side). Take them out on the plate, add broccoli and any other veggies you want to the pan, cook them until they're not quite done (about 3 minutes). Add the chicken back in, throw in salt and pepper to taste. Add a jar of Thai red curry paste and a can of coconut milk. Bring to simmer, let it simmer a bit (5-10 minutes). Enjoy delicious dinner, and have enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
    My no cook option is sardines in oil and an avocado.

    So, for a curry unintiated person - I always thought curry was spicy?? What's the different between the colors? I have green curry paste in my pantry I hadn't opened yet. And powders? And seasoning??? I made something with garam masala, and we barely managed to survive the meal... I don't even remember what. LOL

    I keep hearing about folks putting curry powder on stuff, in stuff, and I've just no idea how. I'm fabulous with following recipes, but this above...I don't know how I'd eat it if my guy didn't like it. He'll eat vindaloo (overseas) at Nuclear flavor levels, but whatever the heck I made, he could barely tolerate.

    So any super basic curry suggestions for the uninitiated, barely brave enough to try it curry-newbie? (Side note, my guy has reactions to tumeric, so I have to avoid that for now...)
  • JessicaLCHF
    JessicaLCHF Posts: 1,265 Member
    Crock pot roasts, broiled steak or pork chops, pounded chicken breast pan fried and stir in a bit of mustard to the drippings for sauce, black bean hot dog chili, kielbasa sautéed with chopped cabbage, drumsticks oven roasted with lemons and onions, these are my common dinners.

    For snacks, cheese, nuts, sunflower seeds, pickles, olives, SF Popsicles
  • kimberwolf71
    kimberwolf71 Posts: 470 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Azuriaz wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Rotisserie chickens from the store, any anything batch cooked. Making up 4-5 pounds of taco seasoned hamburger meat at a time has been a life saver!

    I can't find any that doesn't have rice flower and/or isn't injected with some filler water salt mix or other (Making it cost more, doing nothing for me, the buyer!). Suggested stores? I want one ingredient. Chicken. Okay, a dash of salt and pepper would be fine, too.

    I honestly hadn't looked at all the ingredients. I'm not gluten/grain sensitive, so I have to say I hadn't really cared to look. Makes sense though. Injecting stuff makes it easier on them. I agree on the ingredients. We need a rotisserie roasting bit that's home size.

    Roasting a whole chicken just isn't quite the same, though close.

    Lillith32 wrote: »
    I recently found the world's easiest recipe for dinner. Take a tray of chicken thighs, cut them up in pieces, and pan fry them in butter or coconut oil until they're browned but not done all the way (2-3 minutes per side). Take them out on the plate, add broccoli and any other veggies you want to the pan, cook them until they're not quite done (about 3 minutes). Add the chicken back in, throw in salt and pepper to taste. Add a jar of Thai red curry paste and a can of coconut milk. Bring to simmer, let it simmer a bit (5-10 minutes). Enjoy delicious dinner, and have enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
    My no cook option is sardines in oil and an avocado.

    So, for a curry unintiated person - I always thought curry was spicy?? What's the different between the colors? I have green curry paste in my pantry I hadn't opened yet. And powders? And seasoning??? I made something with garam masala, and we barely managed to survive the meal... I don't even remember what. LOL

    I keep hearing about folks putting curry powder on stuff, in stuff, and I've just no idea how. I'm fabulous with following recipes, but this above...I don't know how I'd eat it if my guy didn't like it. He'll eat vindaloo (overseas) at Nuclear flavor levels, but whatever the heck I made, he could barely tolerate.

    So any super basic curry suggestions for the uninitiated, barely brave enough to try it curry-newbie? (Side note, my guy has reactions to tumeric, so I have to avoid that for now...)

    Red curry is the most mild compared to green or yellow. Lilith's suggestion here is your most tried & true, easiest form of "curry" to make. The upside... add the amount of curry paste to your personal taste, you don't have to use the whole jar. Personally, I find red curry flavorful but not spicy and when you add it to full fat coconut milk, its just heaven in your mouth. Then again, I wouldn't define garam masala as overly spicy either, but it is definitely different flavors than the typical red pepper sauces such as Franks or Tobasco. Curry is officially a seasoning blend itself already, so if there are sensitivities, you might have to be careful!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    For a long time, pepperoni was my back up (plate pizza is a personal favorite application). Macadamia nuts were another in a pinch food...

    Essentially, prepping when you do have time will allow you to stay on plan when you don't. Nearly everything can be made in advance and reheated or eaten cold.
  • Lillith32
    Lillith32 Posts: 483 Member
    @KnitOrMiss , I usually add half a jar when I am cooking for myself, since I'm not much of a spicy person. When I cook for the Man, I add the whole thing because he likes it spicier. I'd recommend starting with a tablespoon, and adjusting from there. I would check for turmeric in the blend though, I have no idea if it's in there or not. I usually half the amount of spices in the recipe if it seems like it will be too spicy.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Yeah, my Man likes to tease me about being "white girl spicy," which is nowhere near normal person spicy. LOL I'm honestly getting better, though. LOL
  • ettaterrell
    ettaterrell Posts: 887 Member
    Keep ideas coming! Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out, loving all the ideas would love the recipe for the chuck roast and black pepper curry! I have started doing hot wings and that's easy enough to throw in fryer for a quick lunch, about burnt out on chicken breast and steak unless I can find new favors for them, what do yall use to season your chicken breast?
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    edited September 2015
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Azuriaz wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Rotisserie chickens from the store, any anything batch cooked. Making up 4-5 pounds of taco seasoned hamburger meat at a time has been a life saver!

    I can't find any that doesn't have rice flower and/or isn't injected with some filler water salt mix or other (Making it cost more, doing nothing for me, the buyer!). Suggested stores? I want one ingredient. Chicken. Okay, a dash of salt and pepper would be fine, too.

    I honestly hadn't looked at all the ingredients. I'm not gluten/grain sensitive, so I have to say I hadn't really cared to look. Makes sense though. Injecting stuff makes it easier on them. I agree on the ingredients. We need a rotisserie roasting bit that's home size.

    Roasting a whole chicken just isn't quite the same, though close.

    Lillith32 wrote: »
    I recently found the world's easiest recipe for dinner. Take a tray of chicken thighs, cut them up in pieces, and pan fry them in butter or coconut oil until they're browned but not done all the way (2-3 minutes per side). Take them out on the plate, add broccoli and any other veggies you want to the pan, cook them until they're not quite done (about 3 minutes). Add the chicken back in, throw in salt and pepper to taste. Add a jar of Thai red curry paste and a can of coconut milk. Bring to simmer, let it simmer a bit (5-10 minutes). Enjoy delicious dinner, and have enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
    My no cook option is sardines in oil and an avocado.

    So, for a curry unintiated person - I always thought curry was spicy?? What's the different between the colors? I have green curry paste in my pantry I hadn't opened yet. And powders? And seasoning??? I made something with garam masala, and we barely managed to survive the meal... I don't even remember what. LOL

    I keep hearing about folks putting curry powder on stuff, in stuff, and I've just no idea how. I'm fabulous with following recipes, but this above...I don't know how I'd eat it if my guy didn't like it. He'll eat vindaloo (overseas) at Nuclear flavor levels, but whatever the heck I made, he could barely tolerate.

    So any super basic curry suggestions for the uninitiated, barely brave enough to try it curry-newbie? (Side note, my guy has reactions to tumeric, so I have to avoid that for now...)

    Red curry is the most mild compared to green or yellow. Lilith's suggestion here is your most tried & true, easiest form of "curry" to make. The upside... add the amount of curry paste to your personal taste, you don't have to use the whole jar. Personally, I find red curry flavorful but not spicy and when you add it to full fat coconut milk, its just heaven in your mouth. Then again, I wouldn't define garam masala as overly spicy either, but it is definitely different flavors than the typical red pepper sauces such as Franks or Tobasco. Curry is officially a seasoning blend itself already, so if there are sensitivities, you might have to be careful!

    The garam masala wasn't spicy - it was just weird. I guess it was a flavor profile neither of us were expecting. He's eating real, true Indian food, and so it was a watered down weird version. I've never eaten it, and I guess the watered down bits made it not a WOW factor. I think, in fact, after leftovers once, we may have tossed what was left. LOL

    (Did I mention that before my fiance returned to my life about 3.5 years ago, I was not an adventurous eater at all? I was a total wimp! LOL)

    My guy has used curry powders and pastes before. I was just concerned about a recipe with individual ingredients is all...
  • anglyn1
    anglyn1 Posts: 1,802 Member
    Keep ideas coming! Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out, loving all the ideas would love the recipe for the chuck roast and black pepper curry! I have started doing hot wings and that's easy enough to throw in fryer for a quick lunch, about burnt out on chicken breast and steak unless I can find new favors for them, what do yall use to season your chicken breast?

    I like to bake my chicken breasts topped with a touch of sugar free marinara, pepperoni, and mozzarella. Also I found a Pinterest recipe for jalapeno popper chicken with bacon, cream cheese, and pork rinds that was really good. http://www.auntbeesrecipes.com/2014/01/low-carb-jalapeno-popper-chicken.html

  • briteyes
    briteyes Posts: 435 Member
    just made low carb jalepeno "poppers" today and they were SOOOO good!!! and super easy

    2 jalepenos - cut in half and remove stems/seeds
    stuff each side w/ cream cheese (I used lebne/kefir in mine because that's what i had)
    put the jalepeno halfs back together, and wrap each whole jalepono w/ a slice of uncooked bacon
    put in oven (i set to 350, but could set higher, i just guessed) & cook until bacon is done

    next time i make them, I'm going to mix some garlic powder, salt, pepper, other herbs/spices into the cream cheese for added flavor, but even w/ out doing that they were so good!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    I like wrapping each half with a piece of bacon, because I love when that cream cheese gets all bubbly and browned. It adds a whole other dimension of flavor. I've done something similar adding seasonings and cheese, but just be light-handed, because combining things like this add odd things to the flavor, too.
  • DrawnToScale
    DrawnToScale Posts: 126 Member
    I eat a lot of chili - make about six 2-cup servings at a time. I use 2 lbs ground turkey (less calorie than beef). Depending on your carb allowance, some quantity of black beans, onion, chopped tomato (I used canned), canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (a critical ingredient - smoky & delicious!), cumin, cinnamon, some combination of red wine / balsamic vinegar / lime juice. Mix in some chopped baker's chocolate. Perhaps a touch of sweetener or tomato paste. Top with sour cream & scallions. Never get tired of it. You can achieve a pretty low-carb version if you dial back the beans & increase the meat.
  • Lillith32
    Lillith32 Posts: 483 Member
    I found a recipe for Bob's No Bean Chili, and made a huge, delicious crock pot worth. It was very low carb (I added riced cauliflower and zucchini to mine to make it a more complete meal, so the carb count slightly went up), but it was still under 10 grams... so filling and so delicious.
  • briteyes
    briteyes Posts: 435 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    I like wrapping each half with a piece of bacon, because I love when that cream cheese gets all bubbly and browned. It adds a whole other dimension of flavor. I've done something similar adding seasonings and cheese, but just be light-handed, because combining things like this add odd things to the flavor, too.

    thanks for the tips! I'll wrap each half individually once I'm done w/ my fat fast (gotta keep the cals low)

    The more bacon the better!!!!

  • ettaterrell
    ettaterrell Posts: 887 Member
    anglyn1 wrote: »
    Keep ideas coming! Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out, loving all the ideas would love the recipe for the chuck roast and black pepper curry! I have started doing hot wings and that's easy enough to throw in fryer for a quick lunch, about burnt out on chicken breast and steak unless I can find new favors for them, what do yall use to season your chicken breast?

    I like to bake my chicken breasts topped with a touch of sugar free marinara, pepperoni, and mozzarella. Also I found a Pinterest recipe for jalapeno popper chicken with bacon, cream cheese, and pork rinds that was really good. http://www.auntbeesrecipes.com/2014/01/low-carb-jalapeno-popper-chicken.html


    Oh i made the popper one (with out skins) the lastnight, hubby loved it... I didnt eat it but will tonight :wink: wow... the pizza chicken sounds great... I would have never..... thought of that one.
  • ettaterrell
    ettaterrell Posts: 887 Member
    edited September 2015
    Love the popper idea!! I could mix the cheese mixture up beginning of week and have it just to add to the peppers (or chicken like last night) when ever i wanted before tossing in oven. chili will be great when it gets cooler but to hot now :neutral:
  • Zoe678
    Zoe678 Posts: 134 Member
    Egg salad, or chicken salad is pretty quick and easy. Just mix hard-boiled eggs, or leftover chicken with some mayo, and celery if you like. Add a bit of hot sauce, salt, and pepper, eat with spoon, yum!
  • kimberwolf71
    kimberwolf71 Posts: 470 Member
    I always have mini babybel's (gouda cheese) in the fridge. They are even packaged for you and hold up well, if you have to throw them in your purse on the run lol. Usually have some canned salmon at work for emergencies (I just can't stomach sardines), I like it on salads with avocado and sesame oil/honey ginger balsamic vinegar, but also eat it straight out of the can when I need to!

    I have to food prep and plan otherwise I fail miserably. These are two of my happiest LCHF finds that store in the fridge and re-heat well. I usually serve with a vegetable of some sort.
    http://fastpaleo.com/recipe/stuffed-cube-steak/ I have made this recipe with pounded out chicken successfully too!

    http://www.ruled.me/buffalo-chicken-jalapeno-popper-casserole/

    I have also finally developed a taste for chia pudding. Another great make ahead that keeps in the fridge for breakfasts! I grind the chia seeds slightly first and also add hemp: http://lowcarbyum.com/simple-chia-seed-vanilla-pudding/
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Lillith32 wrote: »
    I found a recipe for Bob's No Bean Chili, and made a huge, delicious crock pot worth. It was very low carb (I added riced cauliflower and zucchini to mine to make it a more complete meal, so the carb count slightly went up), but it was still under 10 grams... so filling and so delicious.

    Just don't make the mistake of trying that Keto Caveman Chili. It was some of the worst stuff I've ever made. Way way too sweet, and not really chili-y at all. And I"m the person who used to ketchup up her SAD chili!!! Ugh, and trying to fix it with the optional stuff made it worse! LOL
  • DietPrada
    DietPrada Posts: 1,171 Member
    My go to lunch is salami, half an avocado and a handful of black olives. No cook, no stress, perfect macros.
  • ettaterrell
    ettaterrell Posts: 887 Member
    My go to lunch is salami, half an avocado and a handful of black olives. No cook, no stress, perfect macros.

    I wish I could do this for lunches, but my brain tells me that's a snack and I will want something else later...... ugh. I cant even do the wraps with lettuce because I feel it's a snack (crazy I know)
  • ettaterrell
    ettaterrell Posts: 887 Member
    I always have mini babybel's (gouda cheese) in the fridge. They are even packaged for you and hold up well, if you have to throw them in your purse on the run lol. Usually have some canned salmon at work for emergencies (I just can't stomach sardines), I like it on salads with avocado and sesame oil/honey ginger balsamic vinegar, but also eat it straight out of the can when I need to!

    I have to food prep and plan otherwise I fail miserably. These are two of my happiest LCHF finds that store in the fridge and re-heat well. I usually serve with a vegetable of some sort.
    http://fastpaleo.com/recipe/stuffed-cube-steak/ I have made this recipe with pounded out chicken successfully too!

    http://www.ruled.me/buffalo-chicken-jalapeno-popper-casserole/

    I have also finally developed a taste for chia pudding. Another great make ahead that keeps in the fridge for breakfasts! I grind the chia seeds slightly first and also add hemp: http://lowcarbyum.com/simple-chia-seed-vanilla-pudding/

    Do you have the carbs/cals for the steak dish? That looks great.... and you cook ahead of time and reheat? wow gotta try that
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