Favorite QUICK go to meals? (20 min or less)
fallingwave
Posts: 108 Member
Single mom. Trying to fit work, gym, time with my kiddo and healthy food into each day... Looking for ideas on your quick go to healthy meals.
Tonight I roasted some asparagus and Turkey kielbasa. Simple, doesn't need tending too. Looking for low carb with high protein and veggies. Fast clean up is a definite plus
Tonight I roasted some asparagus and Turkey kielbasa. Simple, doesn't need tending too. Looking for low carb with high protein and veggies. Fast clean up is a definite plus
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Replies
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Classic Meat and Three Veg
Meat: Either reheat left over roast meat (I cook lamb every Sunday in the slow cooker and freeze left overs in batches with meat juice, I also buy a couple of rotisserie chicken, break them up and freeze) or oven cook lean meat, can marinate meat with lemon juice and herb mix if you have time.
Quick veg: In a high sided pan I saute a little onion, very thinly sliced carrot (about 1/2 a carrot if large, can use red capsicum instead if you prefer) and chuck in a couple of bunches of broccolini, add butter and put on lid and let cook on low to your liking. Tip - You can pre-cut the onion and carrot on the weekend and put in a ziplock bag, and the broccolini doesn't need chopping.
Takes about 15mins, 2 pans total if you cook meat.
On the weekend, I also puree a full head of steamed cauliflower (it's my version of mash potato) with 20-30g of butter and a tablespoon of parmesan cheese, S&P, and reheat it on other nights so I only have to organise the protein.
Also what ever I cook, I try and cook enough to at least freeze one or two left overs meals for nights when I'm tired, on those nights I used to order take out, but now I reach for my own 'frozen meals', and everyone gets to choose what they want.
My Saturday is pretty much taken up with doing the shopping and cooking/prepping meals. I'm in the same boat, work/gym/family, it's such a juggle. I get the family to help with the preparation and shopping, the kids love getting to choose their own fruits and veg for their lunch boxes. Preparation is everything, it makes weekends busy, but helps you to succeed on the weekdays.
Good luck4 -
What's the rush? Besides, some of my favorite childhood memories are of spending time in the kitchen when my parents were cooking. Taking time to cook a meal doesn't mean you have to take time away from your kid. That's an activity that you should be doing with your kid.17
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tuna potatoes...i precut onins musshrooms and peppers toss 100g of each in a oil-less pan and fry em up with half a can of tuna...pop 250-300 grams of potatoes in microwave (4-5 mins flip 4-5 mins) cut up salt and pepper thm then top with the mix. makes a big plate of yummy for 300-350 cals. i also add in garlic sometimes and cayenne pepper to cover the fishy taste...its minimal. 10 minute meal
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Omelettes/frittata
Cook mixed vegies - good for using odds and ends from the fridge - chuck over some whisked up eggs, a bit of cheese... Voila, a meal! Serve with salad to bulk it up a bit more...3 -
Steamed fish. Takes about 8 mins depending on size of fillet. While it steams, fry fresh ginger till crunchy. Serve fish with ginger on top and a teriyaki sauce....about a tablespoon. Low cal, filling and tastes amazing with an Asian stir fry or salad.1
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Cut a pocket in a chicken breast, stuff a triangle or 2 of laughing cow cheese in there, close it up, brown each in a saucepan (one only big enough to hold the number of chicken breasts you have flat on the bottom), then pour a jar of salsa over, put a lid on it and simmer until cooked. Serve with veg, or salad, or whatever you want.9
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Omelettes/frittata
Cook mixed vegies - good for using odds and ends from the fridge - chuck over some whisked up eggs, a bit of cheese... Voila, a meal! Serve with salad to bulk it up a bit more...
Just what I was about to post! Saute some vegetables, then add beaten eggs and cook over low heat - no need to stir. My go-to vegetables are mushrooms and onions. A little grated parmesan cheese is a good addition if you want a cheesy flavor but fewer calories.
Btw, sauteed onions closely mimic the texture of eggs, so you can add a lot of them without noticing much. Using a lot of onions instead of extra eggs is an easy and healthy way to bulk up your meal without adding many calories.
Along the same lines as a frittata are tomato scrambled eggs. Here's a very basic and easy recipe I tried out - it was surprisingly good.
https://goodandcheap.website/breakfast/tomato-scrambled-eggs/steps2 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Omelettes/frittata
Cook mixed vegies - good for using odds and ends from the fridge - chuck over some whisked up eggs, a bit of cheese... Voila, a meal! Serve with salad to bulk it up a bit more...
Just what I was about to post! Saute some vegetables, then add beaten eggs and cook over low heat - no need to stir. My go-to vegetables are mushrooms and onions. A little grated parmesan cheese is a good addition if you want a cheesy flavor but fewer calories.
Btw, sauteed onions closely mimic the texture of eggs, so you can add a lot of them without noticing much. Using a lot of onions instead of extra eggs is an easy and healthy way to bulk up your meal without adding many calories.
I generally use a combo of 1-2 whole eggs with extra whites to bump up protein without the fat calories.1 -
I make a super quick curry. The rice cooks while you make the veggies and sauce. I use a bag of the steam in the bag veggies (usually broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower), 1 can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed, 1 can of full fat coconut milk, 3tbsp of curry paste, 1/2 of an onion, chopped, 1tbsp soy sauce, garlic powder, pepper, and a pinch of cumin. Microwave the veggies, sautee the onions, dump in the rest of the ingredients. When the veggies are done just throw them in the pan and mix everything together. Spoon that over the rice. You can also add some precooked diced chicken pieces, but I'm vegan so I keep it meatless. This recipe makes enough for me to eat lunch for 4 days, and it's really hearty.4
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Get a sandwich maker from Walmart, $10.
Get spices. Recommend McCormick steak seasoning.
Get salmon, beef (flap meat, thin steak, etc.), thin sliced chicken breast, fish filet, etc.
Put the food in the sandwich maker, 5 - 12 minutes depending. Season the food in the last 1, 2 minute.
When done, wipe the maker surface with a napkin when it's still warm.
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Egg White, spinach, mushroom, sun dried tomato & bacon bits omelette.2
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1 x packet 2 minute noodles
1 x pre-weighed baggie of frozen cooked chicken (I buy a roast chicken and then rip it up into baggies, write the weight on the front in permanent marker, and stash them in the freezer)
1 x packet of microwave steam veggies
I call this my 5-minute lunch. Noodles in pot to boil, chicken 2min in microwave, and then the veggies. Throw in bowl, mix up a bit, and chow down. Delish.3 -
This isn't low carb, but it's my go-to to satisfy my hunger when very busy with less than a minute of prep time:
Instant noodles with a can of tuna or cocktail franks and sometimes canned shiitake mixed in. Not the best foodie choice (I'm not a picky foodie anyway), but incredibly satisfying to me with a good balance of starch and protein. I'll often have a tomato on the side as well (I eat them like apples).1 -
The trick to quick meals is to prep your ingredients in advance. A read a book a few years ago called "Consider The Fork" about the evolution of cooking. It turns out that Chinese food evolved to be small morsels of food because it would cook faster, therefore saving cooking oil, which was a scare resource. I adopted the concept myself and it gives you nearly endless possibility!. Take whatever protein you have (chicken, beef, pork, etc), cut it up into inch-ish size cubes; cut up your veggies to the same size (you can do this as soon as you get home from the grocery to save time of busy nights) and cook everything in the same pan with whatever your choice of seasonings is. Cook from "toughest" veggie (carrots, potatoes, etc) to tender (peas) and add the protein at least 4 minutes out for chicken or pork, 2-3 for beef (depending on how done you like it), and 2 for shrimp or shellfish). Start to finish, you'll have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes.3
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Mashed potatoes with steamed veggies or rice and beans with veg0
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The trick to quick meals is to prep your ingredients in advance. A read a book a few years ago called "Consider The Fork" about the evolution of cooking. It turns out that Chinese food evolved to be small morsels of food because it would cook faster, therefore saving cooking oil, which was a scare resource. I adopted the concept myself and it gives you nearly endless possibility!. Take whatever protein you have (chicken, beef, pork, etc), cut it up into inch-ish size cubes; cut up your veggies to the same size (you can do this as soon as you get home from the grocery to save time of busy nights) and cook everything in the same pan with whatever your choice of seasonings is. Cook from "toughest" veggie (carrots, potatoes, etc) to tender (peas) and add the protein at least 4 minutes out for chicken or pork, 2-3 for beef (depending on how done you like it), and 2 for shrimp or shellfish). Start to finish, you'll have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes.
This. I do this all the time. My prep the night before is usually to season small strips of chicken the night before with oyster sauce and cornstarch. You can of course add other things in if you want. My other preps are to prechop vegetables and blanch whatever ones I plan to use in my next meal. This allows me to preplan my meals and enter them in mfp. Then the next morning I simply stir fry my chicken and add my veggies in. I love to use konjac noodles and the ones I get come pre packed and cooked.1 -
Fresh salmon and veggies. Use any seasoning you prefer and bake in the oven at 450 for 20 minutes. Easy, quick prep, quick cook and delicious2
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Meat of choice in the crock pot during the day.
When we get home, some quick rice, black beans and a veggie - Rice bowls!
My bowl has a lot less rice than hubby's and son's.3 -
TimothyFish wrote: »What's the rush? Besides, some of my favorite childhood memories are of spending time in the kitchen when my parents were cooking. Taking time to cook a meal doesn't mean you have to take time away from your kid. That's an activity that you should be doing with your kid.
Hah hah ha haha. I guess you haven't had one of those nights where you had to help kid #1 with her science project, pick up a gift for kid #2's teacher's birthday party which you just discovered (wrinkled flyer at bottom of backpack--kid #2 isn't always so responsible) oh, and then kid #3 has LICE, and oh, your boss texts you that there is an emergency and you have to call her back ASAP? Otherwise known in our house as "Tuesday." :-p
I like ground lean turkey meat. It cooks pretty quickly and I'll use half a pound for tacos (kids love that) with homemade guacamole (I use lean cheese, 0% greek yogurt instead of sour cream) and then the next day I throw in the other half in marinara sauce, serve with pasta for kids, Zoodles for me, with a salad. The second meal is perfect for those extra-crazy nights.22 -
I love spiraled zucchini, squash, etc. (zoodles) or riced cauliflower so I'll often saute one of those add some turkey sausage, or chicken and some fresh salsa or Sharwoods Indian cooking sauces and done in 5 minutes. My local stores offer zoodles and the cauliflower pre-cut. Easy peasy!1
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