Favorite QUICK go to meals? (20 min or less)

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  • fallingwave
    fallingwave Posts: 108 Member
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    karahm78 wrote: »
    Check out the Skinnytaste Fast & Slow cookbook.... everything can be prepared in 30 mins or less, or cooks all day in slow cooker (crock pot).

    I also learning how to cook in the Instant Pot

    I have been wanting an Instant Pot! How do you like it?
  • fallingwave
    fallingwave Posts: 108 Member
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    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.

    This would totally depend on the age of the child. My son is 2, and although he loves to help, his presence makes things harder and slower most of the time. He helps when he can, but sometimes I just need something to throw in without making it a big production.

    My son is almost 5 -- he does help at times but it's mostly clean up or getting things from the fridge, sometimes stirring -- but this is sometimes also his "play time" because he LOVES playing with his action figures or running out back with our dog.
  • fallingwave
    fallingwave Posts: 108 Member
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    tacos, burritos, stir fry, pan seared fish/boneless chicken/steak/chop w sautéed greens/asparagus/broccoli/other quick cooking vegetable, omelet, salad with boiled egg, canned meat/fish

    1 can black beans + 1 can salsa = quickest black bean soup ever. Add canned chicken for more protein.

    The soup.... that sounds good and something he would eat! do you add broth also to keep it from being too thick?
  • LowCarb4Me2016
    LowCarb4Me2016 Posts: 575 Member
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    Ready made hamburger patties cooked with green peppers, brown gravy, baked potatoes in the microwave for the carb eaters, squash/broccoli mixed frozen veggies pan roasted with olive or coconut oil.
  • CoachJen71
    CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
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    I batch cook meat and reheat it w/ veggies in the microwave all week. If I have a few extra minutes, I will scramble up cheesy egg whites or peanut butter yogurt.

    ____________________________________________

    Down 140lbs: My story.
  • cozytimes
    cozytimes Posts: 111 Member
    edited April 2017
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    boiled eggs and veg or a homemade burrito/wrap? you can find frozen rice, beans, and throw in some tomatoes and any other ingredients.
  • lgill1127
    lgill1127 Posts: 47 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Low carb go-to is typically throwing some frozen chicken breasts into the oven to add to salad. Chicken is topped with salt, pepper, and whatever herb I'm feeling before baking. If the chicken is going on a Mediterranean-inspired salad I'll top with oregano.

    For the Mediterranean salad
    2 cups greens (usually romaine lettuce or spinach for me)
    1 oz feta cheese
    1/2 cup cucumber
    red onion (raw, or pickled)
    olives (optional)
    3-4 oz of the baked chicken breast

    Dressing made from: olive oil, red wine vinegar, squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano.


    Not low-carb, but I'll eat this if I've been low-carb earlier in the day:

    (1 serving)
    2 oz whole wheat pasta (penne, fusilli, whatever kind of shape) - you could sub zucchini noodle "zoodles" here for low carb - I've done it and it's tasty.
    1/2 cup tomato sauce (I use Safeway Organics tomato basil)
    2 Trader Joe's frozen turkey meatballs
    1.5 oz baby spinach
    1 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese

    I usually have everything on hand - cook and drain the pasta, add the pasta back into the pot and add tomato sauce and spinach and heat until spinach wilts, while pasta is cooking microwave the turkey meatballs until warmed through, add meatballs to pasta, top with cheese.

    Pretty much a one-pot kinda deal, so less time doing dishes and ready in 20 minutes or less!
  • laurens47
    laurens47 Posts: 117 Member
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    If you can invest in a pressure cooker, it will save you so much time. I can cook a whole chicken, depending on size, in under 20 min. Fresh veggies cook fast, so while that's cooking, you can roast veggies, pan sear them, boil them, microwave them or make a salad.
  • mrsmeteor
    mrsmeteor Posts: 35 Member
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    Do you use a slow cooker? I've made this before, coconut curry lentils:

    https://www.budgetbytes.com/2016/07/slow-cooker-coconut-curry-lentils/

    Put it all in the slow cooker, then when it's done serve it over some rice and you're golden.

    It pretty much got demolished, it's really good.
  • hlblakeley
    hlblakeley Posts: 55 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Some of my favorites, mostly because I could disguise veggies in them when the kids were young... homemade sloppy joes (diced or crushed tomatoes, ground beef (or turkey), diced onion, diced zuccini, diced carrot, diced yellow squash, diced red, yellow and green pepper season with a dash of chili powder, some garlic and salt and pepper. I cooked it in the slow cooker all day and it was perfect when we got home. You can serve it open face or bunless for low carb. With some carrot sticks and tomato wedges and cucumber slices it's great. My crock pot/slow cooker has been my best friend for years. You can get it all going in the morning and when you get home you have roast, chicken, bbq, tacos... you name it.
  • BWA468
    BWA468 Posts: 101 Member
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    I make a chilli. Small amount of mince about 400grams. 2x cans of Hot Chilli Beans, 2x cans of Flavoured tomatoes then herbs and spices. Simmer for 5-10 mins and all good to go. I'll throw it on top of some pasta and if I have enough calories add some cheese :) very quick and easy! Ill split the chilli into 6 sepetate meals then later in the week put the chilli in a wrap, on some toast, on corn chips. Its versatile, tasty and comes out at about 300 calories per serving. Obviously you could add lots more ingredients if you find it to bland but it does it for me :)
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
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    A pita bread cut in half, and the halves filled with scrambled eggs (veggies optional) you can microwave the eggs in 45 second increments, stir, then 45 more then fill up the pitas!
    Very portable and healthy especially if you toss in some spinach to cook with the eggs. I take these to class with me all the time!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Child Protection won't break the door down if you nuke some pre-made meals from the freezer section occasionally.
  • JPotamus
    JPotamus Posts: 33 Member
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    One simple meal I sometimes make is a big baked potato filled with leftover chicken breast (shredded or diced), broccoli, and cheese.

  • Shivpea
    Shivpea Posts: 58 Member
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    A quick healthy meal for me is a stir fry.. spray oil on the wok, then I have cut my chicken into small pieces, stir fry them till they're cooked, then add my chopped veggies - hard one first, such as carrot, broccoli, and peppers, then softer veggies such as mushrooms and baby sweetcorn last. I then add my soy and whatever else I'm using and finally noodles last. Only the wok and dinner plate/cutlery to wash up after wards :-)
  • PatanjaliTwist
    PatanjaliTwist Posts: 485 Member
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    laurens47 wrote: »
    If you can invest in a pressure cooker, it will save you so much time. I can cook a whole chicken, depending on size, in under 20 min. Fresh veggies cook fast, so while that's cooking, you can roast veggies, pan sear them, boil them, microwave them or make a salad.

    I do the same with good ol' cast iron cuz I only eat fresh & sometimes we need shortcuts on busy days.

    In a Dutch oven place any fresh protein (beef, poultry, fish) with any veggies you'd like. Season as desired. No need to even cut up meat... just ensure it fits in the pot. On an electric stovetop with dial 1-9, I turn it to 3, place the lid on & go to do other things, checking on it every 15-min. I usually have dinner in 30-min, 45 max if I use root veggies or a larger piece of protein. Bonus is cast iron sears nicely, so protein is browned nicely & very tasty.

    No need to add broth or water, as there will be plenty of liquid from the fresh foods, but you can use liquid as au jus or make a thicker gravy after removing all cooked food from the pot.

    Good luck & enjoy!
  • soniaf
    soniaf Posts: 106 Member
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    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.

    Nothing enhances a cooking experience like a hungry young child or toddler with associated tantrum at arsenic hour!

    She is a single mum, maybe she has to pick up the child from long day care or after school care after a full day's work, get home at 6, get dinner on the table and kid/s bathed, fed, homework done by 730? SO she needs a quick healthy meal.

    Carry on!
  • crystald911
    crystald911 Posts: 46 Member
    edited April 2017
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    I was a single mother when my children were little. It is hard to get everything done and sometimes you feel overwhelmed! Let me just say, you are doing a GREAT job! Hang in there, they are only little for a little while. :)

    I fed my little one's cowboy beans until now neither of them will touch baked beans at all. hahahaha! Cowboy beans in our house was hamburger meat and pork n beans and it was cheap....so we had it a lot! Oh, my! That was 20 years ago and thankfully the times (and my budget) have changed!

    Our favorite quick dish now is turkey stuffed peppers. Brown the ground turkey and preheat oven to 350. Add your favorite salsa to the turkey after it is cooked and then add to halved bell peppers. We prefer the yellow and orange ones. Add your favorite shredded cheese to the top and bake for 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite vegetable that you can cook at the same time as you are browning the turkey.

    And we are in love with our George Foreman Grill. It cooks meat and veggies quickly and with little mess.
  • beachpleaze
    beachpleaze Posts: 14 Member
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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.

    Sounds delish!! Approximately how long do you let it simmer? Thank you!
  • hjsparker
    hjsparker Posts: 18 Member
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    jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/gorgeous-greek-chicken/

    This is literally amazing. Depending on your skill it can take up to 30 mins to bang this one out but it's well worth it. I find the homemade tzatziki amazing and it's just so fresh and delicious. I reduce the quantity of couscous because I just can't eat the full portion of this meal!