At the end of a long day, the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen cooking dinner. With a little planning, a quick and healthy dinner is possible, even on the busiest days. Avoid the drive-thru with these easy ideas. Your family, waistline and wallet will thank you!
- Plan Ahead. At the end of a long day, just trying to decide what to eat can be a tough task and can take precious time. Set aside a few minutes to plan your menu for the week. Use your menu to create your grocery list, which will help you save both time and money at the store. Write preparation tips right on the menu, such as “Thaw chicken on Wednesday night,” or “Make hard cooked eggs on Monday’’ so ingredients are ready when you need them. Place your menu on the refrigerator with a magnet as an easy reference.
- Cook Once, Eat Twice. To save prep time, cook enough so that you can use it in more than one meal. Bake 3-4 chicken breasts at once, and use half in chicken tacos one night, and use the other half in chicken salad sandwiches the next night. Cook enough ground turkey or beef for spaghetti tonight and use or freeze the rest for chili on another night. Cooking extra veggies, pasta or rice for later also saves time.
- Go Meatless. Cutting out meat for a meal or two can really cut your prep time. Canned beans make a quick, filling meal. Beans also contain protein, fiber and vitamins and are low in fat. Add black beans to brown rice and a side of steamed veggies, or top a large salad with chickpeas, a hard cooked egg and your favorite raw veggies.
- Make a One-Dish Meal. Sometimes it’s the cleanup that makes cooking so tiring. Spend less time washing dishes by cooking a one-dish meal. A stir-fry can be cooked in 30 minutes or less and all ingredients are sautéed in the same saucepan. Chicken thighs or a beef roast can be cooked with potatoes, onions and carrots in a large casserole dish for a hearty and delicious meal.
- Try Frozen or Canned Veggies. Vegetables that are frozen or canned can be prepared quickly in the microwave or on the stovetop, and are a healthy option if you don’t have time to cook fresh veggies. Try adding frozen peas and carrots to a pot of boiling pasta, drain the pasta and veggies, top with tuna, and dinner is done!
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Take it Slow. Dust off that slow cooker! Slow cookers allow you to toss all of the ingredients together at the beginning of the day, and dinner will be waiting for you when you walk through the door in the evening. If your mornings are too hectic for prep, place the ingredients into the slow cooker insert the night before, cover and place in the refrigerator. Add the insert to the slow cooker base on your way out the door the next morning.
Fast & Easy Stuffed Peppers
Makes 4 Servings
- 4 bell peppers
- 1- 15.25 ounce can low sodium black beans, drained
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 ¼ cup salsa
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- With a small knife, cut a large hole through the top and core of each bell pepper. When you remove the top, the seeds and core should come out too. Rinse bell peppers well under running water, rinsing out all remaining seeds.
- In a bowl, combine black beans, rice, salsa and ¾ cup of shredded cheese. Stir well. Stuff bell peppers with black bean mixture. Stand bell peppers in a 9 by 9 inch casserole dish and cover with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Sprinkle bell peppers with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
Nutrient Information per Serving:
300 calories, 11 g fat, 627 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 16 g protein, 160% vitamin C, 26% calcium, 16% iron, 7% vitamin A