Keep healthy foods stocked in your kitchen so you are less tempted to devour buckets of fatty, salty and sugary foods when you are ravenous. One-person meal plans are a cinch to do with individually packaged foods and containers fit for one. Peruse the olive and salad bar of your local grocer for sun-dried tomatoes, olives and Peppadew peppers, which pack plenty of flavor and heart-healthy fats. Chop these jewels ahead of time to quickly sprinkle over pasta or brown rice.
Peanut Butter Toast
Breakfast can be quick and easy with bread made from sprouted grains, natural peanut butter and an all-fruit spread. Toast two slices of bread then top each slice with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter and a ½ tbsp. of all-fruit spread. Round off your meal with 1 cup of skim milk. This combination provides one person with a healthy dose of carbohydrates, protein and unsaturated fat. There are 500 calories in this breakfast with about 50 percent of the calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent from protein and 30 percent of the calories from fat. Rich in fiber and healthy fats, this meal will help to lower your bad cholesterol and give you a steady supply of energy, keeping your blood sugar stable.
Burritos
Whole wheat tortillas are versatile for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Spread one scrambled egg on the bottom half of an 8-inch tortilla, then top with 1 tsp. of ketchup. Roll burrito style. The egg burrito has 316 calories with 57 percent of the calories from carbs, 13 from protein and 30 percent of the calories from fat.
Mix a ½ cup of warmed fat-free refried beans with 2 tbsp. of salsa, then spread on an 8-inch tortilla. Top the mixture with a slice of low-fat American cheese; you may wish to heat this briefly just to melt the cheese. This bean burrito has 334 calories with 50 percent of the calories from carbs, 22 percent from protein and 28 percent of the calories from fat.
Chicken, Potatoes and Broccoli
Rotisserie chicken breast makes it easy for you to prepare a one-person meal. Pick up cooked chicken breast, two individually wrapped baking potatoes and a bag of ready-to-steam broccoli. Put one wrapped potato in the microwave and cook according to the directions on the package. Once the potato is done, steam the broccoli in the microwave. Cut one chicken breast into smaller pieces. Place the chicken breast, one potato and half of the broccoli on a plate for lunch or dinner. Top your broccoli with 1 tbsp. of your favorite dressing and top the potato with 1 tbsp. of light sour cream. Save the other half of the breast for another meal. Finish your meal with 1 cup of orange juice. The vitamin C in the juice enhances the absorption of iron in the chicken; iron improves the capacity of your cells to make energy for your daily activities, according to a 2006 article by Pamela Hinton, Ph.D. This meal has about 552 calories, with 50 percent of the calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and 20 percent of the calories from fat.
Rice and Salmon
Cook 2 cups of raw brown rice on the stove top or in a rice cooker. While the rice is cooking, season a 3-oz. portion of Atlantic salmon with your favorite spice blend. Slice a small zucchini and half of a sweet red pepper, then drizzle with the juice of half a lemon. Grill or pan-sear the salmon and veggies once your rice is nearly cooked. Measure 1 cup of cooked rice to eat with your fish and vegetables. This meal has 411 calories, with 48 percent of the calories from carbs, 25 percent from protein and 27 percent from primarily healthy, omega-3 fats.
References
- "Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance"; William McArdle, Frank Katch and Victor Katch; 2007
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Eat Like You're in Crete: Teach Your Clients the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet; Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D.; September/October 2007
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal;" Iron Deficiency in Physically Active Adults; Pamela Hinton, Ph. D.; September /October 2006
- "The NutriBase Complete Book of Food Counts"; NutriBase; 2001
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