Time is of the essence, and at the end of a long day of work, the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time figuring out what to prepare for your family's dinner. There are many options that you can experiment with to prepare a healthy evening meal in a matter of minutes.
Chicken Stir Fry
Preparing a stir fried dish will provide you with a healthy dinner in minutes. Cook sliced, boneless chicken breast in a wok or a hot pan. Then, add colorful vegetables of your choice, for example, sliced carrots, broccoli florets, red bell peppers, mushrooms and onions. Combining vegetables in this dish will help satisfy the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Add a little grated ginger for extra kick, it's also a natural immune system booster. Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked (about six minutes) and the vegetables are heated but still crunchy, add 2 tbsp. of teriyaki sauce and stir for about a minute. Serve over brown rice instead of white rice for more fiber.
Grilled Salmon and Vegetables
Grilling salmon and vegetable skewers takes mere minutes and requires little seasoning. Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and will give you a great portion of your recommended protein intake for the day. Prepare salmon steaks by brushing with olive oil and sprinkling with sea salt and ground pepper. Grill for about three minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steaks. An easy way to grill vegetables is to skewer them. Choose a bright assortment of vegetables: red, green and yellow bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, zucchini and squash. Brush lightly with olive oil and lightly salt. Grill for three to four minutes and serve. Finish both the salmon and vegetables skewers with a little lemon juice.
Butterflied Chicken and New Potatoes
Butterflied chicken and new potatoes provides lots of flavor with little sodium. Prepare it in advance, for a quick meal the following night. Begin with a whole fryer chicken. Slice the chicken along its spine, butterflying it. Rub the chicken with olive oil, a little sea salt and ground pepper. Place the chicken in a large freezer bag along with a couple of sprigs or rosemary and half a sliced red onion. Squeeze the juice of one lemon in the bag and toss in the rind. Marinate overnight. To cook, simply pour the contents of the bag into a roasting pan, and add new potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes and serve with a green vegetable, like steamed broccoli or asparagus.
Beef and Vegetable Soup
Including lean beef in a beef and vegetable soup provides a good source of iron. Begin by dicing a lean cut of beef, like sirloin, and browning it. Then, in a large pot, pour 2 cups of water and a beef bouillon cube and bring to a boil. Add one diced potato, one bag of mixed frozen vegetables, containing corn, lima beans, carrots and green beans, and one small can of no-sodium tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and then add one chopped onion and the beef. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Pesto Pasta with Vegetables and Shrimp
Make pesto pasta and shrimp using premade pesto sauce to save prep time. Pesto is made from basil leaves, which are high in beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Cook whole wheat bow tie pasta until slightly firm, drain, and set aside. Using whole wheat pasta will increase your fiber intake. Saute shrimp in olive oil and lightly season with sea salt. Add squash, peas and tomatoes and continue to cook. Then just heat the sauce, and toss the pasta in with the sauce, vegetables and shrimp. Serve with a fresh salad, containing romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots for a dose of vitamins A, E and C.
Member Comments