It is easier than ever to put together quick, nutritious and
easy meals. Most supermarkets carry precut, washed and packaged
vegetables, in the produce section. Precut fruit is now
available, all year round. Most deli's carry rotisserie chicken
or turkey. These ingredients, added together, are a recipe for
stress free dinners. Here are five of my favorites.
Spinach Salad. On a plate, arrange two cups of washed and
packaged, baby spinach, a chopped, boiled egg and one tablespoon
of sliced almonds. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of parmesan
cheese. Serve with your favorite, low calorie, Italian dressing.
Roasted Chicken. On a plate, serve one piece of rotisserie
chicken, from the deli and one cup of your favorite frozen
vegetables which have been steamed in the microwave. Serve with
one small, whole wheat roll. For desert, have a cup of fresh
melon, with a splash of fresh orange juice and a sprinkle of
coconut.
Vegetable Medley. Choose your favorite medley of vegetables,
prewashed and cut. Steam about two cups, with a little water, in
the microwave until crisp tender. Toss with a little margarine,
about one teaspoon. Sprinkle with low fat cheddar cheese, about
two ounces, and microwave for one more minute. I love broccoli
and cauliflower cooked this way.
Poached Fish. In the frozen food section of your grocery store,
you can often find individually wrapped portions of tilapia,
haddock or salmon. Brush the fish with a little olive oil and
sprinkle with lemon pepper. From frozen fish to cooked, in the
microwave, only takes minutes. Serve this with a salad of mixed,
dark greens and low fat dressing. I enjoy this dinner with a
piece of good, dark bread.
Canned Soup and Sandwich. Soup and sandwich is an old standby,
for moms in a hurry. Read the label, carefully. Choose a soup
that has a lower salt and fat content. Try and choose soups that
are less than ninety calories, per cup. My favorite soup, on a
cold night, is tomato. Serve with one ounce of lean deli meat,
on whole wheat bread, with lettuce, tomato and mustard.
While these recipes serve one person, they can be doubled or
tripled to serve a family. With the variety of fresh foods that
are available and a microwave, simple and nutritious meals are
easier than ever, to serve. The next time you are in the produce
section of the supermarket, look around at the packaged and
prewashed selections of fruits and vegetables. I'll bet you come
up with some ideas, for nutritious and easy meals, of your own.
About the author:
Constance Weygandt is an author, speaker and balance mentor. For
more tips on nutrition and meals, visit her website at
http://www.balancedwellnessonline.com
