Quick Fix Meals!

With all the hustle and bustle of today's world, it seems that it can be really hard to actually find time to sit down and cook a healthy home cooked meal. While it seems easier to order in, carry out, or just pop in a frozen dinner, we all know that there are many health consequences that come with convenience foods. Not only are they more expensive (compared to actually making your own pizza or stir fry) but most delivery or fast foods are full of saturated fats, extra calories, sugar, and salt. With all these factors added up, then you will not only gain weight, but put your body at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. Today's post is about easy it is to make a fast and delicious meal at home.

Sauteed green beans and black peppered crab

On the right, you see a dinner I made that took less than 10 minutes to make. First, you just boil the green beans until they are a medium well texture. While the beans are boiling, chop, season, and cook your crab in a separate skillet. Finally, when the green beans are at a medium well texture--depending on how crisp you like them--stir them in with the crab and voila! You have a quick seafood and veggie stir fry.

Crab- $1.70
Green Beans- $1.50 lb
For $3.20 you bought enough to make this delicious paleo crab stir fry for two! This is still cheaper than any side option that you'll find at any Asian restaurant.

For all you meat lovers out there, here is quick dish that you will love to eat! Just like the recipe above, all you have to do is sautee the vegetables but this time, you add in onions in the beginning then your zucchini. For steak, you can either grill it in the George Foreman and then cut it up into strips OR you can cut the steak into strips and cook it to your desired doneness. Either way, you will be sure to have a healthy and tasty quick meal that is cheaper than restaurant alternatives.

Steak- $3.24 for a pack of 4 thin strips
White onion- 1 onion for around $.30
Zucchini- $.68
So for one person, this meal cost less than $2.00 to make!

 

For this quick pizza that I made for lunch, all you have to do is add topping to frozen whole grain pizza crust. I purchase them at my local Indian store, but I am sure that traditional grocery stores sell them as well. Before I bake them in oven with my toppings, I like to drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the crust. Once that is done, then you pour your tomato sauce, cheese, veggies, meats, and bake for 5-10 minutes at 400. Feel free to play with this for different crust and cheese likings.
Whole Grain Crust- package of 4- $2.00
Shredded Cheese- $2.48
Spinach- $1.28 a bunch
Bell Peppers- SALE $.50 each
Tomato Sauce- $1.08
So for $7.34 I bought enough ingredients to make 4 pizzas, or $1.83 each
Here are some more quick and healthy meals

• Whole wheat spaghetti and sauce
• Grilled chicken on the George Foreman, 1 serving of Annie's Homegrown mac n cheese
• 5 Minute bean and cheese quesidillas
• Homemade vegetarian chili using canned black beans and vegetables
• Stir Fry and ready brown rice
• Taco Salad
• Loaded Sweet Potato with black beans 
• Broiled salmon and ready brown rice

-Eating Clean in College