Some Easy Food Ideas

[meggs353 118]

Here are some food ideas I've been enjoying this summer, along with some tips to make the prep super fast. I call these "recipes" (in quotes) because they don't include measurements (except the last one). They're more meant to serve as inspiration.

My first tip is that, I've been buying pre-cooked quinoa and brown rice recently and keeping it in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. Brown rice (or your favorite grain, farro would be lovely) can be swapped for quinoa in any of these "recipes", though quinoa has the least carbs and highest Protein of the bunch (since it's a seed, not a grain). Quinoa is really easy to cook, and if you make a big batch you can portion and freeze the left overs. But the pre-cooked version is great when you're too tired to even boil Water.

Cheesy Quinoa:

- Mix prepared quinoa with skim milk, or fat free yogurt, and your favorite sharp melting cheese. Pop in the microwave and stir regularly. I like to add some veg for Fiber and Vitamins too. Chopped Tomato, broccoli, or zucchini are my favs. For an extra boost of vegetarian Protein throw in some canned black Beans.

-- I like to keep frozen veg on hand for times like this, and I buy pre-shredded extra sharp cheddar (a small grating of fresh, real, Parmesan cheese adds a nice nutty saltiness too)

Summer Caprese

- Fill your (small) plate with really good fresh mozzarella cheese (tear it from the ball, don't slice, for a rustic feel), the best summer tomatoes you can find, and fresh summer corn. Top with olive oil, course salt, fresh ground pepper, and your favorite fresh herbs if you have them on hand. You'll get protein from the cheese, healthy fat from the olive oil, and Fiber and nutrition from the veg. Yum!

- I love to have fresh corn in the summer - I throw them in the oven with husks still on right on the oven grates, then store in the fridge in gallon size bags. Frozen, defrosted corn would work fine too though

Quinoa Kale Pesto with Shrimp

- Some time many months ago I was feeling ambitious and made a kale pesto, and froze the left overs in an ice cube tray, that now sit in a baggie in my freezer (to be inspired, the "recipe" included kale, bacon fat, pecans and Parmesan cheese). Recently I broke out a few cubes, mixed with pre-cooked quinoa, pre-cooked frozen/defrosted shrimp, and some pieces of frozen kale. You can sub a store-bought or fresh pesto of your choosing. I heated it up (microwave) with some anchovy slices for an extra Omega hit and salty kick. I was able to split one small bowl between Breakfast and lunch because it filled me up so much

Quinoa Chickpea Sardine salad

- in this case I'm using salad as in "tuna salad" or "egg salad", not as in lettuce salad

- This one packs a macro-nutrient punch, though it doesn't have any veg the way I made it (celery, or tomato would be good though)

- Mix canned chickpeas with quinoa, and a tin of sardines (I used the kind packed in olive oil, but don't pour all the oil in). I then mixed well with some all-natural mayo, and seasoned with salt, pepper, celery seed, and dried thyme. I'm trying to work seafood into my diet more, so this was a great way to get some in. The quinoa, sardines and chickpeas all have protein, and the sardines, oil, and chickpeas have healthy fat. And the mayo, in moderation, is just there because it tastes good! (The brand I bought actually has 25% DV of Vitamin E per serving - so that is slightly redeeming)

And finally, last but not least, one of my favorite things I ever learned how to cook: Cheese Sauce. It comes out so creamy and delicious I promise skim milk works great. This sauce is amazing mixed with spaghetti squash which...you can cook whole in the microwave (just be sure to pierce it with a knife to avoid explosion)! Yum. I swear you will not miss the pasta! It goes great on anything you want cheesy.

Cheese Sauce (this is an actual recipe - scale up or down using the proportions below)

- Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil or butter, 1 tbsp flour, 1 cup skim milk, 1 oz grated sharp melting cheese, salt to taste

- Heat the oil/butter in a pot, and add the flour and cook slightly until the flour is fully incorporated and a light caramel color.

- Slowly whisk in the milk, ensuring the flour mixture dissolves

- Keep whisking over med-low heat until the mixture becomes thick and creamy (this is a bechamel!)

- Add your cheese until it melts and salt to taste

- This recipe take some actual work unlike the others, but it's so tasty it's hard to pass up

I hope these ideas can serve as inspiration! Meal prep doesn't have to be hard. The freezer and microwave can be your friend, without reaching for processed meals.

[_Kate_ 2,224]

Thank you for the ideas (which I am keeping ) It's going to be a while before I can try them as I am only 4 weeks out but nice to hear about different recipes I can try!

[Cervidae 2,389]

Great ideas, thank you for sharing!

[esskay77 785]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!