Easy Short Cut Meals ...
Time starved?
Bringing your family back to the dinner table doesn’t mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a complicated meal. And you don’t have to sacrifice nutrition or flavor just because you’re busy. Quick and easy meals can be healthy and delicious. Here’s how.
The foundation for simple family meals starts with a smartly stocked kitchen. Keep these items on hand:
- Whole-grain pastas
- Brown rice
- Jarred sauces
- Canned beans
- Canned tuna
- Canned vegetables (choose no-salt-added varieties to keep sodium in check)
- Canned soups and broths (choose low sodium varieties to keep sodium in check)
- Frozen diced onions and frozen vegetable blends
- Frozen chicken breasts
- Frozen cooked shrimp
Another way to get a great dinner on the table with ease is to combine store-bought prepared foods with a little creativity. Try these 3 ideas using rotisserie chicken:
- To make a Mexican-style meal, combine one can corn, drained and 1 can black beans, drained in a microwave-safe casserole dish. Top with shredded rotisserie chicken, one cup of salsa and a sprinkling of shredded Mexican-style cheese. Heat in the microwave. Serve with a salad made from bagged, prewashed salad greens and bottled lowfat salad dressing.
- To make an entrée with Asian flair, combine chopped rotisserie chicken and one bag of coleslaw mix. Add chopped green onions and chopped peanuts or cashews. Toss with a light Asian-style sesame vinaigrette dressing.
- To make an Indian-style curried chicken salad, combine chopped rotisserie chicken, lowfat mayonnaise seasoned to taste with curry powder, toasted sliced almonds, chopped mango, pineapple chunks and raisins. Serve over salad greens or as a sandwich on toasted whole-grain bread.
