Where HOMEMADE-QUICK-SIMPLE-DELICIOUS-HEALTHY meet

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:59 pm

I like meals with these 5 components.
A healthy eating culture in our life often fails because of todayâ€™s busy lifestyles.
Could I interest you in sharing your H-Q-S-D-H meal/drink ideas in this thread for us all to glean from?
Without saying, these terms are not exact parameters but relative and probably differ from person to person.
Still, please try to keep these 5 criteria intact, otherwise itâ€™d just turn out to be another recipe thread and not â€œcomsumerfriendlyâ€ because of peopleâ€™s time constraints.
My first example; a few days ago I had a scrumptious guacamole lunch (2 servings):
1 avocado meshed up with a fork
1 tomato cut into very small pieces
1-2 gloves garlic, crushed
some freshly squeezed lime juice
fresh cilantro, cut up (optional)
salt, pepper
tortilla chips (natural kind; made with salt and healthy oil)
Mix all ingredients (except the chips) well and spread on crusty baguette slices. Mmmh.
_________________

Heddi

BrightAngel · Post by **BrightAngel** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:08 pm

I...PERSONALLY...
consider every recipes I've posted here to be:
Homemade, Quick, Simple, Delicious and Healthy.
http://www.diethobby.com/section.php?n=15&sec=2&cid=all

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:20 pm

Multiple pasta recipes fall into this category for me, as long as one takes a reasonable portion of pasta and fills the rest of the plate with salad/veg.

- Angel hair with clam sauce (can of clams, with juice thickened with cornstarch, handful of basil added)
- Tortellini with pesto (I make the pesto ahead and freeze)

Other "standards"

- Black bean and tomato soup
Sautee a little garlic and/or onion in olive oil, add black beans (cooked from dry or canned - about 2 cans equivalent), diced tomatoes (fresh or 1 can), tablespoon of chili powder. Simmer 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend to desired consistency. If desired, top bowls with a bit of grated cheddar and/or crushed tortilla chips.

- Salmon many ways (lemon and dill; honey mustard, etc.) takes 10-15 minutes in oven. Cous-cous makes a fast grain, add veg. (Note: if using honey-mustard, put on after salmon is mostly cooked - last minute or two - so it doesn't burn.)

These are just off the top of my head. For years, I had half-an-hour or less to make dinner each weeknight, so most things I cook would fit this requirement.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:57 pm

My go-to quick meal as of late is Simple Crispy Tacos. They're great as written, but I've also added shredded leftover beef, pork and chicken (not all at the same time!). I think shrimp would be a good addition, too.

I've been using a locally produced cheddar cheese, but you could use Monterey Jack or Cotija.

I serve them with a really simple slaw: shredded cabbage, salt, lime juice and a little sugar. Make this first so the cabbage wilts a little.

.

Over43 · Post by **Over43** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:38 am

My healthy meal is an Egg McMuffin and an orange juice in the morning.

TUK · Post by **TUK** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:15 am

Over43 wrote:My healthy meal is an Egg McMuffin and an orange juice in the morning.

Fair enough

NoelFigart · Post by **NoelFigart** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:16 am

Meat-n-veggies onna carb of various sorts:

Stir fries are high on the list. Put on the rice. Chop the veggies and meat. Throw in meat and strongly aromatic veggies (Onions, garlic, ginger... whatever), throw in veggies according to cooking time required (for example, Carrots first, then broccoli, then peppers). By the time the meat and veggies are cooked, the rice is done.

It takes me about 30-35 minutes from fridge to table to do a stir fry.

While you specify quick, I will point out that there's a million crock pot meals you can set up the night before, toss in the crock pot and have ready when you get home. I tend to throw in a green salad for many of these meals as overcooked veggies are not to my taste.

OH GOD!!!

SALADS! It's starting to feel like Fall where I live, but OMG OMG OMG, salads for dinner in hot weather are amazingly quick if they suit your tastes. (I love 'em). Use spinach as a leafy base rather than iceberg lettuce and you're getting a great nutritional bang for your buck.

Eileen7316 · Post by **Eileen7316** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 1:36 pm

wosnes wrote:My go-to quick meal as of late is Simple Crispy Tacos.

Wosnes, I tried the recipe you linked to above for my dinner the other night. I added some fish that I had sauteed with cajun spices. They were absolutely delicious! And cooking them in the fry pan like that made it very easy to do. Thanks for posting the link!

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:10 pm

Eileen7316 wrote:
wosnes wrote:My go-to quick meal as of late is Simple Crispy Tacos.

Wosnes, I tried the recipe you linked to above for my dinner the other night. I added some fish that I had sauteed with cajun spices. They were absolutely delicious! And cooking them in the fry pan like that made it very easy to do. Thanks for posting the link!

I was amazed at how incredibly easy and tasty they are. The funny thing is that I like tacos, but rarely make them. Since I've made these, I always have the fixin's on hand.

I've also added fish and like them very much. They're great as written, but adding fish, chicken or meat takes them to a different level. I made a brisket over the weekend and used some in the tacos. Delicious! I'll have to admit that it wasn't an original idea, but adapted from Homesick Texan's Brisket Tacos. They might be lunch today.

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:26 pm

Thank you all for posting. Iâ€™ve decided to read this thread after eating...otherwise I get overwhelmed by all these tasteful meal choices.

The other evening (it was very hot here, in the 90â€™s) I threw together a quick salad as a main dish (2-3 servings):
Lettuce leaves (my favorite has green and red leaves);
tomato, small cucumber (better taste), carrot, chicory leaves;
can kidney beans, Â½ can chickpeas, feta cheese cubes (goat/sheep/cow; sometimes I substitute crisp fried chicken/turkey breast strips as a protein source);
optional: sliced olives, alfalfa sprouts, sliced apple, walnut pieces (not too small);
salt/pepper, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil.
I transfer mixed salad into a large bowl and onto my plate and add the bread of my choice etc. to fill plate.
I realize this is a basic salad idea, but this is very delicious with good quality ingredients. I also like it because you can be so creative with it, and itâ€™s heart healthy...
The feta cubes are important because the cheese mixes a little with the rest and makes salad creamier. However, some people like the cubes scrambled on top.
I found it tastes best with a smaller number of the types of vegetables, otherwise the taste experience becomes too mixed, but that's just my opinion.

For us newbies: 2 1/2 more days till weekend. We can do this.

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Hedster

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:52 pm

I just checked my last post - at first sight this salad may not be so quick.
If I'm in a hurry I buy pre-packaged salad mixes (I try to get the kind with lots of dark greens) and add 1-2 types of vegetables.
For the experienced cooks here, you probably roll your eyes about this "basic stuff," but for others it may be helpful, as they try to move into this new NoS lifestyle.
Considering myself a newbie, still - easy, no-fuss meals from scratch help me tremendously to stay in the GREEN.
I hope this thread is of help to someone, maybe to some of the guys who feel the need to start cooking a little...
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Heddi

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:57 pm

You might also go through the "intelligent dietary defaults" thread - most of those are simple/fast and many of them healthy.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:57 pm

A summertime favorite -- especially when it's hot out:

Chop a tomato or cut grape or cherry tomatoes in half.
Add some chopped onion, whatever you have on hand or like
Add some chopped bell pepper (I like to use green)
Add some peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
Add some feta cheese if you have it
Finally, add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas.

Then, dress the salad with olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

VARIATION: omit feta and chickpeas, add avocado and raw corn. Substitute lime juice for lemon. You can add some diced jalapeÃ±o to this if you like.

You can serve this alongside pan-seared or grilled meat or fish or you can add leftover meat or fish to it.

I've posted these links before, but I think it's time to post them again. They're all from Mark Bittman (his book Kitchen Express has similar recipes)

101 Simple Salads for the Season

101 Fast Recipes for Grilling

101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less

101 Picnic Dishes to Make in 20 Minutes

vmsurbat · Post by **vmsurbat** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:21 pm

A favorite summer meal we had today: Mediterranean Tuna and White Bean Salad. This is a classic recipe and versions can be found all over the internet. The way I make it:

In a bowl, whisk together dressing

2 T lemon juice
2 T olive oil
1/4 t. salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1.4 t. crushed red chile flakes (can skip if you don't like a little heat)

Then add and mix together gently:

1 can (450gr) of white/cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 can tuna, drained (I use water packed, if I used oil-packed, I might go lighter with oil in the dressing.)
1/4 c. minced onion (red, green, mild white--whatever you have)
1/4c-1c. chopped fresh parsley. I usually aim for 1 c but get tired of rinsing, drying, destemming, and mincing long before I'm done and end up with 1/3-1/2 c. chopped. Don't use dried! Only fresh!

That's it! It is fabulously refreshing and works well in a pita, wrap, on a bed of lettuce, put in a tomato flower. And leftovers work the next day, too. Yum!

resident0063 · Post by **resident0063** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 12:25 am

Enjoying all these salad ideas. I like a good vinegarette. Just olive oil, vinegar (either balsamic or red wine or combination of both) sometimes I'll add mustard and then I always add sugar not much but a teaspoon for a cups worth. Sugar makes a huge difference.

Other good meal ideas are breakfast. French toast, eggs, bacon are all easy and cheap to make. Sandwiches. These are so much better when you can add mayo and cheese again. More indulgent meals but simple

Process butter, a little garlic, and basil together. Get large shrimp, cleaned but with shells still on. Costco has them frozen for 4 lbs and defrosted they are perfect. Stuff shells with butter mixture. Toss on grill 3-5 minutes aside till done. Serve with lemon. I make this for a large group but it can be scaled down.

Roast chicken. Thomas Keller is easily found on youtube. Clean chicken. Dry. Season. Truss (YouTube shows you to do this if you don't know) stick in the oven. Comes perfect.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:26 am

resident0063 wrote:Enjoying all these salad ideas. I like a good vinegarette. Just olive oil, vinegar (either balsamic or red wine or combination of both) sometimes I'll add mustard and then I always add sugar not much but a teaspoon for a cups worth. Sugar makes a huge difference.

Process butter, a little garlic, and basil together. Get large shrimp, cleaned but with shells still on. Costco has them frozen for 4 lbs and defrosted they are perfect. Stuff shells with butter mixture. Toss on grill 3-5 minutes aside till done. Serve with lemon. I make this for a large group but it can be scaled down.

I sometimes add a little soy sauce to vinaigrette. About the same amount as mustard (whether I'm using mustard or not!). It really adds something.

I'd use garlic, lemon zest and parsley with the butter.

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:27 am

Wonderful (summer) meal, salad and vinaigrette ideas! I also found, sometimes it's the little things in a recipe that makes the big difference in taste. I'll be trying some of these within the next few days. Thank you all.
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Heddi

ironchef · Post by **ironchef** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:09 am

It is winter time here, so not doing as many salads. Our slow cooker is getting a big workout at the moment! Some of my quick go-to meals below. I like to have a few things I can make mostly from the pantry, in case we haven't been to the shops lately.

Vegetarian Chilli - chickpeas, kidney beans (or any other beans you have on hand) canned or fresh corn, red onion and a jar of hot salsa. Fry the veg lightly in a splash of olive oil, then add the beans and salsa and heat through. Throw in anything else you like from the fridge or pantry (e.g. red or green peppers, tinned or fresh diced tomato, etc). Great in soft tortilla, over rice, on toast. I like it with lots of oregano.

Tuna Pasta Salad - a medium or small pasta (e.g. spirals, farfalle, rigatoni), some tinned tuna, black olives (or capers), chopped tomato, english spinach. Add some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. My husband likes it with grated cheese.

Whenever I cook something a little more time consuming, I make extra and freeze. In my freezer are pre-cooked batches of red quinoa, brown rice, chickpeas and so on. Makes it easy to take out and throw into a hearty salad or use with some veg and grilled meat.

Also, cous cous - the staple of the quick cook. Just chuck in a bowl, pour on boiling water from the kettle and cover with a plate. A few minutes later, fluff it with a fork and you're good to go.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:47 pm

I think all these should be on Intelligent Dietary Defaults (sticky). This thread will get pushed down and lost. A shame!

But avocado dip on bread would not be a meal for me, unless it was breakfast. I'd probably mash in some cottage cheese. Add freggies.

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 11:34 am

Oolala, an IDD could be a good idea. I think I would need to ask Reinhard's opinion on that and how to do this.
Reinhard, help!

I absolutely love guacamole spread, especially on fresh, crisp, robust bread and therefore do whatever it takes to make it the main part of a meal, whether it's BF, LN or DN.

So, on my plate would go 5-6 slices of baguette with the spread, a few tortilla chips, some fruit, often 100g fruit joghurt (one can buy them here in tiny containers), maybe a sm. chunk of hard cheese (Italian Padano or such). I mix the spread with lots of tomato pieces and cilantro and therefore it's thick and junky, mmh! Because avocado has such a high fat content, it is very filling to me, so that I usually don't need the cheese. Most of my (our) meals have a significant amout of protein but I sometimes go without much protein, on purpose.
I love Italian and Mexican fare and sometimes mix both for meals.

A good weekend to all.
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Heddi

snapdragon · Post by **snapdragon** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 8:36 pm

Family dinners that are quick and somewhat healthy.
Pasta with meat sauce

Hamburger patties topped with mushrooms and cheese(if I have buns then I use buns) I love it wrapped in lettuce though

Thin chicken breasts with about a teaspoon of pest and a sprinkle of mozzarella rolled and baked in the oven (350 check after 30 mon)

Whatever meat on sale like pork chops sirloin steak chicken breasts seasoned and sautÃ©ed with whatever veg I have and potatoes if I have them.

Marinate meat the night before and you can broil it quick.

My kids are kinda picky so most nights I stick with simple dinners. These are things I prepare when we are rushing like nights my kids have sports and I didn't get a chance to put something more elaborate together. There is always eggs, toast and fruit.

snapdragon · Post by **snapdragon** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:26 pm

Okay some more thoughts on this......

I keep plain whole fat Greek yogurt in my fridge because it is divinely delicious. I never liked yogurt until I tried whole fat. I can eat reduced fat sour cream, and some cheeses, but yogurt no way.

Yogurt is a terrific tenderizer, but if you marinate meat in it more than six hours it makes the texture weird. I like to chop garlic and whatever herbs I have with lemon or vinegar and whatever spices I'm in the mood for and use that as a marinade. My current favorite is Dijon dressing( walmart brand found in produce) mixed with garlic and yogurt.

I also use it to make sauces. I have a chimichurri recipe somewhere that uses yogurt instead of oil that it crazy good. I often add garlic salt pepper, and whatever else I have to make to yogurt to make a sauce for my meats. Or a dip for veggies.

Another sauce I love to throw together is tahini, garlic, roasted red pepper from a jar, vinegar, and crushed red pepper purred in a food proscessor. You can add a spoonful of yogurt to that too.

I like to cook a little extra meat and use it another day to make tacos,wraps, or a hash, a salad just be creative.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:38 am

heddi, what I was saying is that we already have an Intelligent Dietary Defaults thread with people's suggestions for quick meals, most even a bit more than Reinhard's optimized oatmeal.

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1732

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 10:22 pm

Hi all. I like this thread - so many quick and interesting recipe/meal ideas to explore and try out. I'll print these out so that I have them handy. In my estimation, the IDD thread is similar to this one but has a somewhat different angle. It targets standbys (which I have myself, and they're very helpful) and has turned out to be more about listing ideas, not the actual recipes/preparations. The IDD does have some more detailed recipes, also.
I find the above thread refreshing because of the practical preparations, tips, recipe links, also BrightAngel's recipe collection.

Have a joyous weekend feast - SOMETIMES

(I'm posting this at 0:20 o'clock Saturday morning)
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Hedster

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Thu Sep 27, 2012 10:51 pm

I found this marvelous 5-ingredient recipe in NoelFigart's Daily Check-In. Thank you, Noel!

NoelFigart wrote:Here's a fall recipe for those that like such things:

Sweet Potato Bake

3 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4" discs with skin on
3 cooking apples (You want something firmly tart)
1 small onion, sliced into rings
butter
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

In a 3 qt baking dish, layer 1/2 the sweet potatoes across the bottom, covering the dish. Add a layer of 1/2 the apples, and finish with 1/2 the onions. Add a couple of pats of butter and a sprinkle of salt, then repeat layers. Add some walnuts if desired.

Bake for ~45 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.

This is a favorite fall dish of mine. A lot of people put brown sugar on sweet potatoes, but don't even try it with this dish. It'd make it cloyingly sweet. This goes especially well with pork and poultry dishes.

Fall is my favorite season - the sunny days, colors, rain, fog, cold, pumpkins and sweet potatoes, sweaters - I love it all.
Now that I found it, DH and I will enjoy this recipe many weeks to come, I'm sure. I might add some poultry (strips) before baking it, though.

Hope someone else takes a liking to this simple dish. Doesn't it take you back, just a little, to the old pioneer days? Well, I myself merely immigrated, but I like to fake it...

Since I'm fairly new at this I presume I'm not frustrating anyone, keeping this thread alive.
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Heddi

Blithe Morning · Post by **Blithe Morning** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 12:14 am

That sweet potato dish sounds delicious. I have some sweet potatoes that need to be used up. I'll give it a bash.

My Homemade, Quick, Simple, Delicious and Healthy go to recipes are:

Anything with Mark Bittman's tomato sauce. Drain 2 cans of diced tomatoes. While they are draining, heat a good slug of EVOO in a saucepan. Dice onions and mushrooms. Saute. I like to add Italian seasoning too. Once the veggies are limp, add the drained tomatoes. Add a good slug of drinkable red wine. (not the cooking wine) let simmer. DH likes his sauce a little thicker so I use an immersion blender on it. Good stuff on pasta or spaghetti squash.

Another HQSDH dish is frittata, basically egg pie or unscrambled eggs. I brown bacon (or heat EVOO if I don't have bacon) in a heat proof skillet. Add diced veggies (onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc) and saute till soft. In a separate dish whisk 6 eggs, pour over skillet. Add grated cheese if desired. Let cook about 5 minutes more. Finish under a broiler set on low.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 3:46 pm

Just as a suggestion: I've made a similar recipe but I usually throw in some similarly cut acorn or other winter squashes as well. I try to bake or roast to capacity when I do and find most of these keep well. (I'm single, so foods don't get eaten up fast, but I like to be efficient with resources, though I don't use microwaves.)

heatherhikes · Post by **heatherhikes** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:23 pm

Thanks for sharing, ladies.
Simple dishes help me (and others, I'd guess) to assure that I DO cook and don't get lazy, especially during early evening hours when I get home...maybe some of us cook ahead.

Sounds delicioso, Blithe!

oolala, I appreciate the idea with the winter squash; my mouth is watering already, LOL.
There was a recipe for mashed pumpkin being demonstrated on TV today. I learnt that, when we first roast/bake the pumpkin slices in the oven, the pumpkin develops a marvelous toasty-like and rich aroma, maybe similar to your squash bake.
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Heddi

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:27 pm

There's a store here that has 16/21 or 21/25 wild caught American shrimp on sale about every six weeks or so. When they do, I buy a pound and divide it up into individual portions and freeze. Shrimp defrost quickly and cook even more quickly. In addition to being quick to cook, they're endlessly versatile.

I make a tomato sauce much like Blithe Morning's and sometimes cook (or bake) the shrimp in that, adding a little feta cheese. Delicious. I also make roasted broccoli with shrimp and last week I made this shrimp scampi appetizer, but used it as a main dish with sala and crusty bread. They can be used in salads and stir fries and many other ways.

That's just what i can think of quickly.