Quick, Healthy Meals?

[HeyMeganZ]

Our whole foods also stopped carrying the frozen stir fry veggies (it was devastating!), !).

THIS!! I remember this, I was so sad too! Going to TJ is a bit too intense for me (and not close to our apt). Adding spinach to sauce is a good idea, I'll start doing that. And I'm going to see if I can get the no-carb after 6pm thing working.

How do you cook Quinoa?

[ides]

When I lived in the city I would go once a month to tj's & stock up and use their delivery. If I went on the weekend I went first thing in the morning. Sometimes I'd go on a week night. Made it doable.

[JDAZ11]

THIS!! I remember this, I was so sad too! Going to TJ is a bit too intense for me (and not close to our apt). Adding spinach to sauce is a good idea, I'll start doing that. And I'm going to see if I can get the no-carb after 6pm thing working.

How do you cook Quinoa?

We really just started eating it - so only have one recipe right now (and it actually isn't really a recipe - I just watched someone make it once and have been copying ever since!). I just follow the directions on the package for cooking it and then when it is just about finished, I add a bunch of chopped cucumber, peppers, and cherry tomatoes. I leave them in there to cook a little (DF thinks I'm wrong about this - when he makes it he takes the pot off the burner at this point. I guess I like when the veggies are a little mushier, and he apparently doesn't, lol). Then a few minutes later we add some feta (we usually use fat free feta - it tastes WAY better with real feta, but we only do that if someone else is eating with us) and stir it into the quinoa. Then finally we squeeze a little lime juice on it and add some pepper. I think it's pretty good and reheats very well. Except for the chopping, it is really quick and easy.

There was also a really delicious looking quinoa recipe posted here a little bit ago... (I haven't tried it, but it's probably better than this one!)

[JDAZ11]

THIS!! I remember this, I was so sad too! Going to TJ is a bit too intense for me (and not close to our apt).

I can't believe you remember that too, so funny. I was so annoyed - I have no idea why they did that. For a long time I thought that they were just sold out, I probably looked at the frozen vegetable section every week hoping they would bring it back!

TJ's is very intense - but I did exactly the same thing ides did. I just did one big trip once a month or so and it was so worth it. I don't think I noticed that they delivered to my apt until a few months before I moved, so I got in the habit of dragging my DF with me on weekends and taking a cab home - even with the cab it was still so much cheaper than shopping anywhere else. Groceries in NYC are so expensive - and half the time the grocery store isn't even clean... grestedes, what a rip off!!). TJs prices were so much better and I found that it really helped balance out my whole foods obsession.

[diggitydot]

Quinoa is super-easy. Rinse it well before cooking, though. The plant has a bitter-tasting coating that usually isn't fully removed in the processing, even if the packaging says it's already been washed.

You can also cook it with raisins, cinnamon, and a little sugar to make breakfast, too. That's our oldest's favorite way to eat it. We use quinoa a lot as a rice substitute.

[JDAZ11]

Quinoa is super-easy. Rinse it well before cooking, though. The plant has a bitter-tasting coating that usually isn't fully removed in the processing, even if the packaging says it's already been washed.

You can also cook it with raisins, cinnamon, and a little sugar to make breakfast, too. That's our oldest's favorite way to eat it. We use quinoa a lot as a rice substitute.

great tip! I don't think we've ever rinsed it I will definitely remember to try that next time!!!

I love the breakfast idea also, thank you!

Spicy Citrus Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Salad (4 servings)
4 4 oz salmon fillets
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
dash salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
cooking spray 12 spears asparagus
4 cups mixed salad greens
1 orange peeled and sliced into wedges
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
2 tbsp feta cheese
2 tbsp chopped walnuts

Salad Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp orange zest
1 oz orange juice
1 oz lemon juice
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
salt and pepper

Combine brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Rub on fish, cover and chill at least 30 mins
Grill asparagus on rack coated with cooking spray for 5-7 mins. Grill fish skin side up 5 mins each side
Toss greens with dressing and top with grilled salmon, etc. (I like to include orzo pasta also)

[diggitydot]

That's kind of similar to how we do salmon. DH is Native American and lived most of his childhood on a reservation outside Seattle. Dude KNOWS his salmon. I never measure anything unless I'm baking, but this is what we do with salmon:

We usually do an entire half (filet) at a time. Take a large cooking sheet, cover with foil (with enough hanging over the ends to fold back over and cover everything). To prep the salmon, I slice up a couple small limes and a lemon and set them aside. Then I lightly sprinkle salt, pepper, paparika, and chili or chipotle powder over the flesh. Next, I sprinkle brown sugar over the spices. Finally, I take the lemon/lime slices and lay them on top of the sugar. (You can also sprinkle some lemon or lime juice over the fruit, too.) I then fold over the extra foil, crimp all the edges so that the steam will help keep things moist and then pop it into a 350F oven for about 20-30 minutes (depends on the size of the filet). Even though it's a fatty fish, it dries out pretty easily. If we're going to grill it, we do so on cedar plank soaked in water to help keep it moist and tender.

Oh cedar plank! I'll have to try that, thanks!

[HeyMeganZ]

This is all great cedar, daz11 and diggitydot! My DH doesn't eat fish, but I ususally try to prepare a piece of chicken however I've cooked my fish. The tinfoil is great and a cedar plank works well (although I rarely get to do this in the city). Never cooked quinoa, so I will for sure remember to wash it.

I tried to ask if he would eat lettuce wraps last night andf I just got a look.

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/10/24/bla...uash-burritos/
THIS recipe has gotten rave reviews...it's a black bean and butternut squash burrito. It's excellent!

[diggitydot]

Lettuce wraps are awesome and not terribly tough to make. It's kind of a one-pot thing and really yummy. The meat you use or the veggies can vary, but so long as you remember to use some hoisin sauce, it will turn out just like the restaurant version.

[DCJenn]

During the week, I pretty much eliminate any recipe that has more than five ingredients and I either buy pre-chopped veggies or I spend some time on Sundays chopping peppers, onions and mushrooms so that I can just cook when I get home from work.

We also buy the big things of greens and have a salad nearly every single day.

Fresh tortellini is so easy and easy to freeze. There are a couple low-fat kinds out there.

Oh my word Megan, I think we have very similar tastes in blogs-I love ohsheglows! Hmm...I saw this in a magazine and it was good and easy to make:
Grilled Chicken with Yogurt-Herb Sauce
3 lbs chicken cut into quarters or 4 boneless breasts
1 cup parsley leaves tightly packed
1/3 cup basil leaves tightly packed
1 garlic clove
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup greek yogurt

Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken
Puree herbs, honey, garlic, salt, cayenne, and olive oil until smooth
Use half of mixture to marinate chicken, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours
Grill chicken over low heat turning until firm to touch
Rest chicken 10 mins.
Mix remaining puree with yogurt, drizzle over chicken and add grilled veggies of choice

[JDAZ11]

Agreed - we eat these often too. There is also a frozen chicken burger from TJ's that is very good (can't recall the name, but it's in a yellow/orange box). A well stocked freezer is the best when you have a busy schedule.

BTW - we had these last night. The box is actually red (oops!) and they are called chili lime chicken burgers. With a big salad, literally took about 6 min to make (so much faster than nyc delivery!).

Ok, I have to try these because school's making things hectic and I trust you guys