Looking for some easy healthy breakfast ideas? Here’s my go-to list. I don’t normally have time to eat breakfast before work, so I’ll often make something easy that I can grab on my way out the door and either eat in the car or at my desk when I get to work. Continue reading “Healthy Breakfast Ideas”
Category: Meal
Pasta Mish Mash
Serves: 2 people
Hands-on time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
This pasta dish is a great way to use up leftover items from the week. A thick pasta (penne or fusilli work great) plus a ton of veggies and some protein are all it takes. The ingredients are very flexible, and I’ve never had a bad batch!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb thick pasta such as penne or fusilli (gluten free preferred)
- 1 C of onions, peppers, shallots, fennel, cabbage or other fragrant vegetable with a lot of water content
- 1 C any leftover non-starchy vegetable such as broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.
- 1-2 cloves of garlic
- 1-1/2 C leftover protein
- meat-based: chicken sausages, meatballs, chicken, steak, pork chops, etc.
- vegan/vegetarian: cooked chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, pine nuts, peas, soybeans, etc.
- 1/2 C white wine or chicken broth (veggie broth if vegetarian/vegan)
- 1/2 tsp italian seasonings (or herbs de provence)
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- parmesan cheese (optional, omit if vegan or dairy-free)
Gluten Free Quesadilla (10-Minute Lunch)
This gluten-free quesadilla is made with corn tortillas that contain no flour. If you aren’t gluten-sensitive, feel free to buy the corn tortillas that have flour in them if you like them better. The GF tortillas I buy from Trader Joe’s have only corn and lime, and as such they are somewhat prone to fall apart with too much handling.
Cutting this into four wedges makes it easier to eat without falling apart.
The photo shows the quesadillas on a paper plate served with a small side of leftover roasted potatoes.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 seconds |
| Servings |
person
|
Ingredients
- 2 corn tortillas GF preferred
- 2 slices nitrate-free lunch meat
- 1/2 oz cheddar cheese chopped up
- 1/4 avocado slices
- Baby romaine or spinach leaves
- 1/4 c pico de gallo or salsa but check label for hidden sugars
Ingredients
|
Instructions
- Put 2 tortillas side by side
- Using the back of a fork, mash the avocado onto one tortilla. Put some slivers of cheese on the other.
- Put the slices of lunch meat on top of the cheese. Put the one with the cheese and meat on it on a paper towel and heat in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Arrange the leafy greens on top of the meat. Place the other tortilla on top, with the mashed avocado side down.
- Cut into four wedges with a knife or pizza cutter.
- Put a couple spoonfuls of salsa in a small glass dish, cover with a small piece of paper towel and heat in the microwave for just a few seconds.
- Dip the quesadilla wedge into the salsa and enjoy. Yum!
Share this Recipe
Easy Crunchy Cucumber Salad
1 stalk celery
3-4 mini english cucumbers or pickling cucumbers
1/2 tsp garlic salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil (or to taste)
1 tsp red wine vinegar (or to taste)
(Or 2 tsp white wine vinegar)
1. Peel the cucumbers leaving a few thin strips of green on them for color. Trim off the ends. Slice thinly.
2. Wash and thinly slice the celery.
3. Add all ingredients to a zip lock bag and shake. Let sit for 20-30 minutes while you make the rest of your dinner. Either in the frig or on the counter.
Right before serving, pour the salad into a nice bowl and top with a few sprigs of cilantro or parsley (optional).
Enjoy!
(Sorry, forgot to take a picture, will add it next time I make this!)
Sweet Fruit & Veggie Smoothie
I experiment a lot with different combinations of ingredients in my smoothies. The vast majority come out “good”, some come out “meh” and once in a while a combination will come out fantastic.
Of course everyone’s taste is different, and much depends on the quality of your ingredients… but I personally thought this smoothie came out fantastic. The combination of fruits and sweet veggies along with the almond butter makes this yummy smoothie one that can serve as an entire meal.
Ingredients:
2 C (or so) of red seedless grapes, washed
1 apple, cored and chopped into 4 pieces or so
2 dates, pits removed
1 carrot, scrubbed and cut into a few pieces
1 stalk celery with leaves, washed and cut into 3-4 pieces
1 large banana
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 small piece of lime without rind (lemon works too)
1/2 C organic gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 C hemp seeds (optional)
2 big tablespoons of almond butter
1 tray of ice
1 sm carton of high protein yogurt (optional)
a little bit of water (if needed) to get it to your preferred consistency
Put everything in your Vita-Mix or Blend-Tec (or other high-powered) blender and use the instructions provided by your manufacturer to bring it up to high speed as quickly as possible. Blend on high for about 45 seconds.
Serves 2
Roasted Turkey Thighs & Potatoes with Broccoli
Serves 2-4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hr 30 minutes
This weeknight meal is so effortless, it practically makes itself! If you use very large thighs you will have leftover meat to use in another meal later in the week.
Ingredients
- 1 package of (2) turkey thighs
- 1-2 Tbsp steak or other rub-type seasoning blend
- 2 baking potatoes (white or sweet)
- 1 bunch of broccoli (or replace with green beans or zucchini or salad or whatever greens you like)
- olive oil
- Salt & pepper or other desired seasoning
- Potato fixings: Butter, chives, sour cream or plain greek yogurt
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375F on convection, or 400F on regular.
- Scrub the potatoes under running water, and wrap them in squares of tinfoil. Puncture with a sharp knife in several places. Set aside.
- Remove turkey thighs from package and cut away any excess fat or loose bone materials.
- Put the thighs skin-side up on a cutting mat or kitchen towel. Sprinkle with the seasoning mix and lightly rub the seasoning into the turkey.
- Dribble some olive oil onto a small roasting pan. Place the thighs skin side down in the pan and sprinkle the exposed side with the seasoning. Lightly rub the seasoning in with your fingers.
- Place the pan in the oven, along with the potatoes and set a timer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the thighs over (skin side up now) and rotate the potatoes. Set the timer for another 30 minutes.
- Prep your broccoli (or other green vegetable) by trimming off the hard ends and little leaves, and cutting into mouth-sized pieces. Put into a sauce pan with a quarter inch or so of water in it (or use a steamer), and cover.
- When the turkey and potatoes are done remove them from the oven and set aside.
Put a clean towel over the turkey (not foil). - Cook the broccoli about 6 minutes or until crunchy tender.
- Serve all! Put some butter, plain greek yogurt (or sour cream), and salt and pepper on the table for dressing the potatoes.
Photos
Step 5 – Put turkey in pan.
Step 6 – Put turkey and potatoes in oven.
Nutrition Info
Oops, not here yet. Coming soon!