For the most part, we eat fast food because its convenient, not because its particularly delicious or good for us. The way the real world is set up, its a lot less stressful to sit in your car for a minute or three for a filling (albeit perhaps not the most healthy or nutritious) meal than it is to shop for ingredients and prepare one for yourself.
However, making your own dish doesn’t need to be a huge drag, or eat up large amounts of our oh so precious time.
Here are three healthy recipes to prepare in under an hour.
Greek Pasta Salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5 ounces dried conchiglie pasta (2-1/2 cups)
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 seedless cucumber, quartered lengthwise
1 yellow bell pepper cut into
1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 ounces reduced-fat feta, cubed
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again and transfer to paper towels to absorb excess water.
Combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, beans, onion, feta, olives and mint in a large serving bowl; add pasta and mix.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, honey, mustard, oregano, salt and black pepper. Pour over the pasta and vegetables; toss well.
Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste; serve.
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Vegetable Stir Fry With Noodles
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 head purple cabbage
2 green bell peppers
2 carrots
1 yellow onion
2 -3 oz bricks ramen noodles
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Sriracha or less
1 tablespoons cornstarch
3 green onions, sliced
handful cilantro (optional)
Directions:
Remove the core and any wilted outer leaves from the cabbage, then cut it into very fine strips. Cut the onion and green bell pepper into thin strips as well.
Use a large holed cheese grater to shred the carrots.
In a small bowl prepare the sauce by stirring together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha, and corn starch.
Begin to cook the noodles according to the package directions (boil for 3 minutes, or until tender).
Drain the cooked noodles in a colander.
Heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large skillet until it is hot and shimmering.
Add the vegetables and sauté for only a few minutes, or until the vegetables just begin to soften.
Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet and continue to sauté for one to two minutes more, or until the sauce has thickened and coated all of the vegetables.
Turn off the heat.
Add the cooked and drained noodles to the stir fried vegetables and toss to combine.
Top with sliced green onions and a handful of fresh cilantro, if desired.
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Grilled Pineapple Chicken
Prep time 15 minutes (20 minute marinade)
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 min (45 min)
Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices, juice reserved
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, add the ketchup, soy sauce, honey, mustard, sugar, garlic, and juice from the can of pineapple slices. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside and cool.
Pour half of the sauce into a resealable gallon-sized plastic bag, place chicken breasts inside the bag, and place in the fridge to marinate. Place remaining sauce in a small bowl and keep in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Remove chicken from fridge after it’s done marinating (discard marinade sauce). Heat an outdoor grill or a grill pan and cook chicken breasts on the grill, basting regularly with the reserved sauce, until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add reserved pineapple rings to the grill, cooking for just a minute or so on each side (until the grill marks start to appear). Serve chicken a grilled pineapple slice on top.
Servings Per Recipe: 4
