You’ve had a long and stressful day at work. You’re exhausted, both mentally and physically. Dinner time is fast approaching. The last thing you want to do is prepare a meal at home. How do you overcome the urge to enter the drive-through at McDonalds or In-N-Out Burger and not gorge yourself on a Double-Double Animal style, fries and a soda, which will set you back 1,500 calories—give or take—instead of making a healthy, satisfying meal in a South Valley minute?
Sound familiar? While it’s easy to give in and eat fast food on a pinch, the reality is fixing a tasty, healthy meal in minutes can be done on a consistent basis. Here are some of my favorite go-to options when I need to fix something in a hurry.
Stir-fry for variety
When it comes to making a healthy and tasty stir-fry dish, you’ve got to start with the noodles. Using white-flour pasta is so yesterday. Instead, go with either semolina, quinoa, udon, buckwheat, brown rice pasta, black bean noodles, kelp or shirataki noodles for a nutritional boost. Chop up your favorite veggies, use your favorite seasonings and mix in some protein—tofu, chicken breast and lean cuts of red meat work best—for a power-packed, satisfying meal.
For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of eating delicious tofu or have reservations about it, here’s how to make it a flavor bomb. Chop up tofu in squares, heat over medium in a pan and mix in a curry sauce (Trader Joe’s has the red, green and yellow varieties). Or simply add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and cook in coconut oil.
Go with an omelet
Who doesn’t like an omelet at any time of the day? Didn’t think so. There are so many combinations you can use, but mix in some veggies/fruits such as avocados, bell peppers, onions, spinach and tomatoes, which will give you plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Cheese is a must, but always be on the conservative side, as it contains a lot of calories.
Pair up the omelet with some toast—rye, pumpernickel, whole grain and cracked wheat are healthier options than white bread—and you’ve got a meal that is both satisfying and nutritious. Eggs are a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. And having one or two a day won’t raise your LDL cholesterol levels—the bad kind—as previously thought.
Eggs are also one of the most absorbable and digestible foods, along with oatmeal, avocados, bananas, sauerkraut, salmon, brown rice, chicken breast, kimchi and Greek yogurt. So load up on these foods—your stomach will thank you for it.
Peanut butter and jelly
Remember the good old days when mom packed you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch? Mom knew what she was doing for the most part, but here are some tweaks to make sure your PB&J is healthier than ever before. Use one of the breads mentioned earlier, and creamy or crunchy peanut butter.
There are so many flavored varieties on the shelves, and the best thing is they contain the same amount of calories and carbs as regular peanut butter. My personal favorite brand is the New York Peanut Butter Company’s White Chocolate flavor. Frankly, it’s so sweet that no jelly is needed. But for those of you who need a fruit component, skip the jelly and go with real fruit, which contains fiber and slows the absorption of sugar in your body. A quick note on why eating fruit is so much healthier than eating jelly, fruit preserves or drinking juice.
The last three items are loaded with sugar, and in the case of juice, the process it goes through can destroy the fruits’ many beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. Studies have shown that eating fruit lowers the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, while regularly drinking juice actually increases it. The juicing process strips fruit of all of its fiber, which plays a key role in slowing the absorption of sugar.
Why is that important? Juice, fruit preserves and jelly have a high glycemic index, meaning it spikes the body’s blood sugar level and sends it soaring. When carbs are broken down into the body, it is converted into glucose to either be used for energy or stored as fat. Foods with a high glycemic index number can often be stored as fat because of a limited amount of physical activity.
Beef/turkey/pork jerky
This isn’t a meal by itself, of course, but it’s a great option to take when you’re on the road or busy in between assignments. Jerky is a great source for lean protein, which keeps you fuller longer. Jerky is also relatively low in calories and best of all, you can eat them anywhere. There are so many varieties of jerky out there, so make sure to choose the right ones. Stay away from ingredients like sodium benzoate, sodium phosphate and nitrates—trust me on this—and instead go with brands that have a cleaner ingredient list, including Krave and Perky Jerky, which have no preservatives, are high in protein and so tasty you’re liable to finish an entire pack.
