Forget 30 Minute Meals – Try 5 Minute Meals

Wishing you could make healthy meals in under 30 minutes?  You can in just under 5 minutes!

So many people tell me they would love to eat healthy, but say they do not have the time.  Ironically it takes less time to eat healthy.  Here is how.

1. Eat Raw – Cut apples, carrots, celery etc. and place it on a plate with peanut butter or a veggie dip in the middle.   Yes, that is a meal.  My kids had broccoli and cucumbers with a homemade dill dip for lunch the other day and were completely full.  The meal rocked because they they ate their veggies while also getting in some good healthy fats needed to carry nutrients to their developing brains and bodies.

2. Cook Extra – When you do cook such things as rice, meat etc. cook extra.  I almost always have cooked ground buffalo and either brown rice or quinoa in my fridge.  Today I made a hotdish meal out of meat, brown rice, zucchini, sour cream and curry before my family even knew I was cooking!

3. Have your “staples” on hand –  Figure out what your “staples” are.  The food you always eat or cook with.  I always have brown rice, quinoa, coconut milk, eggs, lentils, zucchini, carrots, apples, lettuce and various nuts and raisins in my kitchen.  With these few staples I can create just about any meal in minutes.

4. Think outside the box.  A meal does not need to look like a full restaurant plate each time.  Crackers and cheese with some apples and nuts can be a meal, especially with little kids.  Here is a picture of the sliced almonds that often make it to our plate as part of a meal.

5. Smoothies–  Most of the time when we are hungry, we are actually thirsty.  In less than 5 minutes you will have  a meal that kids love.  An out-of-the-box-atypical meal, but a meal nonetheless.  See here for smoothie recipe ideas.