A Healthy Menu: Quick Dinner Options
By Randi Cestaro, CHHC
Certified holistic health counselor Randi Cestaro of Happy Healing explains that the key to making healthy eating choices for time-pressed stay-at-home moms is having a staple of healthy ingredients in your kitchen that can be combined in numerous ways. She uses those healthy building blocks to create these ideas for healthy, balanced, inexpensive meals that take less than five minutes to prepare.
1. Burger with Sautéed Broccoli and a Sweet Potato
If you use a leaner meat, such as turkey or chicken, that's about 130 to 170 calories. For a side dish, 1/2 cup of broccoli has only 27 calories and has lots of calcium and potassium. A sweet potato is a good alternative to fries; bake a small sweet potato and you'll have about 50 calories.
2. Whole Wheat Pasta with Vegetables, Tofu and a Salad
Whole wheat pasta (2 ounces worth) carries about 190 calories. Tofu is rich in iron and 1/2 cup has 88 calories.
3. Lentils with Brown Rice, Vegetables and a Salad with Cheese and Nuts Lentils are an excellent food -- high in iron and protein.
One cup has 226 calories. Boil them and pour over rice for an excellent dish; coupled with veggies and a salad made savory with cheese and you have a nice, protein-packed feast.
4. Broiled Fish with Couscous, Vegetables and a Salad
Broil the fish of your choice, flavored with salt, pepper and lemon. Choose couscous (1 cup, 176 calories) instead of rice to add a little more protein to the dish.
5. Burger with Vegetables and a Sweet Potato Topped with Sesame Tahini
A lean-meat burger is the main course in this dish but the sweet potato is the star. The tahini has a tangy taste but comes loaded with thiamin and phosphorus. 89 calories in one tablespoon.
You are free to use any these articles on your web site, e-magazine or with your friends, i just ask that you send me an email and include my contact information. Thank you.
