7 Super Easy, No Cook Meals
Keepin’ it real this week:
Most of us are more stressed than normal, distracted, and a bit overwhelmed with current pandemic events.
So, I’m thinking some SIMPLE—yet still nutritious—food options might be in order.
Here are 7 super easy and well-balanced meals you can make using whole grain English muffins. (I love the hearty Food for Life ‘sprouted grains’ brand, which packs 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein per half muffin; find it in the freezer section.) Or, use whatever you’ve got on hand.
Pair any one of these “entrée” options with some additional fresh fruit, cut up veggies, or a side salad and you’ve got yourself a balanced, healthful meal! And remember, good nutrition CAN be oh-so-simple.
Loaded Lox: Smear it with cream cheese (Green Mountain Farms has a new Greek cream cheese variety that contains 4 grams of protein per serving—it’s not much but it’s 4x more than traditional cream cheese) and then stack smoked salmon, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, capers, chopped herbs, and crumbled hard-boiled eggs.
Tuna Melt: Layer your muffin with a bed of spinach, some tuna fish, and a slice of swiss cheese and pop it under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
Pizza Poppers: Spread it with your favorite marinara sauce, top with mozzarella cheese and your favorite veggies (I love shiitake mushrooms), broil, and enjoy.
Egg-wich: Add a scrambled or fried egg, spinach, sliced tomato, and cheese. Throw in some salsa or hot sauce if that’s your thing and…yum!
Nut Butter Delight: Spread your muffin with peanut, almond, or cashew butter and top it generously with fruit. Berries, pomegranate seeds, or thinly sliced apples or pears work great. You can even sprinkle it with ground flax, chia, or hemp seeds for some heart-healthy omega-3s.
Avocado Plus: Spread it with avocado, add some arugula, sprinkle some feta cheese, and then pile on whatever combination of veggies you like. Sprouts, tomatoes, asparagus, beets, sliced snap peas—you name it! Don’t forget the salt and pepper.
Happy for Hummus: Smear the hummus, add a slice or two of turkey, and load it up with your veg of choice (lettuce, sliced carrots, cucumbers, radish, and cherry tomatoes are all great options but there are plenty of others too).
Plus...here are a couple of additional ideas to help you de-stress and give some structure to your days. I've been advising my 1:1 coaching clients to find gentle ways to keep their nutrition and wellness goals on track right now, as well as to give themselves plenty of grace if things don't go as planned. I recommend you do the same!