It's the holiday season. Our to-do lists are growing, but the hours are ticking away faster than we'd like. During times like these the fast food drive-through or fatty, salty Chinese takeout can seem especially tempting, if only for the convenience.
But the hamburger and fries you eat today will rear their ugly heads eventually, especially if it's one of many processed, high-fat to-go meals you consume over the next few weeks. Yep, that's a Double Whataburger with Cheese sittin' there on your Badass!
There is a perception that eating healthy requires lots of time and gourmet skills, but check out these fast, easy recipes. I got them from Whole Living: Body+Soul magazine. The list of ingredients is short, the prep time and steps easy to follow.
I'll be trying these out myself this weekend and next week. And if you dear blog readers have recipes that fit this category, please share them in the comments section below. Happy Eating, Badasses!
Whole-grain toast with goat cheese and berries (aka dessert for breakfast!)
- Toast sliced whole grain bread or a whole grain English muffin.
- Spread with 1 to 2 Tbsp. of goat cheese.
- Top it with berries of your choice, and mash them slightly with a fork.
- Drizzle a little honey on top.
Whole wheat couscous with pistachios and blackberries
- Cook a box of whole wheat couscous as directed (it takes 5 minutes)
- Toss with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and half of a thinly sliced red onion
- Season to taste with salt and pepper
- Toss in 1/2 cup of toasted shelled pistachios, 1/2 cup of fresh blackberries, and 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Stir in fresh basil or cilantro if you have it, or use dried. Top with grilled chicken or tofu.
Corn tortillas with corn, peppers and mashed beans
- Mash 1/2 to 1 can of pinto or black beans (drained, from a can) with 2 tsp. cumin and 2 tsp. olive oil
- Saute 1/2 cup corn kernels and 1 cup of sliced peppers (any combo of red, green, yellow, and hot peppers depending on your spice preference) in 1Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp minced garlic (buy the pre-minced, jarred garlic for convenience)
- Toast 4 corn tortillas in a hot pan or in the oven
- Spread the bean mash on each and top with the sauteed pepper mix. Sprinkle with low-fat cheese if desired.
Turkey or chicken cutlet with tomatoes, green beans and capers
- Season 4 cutlets and pan-fry in 1 Tbsp olive oil until golden brown on each side and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover.
- Cook 2 fresh diced tomatoes with 3 Tbsp. capers in the same pan until juicy and heated through. Spoon over the turkey.
- Serve with steamed green beans. (Or broccoli or asparugus if you prefer)
Fast Fatoush Salad
- Combine 1 each diced red pepper, green pepper, and cucumber with 1/2 cup diced red onion, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, and 1/4 cup each chopped fresh mint and parsley.
- Mix in 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained.
- Dress with 1 to 2 Tbsp each olive oil and red wine vinegar or a light Greek dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss whole-wheat pita chips (make them yourself by cutting whole wheat pita rounds into triangles and toasting in the oven), broken into small pieces, in with the salad.
Coming up: Another Badass playlist