The Busy Girl’s Guide to the 20-Minute Meal
It’s 6:30 p.m. and you’ve just barely survived the week at the office. You’re hungry. You’re tired. And the last thing you want to do is cook dinner. Sound familiar? It’s a common predicament – you want to eat well, but you’re a busy woman, life is hectic, and you don’t have the time to spend an hour, or two, in the kitchen. On top of that there’s the shopping, planning… oh, just the thought of it all can be enough to make a gal stress eat. Stop. Step away from the pizza delivery coupon…
What if preparing healthy dinners during the week didn’t have to eat up your whole evening, or be stressful and complicated? With a little bit of strategy and some prep work on the front end, you can pretty painlessly set yourself up for five nights of simple, nutritious and tasty meals that you can throw together in 20 minutes or less. Follow our guide and you’ll be set for a week of eating well, saving money and feeling accomplished in the kitchen – all without missing a beat on that busy schedule of yours.
The Menu
Follow the links to get the recipes.
Sunday
Salmon[ma1] with broccoli[ma2] and brown rice
Monday
Sweet potato[ma3] with kale[ma4] and quinoa
Tuesday
Curried chickpeas with brown rice [ma5]
Wednesday
Stir-fried chicken and veggies with brown rice [ma6]
Thursday
Quinoa-stuffed acorn squash [ma7]
Friday
Treat yourself! After a whole week of eating healthy (and saving money), let someone else do the cooking tonight. You deserve it!
The Planning & Shopping
Make just one trip to the grocery store to stock up on what you’ll need for the week. Before you go, think about what your week looks like. How many nights will you likely eat at home? Plan your meals for those nights. Not sure what the week might bring? Make at least one of your meals pantry/freezer-based (ie. frozen veggies).
The List
Here’s everything you’ll need for dinner this week:
Produce:
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Carrots
- Red bell pepper
- Parsley
- Tomato
- Sweet potato
- Acorn squash
- Yellow onions (2)
- Garlic
Meat/Fish:
- Chicken breast
- Salmon filet
Pantry:
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Chickpeas (dried or canned)
- Currants
- Coconut milk (light)
- Sliced almonds
Oils/spices/condiments:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Curry paste
- Red wine vinegar
- Tamari/ soy sauce
- Honey
- Lemon
- Lime
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
The Preparation
Save time during the week by making your whole grains on Sunday. Cook them up and store them in the fridge so they’ll be ready to go with your meal. Follow the links for simple cooking instructions.
The Week
You’re ready to eat well this week. Instead of getting home after a long day and asking that dreaded question: “Ugh, what am I going to eat?” you’re on top of it. And you know you’re just a chop/sauté/throw in the mic away from something truly nourishing and delicious. With dinner taken care of, you’re off to do more important things, like [insert guilty pleasure here].
Megan Adams Brown is a self-proclaimed health nut with a fascination with the power of food and the effect it has on our bodies. As a holistic health coach, she works with people to help them achieve their own personal health goals. Find more tips from Megan at her blog, Megg Salad.
[ma1]http://meggsalad.com/cooking-101/how-to-cook-pan-seared-salmon/
[ma2]http://meggsalad.com/cooking-101/how-to-cook-blanched-broccoli/
[ma3]http://meggsalad.com/cooking-101/how-to-cook-baked-sweet-potato/
[ma4]http://meggsalad.com/cooking-101/how-to-cook-sauteed-greens/
[ma5]http://meggsalad.com/2010/04/06/thai-curried-chickpeas-with-coconut-rice/
[ma6]http://meggsalad.com/2011/10/02/simple-stir-fry/
[ma7]http://meggsalad.com/2011/10/26/quinoa-stuffed-acorn-squash/
[ma8]http://meggsalad.com/cooking-101/how-to-cook-brown-rice/
[ma9]http://meggsalad.com/cooking-101/how-to-cook-quinoa/
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