need tips and recipes for very fast meals

[llwr]

I used to be pretty good about preparing healthy meals....

DD2 is 3months old and doesn't like to be put down. This is causing an issue with being able to make a meal. Sometimes it's a challenge to get a frozen pizza in the oven! I wear her a lot, but am not comfortable putting her on my back yet, or cooking with her on my front.

DD1 is not going to bed at night. This is causing an issue with being able to prep a meal the night before.

Add to this that I haven't been grocery shopping or planning ahead. I think I can remedy this myself!

I need things I can make fast! Maybe easy casseroles and crock-pot meals.

[napless]

Orange chicken recipe

I can have this one in the oven in about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F/175C.

1 lb/500 g chicken pieces, boneless and skinless

1 tsp/5 mL paprika

1 tsp/5 mL pepper

6 oz/180 mL frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (not diluted)

1 tsp/5 mL rosemary

1 tsp/5 mL thyme

1 tsp/5 mL marjoram

Place the chicken in a casserole dish with a lid.
Sprinkle with paprika and pepper.
Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
Bake for about 1 hour, covered, until no longer pink inside.

[napless]

Crockpot split pea soup

2 cups/500 mL dried split peas

2 cups/500 mL diced cooked ham

2 medium-sized potatoes, cubed

3 cups/750 mL diced carrot

2 cups/500 mL diced onion

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp/2 mL salt

1/4 tsp/1 mL pepper

8 cups/2 litres water

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot.
Cook for 8 to 10 hours (or more) on LOW, or until peas are soft.
Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.

[napless]

Slow cooker baked beans

2 cups/500 mL dried small navy beans

8 cups/2 litres water

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cube (about 2 inches/4 cm) salt pork


1 can (5.5 oz/156 mL) tomato paste

1/4 cup/60 mL molasses

1/4 cup/60 mL maple syrup or brown sugar

Put the beans, water, onion and pork into the crockpot.
Cook overnight, on LOW.
At noon, drain the beans and save 2 cups/500 mL of the cooking liquid.
Return the beans to the crockpot.
Add the tomato paste, molasses, maple syrup, and 2 cups cooking liquid.
Stir.
Cook for 4 hours more, on LOW.

[ju1ia]

pot roast

I agree that if you can get your family eating beans, a slowcooker is the easiest and cheapest way to go!
even a pot roast is pretty easy in the crockpot - dump in a packet of the Lipton onion soup mix and some beef broth (sometimes we add a beer too) and throw on some carrots and potatoes. I've gotten to where I don't even peel the carrots - "it's healthier that way" is what I say or buy baby carrots, I'm just too cheap for that you will need a few minutes to dump the juices into a pan and cook with flour/water mix to thicken for gravy (and taste for seasoning). but YUM! that's a good meal!

[Magelet]

I love making migas. It's fast, easy, cheap, and pretty healthy, imo.

you take some tortillas (corn or flour), and slice them into strips or squares. saute them in a couple tbs of olive oil. when they're nice and golden, (only a couple minutes) add a can of tomatos (whatever. diced is good. I've even used paste and water in a pinch though I think diced is perfect). add a scrambled egg or two (I usually do 1 per person, and oh, 3 medium tortillas a person), stir over heat til cooked, salt to taste, and serve with tomatillo or green salsa. yum. (if you heat up a can of beans and use whole corn tortillas, you've got yourself a lot more protein right there).

takes oh, 5-7 minutes, I'd guess? maybe 10 total... it's a breakfast-for-dinner dish around here, and we love it! (the color isn't ummmm the most lovely its a bit weird pink, but it tastes SOOO goood.)

[Plaid Leopard]

When you have time, cook up a big pot of pinto or black beans and a pot of rice.
Grate a lot of cheddar cheese to keep in the fridge.
At meal times, reheat beans and rice. Serve in a tortilla or as is. Sprinkle on some cheese, add salsa, avocado, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes ...yum!

[Jaimee]

Vegan Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble

INGREDIENTS
•1 lb medium firm water-packed tofu, crumbled
•½ small onion
•1-2 vegan breakfast sausages
•½ cup nutritional yeast
•2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
•2 tsp turmeric powder
•1 tsp poultry seasoning
•salt and pepper to taste
•oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Heat your skillet on medium then add the oil. After a minute or two add all onion and sausage and fry until slightly brown. Chop up the sausage with the spatula. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, until tofu has achieved your desired consistency. Optional: serve on tortillas with salsa.

[Jaimee]

Vegetarian Rice and Bean Casserole

Rice and Bean Casserole

INGREDIENTS
•1 C long-grain brown rice
•1 can black beans
•1 C frozen corn
•¾ C Salsa (fruit salsa is best)
•1 C cheddar cheese
•Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.Cook rice on the stove.
2.When the rice is cooked combine rice, beans, corn, and salsa in an 8”x8” oiled casserole dish.
3.Mix together and season with salt and pepper.
4.Top the mixture with the cheddar cheese.
5.Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
6.Eat with a side of avocado or in a tortilla. Add some fresh jalapeño for spice.

[Jaimee]

Vegetarian Spinach Quiche

Spinach Cheese Quiche

INGREDIENTS
•1 Organic Whole Wheat pie crust
•1 Box frozen spinach
•2 C Ricotta
•1 C Grated Swiss cheese
•3 Large eggs
•Dash Nutmeg
•Pinch Dried Thyme
•1 Medium Onion Minced and Sautéed
•3 Tbsp Flour
•Salt and Pepper to Taste

1.Mix all ingredients together and place in pie crust
2.Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

[Jaimee]

Vegetarian Lemon Pasta

Lemon Pasta

INGREDIENTS
•1 lb. pasta
•1 Lemon, zested and juiced
•¼ C Olive Oil
•3 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
•10 Basil Leaves chopped
•½ lb. Grape Tomatoes cut in half
•¼ C Pine Nuts, toasted
•½ lb. Fresh Mozzarella
•Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.Boil pasta. Run under cool water when cooked.
2.In a small bowl mix together oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
3.In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, pine nuts, and pasta.
4.Toss with dressing and serve with warm rolls.

[delaneymom]

I've been making a lot of soups lately. I'm sorry-I'm at work, so I can't post any recipes, but if you do a search for healthy soup I'm sure you can find a ton of recipes. I search for recipe blogs because I really like to see a pictures of what I'm making. I'm sure they can be really time consuming, but the recipes I choose don't require a ton of prep, and once they're cooking it's usually just a bit of stirring. Most of the recipes I've tried will make at least enough for two meals.

[michelled]

Super Fast Meal

Lo Mein Noodles
Pico De Gallo (chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lemon juice)
Frozen cooked shrimp
Fresh ground pepper

While boiling the pasta, place the frozen shrimp in a bowl of hot water to thaw.

You can add ingredients together in any amount. I prefer mixing the pasta and PDG at a 1 to 1 ratio with a handful of shrimp and pepper to taste.

This meal takes less than 10 minutes to make. You can use any pasta, however the Lo Mein Noodles are more nutritious and only take 2-3 minutes to cook. The pico de gallo can be purchased already prepared in most grocery stores in the prepared produce section.

[umami_mommy]

my fav super fast meal:

moo sho pork

brown up a pound of ground pork, beef, bison or turkey. add a bag of asian slaw mix and half a bag of broccoli slaw mix. cover and cook for 2 minutes. add 1/4 cup hoisen sauce , mix and serve in warmed flour tortillas or over rice.

[StephandOwen]

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup I just throw in frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts. About an hour before done I shred the chicken. I also add cooked rice to the soup shortly before serving.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches can also use this recipe for buffalo chicken pizza

Slow Cooker Pork Chops This is on my list to try, but haven't yet.

French Dip

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak Made this a couple days ago... yum... I added the peppers about an hour before serving so they didn't get mushy, I like them slightly crisp.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork This is tomorrows dinner, I think...

Can you tell I LOVE my slow cooker? I've been using it so much lately. I also love allrecipes.com!!!

[Theia]

Wow. These are great. I'm a single mom of 1 and I get easily overwhelmed with complicated yummy recipes that I used to cook before motherhood. So these are great. Keep 'em coming please.

[JessicaS]

One thing I like to do is mix raspberry jam, fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar together in my magic bullet thing. (raspberry vinaigrette would be good here I just use jam and vinegar so I have fewer bottles in my fridge )

Then I use that to marinate chicken breasts, I just stick them in the broiler and it is done.

It is super fast and easy.

A lot of people posted ideas on Mothering's facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/mothering.magazine?ref=share

[Harmony08]

Hey,

I was just going to ask for something like this. I am specifically on the lookout for slow cooker meals that are nothing more than tossing ingredients into the thing. Okay, I'll chop something. I have a few of these...

Slow cooker Pork and saurkraut

Put a pork shoulder roast (you can use different kinds) into the slowcooker
cover it with cans or jars of saurkraut
throw in some keilbasi and or hotdogs too
cover and cook forever

Mashed potatoes are a must with this, however.

Slow cooker beef and guinness stew

put 2.5-3 lbs beef stew in the cooker
add a couple of carrots chopped into bite size pieces
ditto for potatoes
add a teaspoon of time
pour two cups of guinness over it
put the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours
salt and pepper it to taste when done

if you want the veg to be crisper add after the beef has cooked for an hour in the beer.

so those are my slowcooker. my superfast are tacos, hotdogs wrapped in corn tortillas and cheesy quinoa, grilled cheese and tomato soup.

good luck!!!

[oceanbaby]

I throw a whole chicken in the crockpot, cover with water, add lots of salt, a quartered onion, a chopped carrot or two, and a bay leaf. Maybe some thyme or parsley if I have it in the fridge. Cook on high for 4-5 hrs. This gives you a fantastic boiled chicken and very yummy chicken broth.

We sometimes eat just the chicken for dinner with some salad, or with tortillas and canned refried beans. I refrigerate the broth, then the next day skim the fat off (not all of it, fat has flavor!), and make soup with just rice (cooked right in the broth), some carrots and more chicken. (My kids like simple, brothy soups.)