| Ideas for Simple Meals and
Snacks
GMHC'S Nutrition & Wellness Program
The following tips can help you prepare meals or snacks
that are inexpensive, quick, easy, and nutritious. These ideas may
also help when you are too tired to cook or when you are hungry
and don't want to prepare a meal.
ONE POT MEALS
- Simplify meal preparation and save time.
- Cook carbohydrates like potatoes, pasta, and
rice first. Meat, fish, and poultry should
be cooked last and eaten immediately.
- Tenderize tough meats by cooking them slowly
with acidic foods such as tomato sauce, vinegar, or citrus juices.
- Add as many foods to the pot as possible, it
will help you consume a varied and nutrient dense diet.
- Prepare food in large quantities then divide
into smaller portions and freeze for later. This is helpful when
you don't have the energy to cook.
- Try - onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes,
fruits, whole grains (brown rice, barley, amaranth, quinoa, and
whole wheat pastas), legumes (beans, seeds, nuts), cheese, milk,
and yogurt
- Mix grains and legumes or dairy products and
grains to make complete meatless proteins.
ONE POT RECIPES (Dishes Serve 2 People)
Island Style Fish
1 lb. red snapper or other firm white fish fillets
1/2 tsp. Adobo all-purpose seasoning with pepper, plus extra to
season fish in after washing
2 Tbsp. oil (olive, canola, or vegetable)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Spanish red pimiento, sliced
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 c. water
- Wash fish and season with Adobo.
- In large skillet, heat oil on medium high. Cook fillets 1 minute
on each side. Remove to warm platter.
- Stir remaining ingredients into skillet. Bring to boil, lower
heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
- Return fish to skillet. Cover and simmer until fish is cooked,
about 3-5 minutes.
Pasta Livornese
2 c. dry pasta (any variety)
1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. oil (olive, vegetable or canola)
1 Tbsp. oregano
1-7 oz. can tuna (albacore is best), drained
salt and pepper to taste
- Fill large pot with water and a couple drops of oil, bring to
boil.
- Add pasta and cook for 8-12 minutes until pasta is done.
- Drain pasta and set aside in a covered bowl.
- In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic in oil for 3 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tuna, and oregano.
- Cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot over pasta.
- OPTION: Add olives, capers, sardines, and/or peas.
Black Beans with Tofu, Ginger, and Carrots
1 c. brown rice
1 T. oil (olive, vegetable, or canola)
1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1-16 oz. can black beans, drained
1 - 3" piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. extra firm tofu, cut into small squares
3/4 c. carrots, chopped into small pieces
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Mix everything together in a deep pot, cover tightly.
- Bring to boil (about 5 minutes) and then lower heat.
- Cook on very low heat for 45 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- OPTION: Add one small jalapeno pepper finely diced.
Easy Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables
2 c. brown rice
1 lb. boneless chicken cut into bite-size piece (or 16 oz. of canned
chicken)
1 head fresh broccoli or 1 large bag frozen vegetables
2 T. oil (olive, vegetable, or canola)
1 large can cream of mushroom soup
Add onion and garlic if desired
- Sauté chicken in olive oil until no longer pink.
- Combine chicken, rice, vegetables, and soup in large covered
pot.
- Add water to cover ingredients and stir together.
- Cover pot and cook on low for 40 minutes.
- OPTION: Add cheese or bread crumbs for additional flavor
MINI-MEAL IDEAS
- Pre-sliced bagels can easily be toasted and topped with peanut
butter or cheese.
- Top soups with grated cheese and crackers
- Add more fruit into your diet by combining with: plain yogurt,
jello, cottage cheese, cereal
Use leftovers:
- combine rice or pasta with cooked broccoli, tuna, hard boiled
eggs, and salad dressing
- combine beef or chicken with tomato sauce and serve over rice
or pasta.
Sandwich ideas:
- meat, cheese, or tuna topped with your favorite greens and/or
tomato on rye or whole wheat
- heated tortilla filled with baked beans and cheese
- pita bread with tuna or egg salad
- mini pizzas made with English muffin or bagel halves
SNACK IDEAS
- Have snacks and beverages on hand for times when you are hungry
or too tired to cook.
- Keep liquid nutrition supplements (Ensure or Juven ), energy/protein
bars, or puddings readily available.
Snack Attack:
| Fruits and Vegetables
- Apple sauce
- Fresh fruits and vegetables (plain, with yogurt dip, or
peanut butter)
- Canned fruits and vegetables
- Dried fruits (raisins, figs, apricots)
- Juice boxes
- Frozen juice bars
- Marinated vegetables
- Fruit bread or muffins with cream cheese
|
Others
- Popcorn with herbs
- Bagels/English Muffins with jam, peanut butter, or cream
cheese
- Breadsticks (with marinara sauce or cheese sauce)
- Whole grain cereal
- Cereal bars, granola bars
- Crackers (animal or graham)
- Pretzels
- Gingersnaps or Fig Newtons
- Tortilla chips and salsa
- Whole Wheat Pita Bread/Tortilla with peanut butter and
honey or beans and cheese
- Cheese and crackers
- Trail Mix (nuts, dried fruits, seeds)
- Nuts and seeds
- Peanut butter
- Dry milk, soy milk, rice milk
- Yogurt and granola or fruit
- Milk shakes
- Frozen yogurt, ice cream, sorbet
- Cottage cheese and fruit
- Hard boiled eggs
- Mini pizza on English muffins
- Soup with cheese and crackers
- Rye crisps or rice cakes
|
Revised 4/2003
© 2003 Gay Men's Health Crisis |
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