Want to eat healthy but dont' like to cook

BustersMom

Hello ladies,

I love the taste of healthy cooked & raw foods -  but I'm one of those people that do not enjoy prepping or cooking.  Now that I'm 2 weeks post-surgery, I'm even less motivated to do the work to create good meals for myself.  I especially love salads, but I'm not inventive & it's always the same thing - bowl of mixed greens, carrots, walnuts, some tuna...     

I have a friend who lives near Whole Foods & sometimes she brings me all kinds of delicious foods items from their deli - oh how I wish Whole Foods was nearby.  That would be the answer to all my prayers    Well, at least my food prayers.

I'm trying to find cookbooks that have super-easy recipes...  my dream would be to find a "5 ingredient" cookbook or somethin like that!! 

Anyway, just hoping for some suggestions (other than telling me to quit being so lazy, haha).

Thanks & have a great day!! 

sccruiser

Hi Bustersmom,

Buster is a cutie! I know what you mean about eating healthy and not having to prep too much. I have shortcuts that work really well for my hubby and me. I buy the bags of salad mix and add some protein. I often buy a cooked chicken and shred the meat for the salad. I vary the veges and even add fruits to the salad--pears, apples, nectarines, oranges, grapes, cherries--so many good fruits right now. My favorite dressings right now are from Trader Joe's (if you have that in your area), otherwise the bag salads often come with dressings. And Trader Joe's has lots of delicious frozen entrees--many are organic and/or without all the preservatives. They often have small servings also, so you don't have to cook a huge package of food at once. My mother swears by their chicken/chile/lime patties, small quiches, and chicken enchiladas (she lives alone and it's hard to buy for 1 person sometimes).

I bought a Rachael Ray cookbook (can't remember the name of it, tho) that had like 5 ingredient meals and were super easy. I gave it to a friend and she just loved it.

Also, now in the freezer section of vegetables you can find them packaged "ready to steam" in bags--just pop in the microwave and you are good to go.

In the winter I use my crockpot and make soups, stews & chili. I can buy most of the ingredients already to put in the pot. I dump everything in, turn it on in the am, and dinner is ready in the evening.

You can find the meats seasoned and cut up. Lots of good canned beans to use that are low sodium. You can even find the celery, onions & carrots already chopped in the produce section.

I don't know if these suggestions will help or not. But good luck on fixing some easy, fast & healthy meals!

Bon Appetit! 

abbadoodles

Oh, I just buy frozen dinners like Healthy Choice or Weight Watchers when they are on sale and leave it at that.  Good lunches.

I pretty much don't cook; dh does most of it and he is a great.

bbmom

I love salads too. I usually buy spring mix and spinach and I'll add dried cranberries or raisins, almonds, avocado, roasted red peppers or fresh bell peppers, olives, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, asparagus, green beans. Whatever I have on hand. Usually by the time I add everything there's too much in the bowl for one meal.

AnnNYC

I'm with Tina/abbadoodles.  I've been buying a lot of frozen dinners and mini-meals.  I used to get Healthy Choice -- lately I've discovered Kashi and Amy's Kitchen, too.  Amy's Kitchen is ultra-healthy in that they avoid plastic in their microwaveable packaging.

bbmom

I"ve never noticed if we have Amy's Kitchen in the stores here. What are the meals packaged in?

FEB

I sometimes find myself in a rut too trying to eat healthy. I love salads but hate the prep. I do not have a juicer yet, but those who do so on the other threads swear by it. And it seems easy. I do have one of those bullet blenders. My favorite snack is frozen strawberries, a little OJ and some vanilla rice milk. I sometimes have this for lunch. There are some great recipes with the blender for quick soups, which I will try when the weather is cooler. My garden tomatoes are finally coming in and I will start making some tomato juice, maybe add some cukes and onions, garlic.

It is okay to have meat, just keep the portions small and do not have carbs with them so they digest better. Last night I mixed up a little ground pork and ground chicken, added lots of herbs, garlic, 1 egg, some oats and some crushed tomatoes. Mix it well with your hands and stuff it into green or red pepper halves, pour on more of the tomatoes, and bake an hour. My guys love it and they do not even realize they are eating healthy. It only takes about 5 minutes to prep. I went for a bike ride while it was baking.

I have a Mediterranean cookbook with quick and easy recipes. I think they have the best food. It is based on lots of veggies and fish.

Also, at Trader Joes, the pepitas are a great snack and I like the corn/bean salsa. I use it as a dressing over mixed greens for a quick and easy salad.

AnnNYC

Alaina,

The Amy's Kitchen bowls and trays are some kind of paper, and wrapped in something like cellophane (plant product) that's not plastic.  Supposed to be less toxic when microwaved.  Or maybe just more biodegradable when you throw it out...  The main appeal to me is that I like the way most of the dinners taste!

ps123

Alaina,

 Here, the Amy's items aren't with the regular frozen foods. They're in a separate freezer case in the natural, organic, etc. section of the grocery store.

Pat

RIV54

Hi, Bustersmom, One of my favorite breakfasts is vanilla yogurt with a whole grain cereal and fresh or frozen berries. Some good snack ideas are an apple with peanut butter, hummus and fresh veggies. If you like cottage cheese with fresh or canned fruits makes a good lunch and Bertoli's has a line of frozen past dishes with shrimp and chicken that are very good and a quick cook.

abbadoodles

A really, really delicious and nutritious alternative to peanut butter is almond butter.  Pricey but very satisfying.  About 180 cal per serving of 2 Tbsp.  Great on two slices of toast for a quickie sandwich.  Yum.

You will find almond butter at places like Whole Foods.  Trader Joe's may have it, too.  Or Market Basket.

ICanDoThis

The produce dept of our local Krogers' (and some other supermarkets) has precut fruit - Sometimes, I get mad at myself for paying the extra, but I am more inclined to eat it when it's convenient. Pineapple, strawberries, melon, etc.

For veges, I got frozen organic - a friend of mine with teenage sons buys big bags at Costco, I buy little bags at Trader Joe's. Frozen veges are the bomb - the freezing plant is often right next to the field, so you are likely getting more nutrients than the "fresh" that's trucked in from a few thousand miles away.

TJ's also has precooked brown rice in pouches. 5 mins to table - feeds my family with one pack.

Throw in some precooked chicken strips (I know, I know), and some terriyaki sauce, and we have stir fry in 10 mins.

redheadace1

I swear by Amy's pot pies--the veggie or broccoli with cheese. I'm leery of the tofu ones because of the soy. They're satisfying, easy and healthful. Trader Joe's sounds great; wish we had one near here.

Sierra

Hi Gals:

We have Amy's here in Canada

and I did not know that re the containers

much tks..

Hugs, Sierra )