Almost everyone is facing shortage of time these days. In such stringent situations people don’t have time to cook elaborate menus and follow a difficult diet schedule. This article gives you some easy recipes that you can prepare without wasting much time and maintain a healthy body.
Our stone age ancestors had a lot of time in their hands. They used to hunt food, bring it back to their caves, and cook it. That was their routine until evolution happened and man progressed from the stone age to the modern age of technology. When you talk about the 21st century almost everyone has a busy schedule and almost all of us have a shortage of time. Some are students, or have work, and or have businesses to take care off. So knowing a few easy and quick healthy recipes can be of great help at such times.
America’s waistline is increasing at a rapid pace, and the fast-food industry, which has a turnover of more than 1 billion USD, is increasing its followers every minute. People are getting addicted to junk food and completely ignoring its side effects. For people who are concerned about their health and are searching for some healthy recipes in order to get a toned body, here are some good options.
Packed Potato Soup
Ingredients
- Olive Oil, 2 tsp.
- All-purpose Flour, 3 tbsp.
- Red Potatoes, 4
- Chicken Broth, 1 ¼ cup (Fat free, low sodium)
- Chopped Onion, ½ cup
- Low Fat Milk, 2 cups
- Low Fat Sour Cream, 1 cup
- Bacon Slices, (halved) 3
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese, ⅓ cup
- Green Onions, (sliced) 4 tsp.
- Salt, ½ tsp.
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper, ¼ tsp.
Preparation
Pierce the potatoes with a fork and then cook for 15 minutes in the microwave, on high temperature, until tender. While you cook the potatoes, take a saucepan and heat olive oil on medium flame. Now, add onion and sauté it for 3 to 4 minutes, and then add the chicken broth. Now mix the flour and milk in a separate bowl and add it to the sauce pan. Bring this mixture to a boil and mix well. Now close the flame and add the sour cream, salt, and pepper; mix well. Place the bacon slices on a paper towel in an oven proof dish and cook it in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove the potato skins, mash them well and add in the soup. Garnish the soup with cheese, bacon and green onions. Your delicious soup is ready.
Pesto Sauce
Ingredients
- Pine Nuts, 2 tbsp.
- Garlic Cloves, (peeled) 3
- Fresh Basil Leaves, 2 cups
- Grated Parmesan Cheese, ¼ cup
- Low-sodium Vegetable Broth, 1 cup
- Salt, ½ tsp.
Preparation
Place all the pine nuts in a pan. Heat the pan on a medium flame. Make sure you cook the nuts until they are golden and remember to shake the pan often, otherwise the nuts will get burnt. In a blender add nuts, broth, basil, cheese, garlic, salt, and oil; blend until you get a smooth and thick paste. Serve this sauce with rolls, French fries or even tortilla chips.
Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
- Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts (cut into ¼ inch strips), 2
- Broccoli Florets, 4 cups
- Fat-free Chicken Broth, ½ cup
- Garlic Cloves, (Minced) 4
- Water, ½ cup
- Canola Oil, (divided) 1 tbsp.
- Rice Wine Vinegar, 2 tbsp.
- Salted Peanuts, (chopped) 2 tbsp.
- Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp.
- Hoisin Sauce, 2 tbsp.
- Cornstarch, 1 tsp.
- Fresh Ginger, (grounded) 1 tbsp.
- Red Pepper, (crushed) 1 tsp.
Preparation
Put a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and heat 1 tsp. oil in it. Now add the broccoli and 1 tsp. ginger in the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes. Pour water, cover the skillet and cook for more 3 minutes, until the broccoli becomes tender and crispy. Remove the broccoli from the pan and keep warm. Now add the remaining oil and ginger in the pan. Add crushed red pepper and chicken in the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, until the chicken gets lightly browned. Take a separate bowl and add chicken broth, hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and garlic cloves. Stir well with a whisk. Add the broth mixture to the pan and cook well. Now add the broccoli to the pan and serve this amazing chicken recipe hot.
Prawns with Salt and Pepper
Ingredients
- Peeled and Deveined Raw Shrimp, 1 lb.
- Cabbage, (thinly sliced) 6 cups
- Lime Juice, ¼ cup
- Red Bell Peppers, (Very thinly sliced) 2
- Rice Flour ¼ cup
- Soy Sauce, 4 tsp.
- Sugar, 1 tsp.
- Kosher Salt, ½ tsp.
- Five-spice Powder, 1 tsp.
- Freshly Ground Pepper, 1 tsp.
- Canola Oil, 2 tbsp.
- Jalapeños, (seeded and minced) 2
Preparation
In a large bowl, add lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Mix well until the sugar gets completely dissolved. Also add cabbage and bell peppers. In a separate bowl mix rice flour, salt, pepper, five spice, and coat the shrimp with this mixture. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium flame. Now add the coated shrimp and cook. Make sure you stir regularly. Add in jalapeños and cook the shrimp for 1 more minute.
Lemon Bars
Ingredients
- Low-calorie Granulated Sugar, 2 tbsp.
- Cold Butter, 6 tbsp.
- All-purpose Flour, 1 ½ cup
- Salt, 2 tsp.
Ingredients for the Filling
- Half-and-Half, (half milk and half cream) ½ cup
- All-purpose Flour, ⅓ cup
- Fresh Lemon Juice, ½ cup
- Fresh Grated Lemon Peel, 1 tbsp.
- Granular Sugar, 1 ¼ cup
- Eggs, 5
Preparation
For baking the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F. Take a lightly sprayed 8×8 baking pan. Take a food processor and combine flour, salt, and low-calorie granulated sugar, and grind it well. Add butter and blend until you get a fine mixture. Pour this mixture in the baking pan and bake until the crust is lightly browned. Take a separate bowl, add eggs and half-and-half, mix well. Slowly add the flour, low-calorie granulated sugar, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Pour this mixture over the baking pan and bake until the crust is set and the edges have become brown. Now let it cool and serve after cutting it into square pieces.