Healthy in a Hurry

Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Co-Owner Nourish Northwest

Paula and I both have a hard time when a client asks for quick, easy recipes.  We see many people that either don’t like to cook or don’t have the time, which can be hard for us to relate to.  We both love to cook and love to experiment with new and sometimes in depth cooking techniques.  We have plenty of time to cook, given that we do this for our career.  While others work 8-12 hours a day as teachers, accountants or real estate agents, we work as professional cooks.  Our office is a kitchen and we have plenty of hours and opportunities to use it.  We recognize that time to cook is an absolute luxury that many people don’t have.   For this reason, we are working more on developing quick, healthy resources and recipes for our clients to use.

For this post, I would like to share some kitchen staples I like to keep around for whipping up quick meals.  When I started using some of these items, I remember feeling like I had failed in some way by not making everything from scratch 100% of the time.  After all, some of these things are simple to make in the kitchen, cost less to make and may have a higher nutrient content if homemade.  But it’s time to get real…. pre-prepared foods are easier, quicker and can be much more nutritious than the alternative of not cooking at all.  So let go of your ideals of doing everything perfect all of the time (or… is that just me?) and make your life a little easier.

 

 

Canned Beans

Beans are a nutrition powerhouse, full of fiber and protein but they can take between 1 and 2 hours to cook on the stovetop.  Cooking them is not difficult, but it takes time and if you did not pre-plan your bean centered meal, dinner won’t be on the table until 9 pm.  So stock your cupboard with a variety of beans… garbonzos, black beans, pinto, white… grab em all!  I look for brands whose ingredient list contains only the bean and salt.  If you have trouble digesting beans, opt for Eden Organic brand, which cooks the beans with a piece of kombu, making them easier on the belly.

Canned beans have a ton of uses including, tacos, salads, enchiladas, casseroles, bean burgers and soups.

 

 

Partially cooked grains

Whole grains are always going to be a healthier alternative to their refined counterparts, but same as beans, they can take a long time to cook.  While some of the water soluble nutrients (B vitamins) can be lost in the cooking process, partially cooked grains still contain all the fiber.  Trader Joe’s has a line of 10 minute hearty grains, including barley and farro.  These are great grains for lunch time salads or dinner time pilafs.

 

Pre-cut/Frozen Veggies

Frozen veggies actually often have a higher nutrient content than fresh from the grocery store.  They are usually flash frozen shortly after harvesting, which locks the nutrients in.  Often the produce that is sitting on your grocer’s shelf has been away from it’s nutrient source for a week or longer while it was transported.  Many stores even offer pre-cut fresh veggies, such as onions, peppers and squash.  The nutrient quality of these may be compromised but they still contain fiber, antioxidants and decent amounts of vitamins and minerals.  Having veggies already chopped can be a really helpful step in getting them on the dinner table.

 

Frozen Veggie/Turkey Burgers

There are dozens of brands and varieties of veggie burgers to chose from.  My perferences are always changing but one thing that stays the same is that I always have a box of some version in the freezer.  Amy’s California burgers are in fashion for me at the moment.

When choosing a veggie burger I always check that they are actually vegetable based, rather than an ultra-processed soy product.  It’s also nice when they have a protein source in them, like beans or nuts.  These Amy’s ones contain walnuts.  Garden burgers are such a great thing to make when you are really in a pinch for time.  Heat one up, put it on bread or on a bed of greens, top with avocado and you’re ready to eat in less than 10 minutes.

Not a fan of veggie burgers?  Turkey burgers work great, too!

 

Miscellaneous time savers

• Cans/boxes of soup
• Bags of mixed greens/pre-chopped kale
• Steamed beets from Trader Joe’s
• Pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s
• Pre-grilled chicken from Trader Joe’s
• Instant oatmeal
• Whole grain pancake mix
• Spice mixtures