Healthy Homemade "Fast Food" Meals

By Anita Curpier, R.D.

The words "fast food" can sound and smell a bit like "Shangri-la" when a household of hungry faces is staring down the family chef at mealtime. Creating fast, healthy meals for a family or individual on the run can be challenging and a bit overwhelming at times. Quick one-dish meals, that can be served alone, or with bread and/or pre-packaged, ready-to-eat salad greens, can be the ticket to surviving busy work, school and workout schedules and keeping you out of the fast-food drive-thru line!

Healthy, homemade "fast-food" meals require some planning, but very little actual preparation time. Many staple-type ingredients used in the following recipes can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer for several weeks and called upon when needed. Unbaked French bread loaves purchased at the deli, can be repackaged in freezer bags, and kept in the refrigerator for a week, or frozen longer until needed. Organic tortillas also store well in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Keeping an informal inventory and buying in bulk keeps your cupboards stocked with dried herbs, canned ingredients and fresh vegetables. Canned beans are higher in sodium than dried beans, but are more realistic for most of us, preparation wise. Rinsing the beans in cold water reduces the sodium content. I find it easiest to purchase several cans of beans and no-added-salt tomatoes in cardboard flats, to keep plenty on hand for chili, soups or burritos. Washed, bagged vegetables or salad bar items also keep preparation time to a minimum.

FRENCH BREAD PIZZA

Nutritional Analysis: 330 calories, 18g protein, 40g carbohydrate, 12g fat (3g saturated) 6g fiber, 10mg cholesterol, 750mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes. Serves : 2. Serving size : half of 6-inch French bread section.

Ingredients:

• 6-inch section of French bread, sliced in half (choose whole-grain if available).
• 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup raw sweet onion
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons shredded soy cheese
• 2 tablespoons part-skim, shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons fat-free mozzarella cheese
• 2 teaspoons dried French or Italian herb blend
• 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, or minced garlic cloves to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place French bread halves on baking sheet or pizza stone. Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on each bread half. Next spread marinara. Mix soy and mozzarella cheese together and add half to bread. Next, add vegetables, tomatoes, garlic and herbs and top with remaining cheese. (An optional scant sprinkling of Parmesan can be added to topping for extra flavor.) Bake until cheese is melted and bread is crusty. Serve with a tossed green salad.

Shopping List

• French bread, whole-grain if available
• Pesto sauce
• Marinara (pizza or pasta tomato sauce)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Sweet onion
• Red bell pepper
• Shredded soy cheese
• Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Fat-free mozzarella cheese
• Dried French or Italian herb blend
• Garlic powder or fresh garlic
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

QUICK NEW ORLEANS GUMBO

Nutritional Analysis: 116 calories, 11g protein, 17g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 1g fat (< .5g saturated fat), 65mg cholesterol, 590mg sodium.

Preparation time: 30 minutes. Serves : Approximately 11. Serving size : 1 cup.

Ingredients

• 1 7-oz. box of Zatarain's New Orleans Gumbo mix
• 2 14.5-oz. cans of no-added-salt diced tomatoes
• 1 lb. bag frozen, cooked shrimp
• 1/2 teaspoon dried French herb blend or seasoning of preference
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 4 cups water

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in a microwave-safe cooking dish. Cover and microwave for 10 minutes on medium power and another 10-15 minutes on high power, stirring often. Serve with whole-grain or sourdough bread and season with hot sauce if desired.

Shopping List

• Zatarain's New Orleans Gumbo mix
• No-added-salt canned, diced tomatoes
• Frozen, cooked shrimp
• Dried French herb blend
• Crushed hot pepper flakes

EVERYDAY BROWN RICE

Nutritional Analysis: 150 calories, 4g protein, 32g carbohydrate, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 2g fiber, 0 cholesterol, 100mg sodium.

Preparation time: 30 minutes. Serves: 10. Serving Size : Approximately 1 cup.

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet green peas
• 1 reduced-sodium bouillon cube, any flavor
• 4 1/2 cups water

Instructions

Place rice, garlic powder, bouillon and water in rice steamer or follow package directions to cook on stovetop per package directions. Chop onion and add to rice. Add frozen peas during last 5 to ten minutes of cooking time. Eat as is, or add tofu, chicken, shrimp and/or nuts for a quick lunch or dinner.

Shopping List

• Brown rice
• Garlic powder
• Onions
• Frozen sweet green peas
• Reduced-sodium bouillon cubes

Nutritional Analysis: 371 calories, 29g protein, 49g carbohydrate, 6g fat (< 1g saturated fat), 10mg cholesterol, 10g fiber, 710mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes. Serves : 4. Serving size : 1 burrito.

Ingredients

• 4 organic flour tortillas, whole-wheat or any flavor
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Dried red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup cubed eggplant
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1 cup coarsely chopped sweet peppers, any color
• 1 16-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed or fat-free refried beans ( Note: refried beans are higher in sodium.)
• Fresh, chopped cilantro to taste (optional)
• 1 8-oz. bag of fat-free cheddar cheese
• Salsa
• Fat-free sour cream (if desired)

Instructions

Wash and cut vegetables and place them in a large microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle herbs and garlic over vegetables. Cover with microwave-safe, vented plastic wrap and microwave vegetables on high until crunchy, but tender.

Assemble burritos in a microwave-safe dish. Add 1/4 can whole beans or fat-free refried beans to bottom of tortilla. Divide drained vegetables between tortillas. If using fresh, chopped cilantro, add now. Sprinkle each burrito with a 1/2 cup cheese.

Microwave on medium power until cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and/or fat-free sour cream.

Shopping List

• Organic flour tortillas
• Chili powder
• Dried cilantro
• Ground cumin
• Garlic powder
• Dried red pepper flakes (optional)
• Olive oil
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Sweet Peppers
• Canned black or refried beans
• Fresh cilantro (optional)
• Fat-free cheddar cheese
• Salsa
• Fat-free sour cream (optional)

Anita Miles Curpier, R.D., L.D. is a registered dietitian with 20 years experience in clinical and community nutrition.  Anita has recently started a new career as a sales associate with Semonin Realtors, Brownsboro Office.