Keep Yourself Energized With These Quick Recipes
Eating well during times of high stress can be challenging, but switching to fast food or highly processed processed foods – or worse, avoiding food – only exacerbates the problem. By using some of the shortcuts below, you can secure your own food and nutrition, while saving you time and effort.
- Nuke It: There’s no shame in playing with a microwave, and the Science Oven can help you prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts in minutes. If you need inspiration, you can start with light fried rice , quick French toast , peanut tortillas , salty sweet potato chips, and brownies . (Cakes may not be the healthiest food you can eat, but I strongly believe they relieve stress.)
- Hit the Salad Bar: When you’re confused, even simply washing and slicing carrots can seem overwhelming. To cut down on knife-making time and cut preparation time, stop by your favorite salad bar grocery store and stock up on whatever pre-cut vegetables you like. Use them in soups , pasta, or simply sauté them and place them next to protein for a light and nutritious meal.
- Just buy a grilled chicken: yes, you can cook it yourself and it’s not that hard, but nothing is easier than grabbing a hot fried chicken from the store and tearing it open with your fangs. You really don’t need anything more than Hawaiian rolls and some mustard, but if you want to get a little tastier, fried chicken makes a good base for making chicken salad or a very soothing soup .
- Fix it and forget: Rice cookers and crock pots aren’t exactly fast cooking vessels, but they are easy; all you really have to do is put something in them and press a button or two. Hearty, pretty healthy mac and cheese can be made with dried pasta, some broth, frozen vegetables and cheese of your choice, and this super-simple tomato and rice dish with its own sauce is a complete dish with a fried egg topping. … If you have a multicooker, you have tons of options . A breakfast casserole , warming rice porridge and even creamy cheesecake and crème brлеlée can be made in a slow cooker, or you can cover it using this simple pattern and formula: 1 lb of protein + 1 cup of vegetables + 2 cups of liquid + 2 tablespoons of greens + 2 tablespoons of sauce or acid . Sauté the protein very quickly, then put everything in the multicooker for four hours on high or seven hours on slow.
- Jack Up Instant Ramen: Instant ramen gets a bad reputation for its sodium-rich flavor, but noodles are a convenient starting point for a delicious meal . Rather than use a small sachet of spices, season with noodles miso , sesame oil, Harissa, coconut milk or choose an entirely different path and prepare a quick sauce flavored pasta with cherry tomatoes . As for the filling, I again recommend checking out the salad bar for chopped mushrooms, grated carrots, spinach, diced green onions, and even pre-chopped chicken, and you should always add an egg on top. Eggs are very important.
If all else fails and you just don’t have the energy or emotional potential to do anything other than order a pizza, just order a damn pizza. Eating is better than not, and pizza is good for the soul.
Photo by Kate Ter Haar .