Quick Meals

Meals for Life in the Fast Lane

A lite topic for today. Life moves quickly, and people need to eat. I know for me in the summer with the heat, humidity, cooking is not my favorite thing to do, so what can you cook that is quick and won’t have you sweating up a storm?

Kebab anyone? You can grab a package of kebabs, toss them on the grill and have dinner in ten minutes. Kebabs are great because it’s veggies and meat in one meal. All you need is another veggie or starch, and you have a complete meal. If you have a toaster oven or large airfryer that pretty much does everything you can get skewers, grill pieces of meat and veggies, add pineapple chunks and whalla a meal.

You’ll likely also find whole roasted chickens in your grocer’s deli. Grab a bagged salad, and you have a complete and healthy meal that takes you less than five minutes to get on the table. And if your family doesn’t eat the entire chicken at dinnertime, you have leftovers that can be made into chicken salad for lunch or dinner tomorrow—two meals for one. I prefer to get a Cornish hen perhaps and cook it myself in my air fryer which I use for just about everything.

Italian is always welcomed, and you don’t have to top frozen pasta or gnocchi with a jar of tomato sauce. In fact, gnocchi, sliced onion, and a few sautéed veggies with some pre-shredded Parmesan cheese make a quick and tasty meal. The gnocchi I get are the ones imported from Italy, and they don’t take that long to cook. How about sardines? sardines pack a wallop of protein, and they’re tasty. If you like tuna fish, you’ll like sardines. Cook a package of spaghetti, toss with chopped sardines, sautéed onions, and a touch of garlic, and you have a meal that takes less than 15 minutes to cook. I also get mackerel and put the cooked mackerell and sardines together sometimes.

Consider fully cooked turkey breast. You can take it home and slice it or if you buy it at the deli have your butcher slice it in ¼ slices. Grab a bag of salad from the produce section and a can of gravy. You have an instant meal. Warm the turkey and top with gravy heated in the microwave. Another excellent topping for turkey breast is a warmed apricot preserve. Lightly brush the turkey slices with apricot preserves and serve. (You can use the remaining turkey breast for lunches tomorrow). How about some ham? Ham is generally pre-cooked, and all it needs is to be warmed through, and then it is ready to serve. Grab a bag of chopped cabbage and a jar of coleslaw dressing, and you have a picnic-ready meal.

Burgers, buns and some toppings and you have a meal. I personally stick to turkey burgers, it’s healthier and I can add cheese, even put two or three cheeses together, grilled onions, a bit non dairy mayo maybe, whatever my imagination can come up with.

Finally, let’s not forget the great convenience of pre-made pizza crusts, and flat breads. You can top them with your favorite ready-to-serve toppings and have a pizza for the family in less than ten minutes. It just takes a little creativity and planning to get a meal on the table. Skip the drive-through and feed your family well in less time.