Easy Meals For Easy Summer Days

I absolutely love to cook, but with the weather warming up the last thing I need to do is start heating up my kitchen by turning on the oven. Also, who wants to be stuck over a stove when you can be outside!?

This is the time of year when I really start relying more and more on my one-bowl meals. The beauty of these meals is that they can be based on what you have on-hand. I can get through an entire week of never having the same combination, so boredom is never a problem and these meals couldn't be easier to prepare.

Here's how it works.

1. Select your serving of lean protein (4 - 6 oz). Good options are cooked salmon, shrimp, white meat chicken or turkey, beans, tofu or eggs.

2. Choose your whole grain (1 cup cooked). Whole-wheat couscous, kasha, quinoa, bulger, brown rice or whole wheat pasta are great choices.

3. Add your veggies (1 - 2 cups). Go crazy; the more the better. You can use broccoli, tomato, cucumber, carrots, celery, snap peas, lettuce, radish, mushrooms and onion. Try to use a rainbow of different color vegetables for maximum antioxidant benefit.

4. Treat yourself to some extras. Fresh fruit, seeds, flaxseed, wheat germ, fresh herbs and nuts can be added, but make certain you pay attention to portions - especially when it comes to nuts and seeds which can pack on the fat.

I top my salad off with a homemade vinaigrette that typically consists a little olive oil and vinegar. Sometimes I find just a splash of good balsamic vinegar will do (depending on the ingredients) and other times I'll make a dressing of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Again, if you're using olive oil, just be conscious of the nutrients and work the fat grams into your daily regime.

These one-bowl dishes are loaded with protein, whole grains carbs, anti-oxidants and healthy fats.

Would love to hear about some of the combination's you come up with! To get you started, here's one of my faves:

Susan's One-Bowl Chicken Dish:

4 oz grilled, skinless chicken breast
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 scallion, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach
2 raw mushrooms, sliced
6 grape tomatoes, cut in half

If you give these one-bowl meals a shot I would love to hear about the combination's you come up with. Please share - the more ideas, the better!

Heading out of town for the rest of the week and will probably not have a chance to post again until next Monday.

In the meantime ...

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan