30 Minute Meals – Time-saving cooking ideas #1

As many of us already know, it’s not always easy to get exercising and/or cooking

into our busy schedules every day. We have jobs, we have families, we have dedicated prayer times, we have hobbies…and we all have the same 24 hours in every day. So how is it that some women seem to have it all together, yet some of us can barely get supper on the table by 6:30pm, let alone get everything else done from our never-ending To-Do lists?

First of all, there are ways to get around many of these road blocks without sacrificing any family time or responsibilities. It way require some rethinking of our daily schedules, our family’s chore charts or one of many other aspects of the way we are accustomed to doing things. But change is good, especially if that change can also result in you eating healthier AND exercising on a regular basis.

Some of you may be thinking something like, “This woman doesn’t have a house full of children.” or “She has more help than I do.” This kind of thinking is what gets a lot of women into that negative area where they start to doubt themselves. We don’t want any of that here. So, for the purpose of this little lesson today, everybody has the same amount of children, and the same amount of help. And we’re still going to end up with a great meal on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Meal planning is something that takes getting used to if it’s not something you’ve done before. At first, it might seem like it’s taking a whole lot of time just to save 20 minutes a day. This process, like any other process or habit we learn in our lives, takes time. The normal length of time to learn a new habit is 3 weeks. The average length of time to cement it into our everyday lives without a second thought is 6 weeks. By all means, give yourself time for this!

Not only does planning your meals save you time in preparation and cooking time, it saves you time at the grocery store, and also saves you money on wasted food as well. Remember those peppers you bought, put them in the drawer and forgot they were there? It happens to all of us at one point or another. By knowing ahead of time what exactly you need for the week, you will be saving yourself (and your bank account) from forgotten fruit or vegetables in that drawer of the fridge. And believe me that can really add up over a year.

Okay, we’ve planted the seed about menu planning. We’ll get back to that in a bit more detail in a few days. For now, I want to show you how easy it is to make a proper, healthy meal in 30 minutes or less. And it can be much less if you’re the type of person who buys their salad pre-packaged in those large, reseal-able bags or containers.

Speedy Macadamia Chicken

4 boneless / skinless chicken breasts sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed

1/4lb green beans

½ sweet red pepper

1 large tomato

4tbsp honey

¼ tsp. sesame seeds

1/8 lb Macadamia (or other) nuts

Sesame oil

Put a pot of water on stove to boil in order to prepare instant whole grain or brown rice as per package instructions.

Chop or slice all ingredients. Save ½ of red pepper for salad. Heat sesame oil in a skillet or wok. Sauté garlic slightly. Add chicken and dill, and sauté for approximately 5 minutes.

Water should be boiling in your pot. Add rice and stir.

Add green beans and red peppers to skillet or wok, and sauté for saute for another couple of minutes.

Stir rice and check to see if it’s ready. If it is, remove from heat and cover.

Combine salad ingredients. Add tomato, celery, mandarin orange slices or other ingredients as desired.

Add the tomato and the macadamia nuts to skillet or wok; sauté another minute or two. Add the honey and the sesame seeds. Continue cooking just long enough to warm the honey.

Place rice on plate, and top with chicken mixture. Add salad and desired dressing, if any. Sit down, as a family and enjoy the extra time you have to spend together, since this delicious meal should only have taken you approximately 22 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

Now plan some extra time for yourself after dinner! Your first lesson in healthy cooking in 30 minutes or less has been passed with flying colors!

Whole Grains Recipes

In keeping with our theme of whole grains, I thought I’d provide you with a few recipes today so you can start slowly incorporating them into your diet (if you haven’t already). These are recipes I have found online, just to show you how easy it is to locate healthly recipes. The http://about.com website has so many wonderful selections, you’ll find it a great place to find the recipes you need for your new, healthy eating habits. I hope you find these recipes useful as well as delicious!

Flax Seed Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flax seed meal
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 Tablespoons sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener
• 5 beaten eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare pan (a 10X15 pan or cookie sheet with sides works best) with oiled parchment paper or a silicone mat.

1) Mix dry ingredients well — a whisk works well.

2) Add wet to dry, and combine well. Make sure there aren’t obvious strings of egg white hanging out in the batter.

3) Let batter set for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up some (leave it too long and it gets past the point where it’s easy to spread.)

4) Pour batter onto pan. Because it’s going to tend to mound in the middle, you’ll get a more even thickness if you spread it away from the center somewhat, in roughly a rectangle an inch or two from the sides of the pan (you can go all the way to the edge, but it will be thinner).

5) Bake for about 20 minutes, until it springs back when you touch the top and/or is visibly browning even more than flax already is.

6) Cool and cut into whatever size slices you want. You don’t need a sharp knife; I usually just cut it with a spatula.

Nutritional Information: Each of 12 servings has less than a gram of effective carbohydrate (.7 grams to be exact) plus 5 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, and 185 calories.

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Couscous

Whole grain couscous flavored with fruit and cinnamon makes for a healthy whole grain vegetarian breakfast suitable for kids as well as adults! For a vegan version, use a vegan margarine instead of butter. Breakfast couscous recipe courtesy the Wheat Foods Council.

Ingredients:

• 1 16 ounce can apples or pears, divided
• water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 10 ounce package couscous (7/8 cup)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, or to tste

Preparation:

1) Drain fruit, reserving juice. Pour juice into measuring cup and add water to equal 2 cups. Prepare couscous according to package directions using the fruit juice and butter.

2) Dice fruit; add to couscous.

3) Combine sugar and cinnamon and mix with couscous. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 6 servings of apple cinnamon couscous.

Calories per serving: 271
Nutrition: Each serving provides approximately: 271 calories; 6 g protein; 56 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 2 g fat (1 g saturated); 5 mg cholesterol; 0 mcg folate; 1 mg iron; 22 mg sodium.

Moong Daal Halwa (ok, not a diet food…but we can all enjoy a treat once in awhile!)

This rich, delicious dessert has an unusual main ingredient, normally associated with savory dishes – lentils. You’d never believe it when you eat it though! Serve Moong Daal Halwa warm with a scoop of vanilla icecream and you’ll get many requests for seconds.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Moong Daal (split yellow lentils)
• 2 cups ghee
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 6 pods green cardamom split
• 1 cup khoya (see recipe below)
• 1 cup finely chopped mixed dried fruits of your choice

Preparation:

1) Wash thoroughly and soak the moong daal in water plenty of water, overnight.

2) The next morning, grind to a smooth paste in a food processor. Do not add any water while grinding.

3) Prepare a sugar syrup of one-thread consistency (here’s how you do it). When done, turn off the fire and add the split cardamom pods to the syrup. Cover and keep aside for later.

4) Heat the ghee/ clarified butter (recipe here) in a heavy-bottomed (preferably non-stick) pan on a medium flame till warm.

5) Add the moong daal paste to this ghee and stir to mix. Cook the moong daal, stirring frequently till it begins to turn golden and release its aroma. Another sign of doneness to watch for is, the separation of the ghee from the moong daal.

6) Add the khoya (recipe here) and mix well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

7) Now add the sugar syrup (remove cardamom pods before adding) and mix to blend.

Cook on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

9) Add the dried fruits and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the fire.

10 ) Garnish with chopped nuts and serve. You can also add a dollop of vanilla icecream if desired.

Easy Barley and Mushroom Pilaf Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp chopped green onions (scallions)
• 1/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary
• 2 tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1) Heat olive oil in saucepan; add mushrooms and sautee until limp. Add barley, vegetable or chicken broth, green onion and rosemary. Bring to a boil.

2) Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over barley pilaf and serve.

Makes 4 servings of barley pilaf.

Per serving: 242 calories, 7g protein, 7g fat, 40g carbohydrate, 4mg cholesterol, 11g fiber, 790mg sodium.

Garlic Quinoa with Parmesan Cheese

This is an easy vegetarian recipe for whole grain quinoa flavored with garlic and Parmesan cheese. Although this is a very basic recipe, you can vary it by adding some fried tofu or whatever veggies you happen to have on hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1) In a medium sized pan, sautee the onion and garlic in butter or olive oil over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until onions are just soft. Reduce heat to medium low.

2) Add the vegetable broth and quinoa. Cover, and allow to simmer until liquid is mostly absorbed and quinoa is cooked, about fifteen minutes.

3) Remove from heat, and gently mix quinoa to distribute any excess moisture. Season with salt to taste, and top with Parmesan cheese, or, for a vegan version, mix in nutritional yeast instead of the cheese.

I hope you try these recipes, and discover how easy it is to incorporate whole grains and other healthy choices into your meal plans.

Alternate Sources of Protein

For many women, finding the right amount of protein for their diets can be challenging. Especially if you’re not particularly fond of meat, you prefer to eat vegetarian, or you’re simply tired of the same type of meals week after week.

There’s really no reason to worry about the amount of protein you’re getting, because most Americans actually consume much more protein than their body actual needs. Keep reading for a look at different ways you can add protein to your diet without having to resort to filling your menu plan with animal (meat) protein every day.

Whole grains: Whole grains are a fantastic source of protein. If you’re looking for the number one whole grain, I recommend quinoa. It’s full of essential amino acids, which are necessary for good health. There are other whole grains that are great sources of protein as well. Consider brown rice, barley, flax, and whole grain breads for example. They are also cost-efficient, especially if you buy your whole grains in bulk.

Beans, lentils and legumes: All different types of these are excellent choices for your protein needs. Although the list here is far from complete, these are a few of the options you have when choosing beans for your protein needs. Black beans, split peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans and many more options will all provide more than enough protein for your body’s needs.

Eggs: Eggs can supply you with many vitamins and minerals in addition the the quality protein you receive when eating them. Vitamin A, riboflavin, several of the vitamin Bs, calcium and potassium are the main benefits following the protein value in the natural, single-food source. Eggs are also one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D.

Soy and tofu: Soy is such a versatile product you’ll always find different ways to use it in your cooking. Soy is yet another fantastic alternative for assuring you achieve all your protein needs. Whether you choose tofu or other soy products such as soy milk, soy nuts or even soy cheese you can be assured you are definitely receiving appropriate amounts of protein in your diet. And for those of you who are trying to watch what you eat, but still crave some sort of sweet or dessert on occasion, you can even choose soy ice cream.

The bonus with many tofu and soy products is that they are fortified with other nutrients as well. Normally you will find they have additional calcium, vitamin B12 and iron added to them to ensure you get as much health benefit as possible from what you’re eating.

Hemp: Hemp seeds contain all of the essential fatty acids and amino acids your body requires to remain healthy. The seeds can be eaten raw, made into hemp milk (similar to soy milk), used for tea as well as other baking. The leaves can also be used as a part of your salad! Its protein benefits are comparable to other sources such as meat, milk, eggs and soy.

Whey: Whey is what’s left over once milk has been curdled and strained, such as in the process of making cheese. This is another great source of protein, and here’s a little explanation of why it’s one of the most popular choices of supplements to food sources. Whey protein surpasses even the egg white standard (the number one natural source of protein). This means it is even more efficient at being digest and absorbed by your small intestine while still in its original form. As a result of this, it’s thought that the amino acids from whey protein enter the blood stream faster than other sources of protein.

Various protein powders: There are many different protein powders available everywhere from your local health food store to your pharmacy. They are made with dried protein sources such as whey, casein (milk), soy, egg white (albumin) or hemp seeds. They are most often used in meal replacement products such as shakes or bars, and are most often used by body builders. However, they are recommended by certain low-carb diets as an alternative to various meals. These powders are easy to use, as it’s normally just a case of adding water or low-fat milk, stir and drink.

As you get used to the fact that these ‘shakes’ are your meal, you’ll find it easier to be fulfilled with a liquid meal. However it does sometime take some time for your brain (and your stomach) to realize your body is getting all of the nutrition you need, and you may subconciously feel hungry even after using a meal replacement product.

As you can see, you have many choices available in order to ensure you get enough protein in your diet. There’s no need for meal after meal to contain meat, and these choices can help you to achieve a more flexible menu plan while still supplying your body with all of the nutrients it needs to remain healthy.

Why Choose Whole Grains?

I will ask you to forgive me for the length of this post today, but I thought it was important to not only explain the benefits of whole grains, but also how they relate to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his teachings. I hope you enjoy it.

It’s amazing just how perfectly we have been provided for, with food which is naturally healthy, taking care of all of our needs for heart, blood sugar, weight maintenance and other health situations. The strength of ancient armies and their people was often dependent on the type of grain they had available to them. Egyptian wheat (what is known today as Kamut) was often cultivated on the flooded plains of the Nile River. It is said that ancient Roman and Egyptian gladiators were eaters of barley, just as many Greeks before them.

But what better role model do we have than The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his very own teachings and reactions in relation to the foods he ate. The Prophet (PBUH) never turned down any food he was offered, even if the taste was less to be desired. He was thankful for any food presented to him, no matter how little there was, or how plain.

I found the following information on “The Arab News” website and thought it was a perfect example of how our Prophet (PBUH) teaches us the value of whole grains (particularly barley), as well as how important it is to not waste any food fit for eating.

“A woman called Salma, who was close to the Prophet’s household, reports that three of the Prophet’s young relatives once came to her. These were his grandson Al-Hasan ibn Ali, his cousin Abdullah ibn Abbas and another cousin Abdullah ibn Jaafar. They made a request to her to cook them a dish that the Prophet used to like. She said to them: “You will not like it today.” They insisted that she should cook it for them. “She took some barley and cooked it. She then put it in a deep plate and added some oil. She then crushed some pepper and spices to add these and served it to them, saying: ‘This is a dish that the Prophet liked and enjoyed eating.’” (Related by Al-Tirmidhi.)

We note that the lady was reluctant to give these young men what they asked. The reason was that by the time when this took place the Muslim state had prospered and people were able to afford different types of food. Moreover, the Arabs had by then mixed with people from different areas which came under Islamic rule. They became used to their more sophisticated cooking. Therefore, the lady felt that the young men would not appreciate the simple food that the Prophet used to eat. However, they were keen to try it, because they wanted to experience some aspects of the Prophet’s life, and tasting the food the Prophet liked was one way of doing that.

The dish served by this lady companion of the Prophet was simple indeed, consisting of boiled barley which was mixed with oil and some spices. We should remember that she was not keen to serve them anything the Prophet used to eat, saying they would not like it after they had been used to far more sophisticated and tasty food. Therefore, she must have thought of the best that the Prophet ate, which needed spices and pepper to enhance the taste. By today’s standards, this was very simple food unsuitable to serve as a main dish.

Indeed the Prophet was grateful for any type of food, no matter how plain it was. A report by Anas makes it clear that the Prophet used to like the remainder that was left in a saucepan after the food had been served. This authentic report is significant because it shows that the Prophet was keen to teach his companions by practical example that no food should be thrown away if it was suitable to eat.”

Whole grains are nature’s perfect foods — they’re neatly packaged combinations of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and other nutrients we’re just beginning gain an understanding of. They come in a wide range of tastes and textures for us to enjoy.

A whole grain consists of three components: bran, endosperm and germ. Each of these layers has their own particular uses and attributes.

• Bran (the outside layer of grain) provides fiber, B vitamins and great texture and taste
• Endosperm (the middle of the grain) holds the bulk of the nutrients. Essential amino acids contained here help to create a vegetarian protein source, which works alongside fiber to boost the density of nutrition found in foods made with it.
• Germ (the center of a grain) contains fat and fat-soluble antioxidants such as vitamin E, and is by far the most delicious part of the grain

Over the years whole grains had been put aside and replaced with processed and refined grains that were easier and quicker to work with. The problem with this is that refined grains only contain the endosperm, leaving out many of the most important parts of this wonderful product of nature.

There are many different types of whole grains you can choose from. Some of the most popular ones are found below, with a small description of each one.

• Barley – Nutty flavor and a good source of heart -healthy soluble fiber
• Buckwheat – Not wheat, but a seed that contains high levels of an antioxidant called rutin
• Hard Red Wheat – Hard wheat has higher amino acid levels (protein building blocks) than its softer versions and is a beautiful red color as its name suggests
• Brown Rice – This grain has a delicate flavor, is hypoallergenic and gluten-free
• Rye – Also a good fiber source, this grain has a distinct earthy flavor
• Oats – This super-grain has soluble fiber and a smooth and sweet flavor
• Flax seed – Best consumed ground to obtain the best nutritional value, this grain provides both generous amounts of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids

The link between high cholesterol and heart disease is a well-known and documented fact. But simply by integrated more whole grains into your diet, especially those such as oats and flax seed you can reduce your cholesterol levels considerably. This in turn lowers your risk of heart disease. Changing to a diet high in whole grains will help ensure your heart keeps up its important work for much longer than if you stick to refined grains.

Because whole grains are complex carbohydrates, they naturally contain fiber and can’t be broken down and absorbed as quickly as simple sugars or refined grains. This results in a better maintenance of your blood glucose levels, potentially reducing or removing your need for insulin with Type II diabetics. You’ll also find your energy levels more stable as a result of slower release of sugar into the bloodstream.

Many of the fashionable diets out there these days are telling people to avoid grains as much as possible. They may not be the greatest at helping you keep a healthy weight, they still shouldn’t be forgotten. The nutrition available in the form of vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates and fiber, whole grains contain some of the best elements help keep you on the right path to maintaining a healthy weight.

Next Friday I’ll be blogging about different uses for whole grains, and provide you with some recipes you can try for a new, healthier you.

Losing Weight as a Family – Getting Everyone Involved

It’s not always the easiest task to get your family interested and willing to participate in weight loss and healthy eating. But once you do get them involved, they can be the best support you’ll find when you’re working on losing weight and getting healthy together. nrashow.typepad.com Before starting any new diet plan for yourself and your family, it’s important to talk to your physician. Not only do you need to be sure it’s a good choice for you, but that it suits your family’s needs as well. Of course your husband will require larger portion sizes than you, and you have to take into consideration the nutritional needs of your children as well. A good place to start for many people wanting to begin eating a healthier diet is to go through the fridge and pantry. This is a project you might want to do with some extra back-up. Your job is to clear the house of all the “junk” food. No more potato chips, ice cream, chocolate…you get the picture. Once everything is out of the house, take a family trip to the grocery store so you can all stock up on healthier foods and snacks like fruits and vegetables, low-fat desserts, and even baked chips instead of those old fried ones. This whole process is going to take some getting used to. If your family is used to McDonald’s and I-hop every week, getting them into the habit of eating foods that are better for them is not likely to happen overnight. However, if you stick with it, you’ll notice soon enough they don’t mind snacking on carrots, or eating homemade food instead of fast food all the time. Turn menu planning into a game. You can put healthy meal choices on pieces of paper and have each member pick one out of a hat or box one at a time until all of your choices for the week are filled in. Sit together and have each person choose the healthy main course, while everyone else helps choose side dishes and a dessert which go well with it. You can even try and come up with low calorie versions of your family’s high calorie favorites. It can be a challenge to find healthy foods that the whole family will like. But this is also a great opportunity to teach them about good nutritional habits, and how the food pyramid works. Starting when your children are young will help them to make the right choices in the future.  But remember, it’s never too late to start a healthy eating plan. Start where you are and keep with it. And just to add the perfect ending to your new healthy eating plan, why not add family exercise to the whole experience? There’s nothing like some quality family time, and this can easily be achieved by taking a walk while the dinner dishes soak. It’s a lot better for you, both physically and emotionally as a family unit than fast food and television, that’s for sure!