[septembersgoal]

I was just wondering if we should start a thread with quick meal ideas, since this seems to be a re-occuring question. We could post meal ideas, and not necessarily recipes. What do you guys think? Or should we just have a thread under the Core recipe sub-board? I would love to have a thread full of people's ideas for lunch and quick suppers...especially since that's all I cook! What do you all think?

[Katpo]

I like it! I need quick ideas too. I see some of those recipes and the first thing I think is "ugh, I don't want to stand in front of a stove after being at work all day!!!"

If we make a separate thread, we can get a mod to make it sticky. If we put it in the recipe sub-board, it should stay visible. Either way is fine with me.

[Vickie]

Even though I have the time, I don't always want to cook big elaborate meals either. I'm game!

[Monkeypoodle]

Great idea for a thread!

What does everyone consider quick and easy? For example, I think the cola chicken is quick 'cuz I'm not spending 20 minutes chopping vegetables, but it does take awhile to cook. On the other hand, I've got a black bean avocado salad recipe that requires lots of chopping, but is ready to eat right away.

Also I'd make the rule that any recipe that is mentioned on this thread is put on the Core Recipes board. This way we always have a single place for recipes.

I spent about two hours cooking last night (2 meals), so I am totally ready for quick and easy.

[Vickie]

I don't like to chop alot and I don't like a millions steps if I'm looking for quick and easy. I defnitely agree that we should also post all of these recipes in our recipe sub-board. I think my Spaghetti Meat Sauce is quick and easy. Chop one cup onions, open 4 cans, throw in some spices, brown meat, and simmer. It's posted already. I'll keep trying to think of others.

[tchrmom]

I just posted my Turkey Cabbage Stir Fry recipe. It doesn't get any easier than that!

[trixiepup]

Pressure cooker chicken:

Brown chicken breasts in a bit of oil or cooking spray, add in chopped onions and some garlic. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili pepper, and italian seasoning. Add some chopped up tomatoes if you have them. Cook at 15 pounds of pressure for 10 minutes. Pour water over cooker to eliminate pressure. Done.

Serve with frozen veggies you warmed up while chicken was cooking.

I need more ideas, because by the time I come home from work, all I want to do is sit down and eat. Before Core, my evening meal was a sandwich or tortilla of some sort.

[Monkeypoodle]

Here's three quickies - all are in the recipe thread.

Pan-Fried cornmeal chicken
Speedy pork tostadas
Texas two-step chicken

[Katpo]

My idea of a quick meal is:

buy a roasted chicken at the grocery store
put some broccoli in the steamer
boil some corn on the cob

I could eat it every day! And I just might have to do that next week if it's what it takes to keep me focused on Core!

[septembersgoal]

Wow, you guys have such great ideas!

One of the fastest and easiest core dishes I have found is the Easy White Bean Chili. Open up some cans, throw them in the pot, and heat it up. Its really good.

Another favorite of ours is black beans and rice. I just make brown rice according to directions (although I usually omit the butter), then heat up black beans on the stove. I do not drain the black beans, but put them juice and all in a pan. Then add cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Serve the beans over the rice. A great main dish or good with a bunless burger, or chicken. DH even loves it.

[septembersgoal]

I would add Terry's Black Bean Soup to the list. I made it last night and it was really good. I added a can of mexicorn, some chili powder and some garlic powder. It was hot but I like it that way!

[sisvivian]

One of my easy meals is to cut up some leftover chicken breast and add chopped broccoli, mixed vegetables, and any other veggies I care to add and make a large pot of it and then I take it to work with me every night with some fruit. I have been also adding canned diced potatoes. My husband doesn't like lima beans and my daughter doesn't like green beans so I try to accommodate them and they like it too.
Vivian

[septembersgoal]

I have not tried to modify this to fit core, but it is something that I'm going to try. When doing Flex DH and I would prepare Chicken flavored Rice a Roni and then serve veggies on top. At my grocery store they sell an "Asian" blend (I don't know what's asian about it though) of green beans, mushrooms, and onions. It is really good, and is so tasty on top of the rice. So an idea would be to stir-fry those frozen veggies and serve on top of either brown rice or couscous prepared with chicken broth (or some other flavoring agent).

[ontarget]

linda, i was having wi on monday just cause that's the first day of the week and usually when i start a diet. melissa and i switched to friday because we thought we might be lighter then than on monday because of the weekends. why don't i wi on the weekend? no particular reason not to do so. a few years ago i went to ww meetings on sat am. i had my weekly wi then. i'm interested in hearing others' responses to this.

[septembersgoal]

Just thought I would bump this up in case anyone has any new ideas!! I am always in search of quick meal ideas.