I've been rereading a couple of posts by folks who think they can't cook. In between the posts I shoved chicken into the oven, put green beans in a pan, started rice and very soon I'll set out fresh crunchy veggies. That's pretty simple, yes?

Add your thoughts and lets help these folks stop eating so much processed stuff

Processed foods are nasty. Especially low-carb processed foods. IMO, if you're going to cut your calories, then the ones you are going to eat need to taste good!

My advice to everyone would be to drop a large chunk of change in the spice section of your store. There is more to life than mere salt & pepper. I'm kind of low on spices at the moment, but I've got cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, adobo (not a good idea if you're on a low-sodium diet), lemon pepper, Mrs Dash, ginger (not just for sweets!), cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, curry powder, onion powder, garlic powder, & turmeric. I need more paprika. Any of those can go on just about anything. A small amount of cinnamon in lean ground beef gives it a rich flavor. It's worth it to break out of your preconceived notions about what spice goes where.

It's also well worth looking for ethnic recipes on Allrecipes.com. Indian food is great, and it's not all spicy. (It's also great if you're trying to go vegetarian.) You can find most of the ingredients in the grocery store these days. A lot of Tex Mex can be made without the usually attendant frying, and the meat dishes are startlingly easy.

Chicken breast in George Foreman grill, frozen (by me) vegs in the microwave, stir couscous into boiling water, wait 5 minutes, fluff. Providing your chicken is thawed, this is truly an "under 10 minute" meal.

Here's another quickie, though chopping the veg takes some time. Cooking is like 15 mintues. Saute some onions and garlic, add some finely diced red peppers (or green - they don't agree with me) and zucchini chopped into little tiny pieces. Cook til zuke is getting soft. Open a can of tomatoes (stewed, diced and seasoned, whatever) and add to the vegs. Season to your tast, depending on what's in the tomatoes. I use a variety of basil, oregano, etc. Let it simmer til most of the liquid is gone and everything is very well done. Serve over hot pasta of your choice, or spaghetti squash. *Note this one has little protein, but you can use it as a side dish with a chicken breast, lean pork, yada, yada. Or add some ground turkey when you're sauteeing. I find the turkey doesn't add much of a flavor of its own like ground beef.

And one more: cut a semi-thawed chicken breast into small pieces (it's easier to cut if it's still a little frozen). Saute in your choice of oil/pan spray. Add some chopped up onion and mushrooms (both optional ) and cook til they're soft. Now you have a choice: add a mixture of 1 part dijon mustard, to 2 parts balsamic vinegar and cook some more til the chicken absorbs some of the sauce and it thickens up some. Or, add some sort of teriyaki sauce like Yoshida Gourmet and do the same. Sevrve with a good veg and some sort of carb. Again, 10-15 minutes.

Tonight we're having a fish I don't remember having before, just filets. So I'll lightly spray my baking dish with whatever oily spray I have and put the fish in the oven when DH comes home. I'm not adding any spices or anything because this is the first time I've made this kind. I'll see what it's like and either learn to spice it or never buy it again. It doesn't take very long until it's loose and flaky.
A broccoli and cauliflower mix for veggies I think. I'll bring them to a boil in a bit of water then set them aside to cook in their own heat.
As usual there will be a bowl of fresh crunchy vegetables on the table too.
The fella's can have a nice slice of whole grain bread. I'll have some overt carbs later.