It's so tempting not to cook if you leave alone or are empty nesters!
So why go to the trouble to cook?
· Preparing healthy meals at home can support your immune system and reduce the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
· Cooking at home can sharpen your mind, fight cognitive decline, and decrease your risk of Alzheimer’s
· Preparing even simple meals at home can be creatively fulfilling.
Make it easy!
· Cook a protein such as a beef roast or chicken and freeze individual portions of the meat to pull out to use in interchangeable recipes.
· Change it up with spices of your choice: Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Asian, Indian.
· Vinegar and oil make everything tasty
· Pick out a base: lettuce greens, flat bread, tortilla, rice, pasta, grain, etc.
· Add vegetables
· Don’t forget presentation – remember to garnish!
· You are worth it!
Recipes for Spice Mixes
Simple Mix: ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Tex Mex: 1 teaspoon chili powder, I teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Simple Italian: 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Indian: 1 heaping teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Asian: 1 teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic, ¼ teaspoon pepper
Greek: ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon pepper. (If you know what it is, Green Z'atar is nice to sub in for thyme)
Mediterranean Bowls
Meat
Greek spice mix
Zucchini
Yellow squash
Cherry tomatoes
Couscous or rice
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salad greens or mix
Nice with Pita bread or pita chips, hummus, tzatziki
While cooking couscous or rice according to package directions, slice up zucchini and squash and cut into quarters. Halve cherry tomatoes.
Put a generous 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan, add half a tablespoon of red wine vinegar plus spice mix. Give it a stir and throw in meat, zucchini, squash and tomatoes.
Place pan on heat and warm throughout.
Build your bowl: put couscous or rice on bottom, throw on some greens, add meat and veggie mixture. Serve with pita bread or pita chips and hummus and tzatziki.
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Meat
Lettuce for wrapping
Rice
¼ cucumber
¼ cup shredded carrots
¼ red onion
Asian spice mix
Simple spice mix
Rice wine vinegar
Olive or vegetable oil
Nice with a store-bought Asian style sauce or reduced sodium soy sauce
While making rice according to package directions, slice cucumber and cut each slice in half. Slice red onion.
In a bowl, stir together an ample ½ cup of rice wine vinegar with a teaspoon of simple spice mix. Add the cucumber, shredded carrot and red onion slices. Give it a good stir. Set aside.
Wash butter or leaf lettuce.
Put a scant tablespoon of oil in pan, add meat and teaspoon of Asian spice mix. Place on stove and warm it up.
Build your Asian wraps: in a lettuce leaf add rice, seasoned meat, and veggies.
Serve with sauce of your choice.
Tex Mex Wraps
Meat
Tex Mex spice mix
Italian spice mix
½ red, yellow bell pepper or combo of both
½ white onion
Regular white vinegar
Vegetable or olive oil
Can of tomato sauce
Shredded Cheese and shredded lettuce
Rice
Can of black beans
Tortillas – corn or flour
Store bought salsa, guacamole and taco chips
While rice is cooking according to package directions, slice the bell peppers into strips. Slice the onion.
In a bowl mix together ½ tablespoon oil, ½ tablespoon plain vinegar and ½ tablespoon Italian spice mix. Add the sliced onions and peppers.
Place bowl in microwave and nuke peppers for about 2 minutes or until cooked but not mush.
Drain and rinse the can of black beans. Measure out a half cup worth, put the rest in a Ziplock bag and freeze for next time.
In the pan add half the can of tomato sauce. Put the rest in a Ziplock bag, label and freeze for another time.
To the pan with the tomato sauce add 1 teaspoon of Tex Mex spice mix, meat and black beans. Place on stove and warm it up.
Wrap tortilla in paper towel and nuke 10 seconds or less to warm it up.
Build tortillas by adding rice, pepper mixture and meat mixture. Top with cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa and guac.
Italian Bowls
Meat
Italian spice mix
Zucchini
Yellow squash
½ red, yellow bell pepper or combo of both
Regular white vinegar
Vegetable or olive oil
½ cup store bought pasta sauce
Parmesan cheese
Pasta
Spinach or other greens
While pasta is cooking according to package directions, slice the bell peppers into strips, and slice the zucchini and squash.
In a bowl mix together ½ tablespoon oil, ½ tablespoon plain vinegar and ½ tablespoon Italian spice mix. Add the sliced peppers, zucchini and squash.
Place bowl in microwave and nuke for about 2 minutes or until cooked but not mush.
Put chicken in pan with pasta sauce and warm up.
Build bowl placing pasta on the base, top with spinach or greens, then adding meat mixture, veggies and finishing off with a shake or two of parmesan cheese.
*If you are out of pasta sauce: 1 (15oz.) can of tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional), (1 tablespoon sugar if you prefer a sweeter sauce
Put all ingredients in a saucepan, mix them together, and heat it up!
Bonus Recipes
If you want homemade…
Ingredients for 2 cups salsa:
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine the salsa ingredients together
Ingredients for 2 cups guacamole:
2 ripe avocados
2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno or Serrano pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, put through a press
2 tablespoons finely diced onion
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tomato, chopped
Put all the ingredients but the chopped tomato into a bowl. Use the bottom of a glass to smash and combine everything together. After it is well blended, stir in the chopped tomato.
Basic Soup
1. Dice an onion, place it in pan with 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté over med/low heat until tender – maybe 7-5 minutes. (Diced celery or carrot is nice to add but not necessary.)
2. Nice if you have it - Add garlic, minced or put through press, and sauté 30 seconds.
3. Add liquid – a can of broth and/or a can of tomato sauce, diced tomato, even coconut milk for Indian or Asian vibe.
4. Add a spice mix
5. Add vegetables
6. Add meat
7. Bring to boil, then turn down heat to med/low and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
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