Meals in Minutes!!!

My wiggly, giggly, talkative little 4 month old is keeping me on my toes these days!  Just when I think she's entertained herself, and I start to fold laundry, do the dishes, or make dinner, she throws me a curve ball and I'm back to being her sidekick for the moment.

That being said, I've had to learn how to make dinner as quickly as possible, before Jordan gets too bored in the kitchen. Here are a few quick dinner ideas that will help you get dinner on the table for the entire family while taking care of your bouncing baby!

Mommy's little helper

Grilled Kabobs

It doesn't get any better than kabobs on the grill! They're easy, healthy, and can be individualized to your liking!

Grab a few of your favorite veggies, meats, and wooden kabobs (soaked in water for 30 minutes before putting on the grill) season up to perfection, and stick them on the grill! 

Here are few ideas:

Southwestern marinated chicken with onion, orange pepper, jalapeno,and green pepper (pictured below)

Lemon pepper chicken with squash, zucchini, onion

Marinated steak with thin sliced potatoes, onion, sliced portabello mushrooms

Shrimp, diced asparagus, onion, tomato

Grilled Portabello Caps

Ingredients:

3 Portabello Caps
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp minced garlic

Combine all ingredients in a large freezer bag. Add mushrooms and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Grill for 12 minutes.

While we were enjoying our kabobs, we decided to cook up some grilled peaches! These are VERY easy and make for a wonderful, low-fat dessert!

Ingredients:
2 large peaches, cut in half
Cooking spray
2 tsp Cinnamon Sugar
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt

Spray each peach half with a light coat of cooking spray and place face down on the grill for 10 minutes. While the peaches are grilling combine cinnamon sugar, butter, and honey in a sauce pan over low-medium heat. When your peaches are done, place 1 Tbsp of Greek yogurt in the pit hole of your peach and drizzle with sauce. ENJOY!

This next recipe is a great staple to keep in the house. Packed with healthy fats, protein, and vitamins it makes a nutritious addition to any snack or meal.  I enjoy it on my egg white omelettes, mixed with chicken, or used as a salsa on chips or crackers.


Ingredients:
1- 14.5 oz can yellow corn, drained
1- 14.5 oz can black beans.drained
1- 14.5 oz can pinto beans, drained
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 avocado, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss in lime juice. Enjoy!

I found these little gems buy 1 get 1 free at Publix a few weeks ago. Armour turkey meatballs. 1 Serving is 6 meatballs, 180 calories, and 11g of fat. I've used them in several different recipes and have yet to be disappointed.

I'm not a big fan of red sauce so I took a different approach to spaghetti and meatballs and lightly tossed elbow noodles with EVOO, Parmesan cheese and sauteed garlic, onion, green pepper, and tomatoes I had prepared on the stove. While the veggies were cooking I popped a few meatballs in the microwave, tossed them with my veggies and pasta, and BAM, healthy, hearty dinner in 15 minutes!

 Another variation included sauteed mushrooms, garlic, and onion over brown rice with meatballs. Another fantastic combination in under 30 minutes!!

There's always time to fix a healthy meal for you and your growing family! 

Fuel your body the right way!