Getting Creative with Go-To Meals

A quesadilla could save your life 

With a hectic schedule, it helps to have some go-to meals. 

You arrive home from work exhausted, look in the fridge and find it’s (mostly) empty. For many of us, this necessitates a call for take-out or a delivery pizza! Now we are subjecting an already tired brain and body to insufficient nutrients and most-likely processed fats and sugars. We propose an alternative solution: create a meal from what you have.

Chances are you can find a spare red pepper and a can of black beans lurking in the back of the pantry, or a long-forgotten bag of rice. From this, we can create a meal that doesn’t follow a recipe, doesn’t require a trip to the store and utilizes whatever is in your kitchen to deliver a healthy meal that stabilizes blood sugar and gets your body the nutrients it needs. 

The formula:

When it comes to constructing something from nothing, it helps to keep this formula in mind: Grain + Healthy fat + Lean protein + Vegetable. This gets you the carbohydrates, fats and proteins you need to feel satiated and stable as well as certain vitamins from the vegetables. 

And what fits this formula for a go-to meal? Here are some ideas: 

• Whole grain pasta + olive oil + (red pepper) + chicken 
• Quesadillas: whole-grain tortilla + cheese + refried beans + corn + salsa
• Rice + vegetable + le

Think ahead: Prepping meals ahead of time makes your go-to even quicker

Do you have a spare hour on a Sunday night? While you are idling by watching your favorite show, try throwing some ingredients for chili into a pot. You can make enough for several portions and then portion/freeze each one to be thawed and reheated as you desire! No prep involved. Every time you go to the grocery store, pick up a bag of pasta, lentils or rice to have as the base of a healthy meal. In times of desperation, these can provide you with a delicious, satiating meal that will keep your diet on track. At Family Chiropractic & Natural Healing Center, we know that nutrition is one of the best ways to empower yourself throughout the day. Don’t let a busy schedule defeat your diet!

Dr. Gregory Lind, D.C.