Healthy Variety: Quick "HEALTHY" Meals

Being a fitness instructor has proven to be very time consuming, especially when you teach at several different locations around the city. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE what I do! But, eating healthy and being "on-the-go" as much as I am has proven challenging, until recently. 

No matter what your profession is nowadays, TIME is something most of us lack! We plan everything out for the day, and are still short a good 4hrs or so of the time we need to get it all done. When leading a healthy lifestyle, our daily diets are usually the first to suffer the blow of time, or the lack there of. 

So, today, I am sharing with you all a recipe that takes all of TEN minutes to make, with the assistance of a handy microwave of course! But, the best thing about this meal is that it will not break our "nutritional bank"; meaning that unlike over processed and highly fattening fast foods, we will not have to worry about adding an extra 3 inches to our waistline for the sake of saving time!

The recipe for today is: Spinach "fettuccine" in a chicken and organic tomato sauce. 

The recipe calls for the noodles known as "Miracle Noodles" or tofu "Shiritaki" noodles.  In short, these are GREAT for those on a low-carb, low-fat diet! And the best thing about them, being made from tofu and all, is that they DO NOT taste like door-stop (as many would imagine them to taste). Below is an image of the package of noodles. 

This noodle variation can be found locally at: Kroger or Whole Foods (where this week they are on special for $1.29 a package)









This is the Spinach Fettuccine flavor that the brand makes. Some of the attributes this product boasts are: 25 calories, 0g saturated fat, only 10mg of sodium, 0 sugars, and 3g of fiber. And for those with allergies to gluten, let your worries be put to rest! This product is certified Gluten-Free.

For more information on the nutrition and benefits of the "Miracle Noodle": www.livestrong.com/article/286575-tofu-shirataki-noodle-nutrition/

This is what the noodle looks like once taken out of the package; so don't be alarmed!

                                                                             









Now on to the fun of the recipe!

Ingredients: pictured & labeled after list

• Spinach Fettuccine: Miracle Noodles 
• 3oz. diced chicken breast (can be previously cooked or pre-packed: yet watch out for the sodium content of the pre-packaged chicken) 
•  Mrs. Dash Seasoning (preferably Tomato Basil Garlic and Garlic & Herb for this recipe)
• 1 cup Tomato Pasta Sauce (Simply Nature's Organic Marinara was used for this recipe)
• Pinch Sea Salt
• Touch Parmesan cheese
• 1Tsp olive oil

30z. diced chicken breast (pre-packed)
Nutrition:
110 cal
Total Fat 1.5g
Cholesterol 45mg
Sodium 510mg (this is what I want to you all to watch out for. Cooking your own chicken will be the healthier route in this case, given that you can control the amount of sodium|salt added)
Total Carbohydrate 1g
Protein 22g (great choice for a midday or post workout meal)

Can be purchased at your local Aldi store. If you would prefer another organic brand of marinara, Whole Foods, Fresh Market & Kroger are always my "go to" stores.

As you dive deeper into the world of "meal prep", Mrs. Dash will become your best friend!
These seasonings are a great way to get a punch of flavor in your food WITHOUT any of the added sodium that other pre-blended seasonings have.









Preparation:  

• For noodles: closely follow instructions on package. This will make the process run that much more smoothly.
•  Combine cup of marinara sauce, chicken, olive oil and seasonings in microwaveable container. Note: If you feel more comfortable warming the ingredients over the stove, by all means. By factoring in the time taken for the stove to heat, you shall still be under our 10min limit.
• Once your sauce and meat mix is warmed, pour over warm noodles and your meal is COMPLETE!

Trust me, this recipe is college student easy with a healthier twist! Remember those long study nights where food was the only other thing on your mind and you needed something quick and easy to pop into the microwave, like Top Ramen for instance? Well, take that concept and throw the actual food from it AWAY, and you have this recipe!

Once you finish, if you would like to actually SIT DOWN and enjoy your meal, at home, and on an actual plate, then this is how your meal will appear....hopefully.

Yet, if this is a meal you are preparing for lunch for yourself or for someone else, and you want it to look like a professionally prepared "to-go" meal (for whatever reason), then your will probably have something that looks more like this.








Being an "on-the-go" person is no longer an excuse for not finding healthy food options. When recipes take only MINUTES to prepare, the battle is already halfway won! So, I challenge you all to take the first step to "meal prepping" quick and healthy food choices for yourself and those in your household. Whether you are on a weight-loss journey, or on a weight maintenance regimen, meal prepping will facilitate your routine, making your new healthy LIFESTYLE easier and more desired to live up to!

Enjoy! 

Sources:
www.livestrong.com/article/286575-tofu-shirataki-noodle-nutrition/
www.livestrong.com/article/381864-shirataki-nutrition/