When you are super hungry all you really want to do is sit down and enjoy something healthy to eat, not wait for everything to cook, bake or grill. Seriously, nobody has time for that, especially during the work week and even less so on our precious days off!
Today I am sharing some of my favorite time-saving, meal prep tips with you featuring fresh seasonal vegetables!
This is my entry to this week's #FruitsandVeggiesMonday Challenge hosted by the lovely Lena @lenasveganliving.
You can read more about it here:
@lenasveganliving/2zpkfs-steemit-fruits-and-veggies-monday-competition
"Open Your Ears"
Everyone enjoys corn on the cob but who wants to wait for it to boil in a pot? I sure don't! There is an easier way! Place the entire ear of corn into the microwave and cook for 3 minutes (per each ear) on the high setting. Turn over and repeat 2-3 minutes (per each ear). Leave the corn in the husk until the rest of your food is ready. It will stay hot. When you are ready, remove the husks off by starting at the top area where the silk "threads" are, pulling downward layer by layer. Caution: the ear of corn will be hot. Hold with a oven glove or similar item. I take a sharp knife and cut off the bottom part of the ear of corn to help speed along the "unwrapping".
I prefer white or bi-colored corn over the solid yellow sweet corn. The kernels are smaller and more flavorful, in my opinion. Living in the Midwest, we have an abundance of fresh farm-grown non-GMO corn available from mid Summer till Fall.
Did you know corn is loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that promote healthy vision? A midsize ear also offers 3 grams of dietary fiber.
"Green Peppers"
Green peppers are delicious raw but they take on an entirely different and better taste when they are grilled. I slice them into 1/3" - 1/2" strips, add EVOO, black and red peppers, soy sauce and wrap in aluminum foil and place on the grill for about 12-15 minutes. If you are on a low sodium diet, skip the soy sauce and use a small amount of Himalayan sea salt instead. You also can prepare yellow, orange and red peppers the same way.
While you're eating the green peppers you should know that your 1-cup serving has 2.5 grams of fiber as well as almost 120 milligrams of the 75 - 90 milligrams vitamin C daily requirement.
Moving on to how to make healthy baked potatoes faster!
"I Know You Want to Eat Me"
I don't feel guilty eating a baked potato ocassionally; however, I'm not a patient person when it comes to waiting for a potato to bake. After scrubbing the outside of your potato, take a sharp knife and poke it all the way through about 3-4 times. Using a microwave safe plate, place the potato into the microwave for 2 minutes on the highest setting, turn over and repeat for the other side. Next place it on a sheet of foil, rub olive oil and lightly shake Himalayan sea salt all over the front and back of the potato. It should stick to the olive oil. Tightly cover the potato with the foil and place on a medium heat area of the grill, turning over every 3-4 minutes while the green pepper cooks.
When prepared this way, the potato tastes so good you will even want to eat the skin. I encourage you to do so because the skin contains the fiber and nutrients your body needs!
An average medium-sized potato with the skin on contains only 110 calories. Potatoes contain 2 g fiber, 620 mg potassium, and 45 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C when you eat the entire baked potato. Potatoes contain no fat, no cholesterol and no sodium, making them a great addition to any heart-healthy diet.
Extra virgin olive oil (aka "EVOO") goes on almost everything I prepare. I recently bought the roasted walnut oil to use for a little variety for the taste buds. These oils are known as the "good fats" that help increase your HDL cholesterol numbers for good heart health.
These are the spices and seasonings I use frequently when I cook, my "go-tos," along with minced garlic in olive oil.
Please see my previous week's post by clicking the link below if you're interested to see how I prepare delicious cauliflower on the grill!
"Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food" -Hippocrates
Those are famous words from the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, often called the father of Western medicine.
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Images taken with Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
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