As a young mother of two and founder of a growing startup, it probably comes as no surprise that I have very little free time! Between meetings, traveling, date nights with my husband and quality time spent with my two young boys, I don’t get to spend as much time in the kitchen as I’d like.
Luckily, I’ve picked up some killer meal hacks from friends (and the internet) on healthy and easy go-to recipes — perfect for those New Years resolutions. The best part? I can whip them up in almost the time it takes to change a diaper! (Okay, not really — I’ve become such a pro at that by this point that I can probably get one changed in under a minute — but you get my point.)
Check out six of my heavy rotation, quick, easy and healthy eating menu options below!
1. Protein Oat Balls: This is my favorite make-ahead snack because it is SO easy to pull together and mega portable. Also, it’s a perfect snack for all ages — from kids to adults.
2. 3-Ingredient Pancakes: Mother of two, Mila Kunis, actually taught me this genius hack for getting toddlers like my son, Ansel, to eat their eggs (read: protein). Just hand whisk together a couple of eggs, a banana and some milk. Pour into a pan and flip like pancakes. These days I can’t even believe I ever lived without this game-changer of a recipe for my kids. Not gonna lie, I love a small stack of these for myself too.
3. Greek Yogurt Egg Salad: I always use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for my traditional egg salad. Once mixed, I add to a slice of Ezekial bread (far lower glycemic load). The yogurt not only makes this recipe healthier, but it also provides more of a tangy flavor and opens up the ways in which you can add and mix new ingredients into this lunch staple. Mmmm!
4. Super Green Smoothie: For the perfect grab-and-go drink that’s packed with protein in the form of fruits and veggies, check out my favorite green smoothie recipe in the “Gym” chapter of my book, Homemakers. I have one every morning before work!
5. Ground Turkey With Pre-Sliced Veggies, Lemon + Hot Sauce: This is my (not-so-secret) dinner staple when I come home from a long day, put the kids in bed and have hardly any energy left to cook. It takes about 10 minutes total and is super healthy. Just sauté ground turkey in a pan, sauté pre-sliced veggies and lemon juice together in a separate pan, then mix together. Top the combo with some pico de gallo or hot sauce for an extra kick. (I’m from Texas and need regular spice in my life.)
6. Fruit Slush: Though it’s still a favorite, this was also my go-to during the hot pregnancy days — for some reason, pregnant women are ALWAYS craving cold drinks and fruit. So why not combine them? I simply add any kind of fresh fruit into a Vitamix blender, add a cup or two of water, then blend up in a matter of seconds. It makes for a delicious slush — no additional sugar needed! See other water hacks here.
Hope these healthy and easy recipes will make it into your busy work week routine and provide you with as much stress-free, protein-packed options as they do for me! Oh, and for even more healthy eating recipes head HERE.
Let me know what your favorite quick and healthy recipes are on Twitter, @brit! And make sure to check out more recipe inspo on Pinterest.
