7 Ways Home Cooking Beats Eating Out
You go to a restaurant or order takeout when you aren't in the mood to cook or want to try something different and exciting. However, there's a distinct trend away from eating out as more people realize the benefits of home cooking. Healthy, toxin-free food is becoming a priority for many families. In the eating at home vs. eating out debate, controlling what we put in our bodies and how much we spend on food is more of a priority than ever.
Though home-cooked meals require additional planning, preparation and effort, they can be healthier and more accessible in the following ways.
Easy, Healthy One Pot or Pan Meals
The end of the week has finally arrived and you are looking forward to a nice, restful couple of days off. No one wants to start the weekend with a sink full of dirty dishes, but we also don’t want to shortchange our families by serving food that is high in calories and low on taste.
There has to be a way to make everyone happy. Well, there is!
Here are three one pot or pan dishes you can make that are fast and easy but will also garner rave reviews from the family!
One Pot Chicken Fried Quinoa
Quinoa is trendy now, but has actually been used for centuries in other parts of the world. While it is technically not a grain (rather it is characterized as a “pseudo grain” like amaranth or buckwheat), it as the texture of grain and can be used in many different ways similar to the way one would use brown rice.
This one pot dish is similar to Chicken Fried Rice but it’s packed with protein (quinoa is an excellent source of plant-based protein) and won’t leave everyone zoning out on the sofa after dinner.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups egg whites (you can also use whole eggs)
- 1 cup chopped scallions
- 1 pound diced chicken (any cut)
Instructions:
- Bring chicken broth to a boil then add quinoa and cook.
- Once cooked, place quinoa in a mixing bowl.
- Next, cook diced chicken and place it in mixing bowl with quinoa.
- Egg whites go in next and as they are cooking, add chopped scallions.
- With everything cooked, bring it all back to the pot, mix thoroughly then serve.
Healthy One Pot Protein Stew
Who doesn’t like a nice hearty stew for fall? This one pot recipe is a great recipe because, not only is is served warm, but it also really sticks to the ribs and leaves you feeling sated but not stuffed.
Ingredients: (Serves 4):
- 4 cups kale
- 2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans
- 1 pound of seasoned protein of your choice
- 1 cloves of garlic
- 2 cups onion
- 2 cups peppers
- 2 cups carrots
- ½ cup celery
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- Start with olive oil and garlic in a large pot.
- Cook until garlic is light brown.
- Next add seasoned protein and cook until brown.
- Add 3 cups of water or broth of your choice and add everything else.
- Bring to a boil then lower to medium heat for 20 minutes and then, dinner is served!
One Pan Steak and Potatoes Frittata
Who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner? This one skillet pan Steak and Potatoes Frittata is another fast and filling dish for the family!
Ingredients (Serves 4):- 4 cups eggs or egg whites
- ½ pound lean beef
- ½ cup peppers
- ½ cup onions
- ½ cup spinach
- ½ cup mushrooms
- ½ cup tomatoes
- Place seasoned beef in pan and cook until browned.
- Once cooked, add the rest of the ingredients and put entire pan in oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley or a sprinkle of cheese and VOILA!
Showing 9 of 15 blogs