Meals in 15 Minutes or Less

LAST UPDATED: April 20, 2023

Performance Triad / News / How To / How to Make Healthy Eating Easy / Meals in 15 Minutes or Less

Breakfast

Time-saving breakfast ideas

Whole grain cereal and low-fat milk or lactose-free milk. Look for cereal that contains ≥ 3g fiber and ≤ 10g sugar. Top with fresh fruit.
Greek yogurt. Top it with fresh fruit , ¼ cup low-fat granola, and/or a small handful of roasted almonds (1 oz. = 24).
100% Whole wheat bread with 1-2 Tbsp. of nut butter. Choose all-natural, chunky or creamy nut butter (read label and look for no added sugar; nuts should be the only ingredient).
Protein packed fruit smoothie. (use frozen fruit). In a blender, combine 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 banana, 1 orange (peeled, all seeds removed, and cut into segments), and ¾ cup Vanilla-flavored Greek Yogurt.
Egg breakfast sandwich. 1-2 scrambled eggs (stove-top or microwave) on a 100% whole wheat English muffin. Add-ins: fresh spinach, tomato, Canadian ham, onion, salsa, or hot-sauce.
Green Smoothie made with fresh spinach, frozen mango, and cranberry juice.
Fresh fruit-topped pancakes or waffles.
Oatmeal with dried fruits (raisins, cherries, or cranberries).

Keep energized throughout the morning with any combination of the following:

Complex Carbohydrate + Protein + Fiber and/or Healthy Fat

Examples of breakfast foods to mix and match
Complex Carbohydrate	Protein	Fiber	Healthy Fat**
Count as a protein and a fat. *Practice portion control (1-2 tsp.)
100% Whole wheat bread, bagel, English muffin, tortilla	Egg or egg substitute	Fresh fruit	Avocado (⅛)
100% Whole wheat cereal	Greek yogurt	Fresh veggies	Canola oil
Brown rice	Low-fat milk	Frozen fruit	Low-fat margarine
Oatmeal	Nuts or nut butter*	Frozen veggies	Olive oil

Lunch

Skip the fast-food restaurant and save money, calories, and fat! Pack or prepare one of these quick and easy lunch ideas.

Time-saving lunch ideas

Low-sodium veggie or bean soup (≤ 800mg of sodium per serving). Serve with: 1 whole-grain roll, 12 baby carrots, and a fresh apple.
Lean roast beef and Swiss cheese sandwich. Use 100% whole wheat bread. Add flavor with mustard, wasabi paste, or low-fat mayonnaise. Add veggies like 2 slices of fresh avocado, a slice of tomato, and/or fresh spinach leaves. Serve with: Fresh fruit and a side-salad topped with 1-2 Tbsp. of low-fat vinaigrette dressing.
2 tbsp. hummus and fresh cut-up veggies. Use peeled and sliced carrots, celery, bell-peppers, sugar-snap peas, and/or baby tomatoes. Use store-bought hummus. Serve with: fresh fruit and 1 oz. (a small handful) of pita chips, and 1 oz. of raw nuts (small handful).
Peanut butter and banana sandwich. Use 100% whole wheat bread and 1-2 Tbsp. of peanut butter. Choose all-natural, chunky or creamy peanut butter (read label and look for no added sugar; peanuts should be the only ingredient). Serve with: 1-2 cups raw veggies and 1 cup low-fat milk.
Cheese quesadillas. Spread 1 tsp. each of low-fat margarine on two 100% whole-wheat tortillas. Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded low-fat cheese in-between the two tortillas. Microwave for ~ 30-60 seconds (until cheese is melted). Top with ¼ cup salsa, and/or 1 Tbsp. low-fat sour-cream. Serve with: 1-2 cups raw veggies and 1 cup of sliced fresh fruit.

Dinner

Make sure you have healthy food on-hand to prepare a delicious meal after work!

Time-saving dinner ideas

Baked potato with low-fat cheese and steamed veggies. Microwave 1-2 cups of frozen veggies according to package directions. Place cooked veggies and 1-2 Tbsp. low-fat, shredded cheese on top of baked potato. Serve with: Fresh fruit.
Healthy frozen meal. Serve with: Fresh fruit and a side-salad topped with low-fat vinaigrette dressing.
Chicken salad on top of fresh greens. Use 1 can of canned, drained chicken breast. Mix together chicken breast and 2 Tbsp. low-fat Italian salad dressing. Place chicken on top of 2 cups of mixed salad greens. Top with 1 small tomato cut into wedges, ¼ red onion cut into thinly sliced rings, 1 hard-cooked egg, sliced, and 1/8 cup pitted ripe black olives (optional). Serve with: Fresh fruit (i.e. apple) and a few whole-grain crackers (pre-portioned).
Thai beef rolls. Directions: Combine 1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice, 1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. bottled ground fresh ginger, 1 Tbsp. of bottled minced garlic, 2 tsp. of fish sauce, and ¾ tsp. sugar. Stir well with a spoon. Place a whole grain tortilla on a plate and brush lightly with 2 tsp. of juice mixture. Cover with a few pieces of torn lettuce or spinach leaves. Place a small handful of match-stick cut carrots on top of lettuce leaves. Place 3 oz. lean roast beef on top of mixture and wrap-up. Save remaining juice in refrigerator for up to 7 days. Serve with: Fresh fruit and low-fat milk.

Salads

Salad is a quick and easy way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet at lunch and/or dinner. Salads are packed with good-for-you vitamins and minerals. When topped with lean protein and a small amount of dressing, a salad is a complete meal that will satisfy your hunger.

Mix and match salad starters
Step 1: Choose a base	Choose between a pre-packaged leafy greens like spinach, romaine or mixed greens OR a starch like baked potato, pasta, rice, quinoa, or sweet potato
Step 2: Add veggies	Add ½-1 cup of veggies like carrots, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, celery, radishes, zucchini, onions, broccoli, broccoli slaw, corn, peas
Step 3: Pick a protein	Add 2-3 oz. of protein like hard boiled eggs (1-2), grilled chicken, lean beef, cooked shrimp, water-packed tuna, grilled fish, beans, lentils
Step 4: Top it off	Top it off with 1-2 Tbsp. of low fat dressing like lite balsamic vinaigrette, crushed black pepper or salt-free lemon pepper OR other options like hot sauce, sriracha sauce, red pepper flakes, wasabi

KITCHEN SHORTCUTS

Prepare scrambled eggs in the microwave

Spray a small microwavable container (bowl or large coffee mug) with cooking spray.
Crack 2 eggs into the container and whisk them well with a fork. Egg substitute or egg whites may also be used.
Add 1-2 Tbsp. of low-fat milk and stir.
Microwave on HIGH (uncovered) for 45 seconds. Carefully remove container (use oven-mitts) and stir eggs with a clean fork. Then, microwave again on HIGH until eggs are almost set, usually about 30-45 more seconds.
Remove container from microwave using oven-mitts.
Stir again with a clean fork, and serve immediately.

Steam broccoli in the microwave

Ingredients:

1 small – medium sized head of broccoli and ⅛ cup water

Directions:

Wash broccoli thoroughly and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Using a sharp knife, cut off the large stalk. Cut the broccoli florets into bite-size pieces about 1 ½ inch in size.
Arrange florets in a single layer in small and shallow, 1-quart microwave-safe dish.
Pour ⅛ cup water over the broccoli florets.
Cover with a lid and microwave on HIGH or 2 ½ - 3 minutes. Carefully remove from microwave (very hot) and use oven mitts to remove the lid.
Watch-out for over cooking! Broccoli when steamed should be a bright green color and a fork should easily slide into it. Over cooked broccoli is mushy and easily falls apart.
Serve plain or season with spray-butter and a dash of your favorite seasoning.

Make rice ahead and freeze in portions

Cook brown rice in large batches per package directions. Freeze 1 cup portions in individually sealed plastic zip-lock bags. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. When ready to eat, place in microwaveable container, and heat in microwave on HIGH for 45-60 seconds or until steaming hot.