Timesaving Recipe Tips for Easy, Healthy Meals
The good news is you don't have to sacrifice health and nutrition even when you're in a rush. You can enjoy the convenience of canned food for meals packed with flavor, vitamins, minerals and protein. Here are a few tips and culinary hints from Mealtime to help you save hours in the kitchen:
Pack the Pantry
Stock up in advance so you can have ingredients ready and available at any time. Canned food works extremely well because it stays fresh and keeps its nutritional value for a long time.
Pantry Pairings
Canned soup, stew and chili make dinner as easy as open, heat and enjoy. If it's cool outside, warm up inside with a can of soup, stew or chili. Prepared soup, stew and chili easily can be paired with your favorite sandwich or salad for a complete meal:
Tomato soup - Serve with Santa Fe-Style Mini Corn Pizzas.
Beef stew - Serve a bowl of stew with Skillet Double Cornbread.
Vegetable soup - Perfect paired with On The Go Chicken Salad.
Chicken noodle - For a great meal, serve this soup with Superb Tuna Sub.
Plan Ahead
Cook in bulk and cook less often. Certain types of foods and meals keep well and even improve their flavor after being refrigerated for a day or two. Soups, stews and many sauces are perfect examples.
Use the Freezer
Freeze homemade leftovers for a variety of instant meals and side dishes.
Hurry-It-Up Hummus
For an easy, low-fat, flavorful dip, make your own hummus. Drain, rinse and puree a can of chickpeas in a food processor with 3 tablespoons each of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Add crushed garlic to taste. Serve with fresh vegetables or bite-sized slices of pita bread.
Ole! Salsa
Spice up a menu by making your own salsa. Rinse and drain canned black beans; gently toss with 1/2 cup each chopped fresh tomato and green pepper; and 1 tablespoon each minced red onion, fresh cilantro and lime juice. Ole!
Stir It Up with Soups
Make a hearty and savory soup in just minutes. Combine a can of diced tomatoes, a can of chicken broth, a can of rinsed and drained white kidney (cannellini) or great northern beans. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and brine-cured black olives.
Dip In
Surprise guests with a seafood dip. Mix one can salmon or crabmeat with light mayonnaise or sour cream and a favorite spice. Serve with fresh veggies or pita toast for a tasty appetizer.
Herbs Are the Trick
Turn an everyday vegetable into a gourmet taste treat. Add a snippet of fresh basil leaves to canned corn that has been sautéed in a skillet with a little olive oil and garlic.
Sassy Salad
Toss your routine salad aside. Instead, chill a can of shrimp in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, then drain it and add it to your favorite potato salad. Choose a potato salad with a vinegar and oil dressing (instead of mayonnaise) to lighten it up.
Irresistible Green Beans
Add pizzazz to your green beans. Drain a can of green beans and add slivers of red onion. Then toss the mixture in a light oil and vinegar dressing. No need to heat up the stove for this dish because it's best served at room temperature.
Get Fruity
Make a colorful and classic fruit compote. Combine canned, drained pineapple chunks, fresh seedless red and green grapes and slivers of dried apricots. Lightly douse the fruits with the pineapple juice that is drained from the can. For a grown-up twist, add 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur to the pineapple juice.
Refreshing Sorbet
Top off a great meal with a refreshing homemade sorbet. Freeze one can of pears (or any other canned fruit in heavy syrup) until firm and then puree in a food processor. Serve immediately.
Twice as Nice Potatoes
Add zing to mashed potatoes by pureeing drained canned white potatoes with drained canned yams. Mix in butter, salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg, to season.
Salmon Horseradish Mousse
Serve guests an elegant but easy dip made by mixing, in a food processor, drained canned salmon with an equal amount of softened cream cheese and a little sour cream, horseradish and dill. Accompany with crackers or French bread slices.
Seasonal Supper Soup
Fancy enough for holidays, but simple enough for everyday, curried pumpkin soup is a whiz when you blend and heat canned pumpkin purée with canned chicken or vegetable broth and a bit of curry powder. Canned evaporated skim milk can be added for a creamier texture.
Popeye's Pasta
Pump iron with a pesto sauce made from well-drained canned spinach coarsely puréed in a food processor with garlic, walnuts or almonds and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss with hot pasta and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Brown Bag It
Make lunchtime a treat with a salad of canned drained baby shrimp, tossed with canned Mandarin orange segments, canned water chestnuts, chives and a prepared, low-fat citrus or balsamic vinaigrette.
Frozen Fudgepops
Thoroughly stir together equal parts canned evaporated skim milk and canned chocolate syrup to make creamy freezer treats. Pour into small paper cups and insert popsicle sticks; freeze at least four hours until firm. To serve, peel off paper cups.
Fruity Fiesta
Make a signature salsa by combining canned drained black beans with a little canned diced mango, canned diced mild chilies, diced red onion and chopped cilantro. Season with salt.
Smashing Smoothies
Have a nutritional refresher by blending a can of your favorite fruit in its juice with some low-fat yogurt. Blend in banana chunks or ice cubes for a thicker consistency.
With the Twist of a Can Opener
Lunch or dinner can be on the table with just the twist of a can opener! There are more than 50 varieties of canned prepared food, such as canned soups, stews and chili. Keep a can opener in your desk at work so you can open and enjoy these meals in minutes for lunch. Many of these prepared foods are available in low salt varieties, so they are the ultimate in convenience and nutrition!
Here are some websites you might enjoy:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/Recipes/Dinner/
http://www.bettycrocker.com/SearchResults.aspx?searchText=desserts
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Dinner-in-an-Instant/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/Main.aspx
http://www.meals.com/Recipes/Top10FavoriteRecipes.aspx
http://www.meals.com/Recipes/RecipeSearchResults.aspx
http://home.ivillage.com/cooking/0,,8d47kvlg,00.html?ivNPA=1&sky=ggl|recipes|hh|PPC164E|c
2006-12-05 11:59:22
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answer #1
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answered by babygirl 3
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There are lots of good sites out there and I'm sure you'll gets lots of replies.
When I'm shopping I always check out the recipe card racks the grocery stores provide and take one of each. I sort through them and add the best ones to my recipe box. For wedding shower presents I collect several sets of the free recipe cards, paint up a beautiful recipe box and give that as the gift. The recipes are tried and tested before they ever get on the store floor so they have to be good. Plus when I'm in the store and realize I forgot my list...I pull the cards from the display rack for menu suggestions and ingredients. A website doesn't do me much good when I leave the list at home.
happy cooking!
2006-12-05 08:19:29
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answer #2
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answered by Marsea 2
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Bagel Pizzas Pack of Bagels Spaghetti Sauce 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese Any additional veggie or meat toppings you want Directions Cut bagel in half and spread over it spaghetti sauce as desired, sprinkle on cheese and toppings Place in toaster oven, oven, or broiler, till cheese is bubble and brown and enjoy! ***This works good with mini bagels as well for smaller mouths Some other favorites around out house are.... Tomato soup and grilled cheeses Kraft Mac and Cheese :) Veggie lasagne Cheese Quessadillas
2016-03-13 03:45:05
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answer #3
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answered by Lydia 4
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I'll second allrecipes.com and also foodnetwork.com
For AllRecipes.com - read the reviews posted as the users give great feedback on what worked, what didn't and what they changed to improve the recipes. Always have had great success with that site!
2006-12-05 08:17:14
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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Try www.foodnetwork.com, and or check out rachel rays website she has plenty of 30 minute meals. Bon Appetite
2006-12-05 08:10:54
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answer #5
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answered by bdancer43 4
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foodtv.com
check out quick fix meals with Robin Miller
2006-12-05 08:10:03
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answer #6
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answered by lysette.oxo 4
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Kraftfoods.com is my favorite. Plus when you sign up, they send you a seasonal recipe magazine with coupons and stuff.
2006-12-05 08:22:07
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answer #7
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answered by I wanna be a Bluth 2
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Quick and Easy recipes - http://www.quickeatsplus.com
2006-12-05 08:18:21
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answer #8
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answered by JubJub 6
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allripes.com is my favorite. It covers every course and there are many deserts.
I hope this helps.
2006-12-05 08:10:01
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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I think that you'll love http://www.allrecipes.com it's my absolute fav!!!! There's also these:
http://www.recipezaar.com
http://www.theppk.com
http://www.yumyum.com
http://www.epicurious.com
http://www.chitterlings.com
2006-12-05 08:11:52
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answer #10
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answered by lunachick 5
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Kraftfood.com and campbellskitchen.com
2006-12-05 08:12:02
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answer #11
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answered by littlebettycrocker 4
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