Category Archives: Time saving meals

Easy Salmon Burgers with Lettuce and Tartar Sauce

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Easy Salmon Burgers with Lettuce and Tartar Sauce
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
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Serves: 3
 
An easy, delicious recipe for when the weather is too hot to turn on the oven.
Ingredients
  • One can of salmon (red or pink)
  • One egg
  • One cup of breadcrumbs
  • Half cup of mayonaise
  • 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Original Recipe
  • dash of cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 3 tsp relish or chopped sweet pickle
  • 3 whole wheat burger buns
  • lemon wedges (to serve)
  • lettuce (to serve)
Instructions
  1. Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and set aside.
  2. Open the can of salmon, drain, and place in a bowl.
  3. Remove the skin, but leave in the bones.
  4. Mash up the salmon very well.
  5. Add the egg and mix till well combined.
  6. Shape the mixture into three equally sized patties.
  7. Dip the patties one at a time into the breadcrumbs and press the crumbs into the patties. (This is a delicate job as the patties are quite fragile at this stage).
  8. Place patties in a frypan and cook on medium high for about 5 minutes per side until golden and hot on both sides.
  9. While the patties cook, wash your lettuce and tear into burger sized pieces and place on the table.
  10. Combine the mayonaise with the Mrs. Dash, cayenne, lemon juice, and relish. Place this on the table.
  11. Butter three whole wheat or other burger buns and when patties are piping hot and golden, place a patty inside each bun.
  12. Spritz each patty with a little fresh lemon juice, slather with tartar sauce and top with lettuce.

Tartar sauce recipe found in The Healthy Family by Sandi Richard.

Easy Baked Beans with Fried Potatoes and Kielbasa

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Easy Baked Beans with Fried Potatoes and Kielbasa
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
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Serves: 3
 
A quick and easy meal for a hot night when you don't want to turn your oven on. Ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
  • One can of baked beans (I used Heinz with Pork and Molasses)
  • One or two potatoes sliced very thinly.
  • One tomato
  • Fifteen slices of pre-cooked kielbasa
Instructions
  1. Open the can of beans and start heating in a small pot.
  2. Put a frypan on to warm up and put a little bit of butter in it to melt.
  3. Place slices of pre-cooked kielbasa in the pan to warm.
  4. Slice up the tomato and put on a plate on the table.
  5. When the kielbasa is hot put it on a plate and cover it with tin foil to keep it warm while you finish the meal.
  6. With the frypan still hot, add the sliced potatoes in a single layer, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, cook till golden on both sides.
  7. Put a scoop of beans on each person's plate with a few fried potatoes, a few slices of keilbasa and a squirt of ketchup if desired.

Italian Bowtie Pasta with Chicken

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Italian Bowtie Pasta with Chicken
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
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Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • Bowtie Pasta
  • Italian Salad Dressing
  • Red or Green Bell Peppers (or both)
  • Breaded Chicken (fingers or nuggets)
Instructions
  1. Prepare bowtie pasta and chicken fingers according to package instructions.
  2. Chop up red and green peppers in small dice.
  3. When pasta is done, toss it with Italian dressing (about a ½ cup or more, to taste).
  4. Add the peppers to the pasta and toss.
  5. When chicken is cooked, chop it into cubes and serve it on top of the pasta.

Chicken Caesar Salad

This is a very versatile meal. I like to serve it using either romaine or leaf lettuce. Toss lettuce with Caesar dressing, throw in a few croutons and spritz with lemon. Put warmed cooked chicken on top (can also use cooked and chopped chicken nuggets or strips). Add parmesan and pepper if desired. To make your own croutons just mince one clove of garlic and mix with 1 Tbsp butter and spread on two slice of bread and bake in oven until golden brown and crispy (about ten minutes at 325° F). Cut in cubes and serve on your salad.

Bulgar and Chickpea Salad

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Bulgar and Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
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Serves: 2-3
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt, divided
  • 1 cup of bulgar
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • one cup diced carrot
  • half a cup finely chopped onion
  • two cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tsp. Chili powder
  • Fresh Parsley, optional
  • Assorted greens, to serve
  • Bagel chips or crackers, to serve
Instructions
  1. Prepare bulgar by bringing 1½ cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, add ½ teaspoon of salt.
  2. Place 1 cup of bulgar in a large heatproof bowl and then pour the boiling water on top. Cover the bowl with a large plate and let sit for about 30 minutes until all water is absorbed.
  3. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil, then add one cup diced carrot, half a cup finely chopped onion, two cloves minced garlic, and 2 tsp. Chili powder.
  4. Cook till vegetables are just tender, about ten minutes, and then sprinkle with half a teaspoon of salt and fresh parsley if you have it on hand.
  5. When bulgar is ready, toss with vegetables. Toss in one cup of chick peas. Serve on a bed of greens with crackers or bagel chips on the side.

 

Quick Red Beans and Rice

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Quick Red Beans and Rice
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup of cooked kidney beans (I used canned)
  • 3 Tbsp of salsa
  • Dollop of sour cream
Instructions
  1. Heat the beans and salsa in a fry pan over medium heat just till hot.
  2. Heat rice up in the microwave and then spread a little butter on the rice.
  3. Put the beans on top of the rice with a dollop of sour cream. Serve cold veggies on the side (I used Boston lettuce and carrots). Simple. Delicious.
  4. You can also roll these ingredients into a wrap if that is what you prefer.
  5. This recipe can be doubled.
Notes
Brown rice takes 45 minutes to cook, so if you have some already cooked, this can be a very quick lunch.

 

Bean Quesadilla with Sour Cream

You would be amazed at how easy it is to make a delicious dinner in 10 minutes using a can of baked beans. I use Heinz pork and molasses brand, but any canned baked beans will work. Heat beans in small sauce pan. Put a large tortilla in a fry pan, spread heated beans all over tortilla (about 1 cup of beans for a large Quesadilla), sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheddar, place another tortilla on top and heat on medium heat until golden on one side, then flip and cook the other side till golden. Slide onto a large plate or platter, and cut into wedges with a pizza cutter. Serve with sour cream (for dipping wedges into) and cut up cold veggies (cauliflower, carrots and cucumbers are a nice combination with this meal).