I’ve been doing this empty nest business for almost four months and I’ve learned some things about myself. First of all, I was keeping the house neat and tidy for the kids. On my own, I’m a lot messier! I only pick up (or make my bed) if I’m absolutely positive someone is coming over and If I know them well, forget about it. Secondly, I really do hate to cook! I thought I hated to cook for my picky, ungrateful kids, but I find the whole process incredibly boring! Plus, by the time I’m hungry, I don’t have a lot of time. I’ve trained myself to only eat when I’m hungry so when that time has clearly arrived, I need something ASAP.
I’ve started to buy and make things that meet my criteria for healthy eating, but are also quick to make and relatively tasty. I have fairly low standards for taste…that’s one of my secret weapons for staying at my ideal, healthy weight. Here are a few 3 (main) ingredient bowls I made last week for lunch or dinner:
The Tuna Bowl – 4 ounces ahi tuna seared in olive oil, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper sliced over sautéed kale and one-half cup quinoa.
The Salmon Bowl – 4 ounces salmon seared in olive oil, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper cut into bite-size chunks over three-fourths cup whole wheat penne pasta with sautéed carrots.
The Veggie Bowl – one-half cup black beans, one-half cup whole wheat couscous, and sautéed spinach seasoned with sea salt, freshly-ground pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Don’t get too hung up on how much of the kale, carrots, and spinach to use…use as much as you want. I use a lot! I also don’t obsess over how much olive oil to use. It’s a heart healthy oil that my body needs. So use what you need…probably around one tablespoon to sauté both the fish and the veggie. You can doctor these up by adding fresh herbs and an assortment of vegetables. Got any more ideas for empty nest bowls?
One Response to “Empty Nest Bowls”
I would add brown rice to the list. Since it takes about an hour to cook to perfection, I cook up enough for a few dishes. I use Rapunzel vegetable bullion with seal salt and herbs for in the liquid. I freeze it in “bowl” sized batches I can just take out of the freezer individually and thaw in an instant.