Healthy Five-Minute Meal Recipes

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Leading a busy life can be exciting and productive, but it shouldn't limit your food options. Finding the time to prepare healthy, satisfying meals can be a challenge. This article provides a selection of tasty, healthy recipes that are ready to serve in just five minutes, along with some slightly longer options for when you have a few extra minutes to spare. These recipes are convenient for those constantly on the go, use common ingredients, and offer alternate options for ingredient substitutions. They are also suitable for first-time cooks, ensuring a trouble-free cooking experience.

Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas

Eating breakfast regularly is important for maintaining a healthy weight and preventing binges throughout the day. Here are a few five-minute breakfast options:

  1. Microwave Mug Omelet: For this morning meal, you will need milk, cheese, eggs, a microwave, and a microwavable mug.

    • Cooking Information:
      • Cook time: 5 minutes
      • Total time: 5 minutes
    • Ingredients:
      • 2 Eggs
      • 1 tbsp. Kefir or Milk
      • 2 tbsp. Shredded Cheese
      • 2 tbsp. Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
    • Instructions:
      1. Spray an 8-oz microwave-safe mug or cup with nonstick cooking spray.
      2. Add the eggs and kefir, then whisk till one creamy color.
      3. Add in the shredded cheese and add-ins. Stir to combine.
      4. Microwave for 2 - 3 minutes.

  2. Fruity Yogurt Smoothie: Using vanilla and peach yogurt, this fruity yogurt breakfast drink is a fantastic lower-calorie option.

    • Cooking Info:
      • Servings: 4
      • Prep time: 5 minutes
      • Total time: 5 minutes
    • Ingredients:
      • 2 cups Vanilla Yogurt
      • 2 cups Peach or Blackberry Yogurt
      • 1/2 cup Orange Juice
      • 2 cups Ice Cubes
      • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract (optional)
    • Instructions:
      1. In a high-speed blender, add all the ingredients together. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.

  3. Gluten-Free Waffles: Full of fiber, these gluten-free waffles will keep you full throughout the day.

    Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.

    • Cooking Info:
      • Servings: 4
      • Prep time: 5 minutes
      • Cook time: 8 minutes
      • Total time: 13 minutes
    • Ingredients:
      • 1 - 2 Frozen Gluten-Free Waffles, toasted
      • 2 tbsp. Almond Butter
      • 1/4 cup Yogurt
      • 1/2 Banana, sliced
      • Fresh Fruit, for serving (optional)
      • Pecans, crushed (optional)
    • Instructions:
      1. Toast the frozen waffles until warm, then add a generous slather of the almond butter on each.
      2. Top with a dollop of yogurt, banana slices, fresh fruit, and crushed pecans.

Speedy Lunch Recipes

Here are a few recipes that are quick to prepare and perfect for lunch:

  1. Pesto Pasta: This pesto pasta recipe only uses 4 ingredients to create a tasty dish perfect for lunch and its an alternative to using the regular pizza sauce! This dish can be eaten hot and any leftovers can be refrigerated and eaten cold for future meals.

    • Ingredients:
      • 1 lb. Linguine Pasta, dry
      • 12-oz container Basil Pesto
      • Fresh Arugula, for serving (optional)
      • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated or shaves, for serving
    • Instructions:
      1. Cook the pasta until al dente, or according to package directions.
      2. Drain the cooked pasta, reserving 1/2 cup, then pasta return to pot.
      3. Stir in the basil pesto until the pasta is evenly coated. Add the reserved pasta water as necessary to make a more creamy pasta sauce.
      4. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

  2. Mediterranean Bowl: This healthy vegan recipe has got some salad in there, some hummus in there, some chickpeas, some paleo & vegan tzatziki and then some quinoa.

    • Prep Time: 5 minutes

    • Inactive Time: 5 minutes

      Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run

    • Total Time: 10 minutes

    • Ingredients:

      • Salad
        • 1 small cucumber, cubed
        • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
        • small bunch of parsley, chopped
        • 1-2 spring onions, thinly chopped
        • olive oil
      • For the bowl
        • 7-8 olives
        • 1/3 cup chickpeas, canned, rinsed & drained
        • 1 tbsp tzatziki
        • 2 tbsp hummus
        • 2-3 tbsp quinoa, cooked
        • black pepper, freshly ground

    • Instructions:

      • Salad: Wash the vegetables, chop them, place in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste.
      • Assemble your bowl: Salad, rinsed and drained chickpeas, the olives, quinoa. In the middle/on top: 2 tbsp hummus and 1 tbsp tzatziki + freshly ground black pepper. Ready.

  3. Spicy Tuna Salad:

    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Makes: 1 serving
    • Ingredients:
      • 85g Tuna (canned, in water)
      • 25g Celery, chopped
      • 20g Purple Cabbage, chopped
      • 5g Green Onions, chopped
      • 1g TJ’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning OR black sesame seeds + salt and pepper
      • 30g Plain nonfat Greek yogurt
      • 15g Sriracha chili sauce
    • Instructions:
      1. Drain tuna and spoon into a small mixing bowl.
      2. Add Greek yogurt and sriracha; mix until well-combined.
      3. Add remaining ingredients and mix together; season with Trader Joe’s seasoning or sesame seeds and salt and pepper.
      4. Serve over a bed of your favorite salad greens, spread on a rice cake or enjoy as a sandwich or a wrap!

  4. Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Read also: Mobile Dining Revolution

    • Prep Time: 5 minutes

    • Cook Time: 2+ hours

    • Makes: 6 servings

    • Ingredients:

      • 13.5 oz. (1 can) Lite coconut milk
      • 14.5 oz. (1 can) Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
      • 15 oz. (1 can) Tri-bean blend canned beans
      • 7.5 oz. (½ can) Canned pumpkin
      • 32 oz. Fat free chicken stock
      • 16 oz. Pulled rotisserie chicken (cooked)
      • 150 g Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (one single serve)
      • Fresh cilantro & chopped green onions for garnish

    • Instructions:

      1. Drain and rinse beans.
      2. Add all ingredients to the crock pot (except yogurt, cilantro and green onions) and mix until well combined.
      3. Set on low and cook for at least 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Add more chicken stock for desired consistency.
      4. Portion into bowls and garnish each serving with a dollop of Greek yogurt, cilantro and green onions.

Quick Dinner Solutions

Dinners are a time for enjoyment and relaxation. Here are some quick and simple dinner recipes:

  1. Tuna Melts: With a prep time of just 5 minutes, this recipe features Proper Good's Spicy Seasoning. Touching on all food groups from carbs to protein, this quick and simple dish will be light yet nutritionally dense end to the day.

    • Cooking Info:
      • Servings: 1
      • Prep time: 5 minutes
      • Total time: 5 minutes
    • Ingredients:
      • 1 English Muffins, sliced and toasted
      • 1 tbsp. Cream Cheese
      • 2 tbsp. Salsa
      • 12-oz can White Albacore Tuna, drained
      • 2-3 tbsp. Shredded Cheese
      • 1/2 tsp. Proper Good Spicy Seasoning
      • Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
      • Microgreens, for serving (optional)
    • Instructions:
      1. In a small bowl, add the tuna, cream cheese, salsa, and spicy seasoning. Mix to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
      2. Evenly divide the tuna on each toasted English muffin half, then top with the shredded cheese.
      3. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until melted.

  2. Cranberry Chicken Breasts: Incorporate aspects of thanksgiving into your dinner at any time of year with these easy cranberry chicken breasts. Using 2 boneless chicken breasts, pour a packet of french onion soup seasoning to add some convenient pre-seasoned flavor. This creates a delicious contrast between the sharpness of the glaze and the coziness of the chicken and onion.

    • Cooking Info:
      • Servings: 2
      • Prep time: 5 minutes
      • Cook Time: 20 minutes
      • Total time: 25 minutes
    • Ingredients:
      • 2 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
      • French Onion Soup Mix
      • Cranberry Sauce, for serving
      • Proper Good Broccoli Cheddar Soup, for serving
    • Instructions:
      1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
      2. Pat dry the chicken breasts with a paper towel. Season each chicken breast generously with the french onion soup mix.
      3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until fully cooked. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

  3. Buffalo Chicken Bake

    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Makes: 4 servings
    • Ingredients:
      • 14 oz. Canned chicken breast (weigh after draining)
      • 340g Mirepoix (we used 1 frozen bag from Kroger, but can be fresh)
      • 340g Cauliflower rice (we used 1 frozen bag from Kroger, but can be fresh)
      • 112g Banza chickpea pasta shells (measured dry, but should be cooked for recipe)
      • 150g Plain nonfat Greek yogurt
      • 4 oz. Frank’s Redhot Buffalo sauce
      • 2 Eggs
      • 56g Shredded cheddar cheese
      • 60g Bolthouse Farms ranch dressing
    • Instructions:
      1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8” baking dish with cooking oil spray.
      2. Add drained chicken, mirepoix, cauliflower rice and cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. If using frozen mirepoix and cauliflower rice, break it up using a spoon or your hands so there are no big chunks before adding to the mixing bowl.
      3. Add Greek yogurt and buffalo sauce to a small mixing bowl and mix until well-combined.
      4. Scramble eggs in a small bowl. Add creamy buffalo sauce and eggs to chicken mixture and combine until everything is well-coated. Spoon chicken mixture into baking dish and flatten using a spatula.
      5. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with shredded cheese. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle with ranch dressing upon serving.

  4. Teriyaki Shrimp Stir-Fry

    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Makes: 4 servings
    • Ingredients:
      • 600g Shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen)
      • 540g Kroger Stir-fry kit, Teriyaki flavor
      • 340g Cauliflower rice (we used 1 frozen bag from Kroger, but can be fresh)
      • ½ t Minced ginger
    • Instructions:
      1. Spray a large skillet or wok with cooking oil spray and sauté stir-fry veggies and cauliflower rice over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes. Use water to deglaze the pan as needed.
      2. Spray a separate skillet with cooking oil spray and add ½ teaspoon of minced ginger. Move around in the pan for about one minute and then add the shrimp.

Five-Minute Snack Ideas

Snacks are important for providing small bursts of energy throughout the day. Here are a couple of convenient and tasty snack ideas:

  1. Lemon Fudge: These bars of lemon fudge are the perfect midday pick-up for when you’re fancying something sweet! All you will need to make this is a spare 5 minutes, 2 ingredients, a microwave and a pan.

    • Cooking Information:
      • Cook time: 5 minutes
      • Resting time: 1 hour
      • Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
      • Servings: 16
    • Ingredients:
      • 12.7 oz Lemon Curd
      • 24 oz. White Chocolate Chips
      • Coconut Oil, for baking pan
    • Instructions:
      1. Add the lemon curd and white chocolate chips to a large microwave-safe bowl.
      2. Microwave for 90 seconds, until 3/4th of the chocolate is melted.
      3. Let it rest for 3 minutes in the microwave.
      4. Microwave for another 10-30 seconds to melt the remaining chocolate.
      5. Pour the lemon fudge into an 8x8" baking pan lined with parchment paper and lightly greased with coconut oil.
      6. Chill in the freezer for 1 hour or the fridge for 3-4 hours before slicing into 16 equal squares.

  2. Granola Trail Mix: You can make 11 cups of this family-friendly granola trail mix just by combining 4 ingredients, including peanuts, granola, raisins, and chocolate-based M&Ms! This is the perfect snack to take with you to school or work.

    • Cooking Info:
      • Cook time: 5 minutes
      • Total time: 5 minutes
    • Ingredients:
      • 16 oz. Granola
      • 15 oz. Dried Cranberries or Raisins
      • 12.6 oz Milk Chocolate M&Ms
      • 12 oz. Roasted Peanuts
    • Instructions:
      1. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.

  3. Cake Batter Frozen Yogurt: Make healthy ice cream without a machine - just a food processor! Cake batter frozen yogurt is the perfect dessert for warmer weather.

    • Cooking Information:
      • Cook time: 5 minutes
      • Total time: 5 minutes
    • Ingredients:
      • 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
      • 8 oz Cream Cheese
      • 1/4 cup Maple Syrup, or Honey
      • 3-4 tbsp. Sprinkles
      • 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
    • Instructions:
      1. Add the yogurt, cream cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla into a food processor.
      2. Process for 1-2 minutes, or until creamy and smooth.
      3. Fold in the sprinkles.
      4. Transfer the frozen yogurt to an airtight freezable container.
      5. Freeze for a minimum of 5 hours to overnight.

Quick Dessert Recipes

  1. Chocolate Mousse: No day is complete without dessert! Chocolate mousse is a delicious light and fluffy dessert option that will satisfy your sweet tooth. To make this dessert, you will only need 4 ingredients! These are sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and heavy cream.

    • Cooking Info:
      • Prep time: 5 minutes
      • Total time: 5 minutes
      • Servings: 3-4
    • Ingredients:
      • 1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
      • 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
      • 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
      • 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
    • Instructions:
      1. In a chilled mixing bowl, begin whipping the heavy cream until frothy and slightly thickened.
      2. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.
      3. Continue whipping until soft peaks.
      4. Spoon into a plastic bag or a piping bag to pipe into small serving glasses. Enjoy immediately.

  2. Baked Chocolate Mug Cake: This baked chocolate mug cake is a great comfort food option for a last-minute dessert when you are craving something sweet after dinner!

    • Cooking Info:
      • Prep time: 3 minutes
      • Cook time: 2 minutes
      • Total time: 5 minutes
      • Servings: 1
    • Ingredients:
      • 2 tbsp. Flour
      • 2 tbsp. Milk
      • 1 tbsp. Sugar
      • 2 tsp. Cocoa Powder
      • 1 tsp. Olive Oil
      • 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
      • 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
      • Pinch of Salt
      • Vanilla Ice Cream, for serving
    • Instructions:
      1. In a microwave-safe mug, whisk all ingredients together.
      2. Microwave on high for 30-35 seconds. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes.

  3. Raspberry Sorbet: This recipe for raspberry sorbet is a fat-free healthy option for dessert. You will just need frozen raspberries, sugar, and fresh lemon juice to make this sorbet. All you will need to do is mix these ingredients together in a food processor until it is smooth.

    • Cooking Info:
      • Servings: 6
      • Prep time: 5 minutes + Freezing
    • Ingredients:
      • 4 cups Frozen Raspberries
      • 1 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
      • 1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
    • Instructions:
      1. Add all ingredients into a food processor or high-speed blender.
      2. Process until smooth.

Other Quick and Healthy Meal Ideas (under 30 minutes)

When you have a little more time, these recipes offer more variety and depth of flavor:

  • Coconut Chickpea Curry: Cooked chickpeas cook in a creamy spiced sauce in 20 minutes.
  • Apple Chickpea Salad: Crisp apples and chickpeas come together with a maple Dijon dressing in about 15 minutes.
  • Peanut Noodles: These peanut sauce-drenched noodles are better than takeout and take less time to make.
  • Broccoli Pasta: The broccoli cooks with the pasta and gets smashed into a garlicky sauce.
  • One-Pot Lentil Pasta: Everything cooks together in one pan, including the pasta, which saves time and dishes.
  • Creamy Lemon Orzo: Orzo cooks quickly and soaks up lemony broth beautifully.
  • Mashed Chickpea Salad: Mashed chickpeas, Greek yogurt, and herbs make a high-protein spread you can use all week.
  • Spinach Stew with Rice: A wholesome dish learned from Mediterranean kitchens.
  • Butter Beans Skillet: Canned butter beans make this a true 20-minute dinner.
  • Marry Me Chickpeas: When you want something rich but quick.
  • Black Bean Soup: Smoky, thick, and deeply satisfying.
  • Cucumber Chickpea Salad: Crisp, lemony, and protein-packed.
  • Lentil Bolognese: Canned lentils make this Bolognese a true 30-minute dinner.
  • Mediterranean Bean Salad: Kidney beans, chickpeas, and butter beans get tossed in a tangy Mediterranean marinade.
  • Sweet Potato Gnocchi: These gnocchi are soft, pillowy, and naturally sweet from microwaved sweet potatoes.
  • Potato Leek Soup: Potatoes create a naturally creamy base, so you don’t need heavy cream.
  • Mediterranean Lentil Salad: Full of feta, olives, and herbs.
  • Tomato Basil Pasta: Angel hair cooks in just a few minutes and pairs perfectly with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil.
  • Red Lentil Soup: Red lentils turn velvety smooth as they cook.
  • Chopped Salad: Cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, chickpeas, and feta get tossed in a honey olive oil dressing.
  • Broccoli Cauliflower Salad: This salad mixes broccoli, cauliflower, and chickpeas with a quick dressing.

The Importance of Quick and Healthy Meals

Not everyone has the time to spend preparing a full meal on a daily basis. However, this should not mean that you can’t also enjoy healthy and filling meals regularly. Eating too much fast food can have a catastrophic effect on your health, from causing headaches and depression to heart disease and stroke! For those living busy lives, any ill health will have a negative impact on your productivity levels. As a result, it is essential that you provide your body with its needed vitamins and minerals.

Tips for Making Quick Meals

  • Keep pantry staples on hand: Canned beans (lentils, chickpeas, pinto, white), pestos, salad dressings, spicy sauces, spreads, and salsas can be used to quickly add flavor and nutrients to meals. Check ingredients for added sugar and low-quality oils.
  • Prepare protein in advance: Cook chicken breasts or other protein sources and use them over the next 3-4 days. Vegetarians can keep marinated or spiced tofu or tempeh handy, or cook red lentils with veggie stock.
  • Utilize pre-cut vegetables: Frozen vegetables are a great option for minimal effort without compromising on the health benefits.
  • Embrace leftovers: Use leftovers from dinner for lunch the next day.

tags: #healthy #five #minute #meal #recipes

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