Do you race to work swinging past the local café for a latte and a banana bread for breakfast? Is lunch a chocolate bar or some nuts you’ve found in the bottom of your desk drawer and another coffee? Is dinner Chinese Takeaway on the way home from the office? If you’re one of those people who is always on the go and barely has time to cook than this is the blog for you. Let me help you get some more nourishing food on the table in less than 10 mins.

Break the fast
Many experts agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It helps get the body firing after a long period without any fuel. Here are some fast choices to get your body off to the right start… After all, that café banana bread you’ve been scoffing is actually CAKE… and cake isn’t breakfast.
• Untoasted muesli, skim milk, berries and 2TBS natural yoghurt
• 1 thick slice of raisin toast with sliced banana and ricotta
• 1 tub of yoghurt, a piece of fruit and a handful of almonds
• 2 scrambled eggs (whisked with a little milk and microwaved for 2 mins) with a slice of grainy bread and sliced tomato
• Banana smoothie – blitz 1 banana, skim milk, 1tsp chia seeds, 2TBS natural yoghurt, cinnamon and 1/3 cup of oats. Sweeten with a little honey or agave syrup if required.

The Lunch Rush
It’s important that you consume a little more at lunchtime than a chocolate bar and a coffee… A poor lunch will inevitably lead to a late afternoon binge. That lunch will also fuel your brain, so refuel at lunch the right way!
• Make a wholegrain sandwich with pre-washed salad mix, ready sliced lean ham or turkey and avocado
• Microwave a shop bought soup (e.g. LaZuppa Soups contain all natural ingredients) with a slice of wholegrain bread
• Make a salad using pre-washed salad mix, toss through some drained chickpeas, sliced tomato and some lean meat
• Make a fast rice salad using a 30 sec microwave pack of brown rice, stir through a tin of flavoured tuna and a handful of pre-washed baby spinach

Dinner Winners
Grabbing a take-away meal once a week isn’t an issue, but when it becomes a daily affair, you’ve got to realize it’s not always good for the waistline. So here are some ideas for some fast meals you can whip up after work.
• Shop bought chicken (skin off) and a pre-washed salad mix or a steam fresh pack of microwave vegetables
• An omelette – whisk two eggs, add some mushrooms, baby spinach, tomato and a little feta. Serve with a slice of wholegrain toast
• A stir fry using a pre-chopped ‘Asian stirfry vegetable mix’ (found in the vegetable section of the supermarket) with some pre-cut or minced lean meat. Flavour with some soy, chilli, coriander or herbs/spices of choice.
• Healthy steak sandwich – Pan fry or grill a ‘minute steak’, add some pre-washed salad mix, some tomato, cucumber, avocado and add some spicy salsa.

Fab Fast Snacks – Yoghurt, nuts, fruit, Be Natural muesli bars and veggie sticks with hummus

Lastly, I recommend every now and again doing a weekend cook-up. Meals that can be frozen and taken to work for lunch, or heated up quickly after work in the evenings are great to have on hand!

Bottom line is: meals don’t have to take hours to prepare. Having some healthy fast meal ideas at the ready are perfect for those times when you have no time.

Until next time…
Be well, live well

Lisa Donaldson APD (nee Simpson)
www.FEEDinc.net
4 Kennedy St, Kingston