Fresh Food Fast

You’ve just finished work, been at the gym and arrived home exhausted and really CBF cooking. The takeaway shop is looking pretty good and there’s a little devil on your shoulder telling you, “Go for it, you’ve earned it, working so hard and doing exercise. Indulge!” Well I’m the little angel on the other shoulder saying, “You’ve worked so hard, why ruin it by eating takeaway? Instead refuel with something healthy!” I know full well how easy it is to make a jaffle when you get home, or pick up something on the way. But I also know that health and weight loss do not go hand in hand with convenience foods. So what the hell can you eat with a clear conscience when you’re famished at the end of the day? Doesn’t take a genius to work out Maccas is no good for you.

Frozen vegies make a great base for a meal. Chuck in some protein like tofu or chicken/fish if you eat meat and then throw a little bit of flavouring in and instant stirfry! You can also cook them in a little bit of stock and then blend it for instant vegetable soup, add them to a store-bought meal or throw them in with pasta and pesto for instant Primavera. Sweet as. You can bulk out anything with frozen vegies, if you’re poor it’s genius. Everyone needs to eat more vegies anyway.

Real TV dinners can be made in old takeaway containers filled with leftovers from other meals. If you know you’re going to be getting home late just put one in the fridge to defrost during the day and then heat it up when you get home. It’s cheap, it’s easy and since you’ve eaten it before, you know you like it! Just make double when you do have time and pop one in the fridge/freezer for next time.

Salad is probably not the most hearty thing in the world when you’re starving but once you’ve eaten it and it’s had time to settle, you’ll be able to gauge how much hungrier you are, if at all. Start with one of those mixed leaf bags, put it in a bowl with cherry tomatoes, sliced capsicum, cucumber and then chuck in a bit of dressing and something like protein like beans/tofu cubes/low-fat cheese cubes/shredded BBQ chicken/smoked salmon/lamb strips and you’re sorted.

Healthy fast-food is always going to be a little bit of an oxymoron but when we have such good options as Nandos (try their chicken garden salad or chicken/veg pita/wrap), Subway (anything with heaps of salad and NO meatballs), Sushi Sushi, Sumo Salad or even just grabbing a salad bag from the lettuce section at the supermarket and if you want, a can of 5 bean mix or a BBQ chicken, is meal enough for two and only takes pulling it apart and putting it in a bowl. If you’re really lucky then you might live close enough to a vegetarian takeaway or somewhere that has vegie options. Get one, split it in two, have one half and save the other half for next time.

If you’re a little bit more motivated then grab a fish fillet, chicken breast, small piece of lamb, or tofu and marinate it for 15 minutes in your chosen sauce (try honey soy for chicken, thai/teriyaki for fish, sweet chilli for tofu and Moroccan/Greek for lamb) and then grill it. While it’s cooking, steam/microwave some frozen vegetables and if you’re really hungry, get one of those 90 second rice sachets and microwave that too. When it’s all ready, put half away in one of those takeaway containers for next time you’re in a hurry, or tomorrow’s lunch. Enjoy!

So yeah, it might take a little bit more effort that you’re really keen on but with all of the awesome options available out there you’d have to me pretty damn lazy to give up and get takeaway. If you’re really struggling to stay on track then go to http://www.liteneasy.com.au and order a pack of their frozen dinners. You can choose anything from schnitzel, roast dinner, curry, stirfry, pastas, seafood and so on. They take less than 10 minutes in the microwave and weigh in at around 400 calories. They’re higher in salt that I’d normally advise eating but it beats the Maccas run, that’s for sure.