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In the mood for a nutritious, home-cooked dinner, but don't have much time for meal prep? Stop at your natural deli on the way home and pick up a few tasty items for these healthy, almost-from-scratch meals—ready in minutes!
Pasta with olives and roasted peppers
Pick up at the deli>> Pitted kalamata olives, roasted peppers, Asiago cheese.
Prep at home>> Chop olives and tomatoes. Cook whole-wheat penne pasta; drain and toss with olive oil, crushed garlic, olives, and tomatoes.
Serve>> Transfer pasta to individual serving dishes and sprinkle with cheese.
Classic roast chicken dinner
Pick up at the deli>> Rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes, cooked carrots.
Prep at home>> Sauté green beans in olive oil until just tender; remove from pan. Add potatoes, carrots, and chopped rosemary; toss to coat with oil, and warm through.
Serve>> Place chicken on a large serving platter, surround with cooked vegetables, and garnish with fresh rosemary.
Simple salmon salad
Pick up at the deli>> Grilled salmon, grilled asparagus, grilled red peppers, pitted kalamata olives.
Prep at home>> Toss baby arugula with crushed walnuts, olive oil, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Serve>> Top salad with salmon, asparagus, red peppers, and olives.
Veggie wraps with pesto and hummus
Pick up at the deli>> Pesto, hummus, feta cheese.
Prep at home>> Spread a whole-wheat tortilla with pesto; add sliced avocado, hummus, feta cheese, mesclun mix, and shredded carrots.
Serve>> Wrap and serve.
Flank steak salad
Pick up at the deli>> Sliced, grilled flank steak; grilled zucchini.
Prep at home>> Toss together mesclun mix, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese, and pine nuts.
Serve>> Divide salad among individual plates. Layer steak and zucchini over salad, and serve with low-fat ranch dressing on the side.
—Lisa Turner
Smoked Salmon Salad
Serves 8 / This wonderful salad is a complete meal. It can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; just don't toss with the dressing until you're ready to serve. Look for smoked salmon in 4-ounce packets in your deli department.
2 cups sweet potato, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon no-salt Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons low-sodium tamari
6 cups mixed salad greens (3–4 ounces), washed and dried
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced
6 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), thinly sliced
1 3-ounce packet sunflower sprouts
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
6-8 ounces smoked salmon (not lox)
Dressing
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1. Steam cubed sweet potatoes until cooked but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Place in a bowl to cool and dry for about 10 minutes.
2. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning, olive oil, and tamari over sweet potatoes. Stir to distribute evenly. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour sweet potato mix into skillet. Cook, stirring often and carefully until sweet potatoes are toasted. Transfer to paper towels to cool.
3. Place salad greens in a large salad bowl. Add sliced red and yellow peppers, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and sprouts. Add cooled sweet potatoes and pecans. Cut salmon into bite-size pieces and add.
4. Combine all dressing ingredients and blend well. Pour over salad and toss gently. Serve immediately.
| Nutrition Facts Per Serving: |
| Calories: 241 calories |
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| % fat calories: 65 |
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| Fat: 18g |
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| Saturated Fat: 2g |
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| Cholesterol: 5mg |
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| Protein: 7g |
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| Carbohydrate: 15g |
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| Fiber: 3g |
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| Sodium: 345mg |
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—Aria Seidl