The toughest thing about eating healthy is finding the time and energy to cook and plan ahead. One of the best things to do is to plan your week’s meals on the weekend and cook as much as you can before the workweek starts. Since eating the same thing everyday can get real old real fast, it’s a good idea to cook one thing and enjoy it in many different ways.
One of the most versatile foods of all is a classic roast chicken. This Sunday cook a roast chicken and enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you’re lacking inspiration, here are five ideas to get you started, in these five different ways.
1. Low-Fat Chicken Salad
Mix together about half a cup of plain non-fat yogurt with a tablespoon of fat free mayo, a dash of curry powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Mix in two cups of shredded chicken, a diced apple and a few slices of diced celery.
2. Veggie Chicken Quesadilla
In a small skillet greased with PAM, sauté half of a sliced onion with slices of red and green bell pepper. Once warmed, remove the veggies from the heat and warm a small whole wheat tortilla in the same skillet. Sprinkle about one-quarter of a cup of low-fat shredded cheese in the tortilla and add back in veggies and shredded chicken.
3. Low-Carb Greek Omelet
Whisk together two eggs (or four egg whites) in a small bowl with a dash of salt and pepper. Cook on a warmed skillet flipping once. Add a handful of spinach and two tablespoons of low-fat feta cheese in the center of the omelet with shredded chicken.
4. Mango Chicken Pita Lunch
Cut a whole wheat pita in half and fill it with chicken, ready-made shredded coleslaw mix, 1/4 diced apple and one tablespoon of mango chutney. Garnish your pita with yogurt, a dash of lemon, and mustard.
5. Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad
For a delicious and classic salad, toss shredded chicken with mixed greens, thinly sliced Asian pears, candied walnuts, blue cheese, and vinaigrette.
Edited by Jody Smith