What pops into your head when it’s 3 o’clock and you have to start to figure out what is for dinner.. Or your partner comes home and asks that dreaded question you don’t want to hearWhat’s for dinner”’ And your head just wants to explode’!! Well, this is why you need to have some automatic meals in your kitchen toolbox! But what are automatic meals” If you haven’t heard that term before you might be like huh”
It is exactly how it sounds. These are meals you can whip together with little to no thought. They are healthy, sustainable, satisfying meals that are put together in 2 snaps and a tick tack! ”” Automatic meals that you can think of without any recipe or crazy ingredients!
For me, this is my salads! I know what I put in them, and what I need in them, and they are something I can throw together seamlessly in a pinch when it comes time for lunch! Or a quick protein and vegetables with a carb for dinner! Easy, quick meals that can be put together with ingredients you have in your home.
I have asked a few amazing ladies to give us some tips on their Automatic Meals! Check them out below! There are also links to some really great recipes that you will be adding to your weekly meal rotation to help simplify your life!
Ashley is a nutrition coach and a business coach and used to be a private chef. What’s funny is that even though she used to cook a lot of different types of meals and recipes for her clients, when it comes to cooking for herself, and what she advises people on is making really, really simple meals! If you don’t stick to simple meals, showing up and being sustainable with your cooking and your nutrition is going to be really tough.
So, automating meals is something that she does a lot! And meals that she suggests to every single one of her clients, as well as something she does for herself.
Her favorite automated meal would be a hearty bowl, and not even anything specific. She loves to have different templates that she can go towards when cooking, that will allow her to use up what she has in her fridge. Things that will express seasonality, and that make things really, really easy.
If we only stick to recipes, then what’s going to happen when we don’t have an ingredient or when we are short on time. Ashley teaches people about really simple techniques that they can do, that can translate into a bunch of other things.
For example, slow roasting a piece of salmon also means that you can slow roast chicken and beef and certain cuts of beef. You can do it with other types of fish too. So having that one technique translates into a variety of things.
Another thing she loves to do is roasting vegetables. Whatever vegetable she has on hand she chops into even pieces and roasts them at about 425 degrees with olive oil or coconut oil and salt. She does this with greens like broccoli and Brussel sprouts or starches like beets and potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes.
Along with the protein and the vegetable, she also likes adding some sort of grain to the bowl. So white rice, brown rice or quinoa are great options. Lastly, topping the bowl with a delicious sauce puts it all together!
Again, the template is some sort of protein, some sort of roasted vegetable, and then some sort of grain so that is going to create a meal that is going to be very balanced for your blood sugar. It’s going to keep you really really full. And again, it’s something that you can put together at the drop of a hat.
Ashley prefers to stay away from recipes and instead, moves towards templates! That way you can use what you have at your house. You can batch cook things, single ingredient things versus a full-on complicated meal prep and then you can go ahead and just make things really really simple.
Her favorite bowl would be my slow roasted salmon with herbs and her red onion caper vinaigrette, along with roasted vegetables and white rice. You can find the recipes for the salmon and the roasted vegetables below!
Ashley’s go to recipes:
https://ashleypardo.com/2016/07/11/herbed-salmon-with-red-onion-caper-vinaigrette/
Roasted veggies:
https://ashleypardo.com/2014/07/08/basics-banter-how-to-roast-vegetables/
Beth is the creator of Tasty Yummies and her favorite automatic, go-to meal is a no brainer. She is a huge fan of an easy sheet pan meal! Sheet pan meals are easy, and perfect for a busy weeknight meal because it’s all in one. It’s less dishes and you can get everything you need with very little effort.
So just pick up your protein, you can get your fat with your protein or with your cooking oil. Plan out your veggies and get them on the pan and then you have to figure out how you are going to get your fiber and carbs into the sheet. Then go ahead and have a ton of fun with the different flavors and spices and sauces. The possibilities really are endless with these meals!
Check out the links that are included below for the many recipes over on her website, Tasty Yummies for different ways you can make easy sheet pan meals. Some of her personal favorites are the easy sheet pan Greek Chicken Souvlaki with veggies and you can have so much fun mixing up the different veggies. There is a sheet pan of Crispy Ranch Chicken and she loves it with a side of homemade crispy French fries. They also have a sheet pan of Beef and Broccoli and Tandoori Chicken with Cauliflower. Another favorite is sheet pan Steak Fajitas! So definitely go try some out and experiment with what you like!
What is so cool is that they have included a really easy formula so that you can make your own sheet pan roast chicken and veggies with loads of different options.
Oh, and we can’t forget dessert. While you’re over at the Tasty Yummies website, check out their webstore for Beth’s signature raw organic dark chocolate bars. They’re single origin dairy free, vegan and low carb sweetened with just a little bit of coconut sugar. And it’s the perfect sweet finish to any meal.
https://tasty-yummies.com/sheet-pan-greek-chicken-souvlaki/
https://tasty-yummies.com/sheet-pan-keto-beef-and-broccoli/
https://tasty-yummies.com/sheet-pan-crispy-ranch-chicken/
https://tasty-yummies.com/sheet-pan-tandoori-chicken-and-cauliflower/
https://tasty-yummies.com/sheet-pan-roast-chicken-veggies-dinner/
https://tasty-yummies.com/sheet-pan-steak-fajitas/
Chocolate:
http://store.tasty-yummies.com
And a couple of other sheet pan recipes:
https://tasty-yummies.com/one-pan-mustard-roasted-salmon-and-veggies/
https://tasty-yummies.com/how-to-make-sheet-pan-baked-eggs/
https://tasty-yummies.com/sheet-pan-crustless-quiche-with-smoked-salmon-and-goat-cheese/
Melissa Smith
Melissa is the founder and creator of Hale Bone Broth. And her automatic meal is starting off with her staple product, Hale Bone Broth. You can make a quick and easy, delicious soup with this and it has minimal ingredients!
Just take a cup to 16 ounces of bone broth, a half of an avocado, two tablespoons of coconut cream and blend that all together. This will make you a fuel filled, healthy fat, super hydrating, super filling automatic meal and it can be put together in no time flat!
Learn more about Melissa and Hale Bone Broth on her website.
https://www.thehalelife.com/
One of Tina’s go-to meals that you can throw together in a matter of minutes is super simple and all you need is three ingredients that come from your pantry and your freezer!
You start with a high protein bean or lentil pasta, cook that up and then mix in jarred pesto and then whatever veggies you would like from your freezer. It takes no time at all to throw it together and it’s a protein packed and nutrient packed meal that is macro friendly and delicious!
Now that you know what automatic meals are, have you been making them without even knowing what they are!’ What are your go-to, automatic meals that you make at least once or twice a week’ Let me know in the comments! What recipe from above are you going to try out this week’
LINKS
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Website: https://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-girl-magic-healthy-living-for-women-over-40/id1476883661
