On-the-Go Recipes to Rush into the New Year With
We’re back to the hustle and bustle that a new year brings and, while it’s tempting to go into your busy schedule full force, you need to remember to keep yourself balanced and cared for.
We know just another thing to add to the to-do list.
It is a proven fact that eating a nutritious meal is one of the best ways to care for yourself. That’s why we’ve compiled a few quick on-the-go meals that require very little effort and can be prepared way ahead. So, less time is taken from your schedule and you don’t have to bog down your energy with fast food…sounds like a great way to get the year started.
BREAKFAST
This is one of the most challenging meals of the day. Many of us skip breakfast until we get to the office because there simply isn’t enough time to get ready for the day AND sit down to enjoy a good breakfast, especially if your breakfast table is surrounded by children who also need packed lunches for school. Eating breakfast gives you the boost of energy you need to get your day started, and after almost eight hours of sleep and rest, it’s the meal that replenishes your nutrition so that you can start the new day. We have two quick recipes that can be made the night before and enjoyed on the road or the moment you settle at your desk.
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
www.tasteofhome.com
Ingredients:
½ cup of oats
½ an apple chopped
1 tablespoon raisins
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt to taste
Toasted nuts (optional)
This recipe is as easy as mixing all the ingredients, putting them all in a container and leaving it in the fridge overnight so that it’s ready to eat by the next morning. The beauty of this recipe is that you can prepare it days in advance and keep it stocked in the fridge.
Rise and Shine Parfait
www.tasteofhome.com
Ingredients
4 cups vanilla yoghurt
2 medium peaches, chopped
2 cups berries (blueberries and strawberries are still in season)
½ cup granola or muesli of your choice
Create layers in your containers starting with the yoghurt, followed by the peaches and berries and then the granola or muesli. Continue to layer in this order until your container is full.
LUNCH
Another meal we either skip altogether because there has been no time to prepare it, or we head over to the closest deli or fast-food chain to quieten our rumbling bellies. Here are two on-the-go lunches that you definitely will have time to prepare.
Sweet Chilli Chicken Wraps
www.crunchtimekitchen.com
Ingredients
500 g chicken breasts
½ cup sweet chilli sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
1 juiced lime (or lemon)
Lettuce
1 cup diced cucumber
2 cups grated carrot
½ red onion sliced
1 green pepper chopped (you can use red and yellow too, or mix all three for extra colour)
Fresh coriander to garnish
6-8 wraps of your choice
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine chicken, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice over medium heat. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked.
- Shred chicken into chunks when it is cooked through, uncover the pot, turn the heat down to low, and let the chicken simmer and thicken while you make the rest of the toppings.
- Wash and dry lettuce, shred carrots and prepare other vegetables.
- To make a wrap, lay a few pieces of lettuce on a wrap of your choice, top with shredded veggies and a big spoonful of chicken (drain off any extra liquid). Drizzle on extra sweet chilli sauce and roll the wrap-up.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
www.gimmesomeoven.com
Mediterranean pasta salad ingredients:
400 g pasta (screw noodles, shells, bowties and elbow macaroni do well with this salad)
1 cucumber, diced
250 g cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
200 g crumbled feta cheese
half of a medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Lemon-herb vinaigrette ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried oreganum
1 teaspoon honey (or your desired sweetener)
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
To make the lemon-herb vinaigrette:
- Whisk all ingredients together until combined.
To make the Mediterranean pasta salad:
- Cook the pasta al dente in a large pot of generously salted water according to package instructions. Drain pasta, then rinse under cold water for about 20-30 seconds until no longer hot. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and red onion to the mixing bowl, then drizzle all of the vinaigrette evenly on top. Toss until all of the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra feta and black pepper if desired.
SUPPER
Let’s face it, as we’re nearing the hottest months of the year, we’re not exactly rushing to our kitchens to get cooking at the end of the day. The start of the year also means a lot more after-work commitment. Supper is usually the one meal on our minds during the day. We’ve found two go-to recipes for those nights when you’ve lost some of your supper inspiration.
Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms
taste.co.za
Ingredients
150 g portabellini mushrooms
5 baby leeks
1 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 rashers streaky bacon
2 chicken breasts, sliced
250 ml cream
125 ml dry white wine
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, fry the mushrooms and baby leeks in the butter and 1 tablespoon of oil (using both butter and oil prevents the butter from burning).
- Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Fry the bacon in 1 tablespoon oil until crips (start with a cold pan to ensure crispiness), then set aside with the mushrooms.
- In the same pan, fry the chicken breasts in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 3 minutes, or until just cooked.
- Add the mushrooms, leeks, bacon, cream and white wine and fresh thyme sprigs to the pan.
- Bring to a boil, season and cook until the chicken is cooked through, but still succulent. This should take no longer than a few minutes. If you cook it too long, the chicken will be tough.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or steamed brown basmati rice.
Spicy Fried Potato Shakshuka with Naan Bread
taste.co.za
Ingredients
500 g potatoes, peeled, cubed and parboiled
2 small red onions, chopped
2 green chillies
1 garlic clove, chopped
50 – 100 g butter
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 x 400 g canned tomatoes
kale leaves
4 eggs
Ready-made naan bread, for serving
Instructions
- Peel, cube and parboil the potatoes. Soften the small chopped red onions, green chillies and the clove of chopped garlic in the butter. When caramelised, add the mustard seeds.
- Add the potatoes and fry until golden. Add the cans of tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and make 4 small wells in the sauce. Place a kale leaf into each well, then break an egg into each well. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the eggs are set.
- Serve with toasted naan bread.
These recipes can be mixed and matched with different ingredients to keep you spending less time in the kitchen, but also adding variety to your menu.
For all those days when you just don’t have the time to even whip up one of these recipes, be sure to keep some yoghurts, fruits, cereal bars and veggie crisps nearby. Make 2024 the year of taking care of you even when your schedule has you everywhere else.
Browse our kitchen range and consumables range for great items to prepare your on-the-go meals.