|
I'm always on the look out for a quick fix dinner, one that's nutritious of course. And that can be a challenge as we live in a society where most of the quick-fix food available in fast food restaurants and supermarkets is jam-packed with too much fat, sugar, energy and sodium, while containing very little in the way of important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
But with a little bit of knowledge and some staple items stored in your pantry you can quickly turn out a nutritious dinner or lunch in 10-15 minutes. And that's less time than it takes to get to a fast-food restaurant, order your meal and receive it!
Tinned Salmon - A Quick, Cheap, Nutritious Protein Source
Is tinned salmon rated highly enough? I don't think so. It's so cheap - you can get a 200g tin for NZ $3.00, whereas the equivalent weight of prime beef would cost twice that amount. You can store tins of it conveniently in your pantry for months, to use whenever you feel like it, and it doesn't require defrosting - just open the tin and you have dinner!
And while fresh salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fats, tinned salmon is no slouch in the omega-3 department either. A small 100g serving of John West pink salmon, for example, contains around 1600mg of omega-3 fats. Two servings of tinned pink salmon per week will provide your entire omega-3 fat needs for the whole week and more!
Step-by-Step: Turning Tinned Salmon Into A Delicious Meal
But perhaps right now you're not feeling that excited about tinned salmon for dinner, never fear, I have ideas to help you turn your tin of salmon quickly into a tasty, nutritious, filling meal.
1. Take a tin of salmon - to state the blindingly obvious, you'll need some tinned salmon in your pantry, you'll need around 100g per serve. And you don't have to go for plain salmon, nowadays supermarkets stock all sorts of flavoured tinned salmons, I found the following in just one store:
- Onion and tomato
- Basil and pesto
- Lemon and pepper
- Light chilli
- Sundried tomato
- Spicy thai
- Seeded mustard
2. Add some carbs - try wholegrain pasta, couscous, quinoa, brown rice or even some baby potatoes. Pick something that can be quickly cooked. I often choose pasta and to get it cooked pronto I boil an electric jug full of water then empty that immediately into a saucepan and get it reboiling quickly (much faster than boiling from cold on the stovetop) and toss my pasta spirals in to boil for 10 minutes while I get the rest of the meal ready. Serve about 1 cup of cooked pasta/couscous/quinoa/rice/potatoes per person.
3. Add some veges - use your imagination and throw in whatever you have in the fridge or freezer. Aim for 1-2 cups of veges per serving. Here are some flavour combo suggestions to get you inspired:
-
Chop up tomatoes, gherkins, red onion, basil leaves, and then toss through the cooked/drained pasta with a small tin of basil and pesto salmon. Sprinkle with a lite vinagrette or some balsamic vinegar.
-
Toss some cherry tomatoes, baby spinach leaves, diced red onion and a small tin of sundried tomato salmon through some warm couscous.
-
Toss capers, spring onions, baby spinach leaves, and a tin of seeded mustard salmon through some boiled baby potatoes, then dress with a low-fat yoghurt-style salad dressing.
-
Warm up any leftover stir-fried veges (e.g. onions, courgettes, beans, carrots), add to cooked brown rice and then lightly toss through a tin of spicy thai salmon.
The options are endless - limited only by what vegetables you have in your fridge and your imagination. Just remember the basic ingredients - one tin of salmon, some carbs (pasta, rice, couscous,) and some chopped veges (fresh, tinned, frozen, pickles and more), toss it all together and top with a little dressing of your choice and you'll have a tasty, quick, nutritious meal.
Improve Your Eating Habits Now
 Get individualised nutrition advice from qualified nutritionist Jennifer Bowden with an Individual Consultation.
Read our Client Testimonials about how they improved their diet and health through nutrition consultations with Jennifer. Then phone or email Jennifer today to discuss your needs and book your first appointment.
|
|
About The Author
Jennifer Bowden Nutritionist, MSc (Dist), BSc (Hons) - Human Nutrition
FREE Nutrition Advice
Sign Up now for our FREE monthly newsletter packed with helpful healthy eating tips and you'll also receive a FREE e-booklet Top 10 Tips for Healthy Dining Out
Related Posts
Eggtastic! Easy, Healthy, Weekday Dinner Ideas What could be simpler than basing your main meal on eggs - they don't need defrosting, or fiddly preparation, just crack them into a recipe and you're away. Try our healthy egg recipe suggestions tonight...
Cheap Healthy Food - Chilli Mince Is Tops! Looking for a cheap, healthy, tasty dinner option? Then chilli mince is a great option, and easily frozen to use another day. Get a free chilli mince recipe here and try it tonight...
|
