Ericka Smits - 20 Minute Express Recipes for Busy People

20 Minute Express Recipes for Busy People by Ericka Smits All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Copyright 2013 Table of Contents

Preface All information in this book has been carefully researched and checked for factual accuracy. However, the author and publisher make no warranty, express or implied, that the information contained herein is appropriate for every individual, situation or purpose, and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. The reader assumes the risk and full responsibility for all actions, and the authors will not be held responsible for any loss or damage, whether consequential, incidental, special, or otherwise that may result from the information presented in this publication. The author has relied on her own experience as well as many different sources for this book, and has done her best to check the facts and to give credit where it is due.

In the event that any material is incorrect or has been used without proper permission, please contact the author so that the oversight can be corrected at: 10 Tips for Super-Fast Cooking Most people, when thinking of cutting down the time spent in the kitchen, believe that this means buying more take-out and/or processed foods that are laden with calories, fat and sodium. But it doesn't have to be that way. Anybody can prepare a meal that will keep their time in the hot kitchen to a minimal yet without sacrificing on health. Here are a few super-fast cooking tips and tricks to help you save on preparation time while still making healthy meals for you and your family. Tip No. 1: Use Pre-cooked Meats You can often buy roast beef or roasted turkey in the deli section of your local grocery store.

Both are lean meat choices. You can even request extra thick slices of roast so you can dice it and use in your recipes. You can also get fresh off the rotisserie or grill chicken breasts, whole chickens, and half turkey breasts in most supermarkets. Just remove the skin and shred or cut the meat as needed for your recipe. Finally, you can find cooked shrimp at the fish counter or in the frozen fish section of your local supermarket. 2: Have a Main Dish Salad A cool, light, and quick to fix main dish salad is a perfect choice for a hot summer supper. 2: Have a Main Dish Salad A cool, light, and quick to fix main dish salad is a perfect choice for a hot summer supper.

Just open a bag of salad green or spinach leaves and pour into a bowl and you have the base ingredient for your salad. All you need to do is throw in the rest of the ingredients and toss. Practical add-ins for your salad include reduced-fat cheese, baby carrots, grilled chicken, dried cranberries, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, etc. Tip No 3. Make It Vegetarian When preparing your meal, the best way to save time cooking meat is to skip it entirely. Consider easy vegetarian entres like beans and cheese burritos, vegetarian burgers (they only take about 4 minutes to brown in a nonstick frying pan), egg-based entres such as omelets, and vegetarian sandwiches containing cheese and/or roasted vegetables.

Tip No 4: Heat up a Classy Frozen Entre There are many appetizing frozen entres to be found in your local supermarkets. There are even many savory low-fat choices for people looking for vegetarian, fish, lean mean, or ethnic cuisine. Tip No. 5: Add Some Store-Prepared Gourmet Items You can save time in the kitchen without sacrificing elegance. All you need to do is buy a few gourmet food items. These items are often prepared by Whole Food Market and similar ritzy markets.

Look for items such as: Freshly made avocado-mango salsa (this is a great option for gourmet style quesadillas, meat entres, tacos, and more).Roasted vegetables (these are great for sandwiches, quesadillas, tacos, and more).Grilled salmon and/or chicken breast (these are great for pasta dishes, main dish salads, and more). Tip No. 6: Whip Up a Stove-Top Meal Even during those hot summer evening, most of us are prepared to spend five minutes over a stove top if the result is a fresh and healthy meal. You can easily whip up the following with only a nonstick frying pan: Grilled sandwiches (you may also consider using a Panini press)QuesadillasOmeletsFried rice (if the rice is pre-cooked)Bacon Lettuce and Tomato sandwichFajitas (these can take as little as 5 minutes to make if you purchase pre-cut meat and use bottled fajita sauce.Sloppy Joes Tip No. 7: Make a Microwave Meals in Minutes I will share three of my favorite quick and easy microwave meals: Make nachos by simply layering multigrain tortilla chips, canned vegetarian refried beans or black beans, shredded reduced-fat cheese, chopped green onions and tomatoes, and grilled or roasted chicken breast (if desired) on a microwave-safe plate and cooking on HIGH for a minute or two.Make a burrito by filling a whole-grain flour tortilla with your fillings of choice, wrapping everything up into a burrito shape, and microwaving it for a minute or two.Make an easy to assemble baked potato. Simply pierce each potato a couple of times with a fork and microwave on HIGH until cooked throughout.

Meanwhile, get your toppings ready (consider these tasty toppings: shredded reduced-fat cheese; fat-free sour cream; chopped chives or green onions; and/or turkey bacon bits.) Your favorite canned chili can also make a great topping too; just heat the chili in a microwave-safe bowl. Tip No. 8: Use No-Fuss Veggies and Beans These veggies are easy to use in recipes because they require a small amount of preparation time: Bags of baby carrotsAsparagus spears (just trim off the ends and you can cook them whole)Bags of washed spinach leavesPotatoes and sweet potatoes (just pierce each a couple of times and microwave)Cherry and grape tomatoesCanned tomatoes (for some recipes, you will want the ones with seasonings added)Canned beans (just rinse them and add to the recipes)Bags of precut broccoli and cauliflower florets Tip No. 9: Serve a Low-Fuss Fruit Salad You can whip-up a side serving of fruit salad by simply rinsing and tossing the following fruits: Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberriesGrapes (red and green)Apple slices in bagsBananas (just peel and cut into slices)Canned pineapple chunks (in juice)Strawberries make for an easy garnish. Just rinse and serve them with their leafy tops. 10: Use Bottled Sauces, Dressings, and Marinades These are some of the most convenient products available at your supermarket:
Bottled light salad dressing (for green salads and pasta salads, or you can use the dressing as a marinade)Bottled marinara and pizza sauceBottled salsa, taco sauce, salsa verde, and enchilada sauceTeriyaki sauceFajita sauceAsian cooking and dipping sauces (hoisin, sweet and sour sauce, and more)Pesto sauce Chapter One - Appetizers, Snacks & Beverages Start your party with a savory dip and veggies, snack on a tasty wrap, or sip a refreshing beverage. 10: Use Bottled Sauces, Dressings, and Marinades These are some of the most convenient products available at your supermarket:
Bottled light salad dressing (for green salads and pasta salads, or you can use the dressing as a marinade)Bottled marinara and pizza sauceBottled salsa, taco sauce, salsa verde, and enchilada sauceTeriyaki sauceFajita sauceAsian cooking and dipping sauces (hoisin, sweet and sour sauce, and more)Pesto sauce Chapter One - Appetizers, Snacks & Beverages Start your party with a savory dip and veggies, snack on a tasty wrap, or sip a refreshing beverage.

THE RECIPES Creamy Asian Dip