Nutrition Bites

Baked Potato with Chili – A Quick, Simple Meal

Nutrition Bites | Week 19

Welcome back to Week 19 of Nutrition Bites! This week we are going to focus on simple and convenient meals, with my favorite being Baked Potato & Chili. I am going to share some tips for keeping it simple in the kitchen as well as a few of my favorite go-to recipes and meal prepping suggestions. Let’s get started!

Baked Potato & Chili 

Ingredients:

• 1 small russet potato
• 1 can of chili of your choice
• 2 tablespoons salsa
• Frozen broccoli (preferably in the package you can cook in the microwave)
• Vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash potato thoroughly and piece a few times with a fork.
2. Microwave for 7-8 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. (Alternatively, you can bake in the oven if you have time)
3. Cook broccoli in microwave.
4. Heat chili if you prefer.
5. Assemble baked potato with chili, broccoli and salsa.
6. Enjoy!

Convenience Items 

I am a big fan of making things easy in the kitchen, and because of this, there are a few products that I always like to have on hand for when things get busy, and I find myself with less time to prepare a meal. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Steam-in-bag fresh or frozen veggies
• Canned vegetables or fruit (look for low-sodium vegetables and fruits in 100% juice, not syrup)
• Microwaveable rice or quinoa
• Canned vegetable soups (look for low sodium)
• Pre-washed and/or pre-cut fruit and veggies
• Quick cooking plain oatmeal
• Plant-based protein shakes
• Frozen meals (Forks Over Knives has a couple great options sold at Sprouts)

Keep it Simple  

If you are like me and many other people, you probably have a lot of things in life that you are currently juggling. Schedules can get busy, and one of the best things to help support your life and your health is to keep things simple in the kitchen. This will allow you to still have time for the other people and things you love. Here are a few of my top tips for keeping it simple:

• Make a list of 5-10 of your favorite simple, healthy meals that you enjoy.
• Rotate through these meals weekly or every other week. You don’t have to cook something new for dinner every night!
• Find small substitutions within the recipes that you can make to add variety. For example, swap the types of frozen veggies, canned beans, or greens that you use. This will add a variety of tastes, textures, and nutrients.
• Have quick-prep foods always on hand like those listed above, or a few meals in the freezer.

Meal Prepping Tips

Another habit to get started on to help streamline your days is to meal prep. This doesn’t mean you have to spend the whole day on Sunday in the kitchen chopping and cooking. Even spending thirty minutes to an hour once a week can save you time later on. Here are a few meal prepping tips to get you started:

• Invest in some good containers. I recommend glass ones with lids that snap on.
• Know what is in your pantry, fridge, and freezer. This will save you money in the long run as it keeps you from buying duplicate items.
• Stock up on essentials like canned beans, frozen veggies and quick-cooking grains.
• Be okay with leftovers!
• Choose 3-4 meals to make for the week, and make double batches so that you can eat it for lunch the next day or store in your freezer.
• Prep ingredients, not meals. This is an alternative trick if you don’t want to portion out your meals into separate containers ahead of time. Simply prep the individual ingredients by themselves and store in the fridge. This way, they are ready to use and assemble for whatever you need them for!

More Meal Ideas 

In case you are needing more quick and easy meal ideas, here are a few more to add to your list. First is a recipe for Easy Chili, if you don’t necessarily want to use canned chili. Next is a recipe for Hummus Tortilla Roll-Ups, one of my favorite lunches to make. Lastly, is a blueprint for making one-pot meals, also called Buddha Bowls or Nourish Bowls from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Weekly Challenge

My goal is to provide you with nutrition education in a way that you can apply. This also includes ways to make simple, easy meals! I want to challenge you this week to write out a list of 5-10 of your favorite healthy quick meals and start rotating them through your weekly meal schedule. Happy planning!

By Kelsie White Kelsie is passionate about helping others adopt healthy lifestyle practices through sharing nutrition education and setting goals. She believes that optimal nutrition is essential for health and well-being and may look different for each individual. This is why she values getting to know each of her patients and what motivates them. Kelsie grew up in Washington state and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Promotion at Walla Walla University prior moving to Southern California. She most recently attended Loma Linda University, completing a Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics. Kelsie enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, and activities such as hiking, playing volleyball, cooking, baking, and reading