10 Minute Meals: Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich & Veggies

Ok so when I started 10 Minute Meals, I knew that most would be homemade BUT some would be SEMI-homemade because, let's get real, life gets busy! This is one of those "semi-homemade" meals that I make as a quickie lunch when the kids are STARVING or when they get home from school and want a quick snack!

The sandwich is ready made. I just buy it and heat it up from Costco! THEN I add cheese and heat it up a little longer and add pickles (at the kids' request) too!

While this is happening, I steam the Normandy veggies.  I then add them to the plate and sometimes I also melt some cheese on top of it for them.  Super easy, healthy, clean and MUCH better than a McDonald's drive thru!

Below is the nutritional information for the sandwich.  At 280 calories (including the yummy bun) and 15 grams of protein, it's a great choice for kids, who tend to lack protein in their diets because many are carbivores! They LOVE bread, crackers and pasta but aren't big fans of meat, fish or poultry.

Poached Eggs! On Toast & So Much More!

Poached eggs seem to be the topic of conversation in my groups lately! One of the motivating women in it keeps sharing her yummy pics of poached egg breakfasts & it has us all drooling over them

If you haven't tried it, you may want to. I haven't yet, if you can believe that, but I'm shopping & meal prepping again soon & this is on my list

Here's a How To Poach an Egg with a modified recipe via TheKitchn.com

INGREDIENTS

Water

1 large egg

1 tablespoon rice vinegar or other mild-tasting vinegar

EQUIPMENT

Small saucepan

Small measuring cup

Timer

Slotted spoon

Paper towel

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill the saucepan about 2/3 full w/ water & bring to a boil

Turn heat down & let the water relax into a brisk simmer. You should see bubbles coming up to the surface, but it won't be rolling. (It's easier and quicker to control the simmer if you bring it to a boil first, then reduce the heat rather than trying to get it to the perfect simmer from the get-go.)

Crack the egg into a small measuring cup, preferably one w/ a long handle. This will help you ease the egg into the water

Add vinegar to the water: This step is optional, but many people like to add it to the boiling water because it helps the loose, billowy white cohere to itself & cook into a more compact shape. Taste isn't noticeable, although you might notice a firmer, more "squeaky" texture to the white

Use the measuring cup to carefully lower the egg into the water, then tip it out into the water. Make sure the water is at a bare simmer

The final cooking time for a poached egg is very much up to you. It depends on how well you like your eggs done and how hot the water is. But 4 minutes, give or take, in lightly simmering water, will give you a firm white & a gooey but still runny yolk

Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg from the water

Pat the egg dry: This is optional

Place the egg on toast, salad, lean protein & enjoy. Season as desired

If you want to poach multiple eggs at once, make sure your pan is big enough to accommodate all your eggs without crowding them or poach in batches if necessary. Crack each egg into its own measuring cup before you start & slip them into the water one after the next. Add 30 seconds for each extra egg 

Broccoli Cheese Protein Muffins

Easy peasy way to get your protein in! Egg white, broccoli & cheese muffins! Grab and go, I don't even heat 'em up!

Ingredients
2 pints of egg whites
2 cups steamed broccoli
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chunky salsa of your choice
No salt seasoning if your choice
Smoked paprika (optional)
Non stick cooking spray
12 count muffin tin

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Spray muffin tin with non stick cooking spray
3. Pour egg whites into it leaving a small amount of room in each one for other ingredients
4. Add broccoli. I buy frozen broccoli, steam it and have it ready to go in the fridge
5. Sprinkle cheese on top
6. Add about half to a full teaspoon of salsa
7. Sprinkle seasoning and smoked paprika on top
8. Bake until golden brown. Test them before removing them. If they come out of the tin while and are fully cooked all the way around, they are ready to go. I like my eggs very well done so I wait until they are very golden brown.
9. Let cool and enjoy!  I eat them cold but you can reheat in the microwave if you wish. I sometimes add a slice of baked sweet potato on top OR you can bake them with the sweet potato on the. Ittom, adding it before you add the egg whites to the tin. TONS of options with these

Veggie Omelets in a Cup

Thede are my go to meal prep staple. I make these every week because they make the perfect protein packed snack to have on the go. Super simple and you can literally add anything you want to them. Here's how I made these & what you need! I didn't measure anything for them and you really dont have to so pardon the lack of specifics.

Ingredients
Pint of egg whites or regular egg whites
2% milk (but you can use any type)
Raw spinach
Crumbled feta cheese
Salsa (any kind you like)
Seasoning (any kind you like)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375.

Spray a muffin tin (12 count) with non stick spray of any kind. Pour the pint of egg whites evenly in each cup. If you are using eggs, just place one egg white in each cup.

Add a splash of milk to each.

Place a few leaves of spinach in each cup then sprinkle some feta on top.

Add a small amount of salsa to each one (about a teaspoon or so) them sprinkle with seasoning and bake at 375 for about 35 to 40 minutes. I like my eggs very well done so I sometimes cook them longer.

Let them cool and remove. Super easy and so good!

Baked Zucchini Tots

Getting your kids to eat veggies can be difficult, especially if you have picky eaters! BUT, making foods like these makes it easier to sneak in some goodness!I adapted this recipe from the Skinny Taste Zucchini Tots recipe.  That recipe calls for breadcrumbs but I'm trying to avoid gluten so I replaced it with ground and cooked quinoa instead and got some extra protein out of it too!  Give this a try and let me know what ya' think! 

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 packed cup grated zucchini
1 large egg or 2 large egg whites
1/4 medium onion, minced (optional)
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used mozzarella & some parmessan because I didn't have much of either one but you can use your fave)
1/3 cup ground quinoa (I ground mine dry in my Blendtec)

1/3 cup cooked quinoa
Favorite seasoning (I used Kirkland no salt seasoning

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Grate the zucchini into a clean dish towel until you have 1 packed cup.  Wring all of the excess water out of the zucchini, there will be a lot of water. In a medium bowl,combine all of the ingredients and season to taste.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture in your hands and roll into small ovals. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning halfway though cooking until golden. Makes 16. A serving is 4.

21 Day Fix Breakdown

1 Green (zucchini)

1 yellow (quinoa

partial blue (cheese)

partial red (egg)