This is a quick meal you can either make ahead or throw together in less than 3 minutes (I have timed it - it really is that simple.)

Throw some cooked quinoa into a bowl with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese, a handful of spinach leaves, and about an 1/8 cup of canned fire roasted tomatoes.  Sprinkle on some freshly ground black pepper and some Italian seasoning.  (Now, if you're making these ahead of time, make several bowls and cover them and put them in the fridge.  It will last for at least a week - - - unless you eat it before then.)

Right before you are ready to eat it, pop it into the microwave for a minute to heat the quinoa, soften the spinach and melt the cheese.  (There's no meat in this dish so you get to have lots of yummy gooey cheesiness.)  Take it out of the microwave and add (if you wish) another handful of fresh spinach and a slice or two of avocado. 

Tip: If you're making these to store in the fridge, make the "bowl" and put it in a plastic container, and then on top put a small Ziploc bag of spinach or put it inside the container if there's room so you can have it ready to add after the container has been heated.  Then the whole meal is ready to grab and go.

Mmmmmmm, this tastes SO good and is very satisfying!

(I would highly recommend cooking up a vat of quinoa or brown rice at the beginning of the week and storing it in the fridge for quick use.  Both quinoa and brown rice can be quickly rehydrated/softened in the microwave if you sprinkle on some water first.)

Click on the image below to print.

 I find that, at least for me, I am more likely to have success sticking with my meal plan if I have food that tastes good and looks good.  I feel as though I'm being given a treat, instead of feeling deprived.

For instance, color is so important with food presentation.  I read an article once that showed a massive pile of foods we American's eat every day, and it pointed out that the overwhelming majority of our food is tan.  French fries - tan; hamburgers - tan, most sandwiches - tan, soda - brown/tan. 

Anyway, I thought it was something to think about . . .

This post for Assembly Line Sandwiches doesn't really feature anything new or revolutionary.  I just thought I'd share my basic go-to sandwich.  I usually make three or four of them and then store them in the fridge so I have several delicious and convenient ready-to-go meals in a pinch.  After all, if you're making one, why not make a few more?  It doesn't really take that much extra time.

My Mum turned me on to this type of bread that's made from Great Harvest Bread Company.  (Insert heavenly rays and a choir of angels singing).  I have issues with gluten sensitivity, but because this bread is 100% whole wheat and is - get this - ground fresh the day you buy it, I have no difficulties inhaling consuming this delicious bread.

I'm Dutch, so cheese is genetically important to me.  However, it can be a lethal in the calories department, so I usually go with a nice quality Muenster or Gouda but limit the portion size (after all, the whole philosophy of the Game On Diet is portion size and moderation).

Sprinkle on a bit of black pepper for some nice zest and crunch.  (By the way, if you don't have a pepper grinder, you don't know what you're missing with freshly ground pepper.  It's soooooo good and completely explains why wars were fought over it.)

At this point I looked at my sandwich and realized it needed some color, thus the addition of bell pepper, which adds such a lovely sweetness to the sandwich to balance out the nutty bitterness from the sprouts.

Because of the portion sizes needed for my own personal diet, I don't top my sandwiches with more bread.  It can be a tad messy to eat, but I don't really miss it because the bread is so yummy and hefty anyway.  More bread would hide the flavors of the sandwich innards.

 

 (Click on the image below if you want to print it out for future use).

Wraps are a wonderful meal for a busy mom (or whoever you may be).  I try to make three or four at a time and then wrap them in cellophane and store them in the fridge.  I can grab them at a moment's notice and instantly have an easy, tasty, and portable meal.

 

For this wrap, I started by smearing some avocado on my whole wheat wrap, and then layering chopped cilantro on top.  (By the way, make sure you chop the cilantro.  The first time I made this I just put long strips of cilantro in the wrap and when I took a bite, I had a hard time chewing through the stems and long streamers of gooey cilantro came sliding out.  Very embarrassing.)

Squeeze a small bit of lime onto the wrap.

 

Add a slice of chicken breast (or shredded chicken) along with a fresh bell pepper, a sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese, and a bit of hot sauce (Sriracha is my favorite.)

 

 Such a colorful meal!



If I am not going to eat this wrap right away, I roll it in cellophane and put a slice of lime in between the layers of cellophane.  I don't add the lime juice till right before I eat it so the tortilla doesn't get slimy.

 

(Click on the image below to print out the recipe)