5 No-Cook Meals
These recipes will give you healthy meals when you don't feel like playing with fire. You'll have fewer dishes to deal with when you're done, too.
Article By: Phillip Rhodes
Sometimes you just don't feel like firing up the stove, which usually means takeout or cereal. Not with these recipes, though.
Here are five quick and hearty meals you can prepare without cooking.
Roast Beef Roll-Ups
Makes 2 servings
PointsPlus™ value | 6 per serving
If you have a pepper grinder, use it. Bigger chunks of pepper add bite to these sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp fat-free cream cheese
- 2 7-inch whole wheat tortillas
- 6 oz deli-style roast beef
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup chopped Romaine lettuce
- 2 Tbsp mustard, horseradish-variety
Instructions
- Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese down the center of each tortilla and top each with 3 ounces of roast beef. Grind some fresh pepper over top. Place 1/2 cup of lettuce on each tortilla, drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of mustard and then roll tortillas up. Yields 1 roll-up per serving.
Eat with: Macho Gazpacho
Shrimp Salad
Makes 4 servings
PointsPlus™ value |10 per serving
If you like it hot, leave out the seafood seasoning and use a teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead. Or if you like it hot and spicy, use both; spices add flavor without adding
PointsPlus values.
Ingredients
- 32 medium fresh boiled or steamed shrimp (defrosted frozen shrimp also work fine)
- 1 cup canned corn, rinsed and drained, or frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 2 cups garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 small plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium avocado, pitted and cubed
- 2 heaping tsp seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
- 1 medium head Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cup fat-free ranch dressing
Instructions
- Combine shrimp, corn, beans, tomatoes, avocado and seafood seasoning in a large bowl; toss well to mix. Add lettuce to bowl. Toss to mix. Add dressing, and toss to mix again. Divide among 4 plates. Yields about 3 cups per serving.
Eat with: Toasted French bread (1 PointsPlus value per 3/4 oz slice)
Greek-style Pita Sandwiches
Makes 2 servings
PointsPlus™ value | 6 per serving
Ingredients
- 1 large whole wheat pita
- 2 Tbsp hummus, plain, lemon or red pepper flavor
- 2 Tbsp plain non-fat yogurt, Greek-style recommended
- 6 oz deli-sliced turkey
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped tomato
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Cut pita in half. Spread 1 tablespoon each of hummus and yogurt inside each pita half. Fill each half with 3 ounces of turkey, 1/4 cup each of cucumber and tomato, and 2 tablespoons of feta. Yields 1/2 stuffed pita per serving.
Eat with: 1 ounce (about 11) baked potato chips (2 PointsPlus values per serving)
Chunky Chicken Salad
Makes 4 servings
PointsPlus™ value | 8 per serving
This chicken salad will keep well in the fridge for two days. Use any extra salad over a plate of lettuce or make an open-faced chicken-salad melt sandwich with one slice of light whole wheat toast and a 3/4-ounce slice of reduced-fat Swiss cheese (will add 2
PointsPlus values).
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
- 2 heaping Tbsp grainy mustard
- 1 medium clove garlic, crushed
- 2 1/2 cups cooked diced chicken breast
- 1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, sliced in half
- 3 Tbsp chopped pecans
- 2 medium scallions, sliced
Instructions
- Combine mayonnaises, mustard and garlic in a small cup; mix well. Place chicken, grapes, pecans and scallions in a large bowl; add dressing and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.
Eat with: A small whole wheat pita (1 PointsPlus values)
Macho Gazpacho
Makes 6 servings
PointsPlus™ value | 2 per serving
Have leftover vegetables? Your blender will transform them into a cool, refreshing soup.
Ingredients
- 29 oz canned diced tomatoes, no-salt added, 1/2 of juice reserved
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 English or seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 small green pepper, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Pour tomato juice, oil and vinegar into a blender. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and pulse until liquefied and well blended. (Note: Always start the blender with a little liquid in the bottom; that helps it process the chunkier vegetables.) If necessary, process the soup in two batches. Chill soup in refrigerator for an hour and then season to taste with salt and pepper. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Eat with: A simple mixed-greens salad with fat-free Italian dressing and a tablespoon of grated or shredded Parmesan cheese (1 PointsPlus value per tablespoon of cheese)
*Optional: Top each serving with 4 large fresh boiled or steamed shrimp (does not change PointsPlus values per serving)
About the Writer
Phillip Rhodes is the features editor of
Cooking Light magazine and writes frequently for
Men's Health.