Does this sound like you? So much to do, so little time. And that includes eating a well balanced meal! Here are some meal preparation tips which -- if followed -- will allow you to spend less time in the kitchen and save more time for yourself! A quick and easy meal is the way to go! It's better to heat chopped peppers, onions and other vegetables in the microwave to make them softer. Cooking will take you less time if you cut a large item into small pieces. And it's also a good idea to add fruit and vegetables to your meals whenever possible. Frozen vegetables can be substituted for fresh ones, since they contain the same amount of useful nutrients and minerals.

A healthy quick and easy meal should also contain beans, grains and rice, which are also inexpensive and easy to keep. The healthiest options are vegetarian baked beans with whole wheat bread, small potato and vegetables. There is also a number of condiments that you can include in quick meal recipes such as garlic, onion and green pepper, in addition to tomato paste or barbeque sauce.

It's healthier to substitute brown rice for white rice, since the latter has less nutritional value. Rice dishes can be accompanied with grated cheese, oregano, salsa and other sauces. Rice can be served with beans as well, including black beans, red beans and refried beans. One more quick and easy meal solution is pasta, which can be served with mixed veggies. Topping may vary from garlic, oregano, green pepper to broccoli, mushrooms, coriander leaves, basil leaves and mint leaves. While cooking potatoes, remember "baked is better' and don't forget to eat the skins! You may be surprised to know that most of the vitamins and minerals in a baked potato are found in the skins! Potato's can be garnished with just about anything including barbeque sauce, ketchup, mustard, cheese, low-fat sour cream and fried vegetables.

Salads have always been a standard quick and easy meal. Not only are salads a great source of many vitamins and minerals, but some nutrients can only be found in fruit and vegetables. In fact, most nutritionists recommend consuming more cabbage, lettuce and spinach. You can garnish with slices of cheese, hard boiled eggs, sliced tomatoes, canned beans, hot peppers, nuts, yellow peppers, carrots or cucumbers. Those who enjoy sandwiches should give preference to grilled over fried sandwiches, since grilled food is considered to be a healthier option. Typical sandwich fillings include tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, green pepper, barbeque sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup.

Another quick and easy meal is an omelet, which is prepared with eggs and various vegetables.

Many a quick and easy meal is suitable for breakfast, including various breakfast eggs recipes, fruity omelets, cottage scrambled eggs, crispy French toasts and others. Sandwiches are popular breakfast meal. Among the most popular quick meal recipes is Fried Egg Sandwich. To prepare it you'll need 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of oil, 4 slices of toast and ketchup. The bread should be toasted and set aside. Eggs should be fried, then placed onto toast and covered with ketchup. The dish doesn't require much time to be cooked; it is nutritious and tasty and is especially popular among children. You can also add vegetables in order to increase the nutritional value of the dish.
So you see, a quick and easy meal doesn't have to be fast food or junk food! The number of quick meal recipes is really only limited only by your imagination. Buon appetite!