As most of you know by now, I love food that tastes good, is low fat and healthy and can be put together without much fun.  This week has really been quite hot and hectic here in my neck of the woods, so I decided to talk about the fast and healthy part.  

This past week had me walking well over 20 miles, running errands, driving out to my parents to take them on their errands and doctor appointments, doing over 10 loads of laundry (and that was just Monday-Thursday!) and the usual research and writing that I do.  Plus, at 10 a.m. Friday, I had grandma duty of a 2 year old all weekend.  

Needless to say-time was short, I was tired and we still had to eat!  I have to admit, I put most of the food on our grill.  Thank goodness for our grill!  Monday was grilled chicken asado, grilled asparagus and mushrooms and quinoa pilaf.

Here's a great tip-things like rice, barley, couscous and quinoa can be made in quantities that can last for a few days-so don't make a small batch.  Now I only use brown rice, which like the barley, takes about 40 minutes to cook-but only a couple of minutes to re-heat.  Plus, both can be transformed into very filling salads, stir fries and added to soups and such.  

One of my families favorites is when I grill or roast extra veggies, chop them up add it to any of the above grains and let it marinate with some non-fat Italian dressing.
These are great for taking for a brown bag lunch as well.  Add some chopped lunch meat or leftover protein from dinner and all you need to add for a very healthy and nutritious meal is a piece of fruit.

Chicken, pork and beef asado mixes are usually found in just about any grocery store meat counter, but if yours doesn't have it, it's not that hard to create on your own.  Simply chose your lean meat, leave it in large serving slices that are on the thin side and add finely chopped bell peppers, purple onions and your favorite BBQ sauce.  Let it marinate and then grill.

Grilling veggies are fantastic!  All you need is a simple jar of minced garlic, a very minute amount of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and some kosher salt.  You can get creative with some fresh herbs or add some spices, but we're talking fast here this week, so use the KISS method.
(Keep, It, Simple, Silly)

Friday, let's share some quick and healthy recipes!