Food Help Needed

Okay, I need some ideas! I'm living alone now and having trouble with meal planning. I'd like to go to the grocery store tonight and cook for the week but I'm still feeling a little lost in the store when I go shopping. That said... What kinds of meals are you preparing at home? Are there any recipes you recommend? Since I'm a little new to cooking and living on my own, how long do leftovers typically keep? I recently bought some individually wrapped portions of salmon from Costco. I know lemon, parsley, and butter are usually used to season fish - any ideas for preparation? I appreciate any help! Nicole 335/228/170 pre-up/current/goal

Hi Nicole-Congrats on your weight loss so far!! WOW! I'm in a similar situation (cooking for 1) and I'm not the best cook. I LOVE those Morning Star brand foods. They're frozen, vegetarian foods that taste great! They have breakfast options like veggie bites and burger choices and even buffalo wings. I asked my Nut about them and she's thrilled with the protein content! As for cooking them, you just place them on some aluminum foil for the stove (10-20 mins) or a couple minutes in the microwave. REALLY easy. Mag 286/190/145

Hi Mag, Thanks for the suggestions! I've tried virtually every Morning Star and Gardenburger brand food product in the frozen food aisle and have yet to taste something I like. I was really hoping I'd like some of it, especially the breakfast sausage. Ah well - the search continues! Thanks again Nicole

If you don't have a George Forman Grill - get one... just throw a seasoned chicken breast on there and you are set! If you do frozen chicken it will still be juicy when you are done. You can do fish on it too! For lunch (or breakfast) I've been doing cottage cheese with a small tomato cut up in it... I haven't been able to tolerate cooked eggs since surgery so my breakfast choices are limited and I'm not the biggest fan of yogurt or shakes... I'm glad you posted this because I am getting in to a food rut and I would love to see what others have to say... Amie

I prefer a grill pan over the foreman grill. For some reason the food I make in the grill doesn't taste right to me. After I transitioned from my soft protein diet I swore off cottage cheese for awhile! I was so so sick of eating it lol It might be time to work some of it back in. Good luck and thanks! Nicole

I'm a big pizza fan so I lay out 17 turkey pepperonis on a plate and season with some kind of garlic powder or just what ever kind of seasoning I have the sprinkle 1/4 cup 2% grated cheese on it. Put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. IT makes the pepperonis kind of crispy around the edges. It's about 150 cals and 14 or so grams of protein. Hope this helps! Janie Dr. Houston 3/19/2007 304/235/160

Sounds deelish! Now if only I can find turkey pepperoni....

I love Perdue Perfect Portions chicken. They have a few flavors, one is plain. They are individually wrapped so you can make done at a time. Perdue Shortcuts chicken or turkey is precooked and in a resealable plastic bag it is GREAT thrown on top of a salad. I also take a pound or pound and a half of chicken and marinate it then cook it on the grill and freeze it in 3 ounce portions in Ziplocs and take it out the morning before I need it. Also, if you can eat steak take some mustard and rub it all over both sides and then sprinkle it with a fair amount of salt and cover the mustard with an even layer of tea leaves from a tea bag then grill. It sound weird, but it is so incredibly good you won't believe it! Have fun!

I've never heard of Perdue Perfect Portions - where do you get it? Great ideas, thank you!

I get them in the fresh meat department at a grocery store named Hannaford. If you talk to someone in the meat department of a larger grocery store that has Perdue you should be able to have them order them. Your welcome! Donna