By now, most people are homebound, making sparse trips to the grocery store. Even though your daily dinner routines may be interrupted for the time being, you can still cook with the ingredients available to you to create the simplest, yet most delicious meals. Here are some easy recipes to feed yourself and your family, straight from your own stock and staying out of the stores.
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Banana Shake
A quick and healthy breakfast can be created from the simplest ingredients. If you happened to stock up on peanut butter and grabbed a few bundles of bananas, you’re ready to start your day right. Add one banana and 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter to a blender. Next, add 1⅓ cups of milk (substitute almond milk, oat milk, etc.) and blend. Want some additional protein? Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to make this shake even healthier!
Lunch: Buttery Garlic Shrimp
If you happened to snag a bag of frozen shrimp, you got yourself a good ingredient for a midday dish. First, simmer olive oil and 3 cloves of garlic, diced, in a pan over medium heat. Next, add your shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Finally, remove your skillet from heat and add one stick of butter, cubed, to the pan, and stir until melted. That’s it! Add spices like chili powder for a slight kick or parsley and lemon for a tangy twist, if you desire. Serve on its own or over pasta or rice for a larger meal.
Dinner: Red Pepper Pasta and Kale
Reach into your pantry and you’ll probably find a few different choices for pasta. Whatever you choose, cook pasta until ‘al dente. While pasta is cooking, warm oil in a skillet with garlic. Add your cooked pasta and one small bunch of kale, chopped, to the skillet. Add red pepper flakes, chopped basil, salt and pepper, and any other seasonings you choose. Once the kale has cooked down, your pasta dish is ready! Add grilled or baked chicken or ground turkey for an additional serving of protein.
Dessert: Chocolatey Pretzel Marshmallow Squares
Don’t forget to treat yourself to something sweet. For this classic, crunchy dessert with a twist, start with a classic rice crispy square recipe. Before you add your warm marshmallow mix to your pan, add 3 cups of pretzels, broken up into ½-inch to 1-inch pieces. Next, add ½-inch to 1-inch chunks of chocolate (semisweet, milk or dark, whatever you like!). Mix together and add to your greased pan, pushing down your mix flat. Add sea salt and chocolate flakes on top. Cool to room temp and serve!
