Fast Food Alternatives

Quick Meals for the Holiday Rush

By Donna Smith

With all the shopping, decorating and get-togethers that come with the holidays, planning family meals can seem like a chore and sometimes take a backseat. Fast food restaurants beckon and can seem like a lifesaver at the end of a busy day. While fast food can be a quick alternative occasionally, it shouldn't take the place of home-cooked, nutritious meals and family dinnertime – even during the holidays.

Kelly Hammer, nutritionist and author of Brain Food: Feeding Your Child for Success (M. Evans Publishing, 2006), says that there are no "good" and "bad" foods, only good and bad food choices. Make the choice to not let the holidays keep you out of the kitchen. We hope these quick recipes will help your family have a healthy holiday season!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
2 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, drained
Toppings: low-fat sour cream cheese, diced tomato, black olives, shredded lettuce, chopped onions

Cook the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it into large chunks. Add the onion and cook about three minutes. Add chili powder, tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper to taste and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kidney beans and cook five more minutes to heat through. Serve in a bowl with desired toppings, or ladle with a slotted spoon onto a tostada shell.

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