Can you really have it all when it comes to meals: cheap, healthy, fast and delicious? I say yes! With no cooking, except for the microwave (and that doesn’t really count), these five recipes are practically effortless. So you’ll be sitting down to a delicious meal that keeps your bank account and your belly full.
Sesame Lime Chicken Lettuce Cups
A store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this Asian-influenced meal a snap to throw together.
Combine chicken with crunchy veggies, such as carrots or bean sprouts, in lettuce leaves. Add a splash of hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic and lime juice to the chicken. A few drops of hot sauce will add some heat. Place the mixture in lettuce cups and enjoy!
[See: 10 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 10 Minutes.]
Fiesta Burrito Bowl
With a little help from your microwave and can opener, you’ll be doing a cha-cha dance all the way through dinner. This bowl is layered with flavor from the nutty brown rice to the zesty lime and creamy avocado.
Grab a bowl and fill it with precooked brown rice. Microwave this for 60 seconds. Open a can of chicken and black beans, and add to the bowl. Dice a tomato and avocado, and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and your favorite salsa or hot sauce.
Mediterranean Tuna Wrap
This is not your mama’s tuna sandwich. Heart-healthy and satisfying, this wrap is loaded with veggies, beans and protein. It’s the best portable dinner — perfect for summer nights.
Combine tuna, hummus, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, olives and red onion. Tightly roll up that goodness in a multi-grain wrap. Or you can ditch the wrap and add this to a pile of greens for a unique spin on a niçoise salad.
[See: 8 Unusual Grilling Ideas, from Chickpeas to Grilled Lemonade.]
3-Minute Cobb Salad
Who doesn’t love a good Cobb salad? With all the delicious colors and textures, this classic American main-dish salad can be thrown together for a refreshing summer meal. You can also toss in any odds and ends from the veggie drawer and it will blend in with the crowd of flavors.
Crisp the bacon in the microwave by placing it between a few paper towel sheets. Cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. While the bacon is cooking, chop romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and avocado. Open a can of chicken, drain and add to the salad. Swap a scoop of cottage cheese in place of the hard-boiled eggs for some more protein. (There’s nothing wrong with eggs, but I did promise no real cooking.) Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and bacon. Finish with a generous drizzle of your favorite buttermilk dressing.
Smashed White Bean and Avocado Club
This hearty sandwich is so satisfying you won’t miss the meat when dinnertime rolls around. The white beans add a load of fiber, calcium and protein, making them a sensible choice for plant and meat eaters alike.
[See: How to Make a Healthy, Tasty Sandwich.]
Create an easy sandwich spread by mashing white beans with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread this mashed goodness onto your favorite bread, and top with thick slices of avocado, a heap of sprouts and sliced red onion. Pair with a simple green salad.
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5 No-Cook Healthy Meals That Cost Less Than $5 originally appeared on usnews.com
