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6 Healthy Holiday Meals You Can Make in Minutes

By U.S. News & World Report

Just picture this day: You go to the supermarket, place only the best foods in your cart, come home and create a delicious meal for your family. Then, everyone sits down at the table together to share a hot meal and heartfelt conversations.

While that scenario is but a dream for most of us, you can still enjoy that last and most important part — sitting together at the table over a meal and conversation — without spending your day food shopping or becoming an iron chef.

[See: 9 Cooking Tricks That Will Make Everyone Think You’re a Great Chef.]

First, try to keep certain staples in your pantry, fridge and freezer to rely on when you don’t have the time or inclination to shop. You also don’t have to feel the pressure of being creative or traditional — there’s nothing wrong with meatloaf, pizza or breakfast for dinner.

Go for pre-packaged fresh ingredients, too. Although slicing, dicing and chopping salad ingredients is like therapy to me, there isn’t always time to take advantage of those techniques. Several companies sell salad in bags that are already assembled for you, and include add-ins like nuts, seeds, cheese and dressing. Some even come in a bowl along with plasticware so you don’t even have to wash the dishes. Check the labels to be sure you’re not getting lots of extra calories from fat or sugar (from dressings, crunchy noodles and so on).

Finally, keep in mind that it’s better to spend a little extra money, if need be, on ingredients that are conveniently cut up ahead of time rather than to buy the whole form of the fruit or veggie and then waste it because you didn’t have the time or desire to prepare it.

[See: How to Enjoy a Stress-Free Holiday.]

Now, just enlist others to help you with the prep steps and try one of these meals you can throw together in minutes — without any stress as a side dish:

1. Italian-Inspired “Turkey” Dinner

Buy a rotisserie chicken, frozen vegetables ( squash and green beans keep things seasonal) and a box of pasta. Lightly saute the veggies in a little olive oil and garlic, add some chicken broth and cut the chicken into small pieces. Boil the pasta, drain it and add it to the vegetable and chicken mix. Done.

2. Seasonal Salad

Just top your favorite salad greens with some protein like shredded part-skim cheese, canned tuna or salmon, or canned, rinsed beans ( rinsing ditches almost 40 percent of the sodium). Jazz up this dish further by adding some dried cranberries, sliced almonds and a squeeze of balsamic glaze to create a DIY salad bar at home.

3. Mini Meatloaves

Nothing fills the belly and warms the soul like a classic meatloaf recipe. To follow mine, which you can find at BetterThanDieting.com, combine 2 cups of chopped mixed vegetables with your favorite seasonings (garlic powder, onion, smoked paprika and chili powder work well), 1/2 cup panko, 1 egg and 1 pound of lean ground turkey. Coat the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, fill each cup three-quarters full and bake it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. The recipe makes 20 muffins and can be served with oven-roasted potatoes and a salad or veggies.

4. Hawaiian Holiday Shrimp

Saute fresh or frozen shrimp, frozen veggies, shelled edamame, a few tablespoons of crushed pineapple, cut mango, chopped nuts and just a tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce in 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil. Serve over cooked quinoa.

5. Deviled Egg Appetizer

Boil eggs in water for about five minutes. After running them under cold water, peel, wash and slice them in half length-wise. Pop out the yolks and mash them with a variety of chopped veggies, 1 teaspoon of grainy mustard and 1 tablespoon of light mayo (condiment quantities vary depending on the number of eggs you use). Stuff the mix into the egg whites and serve them with a big salad and multigrain pita chips.

[See: 10 Meals You Can Make in 10 Minutes.]

6. Festive Pizza

‘Tis always the season for pizza. Buy pizza dough (preferably whole wheat) at a local pizza shop and heat a stone or cookie sheet in the oven ahead of time. For a Christmas-colored pie, combine baby spinach, sliced mushrooms, chopped fresh tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese and crushed garlic in a bowl. Remove the pan from the oven, spray with cooking spray, stretch the dough over the stone or pan and top it with the veggie mixture. Bake it in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

More from U.S. News

Should I Wash the Turkey Before Cooking It?

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6 Healthy Holiday Meals You Can Make in Minutes originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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