Simple 5 Ingredient Recipes for Your Family!

Are you short on supplies and looking for some simple recipes to satisfy your family? Is the grocery store out of the ingredients you need to make the FASTer Way meal plan recipes? We’ve all been there in the last couple weeks… Heading to the grocery store only to discover a shortage of just about everything you need to prepare for the week! We’ve all had to raid the dark corners of our pantries and dig into the very bottom of our freezers. Now that we’ve discovered those “forgotten” ingredients, it’s time to put them to good use. 

Having a hard time coming up with new recipes? Need some inspiration? Look no further-- We got you covered! We’re sharing 5 simple recipes that use 5 ingredients for low carb AND regular macro days. No need to head back out to the grocery store to pick up more fancy ingredients. These recipes are FASTer Way approved, full of nutrients and sure to please even the pickiest of eaters in your family! Be sure to plug the ingredients into your MyFitnessPal for accurate macronutrient breakdown. 

Build-Your-Own Smoothie Bar (Super Kid Friendly!) Makes 1 serving

Lay out all your ingredient options and let your kids help you choose what healthy ingredients they want in their smoothie-- Such a fun and creative way to get kids involved in making healthy choices using simple ingredients! 

What You’ll Need for Smoothie:

• 1 ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk 

• 1 cup frozen berries + fruit (strawberries, blueberries, mixed berries, mangos, raspberries, peaches, anything will do!)

• 1 fresh or frozen banana 

• ¼ cup protein powder (optional-- chocolate or vanilla) 

• 1 ½ tablespoon peanut butter or almond butter

Directions:

1. Choose desired ingredients and add all ingredients into blender 

2. Blend, pour into cup and enjoy!

More Ideas:

Cinnamon roll smoothie- blend together almond milk, frozen banana, dash of pure maple syrup, almond butter and cinnamon for a healthy, fun twist on a morning classic!

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One-Bowl Baked Oatmeal (Regular Macro) Makes 6 servings

What You’ll Need:

• 3 cups dry oats (quick or rolled)

• 1 ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

• ½ cup pure maple syrup

• 1 banana (mashed)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Add all wet ingredients into bowl, including mashed banana 

3. Stir in dry oats and cinnamon

4. Pour into greased square 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes until just about set

5. Serve and enjoy

More Ideas:

• Garnish with berries (fresh or frozen)

• Drizzle melted peanut butter or almond butter over oatmeal when done baking

• Add protein powder into the mix before baking for an extra boost of protein! 

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Simple Spaghetti (Low Carb & Regular Macro Options) Makes 4 servings

What You’ll Need:

• 1 lb fresh or frozen ground turkey or beef (omit for vegetarian option)

• 1 jar (24 oz) clean spaghetti sauce 

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

• 1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen zoodles

  • OR use 1 box of regular brown rice spaghetti noodles or whatever you have on hand for regular macro day :) 

Directions:

1. Dethaw frozen meat if necessary

2. Preheat large skillet over medium heat

3. Cook ground turkey or beef until cooked through (sprinkle salt/pepper while meat is cooking)

4. Add fresh or frozen zoodles to pan until heated through (or cooked noodles for regular macro day)

5. Pour jar of spaghetti sauce into pan

6. Add garlic powder and Italian seasoning

7. Serve and enjoy

More Ideas:

Don’t have any zoodles on hand and want to keep it low carb? Serve prepared meat sauce over cooked broccoli, cauliflower or spinach and cut into small pieces, for a nutrient-packed, low carb spaghetti option!

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Sheet Pan Chicken + Veggies (Low Carb) Makes 4 servings

What You’ll Need:

1. 1 lb chicken breast or tenderloins- can use fresh OR frozen

2. 1 cup veggies- use anything you have available-- fresh OR frozen! Consider fresh or frozen broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, mixed veggies, etc.

3. 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil

4. 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

5. ½ teaspoon salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Add chicken and veggies to sheet pan

3. Drizzle oil over ingredients and add seasonings (you can add more seasonings if you’d like)

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes (make sure vegetables are roasted and chicken is cooked all the way through)

5. Serve and enjoy

More Ideas:

Want to use this recipe for regular macro day? Serve over some brown rice, quinoa or alongside a baked potato or sweet potato!

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Easy Mexican Rice (Regular Macro) Makes 6 servings 

What You’ll Need:

1. 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

2. 1 ½ cups corn- fresh or frozen

3. 3 cups brown rice- instant or dry (if dry, prepare according to package)

4. 1 tablespoon chilli powder

5. 1 cup salsa

Directions:

• Preheat large skillet over medium heat

• Add black beans and corn, cook until heated through

• Add in cooked brown rice 

• Stir in chilli powder and salsa

• Serve and enjoy

More Ideas:

• Add in cooked chicken breast, ground turkey or beef for a boost of protein

• Garnish with sliced avocado for healthy fat

• Use rice mixture as stuffing for an easy burrito! Just add mixture into a whole wheat tortilla

There are plenty of simple, 5-ingredient recipes that you can use to satisfy your family while keeping up with a nutrient-dense, whole-food diet! Be sure to share any of the recipes you try and tag us on our social media pages @fasterwaytofatloss :)  Remember, if you’re stuck in a “recipe rut” and don’t know what to make, check your pantry to see what you already have! Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new things! You never know what delicious meal you might just whip up.