Homemade meals in minutes
Healthy homemade meals can be prepared in minutes.
Too often you think that you don’t have time for a homemade meal. But a simple meal doesn’t have to take a lot of time or be overly elaborate. In fact, simple meals not only take little time, they are both healthy and tasty. Better than anything you can afford to buy in a restaurant or fast-food joint.
Breakfast, if you have it, is almost always a quick meal anyway. A healthy breakfast can be done in less than 10 minutes.
Lunch can be prepared in about 10 minutes in the morning and taken with you, or if you’re lucky enough to be able to go home, you can prepare the same lunch when you get home and still have time to eat it. Dinner too can be put together in about 10 minutes at the end of the day and you’ll have a full, satisfying meal. Nothing fancy here, just everyday cooking.
For healthy food choices, every suggested menu item or recipe includes foods that are usually available in most supermarkets in the U.S. or local farmers’ markets. For the science of what you should eat we turn to the Perfect Health Diet.* This is not, however, in any way “authorized” by the PHD authors, who have their own recipes and recommendations.
The healthiest diet, they say, is the traditional Pacific islander diet. The Perfect Health Diet is a low carbohydrate, low protein, high fat diet. The diet emphasizes nontoxic foods, including safe starches – sweet potato, potatoes, yucca and rice – beef, lamb, fish, vegetables, coconut oil, cheese, butter, cream & eggs, along with some berries and fruit.
Those are the ingredients for the recipes you’ll find here. The menus here list full meals that can be prepared in about 10 minutes. Some may take prior preparation (like cooking up a broth on the weekend that’ll be part of the meals made during the week).
For many of the menu items turn to the recipe section to find ways of preparing traditional foods in ways that are both quick and optimized for health.
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* The Perfect Health Diet is written by two scientists, Dr. Paul Jaminet and Dr. Shou-Ching Shih Jaminet. You might call it a geek’s diet book. It is written to be read by anyone, with the major points put clearly and simply for those without an alphabet of letters after their name, followed by geeky stuff that will satisfy your inner rocket scientist.
I follow the Perfect Health Diet and found your link in their blog. Wow – I love these recipes – thank you so much! Looking forward to trying them! Best wishes!
Connie
August 18, 2011 at 10:55 pm
THanks so much for your blog. You give me hope that even I can do this. It all seems so hard, but I”ll try it. I’ve got nothing to lose, right?? How do I transition my children into eating this way???
Adele
August 21, 2011 at 3:34 am
This is so incredibly inspiring! I am really trying this meal pattern…it is both challenging and creative! I really look forward to making dinner. Serving it is also an art….I tried serving my husband’s and my dinner out on the deck and it was ….well, a dance. But I love it. Please keep the menus coming….I need more inspiration! Jaynee
janet trenchard
August 31, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Hey, thanks for doing this!
You are an inspiration and a priceless asset for folks like me!
Allan Balliett
September 24, 2011 at 10:37 am
I just finished reading—The Perfect Health Diet and I was trying to put it all together into some menu plans but I felt overwelmed so when I read about this site in Paul site, I was thrilled. This is awesome, perfect. It makes it so very simple.
Isa
October 6, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Thanks! This is a big help.
tony
December 16, 2011 at 2:45 am
WOW. Thank you so much for this blog. Like Isa, I, too, just finished The Perfect Health Diet book. Loved it and was busy making a grocery list. I ran across this blog from Paul’s website and thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m not one for hours in the kitchen. I have left so many diets because I felt enslaved by the kitchen and meal preparation. Great tips!
Karen
December 30, 2011 at 8:44 pm
my understanding is that microwave cooking is unhealthy I read this on Dr mercola’s web site
Sheri Hammond
January 22, 2012 at 12:34 am
Microwave cooking is no more unhealthy than any other cooking. Toxins are created by over-cooking and you are more likely to over-cook on a stovetop. Burning or over-cooking food produces carcinogenic substances. This is particularly the case with barbecuing or grilling.
On microwaves, there’s a discussion of this on the PerfectHealthDiet.com at http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?cat=96
10minutemeal
January 22, 2012 at 2:40 am
I absolutely LOVE the clean and simple feel of your site. I will be referring to it often! Thank you!
organiceater
January 31, 2012 at 4:33 am
I have a whole bookshelf of great cookbooks, but I read your blog for ideas and inspiration every day. Your tapenade recipe is the simplest and best that I’ve found. Thanks!
Cristina
February 2, 2012 at 2:08 am
hi – i’ve been paleo for a couple years – found your site and love the elegant simplicity of it in all things – design, recipes, cooking methods, concepts. Wondering if you could post some sample winter and spring lunches?
thanks for a great site.
tulipwood
February 12, 2012 at 11:09 pm
Thanks! I am also a PHD diet fan and this is useful!
Sinchan Mitra
February 18, 2012 at 1:08 pm
This is a perfect complement to http://www.perfecthealthdiet.com for those of us that need a little help in the kitchen for easy implementation of PHD – thanks for putting it together!
Caroline
February 21, 2012 at 10:16 am
Just want to join in and say how much I am enjoying your recipes and meal plans. My husband (a diet skeptic) loves the food, too. This way of eating has made our lives more fun!
Jan Keeling
June 13, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Hey mysterious 10 Minute Meal Guy, thank you for this great effort.
What about the new recommendations from Paul’s new book. Would you make any changes?
Jim
August 17, 2012 at 8:42 am
Thanks Jim. I don’t have any inside information on what is new or changed in Paul Jaminet and Shou-Ching Jaminet’s updated book. But I have ordered the book on Amazon and plan to get a copy as soon as it is available. You will definitely see changes and adjustment’s here based on what’s in the book. Also, I do make some small updates to what’s already here on the site based on the discussions on the Perfect Health Diet blog.
10minutemeal
August 19, 2012 at 10:38 pm
What kind of butter do you recommend in your recipes? Mr. Jaminet recommends clarified butter of ghee.
Jim
August 31, 2012 at 6:25 am
I think that the recommendation of clarified butter or ghee is for those who have are sensitive to milk proteins. Almost all butter is okay. The best flavor is found in the high-fat butters made with cream from pastured cows. These are sometimes sold as European-style butters, like Kerrygold butter or Organic Valley’s Pasture Butter.
10minutemeal
September 10, 2012 at 2:45 am
Where do you get eggs that you trust?
Ellen
September 16, 2012 at 12:48 am
The best I’ve found is from the farmers’ markets. For supermarket eggs, any of them that are labeled Organic are usually good. The Cornucopia Institute goes further and rates organic eggs, giving highest marks to those who give the hens outdoor access. http://www.cornucopia.org/organic-egg-scorecard/
10minutemeal
September 17, 2012 at 3:16 pm
I’m new to cooking & trying to collect your recommended kitchen equipment. Do I really need a stockpot. I don’t see any of your recipes requiring one. I just ordered a slow cooker. Will that due? Do I really need a dutch oven? I just ordered a ceramic-titanium nonstick 12 in. skillet. Most of your recipes call out a cast iron skillet. Using this, could I still follow the recipes without adjustments? Love your suggestion for the Bodum French press, I’m hooked. Mr. Coffee maker is off the counter into the basement.
Jim
September 19, 2012 at 6:49 am
Yes, a slow cooker can be your stock pot. Either can be used for making bone broth. You don’t need to have both of them. It’s just a matter of preference. Same with the dutch oven. Any skillet should work. Cast iron is slower to heat, but will retain the heat longer. No significant adjustments to make.
10minutemeal
September 19, 2012 at 11:04 am
Yes, a slow cooker can be your stock pot. Either can be used for making bone broth. You don’t need to have both of them. It’s just a matter of preference. Same with the dutch oven. Any skillet should work. Cast iron is slower to heat, but will retain the heat longer. No significant adjustments to make.
10minutemeal
September 19, 2012 at 11:04 am
Hi, I’m very interested in making your Homemade Broth.
I’m having trouble finding marrow bones in-stock at Slanker’s & U.S. Wellness Meats. I’ll keep checking to see when they are restocked.
I have a question about the recipe ingredients of: 3 or 4 marrow bones and 1 to 2 pounds of ribs, neck bones or soup bones.
U.S. offers the marrow bones only in beef, in small, med, & large, when in-stock. Which size works for this recipe?
I found some bison at Grass Fed Traditions.
They have in-stock: Grass-Fed Bison Knuckle Soup Bones, split in half, includes various sizes. They offer Grass-Fed Bison Marrow Soup Bones, 4-5 bones per package, cut into 1 – 1 ½ inch lengths – backordered.
And they offer Grass-Fed Beef Soup Bones, backordered.
Can you suggest any other online alternatives?
They have a video about Bison Bone Broth and say they were able to do at least 3 runs in the slow cooker without losing the great flavor. Do you recommend more than one run or just toss the bones after the first?
Your recipe says, after all ingredients added to the slow cooker, then fill with water. I assume this is for a 6-6.5 Qt. cooker, but would I do the same if I’m using a 7 Qt. slow cooker?
Sorry for all the questions, thank you for you time.
Jim
September 23, 2012 at 3:11 am
On soup bones, getting them from grass-fed animals is best. But when I can’t find get them from a grass-fed farm, I will get them from a local butcher or the supermarket. My local supermarket has bones in the frozen meat section. Get whatever bones are available. Marrow bones are great and make a rich broth. Knuckles have cartilage and marrow. The cartilage will thicken the broth. Right now I’m using mostly knuckle bones. Calves’ feet are also sometimes available, and they are good too. Don’t worry about which bones you have. All of them make great broth.
Bones are good for repeated use. I use mine for 3 runs, but never more. The acid from the vinegar will keep dissolving minerals from the bones with each reuse, but after 3 runs I’ve found there doesn’t seem to be anything left and the broth is too weak.
For bone size, any size that fits in the pot, or slow cooker, will do. I haven’t found any difference when using the different sizes.
Finally, fill with water no matter the size of your pot or slow cooker.
10minutemeal
September 23, 2012 at 2:54 pm
Super! Thanks for answering every question. Awesome! Love this website!
Jim
September 23, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Hi, I’m a 31 year old female. New to your site. I have a ton of digestive issues but docs aren’t much help
Do you think the foods you listed there could be *okay*? I’m worried I may have problems with dairy, eggs and nuts…but I love them
I don’t live in an area that sells anything hormone-free or grass-fed and my funds are SUPER limited. Any suggestions?
I feel like heavy meats, etc just sit in my stomach. I eat a lot of fats (coconut or olive oil, avocados, eggs, fatty fish, etc etc). Currently using whey and yogurt…guess I should stop….oops.
I’m just confused.
I do not do a lot of exercise (occasional short, slow walks). If I follow this way of eating, I wonder where it would lead??
I’m also uncertain about breakfast. I have no no appetite in morning and heavy foods are unappealing.
To top this all off, I’m kinda underweight. Would LOVE some thoughts or suggestions. I can’t afford to buy e-books or find a ND or someone and I’m discouraged and frustrated!!
New Reader!
November 12, 2012 at 1:42 pm
For what to eat you can look at the Perfect Health Diet http://perfecthealthdiet.com/the-diet/
You don’t have to eat any dairy, nuts or eggs. Can you get fish? Eating fish, vegetables and rice might be the easiest on your digestive system. Catfish is usually available at a good price and where I live I can also get farmed trout for about $5 a pound. Trout is an excellent fish. You don’t need to eat breakfast. Have some coffee or tea.
10minutemeal
November 12, 2012 at 2:45 pm
I chose your Fall Lunch Menu, which calls out a Simple Salad instead of a Whole-meal Salad. Please tell me how to prepare the Simple Salad. It looks like it consists of just some lettuce and creamy vinaigrette with none of the vegetables from your list under How to Prepare Vegetables.
Is that also the same with the Dinner Menu Salad?
Jim
November 21, 2012 at 4:14 pm
The Simple Salad would be just lettuce and a dressing like the creamy vinaigrette. You can add any vegetables you want. Keeping it to just lettuce keeps it simple and quick to prepare. To make a Simple Salad, get a head of Boston lettuce (also called butter or Bibb), romaine lettuce, or one of the red or green leaf lettuces. Cut out the core of the lettuce head (you can put the core into your soup broth) and wash the leaves. Dry in a spinner (or pat dry with a kitchen towel). Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and toss with the dressing.
You can also pre-wash the lettuce greens and then take out a serving at a time. Then tear the leaves and add the dressing when you serve the salad. You can pre-wash a mix of lettuce types, so you might get a head of Boston lettuce, a head of romaine lettuce and a head of green leaf lettuce. The pre-washed lettuce will keep in the refrigerator up to one week. To pre-wash, clean the lettuce leaves in cold water. Remove from the water and wrap the leaves in a dry kitchen towel. Put the towel into a plastic bag. Leave the bag open and refrigerate.
10minutemeal
November 26, 2012 at 3:55 am
Update:
Hi, I’m interested in a quick way to prepare the three egg yolk daily recommendation of PHD. Using your Coconut Milk recipe. What if I just separate the yolks, boil the water, and with a hand blender, mix the coconut flakes, water, and yolks? How necessary is the straining? Could I also blend in the weekly 1 tablespoon of red palm oil to this without a problem? I’m not real concerned about the taste. Any other suggestions? Thank you.
Jim
November 26, 2012 at 5:37 pm