Easy dinners for fit guys: forget TV dinners. These new freezer foods are good for six quick, muscle-building meals - Active Nutrition - Brief Article - Recipe

Men's Fitness, March, 2002 by Robin Vitetta-Miller

Vegetables can be a nuisance. Fresh ones last only a few days in the fridge, and you still have to wash, cut, chop, peel and cook them. If it wasn't for all that hassle, you'd eat them, right? We're calling that bluff, tough guy, because right now your supermarket has a bumper crop of ready-to-go frozen vegetables that are perfect for the ultrabusy, superfit guy. After working hard all day and busting butt in the gym, you want to create a hearty, delicious dinner that requires minimal work and delivers maximum results. We say, bag it.

Some frozen mixes are fine all by themselves, but add one or two ingredients and you turn dinner into a nutritional powerhouse. Toss everything in a big skillet, add your favorite seasoning, and by the time you finish checking your e-mail you've got meal. It doesn't get much easier.

THE VITAMIN BOMB

THE BAG: Birds Eye Oriental Style Vegetables (broccoli, green beans, onions, mushrooms, red peppers)

You add: Shrimp, instant rice and teriyaki sauce.

How to do it: Coat a wok or large skillet with cooking spray and set the pan over medium-high heat. Add a half-pound of peeled and cleaned large shrimp and cook for two minutes, until the shrimp are bright pink on both sides. Add the nine-ounce box of vegetables, a half-cup of instant brown rice, a half-cup of water and one tablespoon of teriyaki sauce. Cover the pan and cook for eight to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice absorbs the liquid.

Per serving: 505 calories, 52g carbs, 47g protein, 12g fat, 7g fiber

THE ASIAN SENSATION

THE BAG: Green Giant Create a Meal Stir-Fry Lo Mein (broccoli, carrots, mushrooms)

You add: Pork, soy sauce and peanut oil.

How to do it: Heat two teaspoons of peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, add a half-pound of pork tenderloin (one-inch cubes) and cook for three minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer pink. Add the 21-ounce bag of lo mein mix (vegetables, noodles and sauce), two tablespoons of soy and two tablespoons of water. Cover the pan and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp. Makes two servings.

Per serving: 444 calories, 52g carbs, 34g protein, 11g fat, 5g fiber

THE PERFECT RECOVERY

THE BAG: Green Giant Create a Meal Oven Roasted Garlic Herb Chicken (potatoes, carrots, sugar snap peas, red bell peppers)

You add: Chicken and Italian dressing.

How to do it: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a lasagna-size baking pan with cooking spray and pour the 26-ounce bag of frozen vegetables and seasoning packet into the pan. Add a half-pound of chicken tenderloin or skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into thin strips and a quarter-cup of fat-flee Italian salad dressing (vinaigrette, not creamy); stir to coat the chicken and vegetables with the seasonings. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir well and bake for 10 more minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Makes two servings.

Per serving: 520 calories, 74g carbs, 44g protein, 5g fat, 11g fiber

THE MASS BUILDER

THE BAG: Birds Eye Simply Grillin' Roasted Garlic (red potatoes, broccoli, sweet peppers, onions)

You add: Shrimp and liquid smoke.

How to do it: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees or fire up your outdoor grill. Take the 14-ounce foil tray of vegetables out of the carton and remove the cover. Add a pound of raw peeled shrimp and a half-teaspoon of liquid-smoke seasoning and stir to combine. Place the tray in the center of the oven or directly over hot coals (or on a hot grill rack). Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are done and the vegetables are hot. Makes two servings.

Per serving: 459 calories, 34g carbs, 54g protein, 11g fat, 6g fiber

THE VEGETARIAN

THE BAG: Birds Eye Asparagus Stir-Fry with Pasta (asparagus, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans)

You add: Peanut butter, yogurt, soy sauce and sesame oil.

How to do it: Heat one teaspoon of sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 16-ounce bag of asparagus stir-fry and cook for one minute. Add two tablespoons of water, cover the pan and cook for five minutes, giving a good stir halfway through. In a small bowl, whisk together a half-cup of fat-free plain yogurt, one tablespoon of reduced-fat all-natural peanut butter, and one tablespoon of soy sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in yogurt mixture. Mix well. Serve warm or room temperature.

Per serving: 395 calories, 63g carbs, 25g protein, 11g fat, 8g fiber

THE HEALTHY BBQ

THE BAG: Birds Eye Simply Grillin' Garden Herb (broccoli, carrots, roasted corn, green beans)

You add: Turkey, one potato, and salt and pepper.

How to do it: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees or start up an outdoor grill. Take the 14-ounce foil tray of vegetables out of the carton and remove the cover. Add a half-pound of cubed cooked turkey breast (such as Boarshead Ovengold) and one diced potato and stir to combine. Place the tray in the center of the oven or directly over hot coals. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the turkey and vegetables are hot and the potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Makes two servings.