EASY MEALS: ƒor moms on the go

Family Features

If more gets added to your to-do list than gets crossed off, don’t be overwhelmed — you are not alone. It’s not easy juggling work and school schedules, activities, errands, daily chores and relationships.

Some days it seems like the only exercise you get is dashing to the car for another appoint ment, and you feel lucky to eat at all, much less eat some thing healthy. Is it possible to find balance in today’s hectic world?

Yes — if you put yourself and your family at the top of your list and make small changes that keep mom and those who matter balanced and healthy.

Andrea Metcalf is a nationally recognized family health and fitness expert. For more than 25 years, this mother of three has inspired people from all walks of life to get fit, eat right and feel better by mak ing simple lifestyle changes in their lives. One of the easiest changes can be in our food choices.

“Making the right food choices is the key to good health and weight loss,” said Metcalf. That’s why she’s teamed up with Mission Foods to help people change the way they think about living.

Small changes add up

Those who’ve had success with diet and exercising say time after time that it’s the small changes that add up to reaching your goal.

“Simple changes are vital to success and that’s why I like using tortillas during mealtimes,” said Metcalf. “Their versatility, portabil ity, variety of healthy choices and great taste make them appealing to folks like me with busy schedules who are looking for easy solutions in the kitchen.”

These wrap recipes are a quick and easy way to start making simple changes that have a big impact. In just a few minutes, you can wrap up a delicious meal that will give you the fuel to keep you going throughout a busy day.

Other healthy eating tips from Metcalf include:

SBltFruits, veggies, fiber and protein are cornerstones to eating better.

SBltFruits are high in antioxidants and filling due to their water content.

SBltVegetables are also your cancer-fighting foods. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauli flower, kale, brussels sprouts and cabbage contain two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, that may help decrease prostate and other cancers.

SBltGetting 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day is recommended for a healthy diet.

SBltProtein is one of the basic building blocks of the body. Your muscles are built with protein, and protein is important for skin, hair and maintaining your immune system, too.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Serves: 3 to 6

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 16 minutes

1 1-ounce package, taco or hot taco seasoning

2 tablespoons cooking oil

3‚Ñ4 cup water

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 avocado

1‚Ñ2 cup ranch dressing, prepared

6 tortillas, warmed

Hot sauce, to taste

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

3‚Ñ4 cup carrots, shredded

1‚Ñ4 cup cilantro, chopped

Combine taco seasoning, oil and 1‚Ñ4 cup water to make marinade. Place chicken in resealable plastic bag and add marinade. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer.

Mash avocado (in mixing bowl) into small chunks and mix with ranch dressing until smooth.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard used marinade.

Grill chicken over medium-high heat, about 8 minutes per side or until thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken from grill and place on cutting board.

Slice chicken into thin strips and serve hot alongside warm tortillas.

Serve with build your own sides/garnishes of hot sauce, blue cheese, carrots, cilantro and the avocado ranch dressing.

Breakfast Burrito

Serves: 4

Prep time: 3 minutes

Cook time: 1 minute

4 8-inch whole wheat tortillas, warmed

12 slices fully cooked bacon, crispy and chopped small

12 eggs, whole

4 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable spray

In a small bowl; whisk eggs with salt and pepper to evenly combine.

To make 1 burrito: heat nonstick saut pan over high heat.

Spray pan with vegetable spray; add equivalent of 3 whole eggs to pan. Soft scramble eggs, taking approximately 30 to 45 seconds.

Add 2 tablespoons chopped bacon (equals 3 strips chopped) and 1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese to the eggs and stir to combine, melting the cheese.

Spoon hot egg mixture into center of a warmed tortilla; roll burrito style and serve.

Repeat steps 2 to 5 for remaining 3 tortillas.

Chicken Club Wrap

Serves: 4

Prep time: 12 minutes

4 8-inch soft taco flour tortillas

4 tablespoons low-fat or light mayonnaise

8 slices fat-free oven-roasted deli-style chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 large garden tomato, thinly sliced into 8 slices

1 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

1‚Ñ2 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded prepared

1‚Ñ2 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced lengthwise into 8 thin strips (save the other 1‚Ñ2 of the avocado for additional uses)

4 strips bacon, fully cooked (microwave to crispy)

Evenly spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise over each tortilla, cover ing each tortilla in a thin layer.

To build 1 wrap: place 2 slices of chicken breast, overlapping each other, on the center of the wrap. Top chicken with 2 slices of tomatoes. Top tomatoes with 2 thin onion rings. Top onions with 1‚Ñ8 cup lettuce. Top lettuce with 2 slices of avocado. Top avoca does with 1 strip of bacon to complete the wrap.

Fold in the left and right sides of the wrap towards the center, leav ing a gap in the center. Using both hands, roll the bottom edge of the tortilla (facing you) from the bottom to the top into a burrito shape.

Slice the wrap in half, on a slight bias (angle) and serve.

Repeat steps 2 to 4 for each of the other 3 wraps and enjoy.