December 04, 2021

As the holidays near, stress levels can rise as you think about gift-giving, hosting a holiday gathering or even planning weeknight meals for your family. Check out these quick, easy meal ideas and tips to make your holiday season less stressful.

1. Attend a meal prep class. Did you know that Hy-Vee offers monthly virtual freezer meal classes to help you with quick and easy no-stress dinner options? Each class makes five recipes with a follow-along demonstration by a Hy-Vee registered dietitian. Along with the recipes, you get a pre-made grocery list and a quick access link to Hy-Vee Aisles Online to add all of the ingredients for the class in your cart with one click of a button. You can also have all of the ingredients delivered straight to your door.
2. Look for ease in the grocery aisles. Reach for our Hy-Vee Short Cuts for a quick, easy and convenient way to add colorful fruits and vegetables to your plate or favorite dish without the prep. Pick up a rotisserie chicken for an easy way to bulk up your meal with protein. Grab a frozen steamable bag of Hy-Vee brown rice to add a whole-grain option to your plate.
3. Grab nutrient-dense foods. Pick up a chickpea or red lentil pasta for a nutrient-dense meatless dinner option. Grab black bean burgers or salmon burgers for a nutrient-dense meal option minus the planning and prep.
4. Don’t throw out; rethink those holiday leftovers. Use holiday leftovers in new dishes like a classic ham and bean soup or sweet potato pancakes.
5. Connect with your Hy-Vee dietitian. A Hy-Vee dietitian offers a variety of services to help you this holiday season with meeting your nutrition goals, from a personalized menu plan program to virtual nutrition store tours and more.

This Spicy Tuna Roll Ramen recipe is an example of how to make your holiday season less stressful with a simple 20-minute weeknight meal.

Spicy Tuna Roll Ramen
Serves 4

All You Need:
2 tbsp Gutare Vita olive oil, divided
½ tsp Hy-Vee cayenne pepper
¼ tsp Hy-Vee salt
¼ tsp Hy-Vee ground black pepper
2 (8 oz each) ahi tuna steaks, about 1-inch thick
1 tsp ginger paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) Hy-Vee no-salt-added chicken broth
2 (3 oz each) pkgs ramen noodles, seasoning packets removed
½ cup cucumber, seeded and cut into thin strips
½ cup shredded carrots
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
½ avocado, seeded, peeled and chopped
1½ tbsp dried nori sheets, cut into thin strips
Hy-Vee sriracha sauce, for serving
Sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish

All you do:

1. Heat a medium skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Combine cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub tuna with spices. Add tuna to skillet and sear for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Add remaining olive oil to a medium saucepan. Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and bring to boiling. Add ramen noodles and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Remove ramen from stovetop. Fill four serving bowls with soup and top with cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, avocado, nori, sriracha and sesame seeds. Slice tuna into strips and divide between bowls. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/spicy-tuna-roll-ramen. The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.