Truck Driver Friendly Recipes
Here's an eclectic collection of well-driver recipes to suit a variety of cravings. Enjoy!
Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from prevention.com
Who can resist mac-n-cheese? No one!
2 tablespoons melted butter
1.5 cups uncooked macaroni (or other pasta, if you're feeling creative — maybe "truck" wheels)
1 quart milk
10 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in your slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low for three hours.
Curried Chicken Dinner
Adapted from prevention.com
Explore the flavors of the subcontinent with this dish!
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered
2 cups peeled potatoes cut into chunks (about 3 spuds)
1 apple, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or hot, depending on your taste)
14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped (optional)
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in your slow cooker and stir gently. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or high about five hours). The chicken should be tender but not dry. Serve over cooked rice (basmati is nice).
Spicy French Dip
Adapted from prevention.com
Sink your teeth into ultra-tender beef.
3-pound boneless beef roast, cut into thirds
1/2 cup water
4-ounce can diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix
12 crusty sandwich rolls (Yep, this feeds a crowd!)
Instructions:
Place the beef in your slow cooker. Whisk together water, jalapenos, and dry dressing mix in a small bowl. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. When the beef is tender but not dry, take it out of the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Place the shredded meat back in the cooker with juices. To serve, use tongs to lift beef onto rolls. Don't be shy about dipping sandwiches in the cooking juices.
Tortellini with Broccoli
Adapted from prevention.com
This pasta dish is chock-full of veggies.
1/2 cup water
26-ounce jar marinara sauce
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
9-ounce package frozen spinach and cheese tortellini
16-ounce package frozen broccoli florets
Instructions:
Mix together water, pasta sauce, and seasoning in a bowl. Pour one-third of sauce mix in the bottom of the cooker. Top with tortellini. Pour another third of the sauce mix into the cooker. Top with broccoli. Pour the remaining sauce into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2.5-3 hours. The broccoli and pasta should be tender but not mushy.
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Adapted from prevention.com
Use leftovers to make turkey sandwiches.
6-pound bone-in turkey breast
3 teaspoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup water
Instructions:
Rinse turkey and pat dry. Rub the turkey with oil, salt, and pepper. Place it meaty side up in the slow cooker. Tuck in the onion and garlic cloves around the breast. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours. The turkey's temperature at its thickest part should be 180 degrees. (Be careful not to hit the bone with the meat thermometer.) Remove from slow cooker and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Apricot-Glazed Pork Roast
Adapted from prevention.com
It's the perfect sweet-meat combination!
10.5-ounce can condensed chicked broth
18-ounce jar apricot preserves
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
(1) 3.5-4-pound boneless pork loin
Instructions:
In a bowl, mix together broth, preserves, onion, and mustard. Place pork in slow cooker, cutting the loin into pieces to fit if necessary. Pour glaze over meat. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours (or high about three hours).
Mexican Corn and Bean Soup
Adapted from momswhothink.com
This recipe goes really fast because many of the ingredients come pre-measured in a can. Look for pre-chopped onions, green peppers, and garlic in the produce section. There's also jarred minced garlic, too!
(4) 5.5-ounce cans tomato juice
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained (Look for fire-roasted tomatoes or tomatoes with chilies for an extra kick!)
15.25-ounce can of corn, drained
15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup chopped large onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips (optional)
Guacamole (optional)
Low-fat sour cream (optional)
Instructions:
This is a classic slow-cooker-dump recipe! Place all ingredients in a slow cooker except for salt, pepper, tortilla chips, guac, and sour cream. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Season to taste and serve with tortilla chips, guacamole, and sour cream, if desired.
Meatless Sweet Potato Chili
Adapted from momswhothink.com
Sweet potatoes are a "super" food packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and nutrients that help regulate blood sugar. Plus, they're less expense than the meat you normally would put in chili!
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
Oyster crackers or saltines (optional)
Instructions:
Pour crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes into slow cooker. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, brown sugar, and salt; be sure to stir well after the addition of each spice. Add sweet potatoes, garlic, kidney beans, and black beans. Finally, stir to coat all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. (This is a great meal to cook while you're driving!)
Red Beans and Rice
Adapted from myrecipes.com
Add zing to this classic, stick-to-your-ribs meal with your favorite hot sauce!
3 cups water
1 cup dried red kidney beans
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
7 ounces turkey, pork, or beef smoked sausage, thinly sliced (Use half a 14-ounce package of Healthy Choice sausage.)
1 bay leaf
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rice (Try a microwave-ready package of whole-grain brown rice.)
Chopped green onions (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions:
Combine first 12 ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for five hours. To serve, discard bay leaf, stir in salt, scoop over rice, and sprinkle with green onions and hot sauce.
Nut Butter Banana Burritos
Adapted from thehealthytrucker.net
This recipe has an after-school-snack vibe, but it's sure fill up any grown-up!
1 whole-wheat tortilla
1 tablespoon (or more or less to taste) peanut, almond, sunflower, or other nut butter
1 whole, peeled banana
Chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or other fruits (raisins, chopped dates, dehydrated blueberries — be creative!)
Instructions:
Spread the nut butter into the tortilla. Sprinkle chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or fruit on the tortilla. Place the banana in the middle. Roll up the tortilla for an instant grab-and-go snack that satisfies!
Mobile Tuna Melt Sandwich
Adapted from thehealthytrucker.net
This recipe is for one open-faced sandwich. Cheese melts better on an open-faced sandwich. You definitely can spread the tuna mix across two slices of bread, if you please!
1 small package tuna, can or pouch (the healthiest option is fish packed in water, but fish packed in oil is more flavorful)
1 slice whole-wheat bread
1 tablespoon low-fat mayo (or more or less to taste — start with less mayo and add more slowly if you feel the tuna mix is too dry)
Tuna mix mix-ins: celery, red onion, sweet or dill pickle relish, jalapeno, capers, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, mustard, hot sauce, olives
2 slices tomato
1 slice cheese
Instructions:
If you're using tuna in water, drain off as much water as possible. If you're using tuna in oil, drain oil to taste (leaving more oil will mean you use less mayo). In a small bowl, mix together the tuna, mayo, and any of the above mix-ins. You often can find pre-chopped celery and onion in the produce section, which will save you time and a knife to wash. Most of the other mix-ins can be found chopped in jars or cans. The tuna mix is a great place to experiment with different flavors and textures.
Spread the tuna mix on a slice of bread. Top the tuna with two tomato slices. Put the slice of cheese on last. Bake in a toaster oven until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
Hummus
Adapted from the thehealthytrucker.net
Making your own hummus is easy, plus it's cheaper than the pre-made stuff!
15-ounce can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) (Test batches with both rinsed/drained and undrained beans. The liquid contains salt, which can add more flavor, and it makes the hummus more runny. It's your call!)
1 clove garlic
Mix-ins: sun-dried tomatoes, Worchestershire sauce, juice of half a lemon, chives, tahini, salt, pepper, chili powder
Pita bread, raw veggies, pretzels
Instructions:
Dump chickpeas, garlic, and your choice of mix-ins into a travel blender and puree until smooth. This dip is delicious with pita bread, raw veggies, and pretzels, and it's a flavorful sandwich spread, too.
How to Measure Ingredients the Fast Way
When you live out of a truck, you look for ways to minimize regular household "chores," such as washing dishes. This YouTube video shows how to train yourself to measure ingredients without using measuring spoons, which means you don't have to get them dirty. It's time savings two ways!
Portion control is critical to healthy eating; this tool will give you a leg up. The diagram below (via WonderHowTo.com) is a visual guide for food measurements.
