Eating well in the midst of a jam-packed full schedule can seem next to impossible. So often between work and home and activities, there doesn’t seem to be any time for plans for meals, much less cook them. And here we are starting back to school, so the fall busyness is ramping up!
So this week I thought I’d share some of my favorite cooking shortcuts to help you get more homemade whole foods in your life. One of these may save you that run by the grocery store on your way home from work. And if you don’t have to fight for a parking space, stand in line, and drive home in traffic, it may even be faster than picking up dinner!
Make A Salad
I’ve said this one before, but if you prepare a salad and leave it in the refrigerator, half your plate is already done. I mix different types of lettuces and dry veggies (peppers, carrots, celery) and store it in a bowl. You can make it even quicker if you buy pre-washed boxes of greens and mix those together. If I want cucumbers or tomatoes, I’ll add those when I’m ready to eat so the salad doesn’t get soggy. The avocado always gets added at the last minute so it doesn’t brown.
Make Your Own Dressing
Sriracha mayo – quick and easy!
It’s not as hard as you might think. Because I’m trying to eat more healthy fats and fewer sugars, I’m eating creamy dressings. But many of them from the store have added sugars, especially the ones on the shelf. And I don’t have time to pull out the food processor or blender every time I want some dressing. My favorite (and quickest) option is mayo mixed with sriracha sauce. I love spicy food, so this one doubles as a dip too. I just put them both in a little bowl and stir. You can make any compound mayonnaise this way (except maybe roasted garlic or other chunky additions – you need the processor for that). If you buy the basil paste in a tube from the produce section, you can have basil mayo dressing. Like mustard? How about a dijionnaise that you whipped up with dijon and mayo? Any sauce you like can be added to mayo to flavor it. Just be careful not to choose a sauce with lots of sugar (like ketchup or BBQ). Those work against your efforts to burn fat!
Garlic green beans
This is a regular favorite with the whole family. You can do this with frozen green beans, but it’s better with fresh. Also, the thin young green beans (sometimes labeled haricot verts) work best. Luckily for us, they have these organic in bags at Costco. I chop up a few cloves of garlic, heat some ghee or olive oil in my cast iron skillet and toss the garlic for a couple of minutes. Then I add the green beans and toss. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and 1-2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillion (our favorite is the mushroom flavor, but you use what you like) to the pan and cover for 3-5 minutes. Take the lid off, toss and let some of the water cook off. The beans should be tender but still crisp. Side dish done!
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
I picked up this recipe from Real Simple magazine, though they served it with a harissa yogurt sauce I never got around to making. Cut the base and leaves off of the cauliflower, drizzle olive or avocado oil (my new favorite) over the whole thing, then season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour and cut in wedges to serve. It takes 2-3 minutes to prepare and when you take it out it’s ready to go. Save the crunchy pieces at the bottom for the chef!
If you’re heating the oven this long anyway, you might as well oil and salt a few potatoes (sweet or regular) and wrap them in foil to go along with the cauliflower. If you’re eating plants only or not avoiding carbs, these will be done with the cauliflower. Add some grass fed butter to the spuds and the salad and you’re eating a beautiful vegetarian feast!
Spice Wings
You can do this with any piece of chicken, but I’ve been doing more wings lately because they cook up quickly. Drizzle your oil over the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and then sprinkle with your seasoning of choice. You could do garlic and onion powder if you want something simple, but I’ve been getting Frontier Organic spice blends from Amazon recently. Our current favorite is the berebere spice blend with a little apple pie spice blend. Sound sweet, but it isn’t because there’s no sugar. It’s kind of a moroccan flavor! I’ve also tried the five spice blend with success. Want some heat? Add chipotle or cayenne too. Roast at 375 for about 25 minutes. Make extra for lunch tomorrow!
Use The Grill
I have never understood why grilled foods seem to be reserved for summertime. Yes, cooking outside and leaving the kitchen cooler seems best for the summer months, but why deprive yourself of the joy of the grill just because it’s not summer? Full disclosure though, I have been known to be outside grilling when it’s 40 degrees or it’s raining (usually not in a full-on downpour though!). The grill gets so hot that cooking quickly is even easier than on the stove. Strip your corn and soak it in a big bowl of water while you’re preparing, then throw it on with whatever else you have planned. If you flip it a few times, it’ll be done in a few minutes. Fish fillets are another grill favorite. Again, generous use of oil, spice blends, some salt and pepper, and throw them on. You’ll have fish on your plate in no time! I have a grill mat that helps the fish not stick to the grill, but that’s not required (don’t skimp on the oil). But if you have one, you can do asparagus or green beans without them falling through the grates. Oil them up, grill, and then toss with a little balsamic vinegar, salt and fresh ground pepper. Slice a few tomatoes to go on the side and dinner is served!
These are some of my favorite quick meal tricks. What fast meal tricks do you use to get healthy food on the table? Please share with us in the comments below – we can all use more tools in our kit!