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If you have
a family, whether with one child or seven, then by
definition you are a busy cook. Vegetarians and vegans
aren't part of some mythical, laid-back counterculture but
are soccer parents, carpoolers, corporate executives, and
self-employed entrepreneurs. Our children are involved in
just as many extracurricular activities and have just as
much homework as anyone else's kids!
Many people
say they are too busy to cook, but no one is too busy to
eat. Even among vegetarians and vegans, this is often
remedied by a lot of eating out, getting takeout, and using
prepared entrees. I'd like to encourage people to cook and
eat at home, so here are some of my tried and true tips for
making cooked-from-scratch meals a daily reality, even after
the most exhausting days:
1.
Make sure your pantry and freezer are stocked with
good-quality ingredients for quick and/or "emergency" meals.
My pantry standbys include canned beans, quick-cooking
grains (like couscous and bulgur), white and sweet potatoes,
and pastas. In addition, I keep on hand prepared sauces like
marinara, barbecue, Thai peanut, and salsa. In the freezer
are whole-wheat English muffins, veggie burgers, pita bread
(for quick pizzas and sandwiches), and corn and wheat
tortillas. My basic frozen veggies are corn, peas, green
beans, and spinach (all organic). And with fresh produce
always at the ready, there are myriad nearly instant meals
that can be created with these basics.
2. Plan
three full meals for the week ahead, allowing for two nights
of leftovers. Plan your meals before you go grocery
shopping to prevent running back and forth to the store all
week for ingredients. There's nothing worse than walking
into the kitchen after a long day without a clue as to what
you want to make. I try to practice what I preach, but
whenever there is a week that I've left unplanned, I really
regret it! Just 15 or 20 minutes of meal planning per week
saves lots of time and simplifies your life immeasurably.
3.
On Sunday, prepare a couple of basics for the week to
come. Cook some plain brown rice (or other grain); bake
some potatoes, sweet potatoes, or squash. Bake quick bread
or muffins, or prepare a good pasta sauce. Knowing that you
have even one item that's already prepared when you enter
the kitchen at 6:00 pm is a sweet feeling, and the rest of
the meal then comes together quickly.
4. Once
a week, make a big one-pot meal that can stretch to at
least two nights, such as a hearty soup or stew, chili, or
casserole. Double recipes if you have a larger family. Then,
all you need is a salad and fresh whole-grain bread to round
out the meal.
5.
Develop repertoires and routines. If you are extremely
busy and don't mind a little repetition, you can choose just
a few menus that your family likes and rotate them
throughout the month. An example of a routine would be
something like that described in tip 3 (above), which
suggests that you prepare certain ingredients in advance.
Another would be to get your older children and teens to
take turns making dinner, or at least part of it, once a
week. Try designating each night of the week for a certain
kind of meal. Monday could be soup and salad night (with the
soup prepared on Sunday); Tuesday, homemade Asian;
Wednesday, pasta night; one night to clean up all leftovers;
and so on. This kind of predictability makes meal planning
easier when you're strapped for time.
6. Keep
it simple! You need not spend hours cooking or use
dozens of ingredients to create tasty meals. I truly believe
that it's the quality of ingredients, rather than the
quantity, that matters most. |
