Yesterday was such a busy day I didn’t get to post my meal plan. I attended a Christmas Party with my husband at a nice Italian restaurant. They brought special food for my husband and I so we were able to enjoy salad, dinner and dessert without animal products. 🙂
We have been so busy lately that I don’t have a lot of time to cook. Honestly, I do have time (usually). I just prioritize poorly. I know you know what I’m talking about because YOU do the same thing. Go ahead and admit it.
This week I’m going to (attempt) to pay closer attention to how long it actually takes to prepare meals. I’ll report back on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook page. A little note, if you already like my page but don’t see regular posts you may need to add it to your interest list. 🙂
Meal Plan
Breakfast is always easy; oatmeal, granola, cereal, toast with nut butter (or seed butter), and fruit. My husband usually eats fruit but he eat several pieces, he loves smoothies too. Oatmeal is my favorite right now, packed with flax and chia seeds, dried fruit and cinnamon.
Lunch is often leftovers that can be quickly assembled. This Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole is great reheated. Veggie Stuffed Pita with hummus is my favorite lunch. Sometimes my boys get a parfait for lunch. I start with 3/4 cup of non-dairy yogurt, about 1 Tbsp of chia seeds, 2ish Tbsp ground flax seeds, 1/4 cup walnuts, some granola if we have it and dried or diced fruit. Almond butter sandwiches on gluten-free bread make a regular appearance too.
Snacks are often fruit sometimes with almond butter, smoothies, or veggies with hummus. Sometimes something like chips and salsa (and guacamole) are just what I need.
Dinner Time! We eat dinner together as a family, have I mentioned that before? It’s important to us to have that time together. It doesn’t always work but it is the norm. Last night we had salad and pasta at a Christmas party. Later in the week I’ll be making dinner for another family so I plan to make the Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole and take some tortillas and guacamole. Today or tomorrow I plan to make BBQ Chickpea Salad and Three Bean Chili. We still have some cooked black-eyed peas and quinoa that are ready to eat.
To save time I plan to use my slow cooker some this week and eat more big salads; also cooking double batches of things like rice and beans to save time on other days. I’ll also use my microwave to quickly steam veggies and “bake” potatoes. I try to keep cooked beans frozen in 2 cup portions for easy meals.
What are your tips to save time in the kitchen?
