Meal Ideas for Working Parents

[Kealoha]

Not a meal idea so much as a shortcut/healthy carb alternative...  But Virgo's chili recipe reminded me.

 

Cut a spaghetti squash in half across the short diameter, scoop out the seeds, and put cut side down in a glass baking dish with about 1/4 inch of water.  Microwave for 8 mins, turn around and microwave another 8 mins.  Scoop out the "spaghetti" with a fork when cool.

 

Top with chili, spaghetti sauce, pesto, sundried julienned tomatoes in oil (thank you Costco), +/- chicken, sausage, etc.

 

The squash is bland alone when prepared this way but is a great easy base for highly flavored sauces.  I make a big squash and then refrigerate the extra for leftovers.  Lots of fiber and vitamin A and helps me manage those all to frequent stress induced carb cravings.

[hikermom]

We often do little plates and nosh from a variety of things. DD will make up a veggie plate with carrots, cukes, tomatoes, celery, sugar snap peas, peppers. We'll make a fruit plate as well. Then a cheese and cracker plate with some hummus. DD loves Annie Chun's mini wontons and will sometimes steam up a few of those to go with the other plates. It's fun and we just pick and eat.

 

I also make easy spring rolls - cook up some ground chicken with General Tsao sauce or other Chinese sauce and let cool. Then soak rice paper wrappers (round ones) in warm water to soften, line with lettuce or spinach leaves and layer matchstick sized carrot, pepper and cuke bits, top with the cooked chicken and roll up. Sometimes I add soaked rice vermicelli to add a bit more bulk. I just cut those in half and serve with a dipping sauce and some veggies. Easy, healthy and tasty - you make the chicken in advance so when you get home from work you can put it all together in about 15 minutes.

 

I find that I buy prepped veggies much more than I should. I usually like getting local, fresh food but it is much easier to buy the washed baby lettuce, washed baby spinach, prepped carrots, etc.

 

My latest meal for me (DD won't eat it but I make it for me when she cooks herself wonton soup - see earlier post) is a huge salad. I'll start with a base of cooked quinoa, add baby greens, pea shoots, tomatoes, cukes, carrots, garbanzo beans, chunks of cheese and top it all with a soy vinaigrette. Lastly, I'll add a soft-boiled egg on top. The warm, melty yolk with the crisp salad is amazing!

[mmg19]

Not sure where this post should go but seems to apply more to fast meals.  Actually it is also one of utmost gratitude.  Go to meals first.  Turkey, chicken, and beef pot pies.  The gratitude part is next.  My Mom has roasted a turkey and cooked a huge beef roast today.  Add to that all the garden vegetables that are in abundance.  Tomorrow we are making and freezing pot pies for the fast and easy meals in the next few months.

 

Going to my Mom's tomorrow and have a day of chopping vegetables, making the pastry, and making as many pot pies as we can.  I'm not the cook my Mom is and would not have attempted this project alone.  I'm buying individual and family size containers so we will have a fast dinner for one or a family meal. 

[Portside]

I get home at 5:30p and cook so it all has to be quick. I stick to basics but change it up with sides, spice and presentation.

 

Make ahead: hard boiled eggs, hummus, rice, pasta (par-boiled)

 

Seafood: shrimp, salmon, tuna, cod or scallops. I buy in bulk and freeze. Take out what I need the night before and when I get up in the morning I put it in the fridge ready for use for supper.

 

Boneless pork tenderloins: I can make 'pork chops' out of them, cook as a roast (takes an hour) or dice for the wok.

Chicken breasts when on sale - if not, breasts with rib meat or Costco rotisserie chicken (At $6 a pop who can beat that?) 

Eggs: boiled, scrambled, or mixed into fried rice

I really don't cook much beef other than hamburger which I use for tacos or sloppy joes.

 

Other: Hummus, quinoa or tabbouleh - make ahead and eat them straight up or use as a salad/side. Any of these can be altered by the addition of walnuts, dried raspberries, pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and lemon.

Avocados, mangoes, canned green beans, garbanzos, peanuts and cashews - whatever is cheap and in season.

 

I have a gas commercial style stovetop that gets real hot real fast. I cook like I used to in a restaurant - very hot and very fast. I use a wok maybe 3/4 times a week and change up the veggies, main protein and sauces. Again, since it is so hot the meal is ready in a jiffy. I can get water to a boil for pasta in under 4 minutes. Since I've already half-cooked the pasta beforehand it finishes out in a flash. Same with any side veggies - water is boiling in a hurry and I flash cook them. It doesn't take long.

 

I cook fish at least twice a week but mix it up by what I do with it: Lemon juice and capers, or bacon bits, dill, plain ole' salt and pepper.

 

Whatever the main dish is it is easily converted into a salad if that is what is wanted. I don't but the bagged salad - it goes bad in our house too fast. Iceberg and fresh (whatever greens are available) are mixed and served.

 

While I am cooking someone else is clearing off/setting the table and getting drinks for all. The kids and DW know to stand back when I'm cooking.

 

Round it out with bread and butter, fruit for desert and you're good to go.

 

And some nights it's leftover night.

 

We have a surprising variety of meals - but it's really 6/7 main items just presented in a different way or spiced differently.

 

I don't try to bake or make soups during the week. I will do that during the weekends - the kids have been eating my homemade bread for so long they won't eat store bought anymore. But it will only keep for 5 days before it goes bad - so, every Saturday I'm kneading dough.

 

Good luck - Mike

[Strongerthanb4]

I've found that planning ahead is my friend. I make a weekly menu and we follow that. It takes the worry out of my more difficult days. Here are a couple of things I've started doing:

 

I buy in bulk. I will brown 2 lbs of ground beef then freeze in single meal servings. It allows for a quick taco meat/ nacho night and my son loves meat sauce with his spaghetti.

 

I make a ground beef stroganoff that is easy and cheap!

      brown 1 lb ground beef, mushrooms and a 1/2 tsp minced garlic. Drain.

      add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup. simmer for 5 minutes.

      stir in 8 oz of sour cream. Serve over egg noodles.

 

I make a batch of enchiladas and freeze in $$ store aluminum containers.

 

Ham steaks are my friend - super quick to thaw and easy to cook.

 

AND - I make lots of soups. I use the crockpot several times a week.