So, this is not going to be a very exciting post. Life has been a whirlwind again these last couple of weeks and I can't believe it's been so long since I've written a blog! I have been alternately inspired and tired all week and seem to only be tired when I have time to write, thus leaving me with nothing interesting to say. On a side note, I have been doing some creative projects in my business and am excited to post some pictures upon completion!
Anyway, tonight I was working on our budget and we consistently waaaay over spend on food.
I don't like cooking. I don't have much time to cook. I hate meal planning. I hate grocery shopping.
I know that food is the #1 place we can trim out budget.
Anyone have tips for a rushed, reluctant, uninspired cook, cooking for a picky eater? I need to start cooking better things for my family (vegetables, for one, even if Regan won't eat them!) and figure out a way to make it tolerable!
I need recipes, resources! Help!
Check out crockpot recipes. You can set them up in the AM or even the night before so that you can not feel like dinner is a bear.
ReplyDeletehttp://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
Breakfast for dinner feels easier sometimes too. Quiche and omelets let you get in good protein and you can do veggies in them too.Plus, they are a vehicle for cheese. Mmm, cheese.
Even though it takes a half hour, I usually make a menu for the week and write it on the calendar, then make a grocery list from that. Otherwise I wimp out and make mac n cheese for dinner (when Cory's gone) or end up running to the store for a few things and scrambling to put dinner together while the babies cry.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about making a standard grocery list with categories and little check boxes next to the items and blank lines to help me not impulse buy.
I also like allrecipes.com. Most are simple and they also have a section where you can type in the ingredients you have and they'll give you menu suggestions.
Sharayah,
ReplyDeleteI'm one of Amelia's friends & I recognized your pretty face smiling on Celeste's blog.
I absolutely recommend vegweb.com and have heard rave reviews on More-with-Less. If you have a local 10,000 Villages you can pick one up there.
I'll give you my trick--I always have a pot of beans either soaking or on my stove.. and if I don't--I'm in trouble. There are a thousand things you can do once you have some cooked. We usually throw together burritos, nachos or taco salads with whatever's around the house, but I am always content with a bowl of beans and rice. (As is my entire family!)
Here's all it takes: Once your beans have been bubbling for about an hour, you can throw in your spices, onion and garlic.
For PINTOS: oregano & a lil cayenne
BLACK: cumin & cilantro
RED KIDNEYS: bay leaf, oregano
PEAS: rosemary, for sure
Once you've got your red kidneys, try this! Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos. Their recipe is on allrecipes.net
I'm crazy about black bean burgers--and they're incredibly simple. Alls I do is mix a bowl full of beans with bread crumbs & sear those boogers in a pan, top with avocados, vegenaise, some onion and some delicious bread and I am HAPPY. We do pretty much the same with lentils, but I add onions to the mix.
Yesterday, I cooked collard greens (1/2 a bunch @ $1.00 [with garlic, veggie bullion, and olive oil]), brown short-grain rice, and pan-sauteed some summer squash. I have never been so excited about a meal. Incredibly cheap. Insanely delicious. I think I rescued those squash from what would have been the trash can.
Also, vegancoach.com has a wonderful map to linking together tastes & what you have to work with.
Bon appetit,
Laurin
Thanks, Laurin! I regularly facebook stalk the great pictures your hubby takes of you and Aimee :) I've gotten lots of suggestions for beans... my mom never made them, and seems we tend to make what our moms make, for a while anyway! I need to branch out!
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