convenience cooking

DragonfliiMama · 10-04-2010, 10:14 AM

Convenience food is a HUGE issue for us, especially me. I'm not good at eating healthy, I don't enjoy cooking, and it all feels like just too much work, so I do an awful lot of fast food and even at home a lot of snacky junk foods, meals from a box, etc. Dh likes to cook, is good at it, and is much better at cooking healthy, but still doesn't have a lot of time to do it by the time he gets home from work. Plus we are meat-eaters living in a vegetarian household, so that makes it all the more tempting to eat out.

I need recipes that are:
quick
easy
inexpensive
healthy
heavy on veggies
filling
preferably NOT heavy on beans as a source of protein (we can use frozen chicken/fish patties, eggs, and meat substitutes)

some of our favorites are -
spaghetti
pizza (usually frozen or take out

)
homemade mac n cheese bake (but this is more time intensive)
bean casserole with rice, cheese, cream of celery soup, chow mein noodles
cheese"burger" pie
sloppy joes / bbq roast (but i can't do the roast in the crockpot anymore

)

I need variety, that's not even a whole week's worth of meals right there and I'm getting tired of doing the same thing all the time. I also need some ideas for side dishes that aren't all starch to round out the meal.

MarynMunchkins · 10-04-2010, 10:23 AM

I like fried rice - and it's easy to make a vegetarian version and then add your meat to it.

hey mommy · 10-04-2010, 10:37 AM

Subbing.. I would like ideas too.

Macky · 10-05-2010, 01:25 AM

I haven' made these in forever (avoiding canned soups), but I remember them being sooo tasty and super easy!

1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar (or up to 1 cup, to taste)
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (I use whole-grain, do NOT use regular yellow mustard)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked broccoli
4 hot baked potatoes, split

Combine soup, cheese, mustard and pepper in a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring often, until heated through and cheese is melted. Stir in the broccoli and heat through if necessary. Spoon over the potatoes. Serve with a salad and your choice of protein (I'd grill a chicken breast or steak).

---------- Post added at 09:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:13 AM ----------

Fish is sooo easy and fast to make. Broil or pan fry with salt and pepper and a splash of lemon. Serve with rice and steamed veggies.

Roast cauliflower as a side to your usual entrees. Cut into florets. Toss in olive oil and salt to taste. Bake at 450˚F for 25 minutes. SO good!

Make homemade soups and stews. Most have tons of veggies. Some chili recipes are heavy on veggies, too.

My sweet and sour meatballs have veggies/fruit in the balls and in the sauce (celery, green peppers, tomatoes, pineapple), but you already have mostly ground beef in the dishes you listed.

This Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole is SUPER delish! You'd still need more veg on the side, a salad or maybe some peas would be good. I think I've done asparagus in season. http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/...odle-casserole

Can'tTurnLeft · 10-05-2010, 03:29 AM

I can't recommend enough http://thescramble.com/ cookbooks. There are two, and they are both great! There is also an online subscription service that for my family has been awesome in this season. The meals are all ready in less than thirty minutes, they are about half vegetarian, half meat, and don't used a lot of processed foods. Plus my kids haven't found a recipe from there they don't like! Really yummy stuff.

DragonfliiMama · 10-05-2010, 07:16 AM

So for this week we picked up a bunch of packaged pasta and sauce or rice and sauce dinner type things, and then frozen veggies to add to each of them. I know packaged stuff like that isn't the healthiest thing, but it's better than fast food. I'll have to check out the scramble cookbooks.

chasingbutterflies · 10-05-2010, 07:33 AM

subbing. this is a real issue here right now too.

10-05-2010, 07:44 AM

Oh I'm subbing too.. I'm just like you!! HAHA

Redeemed · 10-05-2010, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragonfliiMama

Convenience food is a HUGE issue for us, especially me. I'm not good at eating healthy, I don't enjoy cooking, and it all feels like just too much work, so I do an awful lot of fast food and even at home a lot of snacky junk foods, meals from a box, etc. Dh likes to cook, is good at it, and is much better at cooking healthy, but still doesn't have a lot of time to do it by the time he gets home from work. Plus we are meat-eaters living in a vegetarian household, so that makes it all the more tempting to eat out.

I need recipes that are:
quick
easy
inexpensive
healthy
heavy on veggies
filling
preferably NOT heavy on beans as a source of protein (we can use frozen chicken/fish patties, eggs, and meat substitutes)

some of our favorites are -
spaghetti
pizza (usually frozen or take out

)
homemade mac n cheese bake (but this is more time intensive)
bean casserole with rice, cheese, cream of celery soup, chow mein noodles
cheese"burger" pie
sloppy joes / bbq roast (but i can't do the roast in the crockpot anymore

)

I need variety, that's not even a whole week's worth of meals right there and I'm getting tired of doing the same thing all the time. I also need some ideas for side dishes that aren't all starch to round out the meal.

Thanks for posting this. We have the same issues!

ShangriLewis · 10-05-2010, 09:26 AM

Do you like Teriyaki? I make tofu, rice, and frozen mixed veggies, and coleslaw. The leftovers are mixed together with more sauce if needed. Not the coleslaw though. I use the coleslaw in place of lettuce and make wraps with flour tortillas. You can use meat instead. They last 2 or 3 days in the fridge. We eat them cold with sirachi hot sauce. They last longer if you don't dress the coleslaw or do it lightly.

I got the idea after eating at world wraps once. It is so good.

How about dinner salads? Pasta salads are nice too. You can eat them warm for dinner and serve them cold for lunches. I am really into leftovers

Macky · 10-05-2010, 09:30 AM

No, actually. Some of those pre-packaged foods are not better than fast food. Just because you cook something at home doesn't mean it's automatically healthier. A grilled chicken fast-food sub loaded with vegetables and light on the mayo is going to be much healthier for you than a salt- and preservative-laden, ready-to-make meal from a grocery store package.

Frozen veggies get a

, though. Vegetables are flash frozen within hours of picking compared to "fresh" vegetables that have had to travel the country (or internationally) to arrive at your table, losing nutrients as time passes.

DragonfliiMama · 10-05-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spirited Duo

No, actually. Some of those pre-packaged foods are not better than fast food. Just because you cook something at home doesn't mean it's automatically healthier. A grilled chicken fast-food sub loaded with vegetables and light on the mayo is going to be much healthier for you than a salt- and preservative-laden, ready-to-make meal from a grocery store package.

Frozen veggies get a

, though. Vegetables are flash frozen within hours of picking compared to "fresh" vegetables that have had to travel the country (or internationally) to arrive at your table, losing nutrients as time passes.

Well it's cheaper, so it's still healthier for my checkbook.

And let's be honest, when I'm eating fast food, it's not a "grilled chicken sub loaded with veggies and light on the mayo".

Waterlogged · 10-05-2010, 10:13 AM

Tortilla Soup...
-can of enchilada sauce
-can of black beans (optional)
-frozen corn
-bag of frozen soup veggies
-chicken stock
-can of rotel (diced tomatoes w. gr chilis)
-canned chicken

mix in pot. bring to boil, simmer til veggies are softer. cheese/sour cream as a topping.

bbl

--------------------------------------------------------------------
enchilada casserole

-tortillas
-cheese
-rotel
-black beans (optional)
-canned chicken
-enchilada sauce

layer tortillas, cheese, beans/chicken and sauce. bake at 350 til cooked thru.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Beth1231 · 10-05-2010, 10:31 AM

Biscuit roll outs (or you can make your own with Bisquick). Grease a muffin tin and put one biscuit roll out in each one. Fill up with anything you choose.
Eggs and bacon
tuna and cheddar
ground beef, bbq sauce and a drizzle of honey

Follow the oven directions for the biscuits and you're golden. Easy, fairly inexpensive and filling.

DragonfliiMama · 10-05-2010, 10:59 AM

Ok, a lot of these look like great recipes when we get back into our own place, but right now, we can't cook with meat. We have a ground "hamburger" that we can substitute for beef, and we can use the frozen chicken nuggets or fish sticks, but no actual chicken, chicken stock or broth, etc.

---------- Post added at 12:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 PM ----------

oh, those biscuit rollouts - do you make them like a little cup with filling? or do you put dough over the top too so the filling is all contained? sounds like our cheeseburger pie in miniature and diversified. yum!

10-04-2010, 10:14 AM	#1
DragonfliiMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,114	convenience cooking Convenience food is a HUGE issue for us, especially me. I'm not good at eating healthy, I don't enjoy cooking, and it all feels like just too much work, so I do an awful lot of fast food and even at home a lot of snacky junk foods, meals from a box, etc. Dh likes to cook, is good at it, and is much better at cooking healthy, but still doesn't have a lot of time to do it by the time he gets home from work. Plus we are meat-eaters living in a vegetarian household, so that makes it all the more tempting to eat out. I need recipes that are: quick easy inexpensive healthy heavy on veggies filling preferably NOT heavy on beans as a source of protein (we can use frozen chicken/fish patties, eggs, and meat substitutes) some of our favorites are - spaghetti pizza (usually frozen or take out ) homemade mac n cheese bake (but this is more time intensive) bean casserole with rice, cheese, cream of celery soup, chow mein noodles cheese"burger" pie sloppy joes / bbq roast (but i can't do the roast in the crockpot anymore ) I need variety, that's not even a whole week's worth of meals right there and I'm getting tired of doing the same thing all the time. I also need some ideas for side dishes that aren't all starch to round out the meal. __________________ ~Amii~ INFJ, Type 2/1 wife to Jimi, mama to Gabriel , 06/09 shimmer = soft, subtle sparkle

10-04-2010, 10:23 AM	#2
MarynMunchkins Deactivated Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 38,127	Re: convenience cooking I like fried rice - and it's easy to make a vegetarian version and then add your meat to it.

10-04-2010, 10:37 AM	#3
hey mommy Rose Garden I am so hopelessly in love.. Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chillin' in the California hills Posts: 24,678	Re: convenience cooking Subbing.. I would like ideas too. __________________ Janice (ISFP), single-mommy to Cias(11) Samuel( 4) and 2 babies in heaven Scully: You know, there is life on this planet. Mulder: I've seen the life on this planet, Scully, that's why I'm looking elsewhere. A Check out my NEW facebook page. I am now a Plexus Ambassador.

10-05-2010, 01:25 AM	#4
Macky Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rural Saskatchewan Posts: 4,449	Re: convenience cooking I haven' made these in forever (avoiding canned soups), but I remember them being sooo tasty and super easy! 1 can condensed cream of celery soup 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar (or up to 1 cup, to taste) 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (I use whole-grain, do NOT use regular yellow mustard) 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 cups cooked broccoli 4 hot baked potatoes, split Combine soup, cheese, mustard and pepper in a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring often, until heated through and cheese is melted. Stir in the broccoli and heat through if necessary. Spoon over the potatoes. Serve with a salad and your choice of protein (I'd grill a chicken breast or steak). ---------- Post added at 09:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:13 AM ---------- Fish is sooo easy and fast to make. Broil or pan fry with salt and pepper and a splash of lemon. Serve with rice and steamed veggies. Roast cauliflower as a side to your usual entrees. Cut into florets. Toss in olive oil and salt to taste. Bake at 450˚F for 25 minutes. SO good! Make homemade soups and stews. Most have tons of veggies. Some chili recipes are heavy on veggies, too. My sweet and sour meatballs have veggies/fruit in the balls and in the sauce (celery, green peppers, tomatoes, pineapple), but you already have mostly ground beef in the dishes you listed. This Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole is SUPER delish! You'd still need more veg on the side, a salad or maybe some peas would be good. I think I've done asparagus in season. http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/...odle-casserole

10-05-2010, 03:29 AM	#5
Can'tTurnLeft Deactivated Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 18,362	Re: convenience cooking I can't recommend enough http://thescramble.com/ cookbooks. There are two, and they are both great! There is also an online subscription service that for my family has been awesome in this season. The meals are all ready in less than thirty minutes, they are about half vegetarian, half meat, and don't used a lot of processed foods. Plus my kids haven't found a recipe from there they don't like! Really yummy stuff.

10-05-2010, 07:16 AM	#6
DragonfliiMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,114	Re: convenience cooking So for this week we picked up a bunch of packaged pasta and sauce or rice and sauce dinner type things, and then frozen veggies to add to each of them. I know packaged stuff like that isn't the healthiest thing, but it's better than fast food. I'll have to check out the scramble cookbooks. __________________ ~Amii~ INFJ, Type 2/1 wife to Jimi, mama to Gabriel , 06/09 shimmer = soft, subtle sparkle

10-05-2010, 07:33 AM	#7
chasingbutterflies Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 7,383	Re: convenience cooking subbing. this is a real issue here right now too. __________________

10-05-2010, 07:44 AM	#8
mama_2_many Guest Posts: n/a	Re: convenience cooking Oh I'm subbing too.. I'm just like you!! HAHA

10-05-2010, 09:26 AM	#10
ShangriLewis Moderator in Vegetarianism & Veganism Arrange whatever pieces come your way. ~VW~ Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North Dakota Posts: 16,446	Re: convenience cooking Do you like Teriyaki? I make tofu, rice, and frozen mixed veggies, and coleslaw. The leftovers are mixed together with more sauce if needed. Not the coleslaw though. I use the coleslaw in place of lettuce and make wraps with flour tortillas. You can use meat instead. They last 2 or 3 days in the fridge. We eat them cold with sirachi hot sauce. They last longer if you don't dress the coleslaw or do it lightly. I got the idea after eating at world wraps once. It is so good. How about dinner salads? Pasta salads are nice too. You can eat them warm for dinner and serve them cold for lunches. I am really into leftovers __________________ Heather The Prophet 23yob, The Peacemaker 20yob, The Warrior 17, The Little Flower 11yog and The Surfer 9yob and our little birdie girl 4yo.

10-05-2010, 09:30 AM	#11
Macky Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rural Saskatchewan Posts: 4,449	Re: convenience cooking No, actually. Some of those pre-packaged foods are not better than fast food. Just because you cook something at home doesn't mean it's automatically healthier. A grilled chicken fast-food sub loaded with vegetables and light on the mayo is going to be much healthier for you than a salt- and preservative-laden, ready-to-make meal from a grocery store package. Frozen veggies get a , though. Vegetables are flash frozen within hours of picking compared to "fresh" vegetables that have had to travel the country (or internationally) to arrive at your table, losing nutrients as time passes.

10-05-2010, 10:13 AM	#13
Waterlogged Rose Garden grace is for mamas too Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 20,033	Re: convenience cooking Tortilla Soup... -can of enchilada sauce -can of black beans (optional) -frozen corn -bag of frozen soup veggies -chicken stock -can of rotel (diced tomatoes w. gr chilis) -canned chicken mix in pot. bring to boil, simmer til veggies are softer. cheese/sour cream as a topping. bbl -------------------------------------------------------------------- enchilada casserole -tortillas -cheese -rotel -black beans (optional) -canned chicken -enchilada sauce layer tortillas, cheese, beans/chicken and sauce. bake at 350 til cooked thru. ------------------------------------------------------------- __________________ mama to K almost 8 and "Little Fluff" B age 3

10-05-2010, 10:31 AM	#14
Beth1231 Deactivated Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 14,962	Re: convenience cooking Biscuit roll outs (or you can make your own with Bisquick). Grease a muffin tin and put one biscuit roll out in each one. Fill up with anything you choose. Eggs and bacon tuna and cheddar ground beef, bbq sauce and a drizzle of honey Follow the oven directions for the biscuits and you're golden. Easy, fairly inexpensive and filling.

10-05-2010, 10:59 AM	#15
DragonfliiMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,114	Re: convenience cooking Ok, a lot of these look like great recipes when we get back into our own place, but right now, we can't cook with meat. We have a ground "hamburger" that we can substitute for beef, and we can use the frozen chicken nuggets or fish sticks, but no actual chicken, chicken stock or broth, etc. ---------- Post added at 12:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 PM ---------- oh, those biscuit rollouts - do you make them like a little cup with filling? or do you put dough over the top too so the filling is all contained? sounds like our cheeseburger pie in miniature and diversified. yum! __________________ ~Amii~ INFJ, Type 2/1 wife to Jimi, mama to Gabriel , 06/09 shimmer = soft, subtle sparkle

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