Meals and meal planning

[peaseblossom55]

Hi
What are some of your favorite easy go to meals? Or even favorite side dishes? I am failing so badly at meal planning and making healthy dinners. It also doesn't help that H & I have different diets and H refuses to eat leftovers.
Any ideas are welcome.

[ellabee]

I've been so bad about this lately. I feel like I have no advice to give. I always think about getting into some sort of meal planning, but then life happens.

I guess for us, I always make sure there's some sort of meat marinated in the fridge that we can throw on the grill. I usually have ground beef that I can do tacos with...

I feel like someone here is a good meal planner. Lakes?

[carrots]

I meal plan every week but a lot of that revolves around leftovers. I cook 4 nights, takeout 1, and leftovers 2 plus we take leftovers for lunch most days. I use the crockpot a lot. We usually have Mexican at least once bc it comes together so quickly. And we grill at least once a week since I can prep that the night before. One of my friends preps dinner every night once her kids are in bed and then quickly cooks when she gets home from work the next day. I can't get myself motivated to do that! If I didn't plan our meals in advance, we would eat takeout or grilled cheese every night.

[Lakes]

peaseblossom55 I know you're vegetarian but does your husband eat meat? That seems like so much extra work if he's not a fan of leftovers. I'm making my crockpot salsa lime chicken which I'd highly recommend but he'd have enough for the entire week. I'm swamped with family visiting but I'll brainstorm and let you know if I think of anything good!

[Lakes]

ellabee, thanks for calling me out on meal planning

[peaseblossom55]

Sept 28, 2017 14:06:34 GMT -6 carrots said:

I meal plan every week but a lot of that revolves around leftovers. I cook 4 nights, takeout 1, and leftovers 2 plus we take leftovers for lunch most days. I use the crockpot a lot. We usually have Mexican at least once bc it comes together so quickly. And we grill at least once a week since I can prep that the night before. One of my friends preps dinner every night once her kids are in bed and then quickly cooks when she gets home from work the next day. I can't get myself motivated to do that! If I didn't plan our meals in advance, we would eat takeout or grilled cheese every night.

I thought about prepping dinner the night before but by the time E is in bed I clean the kitchen and pack my lunch it's 8:30.

[peaseblossom55]

Sept 28, 2017 14:28:46 GMT -6 Lakes said:

peaseblossom55 I know you're vegetarian but does your husband eat meat? That seems like so much extra work if he's not a fan of leftovers. I'm making my crockpot salsa lime chicken which I'd highly recommend but he'd have enough for the entire week. I'm swamped with family visiting but I'll brainstorm and let you know if I think of anything good!

Yea H eats meat. I have no problems cooking it but its just a lot of work. I have to start getting creative. It's also hard to cook when I get home right away. E has little patience for sitting in her high chair.

[Lakes]

peaseblossom55 what about freezer crockpot meals? You could scale down the portions to 1-2 depending on how much he eats. Then you'd at least have a meat dinner on hand for days when you don't have the time or energy to make two meals.

[Lakes]

I love me some squash. Roasted or mashed. When I mash it I add a pad of butter and a good glug of maple syrup.

ETA: I have made ridiculous amounts of mashed maple butternut squash and frozen it for an easy side. Making a stash of freezer sides might work.



Sautéing up a zucchini and yellow squash with garlic. Sprinkle it with some parm.

I've been making a quick and easy soba noodle and veggie dish. Cook the noodles according to the package and adding a bag of steamed stir fry veggies. Then lightly coated in a homemade or store bought teriyaki or hoisin sauce. It would be easy to add meat in for yh.

[Lakes]

I can't remember if you eat fish? If there are any salmon fans, this is my go to recipe:

www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/asian-salmon-bowl-with-lime-drizzle-51101210/amp

[Lakes]

Roasted red pepper sauce for when I'm sick of regular tomato sauce! I've made versions that add a dash of cream or milk to make it a creamy sauce.

whatsgabycooking.com/red-pepper-pasta-with-mushroom-and-spinach/

[Lakes]

Easy side: steamed carrots that you sauté in a spot of maple syrup before you serve.

Moral of the story: Lakes will put maple syrup on everything

[Lakes]

I'm just going to keep upping my post count with food ideas. What about a quiche or frittata? So many yummy flavor options if you go that route. Roasted red pepper! Mushroom and spinach! Blue cheese and asparagus!

[Lakes]

Beans! This recipe makes a ton of refried beans that freeze well. Perfect to pull out for random Mexican nights. It would be easy to throw together a quesadilla bar with meat and veg options.

Crockpot Refried Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb dried pinto beans
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tablespoons jarred minced garlic
1 1/4 tablespoon salt (or less if desired)
1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
2.5 cups chicken broth
2.5 cups water
Directions:
1. Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans.
2. Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot. Remove any floating beans. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or until beans are soft.
3. Uncover, and remove extra liquid. Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed. Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency. If it is still too soupy just let it simmer in the crockpot for an hour or until the desired consistency is reached.

[peaseblossom55]

Oct 4, 2017 15:39:39 GMT -6 Lakes said:

I love me some squash. Roasted or mashed. When I mash it I add a pad of butter and a good glug of maple syrup.

ETA: I have made ridiculous amounts of mashed maple butternut squash and frozen it for an easy side. Making a stash of freezer sides might work.



Sautéing up a zucchini and yellow squash with garlic. Sprinkle it with some parm.

I've been making a quick and easy soba noodle and veggie dish. Cook the noodles according to the package and adding a bag of steamed stir fry veggies. Then lightly coated in a homemade or store bought teriyaki or hoisin sauce. It would be easy to add meat in for yh.

I like this idea a lot!

[peaseblossom55]

Oct 4, 2017 16:09:14 GMT -6 Lakes said:

Beans! This recipe makes a ton of refried beans that freeze well. Perfect to pull out for random Mexican nights. It would be easy to throw together a quesadilla bar with meat and veg options.

Crockpot Refried Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb dried pinto beans
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tablespoons jarred minced garlic
1 1/4 tablespoon salt (or less if desired)
1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
2.5 cups chicken broth
2.5 cups water
Directions:
1. Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans.
2. Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot. Remove any floating beans. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or until beans are soft.
3. Uncover, and remove extra liquid. Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed. Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency. If it is still too soupy just let it simmer in the crockpot for an hour or until the desired consistency is reached.

I love this we do quesadillas quite often.

[peaseblossom55]

Oct 4, 2017 16:03:10 GMT -6 Lakes said:

I'm just going to keep upping my post count with food ideas. What about a quiche or frittata? So many yummy flavor options if you go that route. Roasted red pepper! Mushroom and spinach! Blue cheese and asparagus!

Upping my post count too. H won't eat any of those above veggies. Sigh

[peaseblossom55]

Oct 4, 2017 15:55:32 GMT -6 Lakes said:

I can't remember if you eat fish? If there are any salmon fans, this is my go to recipe:

www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/asian-salmon-bowl-with-lime-drizzle-51101210/amp

Neither of us eat fish.

[peaseblossom55]

Thank you so much for the great ideas!!!

[pibblemom]

I'm following. Lakes throw any other ideas up here! Going to try your squash recipe. I need to get back on the veggie train. Tired of being fat over here.

We are a no beans, no soy, no dairy family over here. We grill a lot and have very plain meat. Luckily I like plain food but sometimes it gets old.

[Lakes]

Oct 4, 2017 21:42:48 GMT -6 pibblemom said:

I'm following. Lakes throw any other ideas up here! Going to try your squash recipe. I need to get back on the veggie train. Tired of being fat over here.

We are a no beans, no soy, no dairy family over here. We grill a lot and have very plain meat. Luckily I like plain food but sometimes it gets old.

If you don't have time to roast it you can do it in the microwave. Slice the squash in half, clean out the seeds, put it skin side up in a baking dish with an inch of water, microwave it for about 7 minutes depending on the size, repeat with the other half. Then scrape it out with a fork and mash it.

[Lakes]

Oct 4, 2017 21:01:48 GMT -6 peaseblossom55 said:

Oct 4, 2017 16:03:10 GMT -6 Lakes said:

I'm just going to keep upping my post count with food ideas. What about a quiche or frittata? So many yummy flavor options if you go that route. Roasted red pepper! Mushroom and spinach! Blue cheese and asparagus!

Upping my post count too. H won't eat any of those above veggies. Sigh

Then I would make it for me and have a "fend for yourself" night 😂

[peaseblossom55]

Oct 5, 2017 4:56:54 GMT -6 Lakes said:

Oct 4, 2017 21:01:48 GMT -6 peaseblossom55 said:

Upping my post count too. H won't eat any of those above veggies. Sigh

Then I would make it for me and have a "fend for yourself" night 😂

I do those sometimes.

[peaseblossom55]

I made honey garlic shrimp for H last night honey garlic tofu for me. We also had rice and broccoli. H enjoyed it too!

[Lakes]

Baked potato bar! Even if poor Mr. pibblemom can't have cheese, they can still be yummy.

[pibblemom]

Lakes, that sounds like it may possibly hinder my ability to lose weight....