Meal Planning Revisited: Brainless Edition

Earlier this fall, I wrote about meal planning and our meal rotation schedule.  I wrote that I was cooking a week’s worth of meals at a time and that was making things so much easier.  That whole system worked well for about two months, or until the middle of October when a couple of life-things collided.  Number one is that we’ve had a ton of sickness in the house this fall.  Basically from Birdie’s birth to now (four months) we’ve had no sick-free days.

In mid-October, I got sick and it took me almost two weeks to recover, at which time Birdie developed bronchiolitis and has been sick ever since (including a brief hospitalization). The boys have been sick on and off all fall. As if that wasn't enough to make life crazy, my husband entered the intense part of his latest Supreme Court argument in early November, and has been working like a crazy man ever since.  He argues on January 18, so we have little respite until then.  And we still have the sickness to contend with.

So, with all that, I’ve been unable to cook a week’s worth of meals at a time.  I simply don’t have enough help on the weekends to be able to cook for several hours.  Until the Nativity Fast started on November 28, I was keeping to our meal rotation schedule fairly well, but sticking to very easy-to-prepare meals within the rotation, and making everything in the 30-60 minutes before dinner time (all the while listening to two or three screaming children.  It is never just one screaming child, always two, often all three).  Having regular egg, pasta and casserole nights helped this process greatly.  Then the Fast started and my meal rotation schedule didn’t quite work since my vegan meal repertoire is much smaller because of my various allergies and intolerances.  I’ve been managing to plan our meals every week and mostly executing them according to schedule, but my primary goal has been fast and easy.  So Tuesdays have been spaghetti night and Thursdays have been stir fry night (which I can’t eat, but that is another story). 

I thought perhaps it might be time to think about a more intentional “brainless meal” rotation schedule.  Obviously now that we are coming to the end of the fast, and readying for 12 days of feasting, things will be easier, but Great Lent is around the corner, and I know we’ll be right back here before too long. 

So, without further ado, here are my brainless meal tips, recipes, and suggestions.

1. Get a monthly planner that you can see a month at a glance.  I like the 8x10 size that opens to each month with about 2” squares for each day. 

2. Plan one week at a time.  I find it easier to deal with a week at a time when I’m stressed.  The task of choosing new recipes and going through the rotation a month at a time is not fun when I’m feeling overwhelmed.

3. Choose meals that can be prepped and cooked, start to finish, in under an hour.  Under 30 minutes is an especial bonus.  Make a list of 5-7 meals that you can make in under 30 minutes without consulting a recipe, or with minimal recipe consultation.  Keep the ingredients on hand for those 5-7 meals if you can.  My 5-7 meals during this fast have been: Super Bean Burritos, Cuban Black Bean Soup, Mujuddarah, Persian Rice Pilaf, Lentil Soup, Spaghetti, and Teriyaki Tofu Stirfry (recipes below)

4. Do whatever you can to save time/steps in preparation.  I use frozen chopped onions, frozen pre-sliced carrots, frozen chopped spinach, convenience cut broccoli florets (fresh, not frozen), pre-minced garlic, Better Than Boullion condensed stock (beef, no-chicken, and vegetable, depending on the recipe), shredded cheese (for non-fasting recipes), canned beans, tomatoes, jarred spaghetti sauce, frozen meatballs (soy and real meat), and frozen brown rice.  The frozen rice has saved my bacon more than a few nights in the last few months.

5. Keep ingredients on hand for truly last-minute emergency-type meals that can be made in 10-15 minutes.  I always have several boxes of macaroni and cheese (plus butter and milk), pasta and marinara sauce, frozen meatballs, eggs, veggie burgers, condensed tomato soup, sliced cheddar cheese and bread (for grilled cheese and tomato soup), and condensed pea soup on hand.  Now, it must be said that the first and last things are items my husband won’t touch with a ten-foot pole, but they are good to just get the kids (and often myself) fed.  Frittatas are incredibly fast, require few ingredients and little prep and are very filling.  My favorite one is this one HERE (although I use a Mexican blend of cheese rather than Muenster since it is hard to find that pre-shredded).  I sometimes keep hot dogs around for those nights when I know my husband will be away and it will be a three-kids-crying, hair-on-fire type evening.  All those items can be made and on the table in under 15 minutes.

6. When you have some extra time, either in the kitchen or otherwise, chop up some green peppers and freeze them in Ziplocs.  If you really have a bunch of time, fry up a pound of ground beef, one chopped onion and one green pepper and freeze it as a casserole base (I have a ton of recipes that start out with this combination).  When I was able to eat turkey, I used to buy a bunch of turkey tenderloins, cook them in the oven, cube them and freeze them in recipe-size portions, so when I had a crazy afternoon, I could pull one out and have it ready to go in under an hour.  I have used them for Caesar salads, turkey noodle soup, turkey alfredo, etc.  You could do the same with chicken breasts, or you could buy a rotisserie chicken, cut it off the bone and freeze it in recipe-size portions.  Or just buy one and use it right away.  Obviously, these sorts of steps imply that you have some time when your hair isn’t on fire (mine is most of the time right now, so I haven’t been able to do much of this lately), so if you don’t have time for this, don’t sweat it.

7. I have several recipes that are basically throw together-type recipes with no chopping, minimal measuring and lots of can-opening involved, but the result is still healthy and nutritious.  Our meal tonight, for example, took 30 minutes to put together and was a healthy comforting black bean soup.  (Well, I served it with Fritos Scoops, but you can’t have everything…)

8. Don’t stress about side dishes.  Keep baby carrots on hand for easy boiling (or if you like them raw, serve them with hummus or ranch dressing; I personally don’t like them any way but cooked).  Buy broccoli pre-cut and just throw in the steamer.  Saute a bag of spinach in olive oil and salt.  Keep a bag of tator tots in the freezer and throw in the oven for a special treat.  Or keep frozen cubed potatoes and lipton onion soup mix and combine and roast for 45 minutes if you have the time.  I generally try to have one vegetable side and if I get two, that’s a bonus.  Lately we’ve been eating a lot of steamed broccoli florets, boiled “baby” carrots, and sautéed spinach. 

9. Explore your grocer’s freezer section for ready-meals that don’t cost a fortune and fit your family’s eating ethos/allergy needs.  If you happen to have a Trader Joe’s nearby, they are brilliant at this.  I often keep a few packages of their meat-free enchiladas as well as the cheese ones (since I can’t eat tofu).  They take about 45-50 minutes to heat up in the oven, but have zero prep, so I just have to remember to pop them in the oven ahead of time.  TJ’s also has some easy stir-fry ready meals that you just open and heat—the basic shrimp stir fry is fast and easy and good.  I realize some of these things may not be cost-effective for people on a tight budget, or with larger families, but it is still cheaper than take-away or eating out.  These aren’t for long-term budget-friendly eating solutions, but rather for those seasons when everything is coming apart at the seams.

I do know some of the items on my list are processed, and we do try to limit our consumption of processed foods, but lately I find that I care less about having everything from scratch and more about just getting dinner on the table however it happens.  Also, there are some things we always buy organic and some things I get organic if available but otherwise don’t worry about it, and some things I almost never buy organic.  Some of it has to do with our urban shopping experience, but some of it is just trying to be practical. 

And for the recipes.  These are all vegan, owing to our being in the Nativity Fast, so my 5-7 brainless meals for ordinary time are different (I’ll share those on another post, maybe), but you could add meat, cheese or dairy as necessary to your family’s needs/restrictions, etc. 

Cuban Black Bean Soup – courtesy of Southern Hospitality Blog

5-15 oz cans black beans, rinsed

5 cups no-chicken or chicken stock, divided (I used Better than Boullion no-chicken stock)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup diced frozen onions (or 1 large fresh if you have time to chop)

1 T. minced garlic

1 green pepper diced

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

2 T. cider vinegar

1T. cumin

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

Dash cayenne pepper or to taste (I don’t like things very spicy)

1 tsp. dried cilantro or 1 T. fresh if you happen to have it on hand

4 c. frozen brown rice or rice mixture (we used a rice/barley mix from TJ’s that was lovely)

Directions:

In large Dutch oven or soup pot, add all ingredients except tomatoes, rice, beans, and broth.  Fry on medium-high heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes.  (Optional step for additional creaminess: While that is cooking, take two cans of beans, add two cups of broth and use a hand blender or blender to process until smooth). Add remainder ingredients and heat until warmed through. 

This is lovely served with corn chips and sour cream, but you could omit one or both and it would still be tasty.  Probably would be good with grated cheddar on top as well.  I served with boiled carrots on the side.

Super Bean Burritos –courtesy of Mel’s Kitchen Café

2 cups frozen brown rice

2 tablespoons olive oil
1c. frozen diced onion (or 1 fresh diced if you have time)

2 ½-3 tsp. minced garlic
1 can diced green chilis or rotel

1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups water
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn or 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
6 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

10 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas
(optional for non-vegan meal): 2 c. shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chilis/rotel and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, about 7-8 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add one can of beans and mash gently in the pan (a potato masher or fork works great here). Add the second can of beans and the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic powders. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and cooked rice.

Put 2/3 c. bean mixture inside each tortilla, wrap and place seam side down on a tray, repeating until bean mixture is used up.  Her original recipe says this makes 16, but I’ve never gotten more than 10-12 out of it.  If you have leftovers, wrap each burrito in plastic wrap and freeze; reheat in the microwave or toaster oven to eat (remove plastic wrap before heating).

Green Lentil Soup – adapted from my MIL's recipe

**This one takes longer than 30 minutes, but is prep-free if you use frozen and convenience cut-vegetables**

16 oz package green lentils

10-16 oz package frozen pre-sliced carrots (doesn’t matter so much about quantity)

1 c. frozen diced onions

2-3 stalks celery

(or, if your grocery has this, buy a 16 oz tub of pre-diced fresh onion/celery—you can freeze it until you need it)

6 tsp. minced garlic

6 ½ c. vegetable stock (I use Better than Boullion

Place all ingredients in Dutch oven and cook on low until lentils are soft, about one hour.  Use hand blender to puree into thick creaminess.  Serve with crusty bread.

Persian Rice Pilaf - Adapted from Rice & Spice by Robin Robertson

2 T. olive oil

1 c. frozen diced onion, 1 large fresh onion diced if you have time

4-6 c. frozen brown rice

1/3 c. each raisins or chopped dried apricots

1 tsp. paprika

3 c. hot vegetable stock (I used Better Than Boullion vegetable)

½ + tsp. ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. salt with Better than Boullion, but adjust to taste

1/8 tsp. cayenne (just right!)

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tsp. dried parsley

3+ tbsp. slivered almonds for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

·        Heat the oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook for about 7 minutes or until soft. (Makes for amazing sweetness and great texture.) 

·        Increase the heat to medium, add the rice, raisins (or apricots), and paprika, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the rice with the oil. 

·        Pour the hot stock or water over the rice mixture, season with the cinnamon, salt, and cayenne, stir to combine, and cover.

·        Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. 

·        Serve with almonds on the side.

Mujuddarah – courtesy my friend, Michelle Bayouth

**This one takes longer than 30 minutes, but requires only occasional attendance while cooking and almost zero prep)

1 c. green lentils (French or black lentils are extra nice)

1 c. long grain brown rice

4 c. water

2 c. frozen chopped onions

4 T. olive oil

2 shy tsp. salt

Combine lentils, rice and water in large pot, cover, bring to boil, set timer for 15 minutes.  In a sauté pan, add onions and olive oil and sauté on medium heat.  (I usually just turn the burner on medium, make sure the onions are well coated, and put the lid on, checking periodically to stir it around).   When onions are nice and brown, turn off heat and set aside.  When your timer goes off, add salt to lentils and rice, replace lid, and reset timer for 45 minutes.  Add carmelized onions to lentils and rice after the timer goes off and stir to combine.  Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil.

Teriyaki Tofu Stirfry – adapted from The Ethnic Vegan

**This one requires a bit of advance preparation, but each step is fast and can be completed while you do other things.  This is where the weekly menu plan comes in handy.  Keep in mind that the tofu should be frozen for at least 48 hours before marinading overnight, so plan this meal a few days ahead. For those not needing a vegan meal, you can shave some time off this meal by substituting your favorite ready-cooked meat, cut into bite size pieces.**

Ingredients:

2 lbs. extra firm tofu, frozen for at least 48 hours, then thawed completely

Teriyaki Marinade:

1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup unbleached cane sugar
2 tsp. powdered ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup sesame oil (toasted sesame oil is lovely)
2 tsp. dried mustard

2 packages stir fry vegetables (I like Trader Joe’s Harvest Hodgepodge)

Sesame seeds for garnish

Chow mein noodles for garnish (optional)

2-4 c. frozen brown rice, depending on how far you need to stretch this meal

On Grocery Day:

Place tofu in freezer

Two days before Meal:

Defrost tofu completely

Day before Meal:

Drain tofu, squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands (like a sponge), cut into cubes, and bake  in 9x13 lightly oiled pan at 375 for about 45 minutes-1 hour, or until hard and slightly golden brown.  While tofu is baking, simmer marinade in small sauce pan for 10 minutes on stove.  After tofu is baked, pour hot marinade over tofu, cover, and place in refrigerator overnight.

Meal day:

Toss frozen vegetables, frozen rice, and tofu with any remaining marinade into large pot (I use a 7-qt Dutch oven), stir to combine, and cover on medium heat.  Serve when heated through (about 15-20 minutes).  Top with sesame seeds.