[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Quick, Good Meals (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 5/13/2013 11:41:53 PM EDT
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Tonight, I was starving (hadn't eaten in 30 hours) and I didn't have much time before work and I was struggling with that dishwasher.
Normally, if I'm in a real rush and want a little food in me, I'll grab an avocado, but I wanted something more in me, something that could be cooking while I did things. That latter part, it cooking while I did things, rather nyeted making a salad. So I pulled out two cans of chicken gumbo. Expensive, relatively speaking, but nourishing though I burned the mouth a few times drinking the mugfuls. But what other quick meals can one have around? I'd rather stay away from opening my cans so those can be backup stores and I try not to keep bread in the house since it is too easy a munchie. I didn't even think of it tonight but I suppose I could have grabbed sandwich meat packet or so and made a lettace wrap. I had turned away from the salad making so I didn't even think about it. Thoughts? _______________________________________________________________________________________ ("BEEF! It's what's for dinner!"--voiceover, (w,stte), beef commercial) |
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My favorite quick dinner, which yields leftovers perfect for a stir-fry the next day...
1 cup rice 1 diced tomato 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 bell pepper diced 1 jalapeno chopped fine any amount of frozen veg you like... I like peas, carrots any amount of fresh chopped or amount of dried herbs that you like 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth Heat the oil in a 3-4 qt pot, add the onion, pepper, jalapeno, stir for a couple minutes until softened... you'll know.. Add the rice and stir for a minute or so, until it takes on some golden color, smells a bit nutty Add the broth, stir, let it come up to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer, add the tomatos and frozen stuff and the herbs cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. It's good just like that, but makes an even better stir fry the next day. |
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Quoted:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkl4Y0sxerQ
Seriously, I'll nuke some soup or canned chili up when I'm in a rush. Sprinkle with cheeze its and Tabasco. Well, that is one direction I don't want to go for a number of reasons. First of all, I really don't trust all of what might be in those things. Granted, these days, what can you trust? But the less processed ingridents, the better. Secondly, I moved away from processed food for the most part because the cost is lower. Third, those things are too easy to become munchie food and I tend to keep munchie food out of my house. No chips, keep the tortilla levels down, no baked hamsters 
(chicken cordon bleu), etc.. Of course, a problem with that approach is that for the normal munchie food done away with, something else becomes it. I buy croutons practically by the crate for my soups, salads, pastas.....but the crouton bag is the new chip bag. Sometimes, though, I am successful with substitutes. I use to scarf chocolate chips; have sort of moved away from that by storing them in the freezer in the other apartment or, better, replacing chips with raisins. Fourth, processed freezer food reminds me too much of FSA and I'd rather avoid that. One of the things is that meals which are too quick become the meals which are too easy, are done all the time, and are probably over done all the time. If you eat too fast and meals like this are like that, then you will be done but will still be hungry....even if you aren't. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (What's a raisin? A worried grape., (w,stte), old joke) |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkl4Y0sxerQ
Seriously, I'll nuke some soup or canned chili up when I'm in a rush. Sprinkle with cheeze its and Tabasco. Well, that is one direction I don't want to go for a number of reasons. First of all, I really don't trust all of what might be in those things. Granted, these days, what can you trust? But the less processed ingridents, the better. Secondly, I moved away from processed food for the most part because the cost is lower. Third, those things are too easy to become munchie food and I tend to keep munchie food out of my house. No chips, keep the tortilla levels down, no baked hamsters http://getfitlakechelan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/chicken_cordon_bleu.jpg (chicken cordon bleu), etc.. Of course, a problem with that approach is that for the normal munchie food done away with, something else becomes it. I buy croutons practically by the crate for my soups, salads, pastas.....but the crouton bag is the new chip bag. Sometimes, though, I am successful with substitutes. I use to scarf chocolate chips; have sort of moved away from that by storing them in the freezer in the other apartment or, better, replacing chips with raisins. Fourth, processed freezer food reminds me too much of FSA and I'd rather avoid that. One of the things is that meals which are too quick become the meals which are too easy, are done all the time, and are probably over done all the time. If you eat too fast and meals like this are like that, then you will be done but will still be hungry....even if you aren't. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (What's a raisin? A worried grape., (w,stte), old joke) Yeah, hot pockets was a joke. I read the ingredients on the soup I buy, doesn't seem too bad. The Cheeze Its are probably my biggest remaining food related sin. I have raisins and granola for snacks. 
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Get indian MREs like these. lots of choices, here's one:
Ethnic food isle. get the kind you can microwave. very inexpensive. |
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Quoted:
Hot sandwiches. You can make a bacon, cheese, and apple sandwich in about 10 minutes start to finish, and they're redonculously delicious. What's the bread substitute? Further, I don't have bacon in the house and the cheese is feta. Quoted:
Instead of canned high sodium crap why not just cook a large meal (using healthy fresh ingredients) when you have time and freeze leftovers for when you are in a hurry. Because in this case, I didn't have the time, first of all. Secondly, my diet consists of mostly fish, hardly any meat....and cooked fish does not store well. We would like to think of how wonderful life would be if we were properally organized, properally prepared, properally unstressed..................but in this rat race, going from mission to mission world, that is so often just not the case. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ("........She could've laid awake for hours giving lonely nights the power, But she didn't have time..........", lyrics, (w,stte), "She Didn't Have Time" by Terri Clark) |
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Eggs. You can make an omelette within 5 minutes. I am lazy and just bought some $5.99 little skillets from walmart so I can do this a few times before I have to deal with dishes. SIGH, guys I appreciate the suggestions but in some cases, you are just mentioning things that I don't eat. I haven't cooked "breakfast" eggs in years and when I did try it, it was only scrambled and it was a mediocre success. I use them for baking, yes, but not for "eating". Same thing with sandwich suggestions......I don't keep bread in the house because it is one of those things that turns into too quick a munchie. Sure, bacon is tasty, but I don't buy it. Too hard, too messy too cook, too much fat. By the by, I have been thinking of making my own gumbo for a while now and after last night, the thought was there again. White rice in the canned gumbo.....and I've switched over to brown rice. I suppose I might cook up spaghetti, bag it, and put it in the frig or ice box and then when I need the meal, into the huge measuring cup, into the microwave to warm, then parmessian, fish, will have to figure out a sauce since right before work, I can't have wine. But last night, I got up at 2200, got tied up with the dog and checking on the machines, before I know it, it's 2310, need to do something about that kitchen, and need to eat. So I guess, ideally, something I can dump into the huge measuring cup to stick in the microwave for a few minutes.....and the Knorr pasta sounded pretty nice....though I would probably have to add frozen peas to the inventory, don't have those around the house, either. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ("I don't eat meat."--isolationist girl at NYC roof top barbeque, (w,stte), "ZIMA commercial") |
| The things you keep in your stock are things you eat, so using them allows you to rotate your stock. I suppose there is a quick solution, but sounds like you want to have pre-made ingredients standing by in the refrigerator to pop in the microwave or a saucepan for heat and eat. Only thing I can think of would be lettuce to use for wraps (sliced meat and vegetables with spice or sauce); soup that you make one day a week and portion out during the week; and you can do various gumbo-style dishes but make up your spice blends ahead of time so it is cook rice, add vegetables and seasonings, stir and eat. Might be you consider some loosening of the self imposed diet restrictions during the fast meal times? Are there organic/natural food stores around - they often have items that don't have a lot of processing but are still fast. |
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Sam's club, parmesean crusted tilapia, grocery store steam fresh veggies. Set oven to 425, put fish in oven, set timer for 24 minutes, then walk away to do other things like getting ready for work. Just before eating nuke veggies for 4 minutes (or so, following instructions). Sit down to baked fish, steamfresh veggies (nothing added to them but a bit of water). The fish has very little added, just a little parm and seasoning. Done. Add some brown rice if you want a carb (also available in quick steam bags if you don't have time to cook it).
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in blender :
1 part applesauce or fruit cup 1 part soy/whey powder 1 part raw oatmeal 2 part almond/peanuts 1 part walnuts 2 part frozen fruit/veggie ( berries ,bananas , grapes , what ever for flavor) Add Juice/V8 for flavor ( and/or Coffee/Tea ) and blend to milkshake thickness , mix up fruit and juice for different flavors. these are great for any quick meal replacement , 2 a day is good stuff . |
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Well, I cooked a whole extra box of spaghetti with tonight's dinner (and set the stove afire, but that's another matter) to put in bags in the frig and freezer so maybe that issue is taken care of a while.
____________________________________________________________________________________ ("It smells like a distillery in here!"--Major Pott, (w,stte), "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?") |
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Quoted:
Well, I cooked a whole extra box of spaghetti with tonight's dinner (and set the stove afire, but that's another matter) to put in bags in the frig and freezer so maybe that issue is taken care of a while. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ("It smells like a distillery in here!"--Major Pott, (w,stte), "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?") That's always a good idea. Any hamburger left over goes into chilli, which is frozen as well. As a kid my grandmother made gallons of vegetable soup ( Alabama farmers) and canned it. We had veggie soup for lunch 5 times a week. 
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Pasta and peas
Boil as much pasta as you need for one meal. Halfway through pasta cooking time, add a handful or two of frozen peas (or other frozen veggie, such as broccoli). When the pasta is done, the veggies will be done. One pot. I love it! Drain pasta and veggies. Dump in a bowl. Toss with whatever floats your boat - butter, olive oil, etc. Maybe some Parmesan cheese. I like butter, with freshly ground black pepper and kosher or sea salt. |
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12 cups Water, 10 chicken bullion cubes, salt, and pepper to taste. 1 large bay leaf, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup chopped carrots. 1 lb cubbed boneless, skinless chicken thighs. 1lb bag wide egg noodles. Any other spices that suit you. Bring everything but the noodles to boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Bring to boil and add noddles. Boil uncovered until noodles are tender. Serve delicious chicken soup with crackers or biscuits/bread. |
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I almost forgot:
Marie's Quick Black Bean Soup Take 1 can each of black beans, diced tomatoes (I like petite diced), and whole kernel or cream-style corn. Get lower sodium beans/veggies if you like. Dump all cans into a pan. Heat. Eat. You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for a few days and they taste even better. You can add tomatoes with hot/mild peppers if you like or a separate can of heat. |
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Quoted:
12 cups Water, 10 chicken bullion cubes, salt, and pepper to taste. 1 large bay leaf, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup chopped carrots. 1 lb cubbed boneless, skinless chicken thighs. 1lb bag wide egg noodles. Any other spices that suit you. Bring everything but the noodles to boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Bring to boil and add noddles. Boil uncovered until noodles are tender. Serve delicious chicken soup with crackers or biscuits/bread. What, no onion? 
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If I'm on a healthy kick I make a bunch of hard boiled eggs, bacon, and chicken breast for several days worth of salads or whatever and store in the fridge. Also pre-cut a bunch of vegetables and put in tupperware and store for several days. I can have a huge salad from fridge to table in 5 minutes.
If I need a quick snack I've been going for avocado a lot lately. I have plenty of cans of sardines around too.
When I cook soups or chili I make enough extra to freeze leftovers. Soup freezes very well in quart freezer bags, and you can stack very nicely if you let them freeze flat. |
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When I cook soups or chili I make enough extra to freeze leftovers. Soup freezes very well in quart freezer bags, and you can stack very nicely if you let them freeze flat. I like the sound of that. Do tell more how one does it so it doesn't spill all over the place. Quoted:
Nachos, good with beer. Takes about 2 minutes to make. Beer right before work is a bad notion. No chips in the house. The deadly MUNCHIE. Meltable block cheese supplies are kept to a bare min.....often not resupplied until the next craving and grocery trip meet. Quoted:
what the fuck is wrong with mac n' cheese A number of things. First of all, that powdered cheese mixture was, at best, a bear to mix and when one really got down to it, disgusting to think that one put it in their bodies. Secondly, we are talking about a meal that is quick to make and boiling water takes time and doesn't require attendance. Third, macaroni isn't spaghetti; it turns to mush too easily in boiling water if not watched. I don't know how it would stand up stored, cooked, in the frig. It's great on the pocketbook as an out of work meal, however. ________________________________________________________________________________ ("I'm thinking of getting fat, I hear it is in this year."--Amy, (w,stte), BtVs, "Witch") |
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what the fuck is wrong with mac n' cheese A number of things. First of all, that powdered cheese mixture was, at best, a bear to mix and when one really got down to it, disgusting to think that one put it in their bodies. Secondly, we are talking about a meal that is quick to make and boiling water takes time and doesn't require attendance. Third, macaroni isn't spaghetti; it turns to mush too easily in boiling water if not watched. I don't know how it would stand up stored, cooked, in the frig. It's great on the pocketbook as an out of work meal, however. ________________________________________________________________________________ ("I'm thinking of getting fat, I hear it is in this year."--Amy, (w,stte), BtVs, "Witch") I have to ask.... how did you survive military food? |
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< 5 minute breakfast sammich 1. Slice & toast a bagel of your choice 2. nuke some Jimmy Dean pre-cooked frozen sausage patties on a paper towel to absorb *some* grease, slap em on the bagel 3. throw on a slice of American cheese, or spread on cream cheese of your choice |
| They sell pre-packaged hard boiled eggs at Sams Club. They are packaged two to a pack, and are peeled and rinsed. The whole blister pack is like 24 eggs. You can eat them as is, make egg salad, chop them up and put them on a salad. They last a long time in the fridge. . |
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Cliff Bars. They are wholesome. As things go, I have plenty of those, between the Cliffs, granola bars, and oatmeal packets......but I prefer saving those for the back packs, not the kitchen/dining room. Quoted:
They sell pre-packaged hard boiled eggs at Sams Club. They are packaged two to a pack, and are peeled and rinsed. The whole blister pack is like 24 eggs. You can eat them as is, make egg salad, chop them up and put them on a salad. They last a long time in the fridge. . Not a Sam's Club member (or Costco) but that sounds like a good idea, boiling up eggs to keep in the fridge. Quoted:
How the hell do you not eat for 30 hours?  Sunday dinner at 1600 in the afternoon. Sleep. Go to work on the midshift. Come home, get caught up in things. 1600 rolls around again. Sleep. Get up around 2200. Quoted:
I have to ask.... how did you survive military food? Well, I haven't been in the Navy since the Cold War. But back then, I was learning to cut certain things out of my diet. I wasn't eating eggs because I found that insitutionalized ones turned my tummy upside down. Hence these days, I don't have snack bar breakfast tacos since they all come with egg. I gave up donuts, FAT PILLS, in the Navy as well.......which makes any breakfast meeting a starving one for me since that is usually the fare. Bur I did eat baked hamsters back then. ______________________________________________________________________________ ("These biscuits are terrible....and I've been in the Army!"--Conroy, (w,stte), "Conrack") |
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Here's a dinner one I make when I can. Ridiculously easy and you don't even have to measure the stuff.
Paleo friendly, gluten free. Ingredients: - 1 Rack of Lamb (Organic, Grass-fed, Cage free if possible) - Olive Oil - Garlic Salt (Trader Joe's has great all-natural garlic salt) - Black Pepper - Herb de Provence 1. Preheat oven to 450* 2. Place rack of lamb in a foil lined pan. 3. Drizzle olive oil over the lamb, enough to cover it. 3. Sprinkle garlic salt, black pepper, and herb de provence over the lamb - I season it fairly aggressively, but you may not want so much seasoning. 4. Place in oven for 25-30 minutes 5. Remove from oven tent with aluminum foil. Let stand for 20 minutes then serve. |
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Quoted: They sell pre-packaged hard boiled eggs at Sams Club. They are packaged two to a pack, and are peeled and rinsed. The whole blister pack is like 24 eggs. You can eat them as is, make egg salad, chop them up and put them on a salad. They last a long time in the fridge. . Great! Because making hard boiled eggs is so difficult! |
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They sell pre-packaged hard boiled eggs at Sams Club. They are packaged two to a pack, and are peeled and rinsed. The whole blister pack is like 24 eggs. You can eat them as is, make egg salad, chop them up and put them on a salad. They last a long time in the fridge. . Great! Because making hard boiled eggs is so difficult! Peeled cooked eggs are handy as hell, if a bit spendy; if you ever need deviled eggs in a hurry, though.
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How about a quick shrimp cocktail and a salad?
Big bag of frozen shrimp, just take out as many as you'd like, boiling water with plenty of Old Bay, in 5 minutes shrimp are done. Granted they aren't going to taste like fresh shrimp, but they're pretty acceptable. Especially with the hungry spice.. lol Make up a big batch of your own cocktail sauce, or whatever sauce you prefer. Nice salad made while the shrimp are boiling... Done. |