Are You a Lazy Cook?

By Cindy Williams, RN

Coordinator, Health Ministries

Are you a lazy cook? I am. Occasionally I enjoy trying new recipes and making complicated dishes. Most of the time I want to make something that is quick, easy, healthy, and tastes good. Like most of you, I am also busy. Preparing meals must be quick and easy or we start to rely on convenience and fast foods. There are ways to accomplish this with just a little extra effort.

• Create a menu plan. This eliminates staring into the refrigerator asking yourself what you can make with what is in there. It also helps avoid extra trips to the store as you decide what to make and realize you are missing one key ingredient. Your menu can be super simple or very detailed depending on how well-stocked your pantry is and how you like to cook.
• Double or triple recipes that freeze well and that you know your family enjoys. It takes very little extra work to do this.
• Cook a large quantity of something that will form the base of multiple dishes. Black beans could become soup, chili, taco salad, or rice and beans.
• Make your own mixes. Pancake mix, cornbread mix, lentil soup mix. There are dozens of recipes that can be put together in bulk, stored, and used as needed.
• Maintain a well-stocked freezer and pantry. Frozen vegetables are especially helpful, and healthy, in getting a meal on the table quickly.
• Simplify. Eat your salad vegetables as finger food with a healthy dip instead of making the salad. Skip sautéing onions and garlic at the beginning of a recipe. It will make only a slight difference in flavor and save time and an extra step.
• Use your appliances to full capacity. My Instant Pot and slow cooker are wonderful tools. I don’t have to hover over the stove making sure I’m not burning dinner and the house even stays cool. Again, planning is the key to making these work for you.
• Think about how to make clean-up easier. I love using parchment paper on baking sheets. It makes cleaning effortless and eliminates spraying the pan.

An investment in meal planning and cooking ahead will pay big dividends. I hope you give it a try.

Resources

Fix-It-Fast Vegetarian Cookbook by Heather Houck Reseck

https://heatherreseck.com/recipes/

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-menus-collections/easy-plant-based-recipes/

This article is part of a continuing series of health during these COVID times. For other articles, please see www.uccsda.org/healthministries.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash