RECIPE HELP!

OK guys I am a boring cook. I work 50+ hours in the office, commute time, 3 kids, 2 in school and sports and have no time to cook. What do I do? I need help. I cook convenient foods; hot dogs, mac n cheese, fries, you know, carbs carbs carbs carbs, and some more carbs... What can we eat that's good, quick and not repetitious? I am so bored and frustrated. Help me please!!!


Thanks in advance!

Hi Jessica,

I cook a lot of food during the week for the following week.  I create my own "fast food" but NOT "junk food."  When I'm busy with family things, I can pull out something I prepared during the weekend that is healthy but fast.

I use chicken breasts, Gorton's tilapia (not fishy), Morningstar vegetarian but good protein soy sausage links and vegetable patties.  My husband grills so that takes some of the cooking responsibility from me.  When he grills, he cooks extra protein and grilled vegetables.  I love grilled veggies so he'll cook an extra two or three days for me.

The best thing that I could suggest is to cook over the weekend and also when you do fix something in the week, make extras and store them for another meal on another day.

You could check Eggface's blog for some wonderful wls recipes.  She is absolutely wonderful!!  You can check her out at:
http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com

I look forward to other posts you'll get from BOTTers.  I'm always on the lookout for new ideas too.

Cathy

Jessica,
Here's are few things that I try to do:
1.  Make enough steel-cut oatmeal to last for a week.
2.  Pre-wash and package my lettuce, tomatoes  and cucumbers for salads for the week.
3.  Make a whole frittata or crepes to freeze in individual servings.
4.  Measure out my Kashi-Go Lean in 1/4 c. individual servings.
5.  I freeze my Hebrew National 0% fat hotdogs in individual packages for a fast microwave. 
6.  I make double meals and freeze the extra for later in the week.  Like hamburgers, I grill all of them and freeze the leftovers for a quick microwave.

I'm sure you see the pattern.  I just find that it's faster, easier and better so I don't cheat. 
Hope it helps.

Deb

I'm not the cook either.., and hubby does the grill stuff also...Pork Loin seems to be the family favorite lately...It is really juicy, last a long time, can be frozen, comes seasoned in diff. flavors and is not expensive, and is high in protein
I had rather grab a slab of pork loin, than a piece of beef jerky...and it's cheaper...
Try to put protein  with any carb that you eat...my dr. said to change my pre-packaged peanut butter crackers with real pb and reduced fat wheat thins and I really like them better..., many times if we are at a lunch or something where they are eating a caserole or something I just take my protein shake and eat it....I really like my shakes and I have at least one daily now that I"m trying to get those last #'s off....I make 2 servings, and put in the refrig and throw it back on the blender in the am before work...I've lost 8 #'s this month, so I guess it is working for the time being, it just takes more planning than the grab and go I tend to prefer....Sonic stock must have went down this last month...hope this helps    

Jessica - I'm not sure where I was when they passed out the domestic cells but I must have been absent for I don't have a one. LOL   If I can't nuke it I don't cook/eat it.  But I did fine a new website just yesterday that says they have low calorie, fast and easy meals.

It is Sparkpeople.com      dLife.com is a diabetic oriented site but they often have good recipes.  How does a non-cook know about these sites?  I have two bariatric support groups and I use the recipes as handouts sometimes.

Hope this helps a little. 

I agree with everyone else that a day of cooking on the weekend can set you up for the week.

Now that grilling season is here where I live, I grill enough meat for the whole week.  I only cook the meat that we will be eating that night to taste.  The rest just gets seasoned and thrown on to get the "grill flavor".  I will cook hamburgers, bratwurst, chicken, pork chops, steak, ham steak, and anything else not nailed down.  Each different meat is used on a different day, just nuke, add a veggie and go.  You can even half cook roasts on the grill for heating later.

The other life saver is the crock pot.  Throw stuff in it in the morning, and by dinner time, it is done.  www.eatingwell.com and www.recipezaar.com are both great sites also.  Just search "crock pot" or "low carb" or "slow cooker" for some great ideas.

Here is something I did yesterday:

The beef was very moist and yummy.  One day in the crock pot equals 4 nights of dinner.  Sounds like a keeper!  I doubled this recipe since my boys are big eaters.  I got enough meat for 4 different meals.

 

Shredded Beef Master Recipe

3 to 3.5 lb boneless Beef Chuck Roast

2 large onions, cut into thin wedges

2 cloves of garlic, minced

 

14 oz. beef broth

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. dry mustard

2 tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp cayenne

 

Place thin wedges of onion in bottom of slow cooker, add garlic.  Top with beef, cutting to fit if necessary.

 

Mix next 5 ingredients in large bowl or measuring cup.  Pour over beef.  Cover and cook 11-12 hours on low; 5-6 hours on high.

 

Remove beef & onion from cooker reserving juices.  Cool juices to harden fat.  Remove fat and discard.  While juice is cooling, use 2 forks to shred beef, discarding any fat. 

 

Place 2 cup portions of beef and onions into airtight containers with enough juice to moisten very well.

 

Refrigerate 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.  Makes 6 cups, or 3 meal portions (assuming 4 servings of ½ cup each).

 

 

1^st meal, hot beef sandwiches, just as it is.

2^nd meal, tacos----added taco seasonings and 8 oz can of tomato sauce.

3^rd meal, barbeques---add low sugar barbeque sauce, serve on whole grain buns.

 

4^th meal, Shredded Beef Lo Mein: (from Better homes & Gardens)

Ingredients

·                       12  ounces dried lo mein noodles, Chinese egg noodles, or fettuccine (I used Dreamfields)

·                       1  large onion, sliced (I left this out as there was onion with the beef)

·                       1  tablespoon cooking oil

·                       1  16-ounce package frozen broccoli, carrots, red peppers, celery, water chestnuts, and mushrooms stir-fry vegetables

·                       2  cups Shredded Beef Master Recipe (see above)

·                       1  12.1-ounce jar stir-fry sauce

·                       1  4-ounce can (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained (I used fresh)

·                       1/3  cup coarsely chopped cashews

·                       2  green onions, cut into thin strips

·                       (I added fresh sugar snap peas)

Directions

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions; set aside.

2. In a large skillet or wok, cook and stir sliced onion in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add frozen stir-fry vegetables; cook and stir about 5 minutes more or until crisp-tender. Add shredded beef, stir-fry sauce, and mushrooms. Heat until bubbly. Serve over noodles. Top with cashews and green onion. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

 

 

Nutrition Facts (for the Lo Mein, according to BHG)

·                       Servings Per Recipe 4 to 6 servings

·                       Calories 726,

·                       Total Fat (g) 17,

·                       Saturated Fat (g) 4,

·                       Monounsaturated Fat (g) 7,

·                       Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 5,

·                       Cholesterol (mg) 124,

·                       Sodium (mg) 2295,

·                       Carbohydrate (g) 93,  (This would be different with the Dreamfields)

·                       Total Sugar (g) 9,

·                       Fiber (g) 7,

·                       Protein (g) 48,

·                       Vitamin C (DV%) 52,

·                       Calcium (DV%) 7,

·                       Iron (DV%) 37,

·                       Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Thanks! I got some great ideas..... I just realy struggle with cooking healthy and it not getting boring. I have seen eggfaces blog... AWESOME! I am going to be looking at the sites listed as well.


THANKS!