The holidays are upon us. Though most articles are about the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas spread, what about all of the everyday meals in between, during this busy holiday season? It’s hard enough to find the energy to shop and plan for large family get-togethers, and most healthy people (let alone “Spoonies”) will rely on takeout or fast food to fill the daily gap. But at a time when we’re trying to maintain our energy and health to the best of our ability, this habit can wreak havoc on our bodies. This is when having a few necessities on hand is important in order to create nourishing, whole-food meals while saving those “spoons”!

Canned beans. Along with discovering (the hard way) that pumpkin pie tastes the same whether or not I slave away to prepare fresh pumpkin or open a can, the same holds true for beans. They are nutritious, hearty, and they’re great for a meatless (and fuss-free) dinner. Put them in between flour tortillas with cheese and veggies and toast them for kid-friendly quesadillas, or toss them with pasta for a complete meal. Better still, doctor up some black beans with some spices, turkey bacon, and onions and mix it with that leftover Chinese rice to make Rice and Beans faster than you can say Zatarain’s!
Frozen veggies. Yes, fresh is a little better, but so what? When I feel lousy for a week or more, I don’t feel like washing, peeling, and cutting them-so they rot in the fridge. Frozen vegetables still pack a strong nutritious punch, and they’re easier to deal with. My favorite This-Meal-Needs-A-Veggie-But-I-Can’t-Be-Bothered recipe is to sauté garlic in olive oil, add whatever I’ve got (green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach), and toss it around until it’s hot. Season with salt and pepper, or whatever spices you feel like using, and you’re good to go. Heck, do that, add some pasta, and you’ve now got a complete dinner!
Marinated garlic. No, not plain old peeled garlic or garlic-in-a-jar. I mean Italian marinated garlic with herbs and spices. If you can’t find it in the grocery store, it’s worth picking up a giant jar in an Italian deli or specialty store. It’s excellent cooked with veggies for a quick side dish-only salt and pepper is required. Best of all: NO PEELING GARLIC!
Save the rice from Chinese takeout. OK, so you couldn’t help it last night and you ordered Chinese takeout (but it had lots of veggies…really!). When I don’t even have a single extra “spoon” to bother with a starch for a meal, I just nuke up some of this stuff and-presto- a rice side dish. Yes, it sets up hard as a rock in the fridge, but if you take it out of the container (and please do: that metal handle can spark trouble in the microwave), put it in a dish with a little water, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 2 minutes or so, you’ll have something to round out a main dish.
Chicken, vegetable or beef broth. I can’t tell you how many times just having this one item has saved me. I can make last-minute soups, flavor rice, pasta and vegetables, or create a no-brainer “sauce” (see the next item for a “sauce tip”). Any soup can be made in a hurry with leftovers or frozen vegetables-and if you don’t have any meat on hand, throw in that can of beans in your pantry. If you have an extra “spoon” and want a fresher flavor, chop up some onions, celery, carrots and/or garlic and let them simmer with the soup for 20 minutes. You can also cook rice or pasta with chicken broth for more pizzazz (I add it instead of water to steam that leftover takeout rice or cook dry rice from scratch) or add it sparingly to sautéed vegetables.
Chicken parts instead of a whole roast chicken. It’s great to roast a whole chicken if you’re home all day. But what if you’ve only got an hour or so before dinner? Buy various chicken parts when they’re on sale (legs, split breasts, drumsticks) and keep them in your freezer. On a cold day, defrost and toss chicken, cut-up potatoes (leave the skin on for less effort and more nutrition), any root vegetables (carrots, parsnips), aromatics (onions, garlic, any herbs you may have, dried or fresh) together and pour chicken broth over all. Bake in the oven at 375° for about an hour or until the juices run clear and you’ll have a complete meal. If you have a gravy separator, skim the fat off the drippings and serve it as a sauce.
Use the “sauces” from your roasts or crock-pot meals. If you’re like me, the meat and vegetables will go before the sauce, and you’ll be tempted to dump it down your drain when you wash up. Don’t! Instead, immediately put it in a sealed container in the fridge. Then, when you need to flavor a side dish or a sauce for something, take it out, skim off any solidified fat, and use it as an instant “flavor packet”! When I make rice, I measure it as part of the liquid, and it makes a “flavored” rice. Just don’t keep these drippings for more than a week in your fridge, since these homemade flavorings have no preservatives.
Coconut milk, curry or paste, and Thai fish sauce. OK, I’m going out on a limb here, but sometimes I’m in the mood for something exotic but still healthful. A Thai-style curry can fit the bill and is a great use for leftovers. Most supermarkets are beginning to stock the above items, and if you’re curious, this is a great way to try them. First, grab whatever leftovers are in your fridge: veggie side dishes, grilled chicken, pork chop, steak, or even baked tofu. Heat a little oil, brown the meat or tofu (sliced first), and clear the center of the pan. In the middle, toast the curry paste for a moment until fragrant, then add the can of coconut milk and a few tablespoons of fish sauce (Soy sauce will work, too, if you can’t find Thai fish sauce. Just add it to taste.) Toss in whatever veggies you want to put in: leftover, fresh or frozen. Simmer for ten minutes and serve over rice.
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In addition to having a strategically stocked pantry and freezer, you may find these other tips helpful to conserving your energy and avoiding stress when your family is jumping up and down around you asking, ”What’s for dinner?!?”
Have a “dinner plan”. Some days it’s hard to remember to brush your teeth, let alone plan dinner during the holiday season. But I have learned that any thoughts you can give to it during the day will go a long way to saving yourself hungry, whining children, confusion, and guilt around the supper hour. Even if the answer is, “Forget it. I won’t be able to move-we’re ordering out!”, you can make plans to hit the ATM for the pizza delivery guy or pick up something on the way home. If you’re out of energy but really need to eat as healthy as you can, consider hitting a Boston Market and stick to the chicken and vegetable side dishes. Or order a plain pizza, but instead of buffalo wings or garlic bread on the side, order sautéed veggies or a big salad (note: if you ask for the dressing on the side, any extras will make a healthy lunch for tomorrow, no effort involved!).
Collect and cook complete skillet meals, roasts, or crock-pot recipes. If everything goes in one pot or pan, you’ll spend less time standing, stirring, and babysitting the food. And there’s an added bonus: less pots to wash!
Don’t stand if you don’t have to. I learned this from watching my determined grandmother. Her passion was food and cooking, but in the last few years of her life, she was very sick. She didn’t let it stop her. Take the cutting board and items that need to be cut, peeled, or otherwise prepped to the kitchen table and sit down. There’s no hard and fast rule that says you have to stand the whole time in order to make a meal. You can even take a tip from Rachael Ray: grab a bowl to dump peels or other garbage in-you won’t make multiple trips to the trashcan.
With a little applied strategy, you’ll find you can take the stress out of mealtime preparation. Let go of what’s not necessary, keep it simple, and focus on what really matters: being with your family and enjoying the holiday season.
– Lisa Howard-Fusco, , Butyoudontlooksick.com, © 2007
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