Help!

NancyPantsLupinski
NancyPantsLupinski Posts: 20 Member
in Recipes
I ate like such a fatty yesterday! What was I thinking? I need some ideas on how to cook something healthy late at night when I am exhausted. For example., I worked at 5:30 am yesterday but then I didn't have dinner until almost 11 pm because of our crazy schedule! So I was too exhausted to cook and I ended up eating the worst possible food all day! What are some good things that are easy to prep ahead that I can just toss in the oven when it's time to eat? I should note that I don't eat beef or pork...but any other idea are welcome. There are just two of us!

Replies

  • mahlakita
    mahlakita Posts: 2
    Split pea soup, spring mix salad (buy washed organic spring mix, add some canned chickpeas, cherry tomatoes and a flavored vinegar), make a bunch of burritos and wrap them individually, toss a frozen stir fry mix in a pan, veggie hot dogs. Veggie burgers, tacos, red lentil soup....any veggies red lentils boiled in a pot with some stock. All delicious and filling.

    Anything with canned beans or frozen veggies is fast and easy.
  • JayStu
    JayStu Posts: 332 Member
    I would suggest a slow cooker that way you can prep the night before and your food is ready when you get home
  • NancyPantsLupinski
    NancyPantsLupinski Posts: 20 Member
    I would suggest a slow cooker that way you can prep the night before and your food is ready when you get home

    Are those good for just two people though?
  • NancyPantsLupinski
    NancyPantsLupinski Posts: 20 Member
    Split pea soup, spring mix salad (buy washed organic spring mix, add some canned chickpeas, cherry tomatoes and a flavored vinegar), make a bunch of burritos and wrap them individually, toss a frozen stir fry mix in a pan, veggie hot dogs. Veggie burgers, tacos, red lentil soup....any veggies red lentils boiled in a pot with some stock. All delicious and filling.

    Anything with canned beans or frozen veggies is fast and easy.

    I would lover all these things they sound delicious but my husband won't eat veggie meats and dislikes most veggies in general. :(
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    Maybe you should consider using a crockpot. I just set up a lentil dish in mine that will be ready for supper tonight. Almost any soup or stew recipe can be done in the crockpot, and I often find I can dramatically reduce the sodium and the fat in the original recipe and still get a delicious result.

    In the absence of a crockpot, I'd throw together a salad or mix up some dip using yogurt and have raw veggies with it.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    Split pea soup, spring mix salad (buy washed organic spring mix, add some canned chickpeas, cherry tomatoes and a flavored vinegar), make a bunch of burritos and wrap them individually, toss a frozen stir fry mix in a pan, veggie hot dogs. Veggie burgers, tacos, red lentil soup....any veggies red lentils boiled in a pot with some stock. All delicious and filling.

    Anything with canned beans or frozen veggies is fast and easy.

    I would lover all these things they sound delicious but my husband won't eat veggie meats and dislikes most veggies in general. :(

    I married a very picky eater, too. He has actually learned to like broccoli and Brussels sprouts prepared certain ways. Your husband is a grown-up. Tell him to suck it up and eat like one.
  • NancyPantsLupinski
    NancyPantsLupinski Posts: 20 Member
    "I married a very picky eater, too. He has actually learned to like broccoli and Brussels sprouts prepared certain ways. Your husband is a grown-up. Tell him to suck it up and eat like one."


    Haha! Seriously it's like living with a 4 year old sometimes!
  • Colieque1
    Colieque1 Posts: 4
    I would suggest a slow cooker that way you can prep the night before and your food is ready when you get home

    Are those good for just two people though?

    My husband and I use a slow cooker for just the 2 of us. We freeze the leftovers which can also help in your case. Pull something from the freezer in the morning and put in the refrigerator so it's mostly thawed by the time you get home at night, then finish thawing/reheating. So quick and easy!
  • NancyPantsLupinski
    NancyPantsLupinski Posts: 20 Member
    I would suggest a slow cooker that way you can prep the night before and your food is ready when you get home

    Are those good for just two people though?

    My husband and I use a slow cooker for just the 2 of us. We freeze the leftovers which can also help in your case. Pull something from the freezer in the morning and put in the refrigerator so it's mostly thawed by the time you get home at night, then finish thawing/reheating. So quick and easy!

    Good Idea! What are your favorites?
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    You need somebody?
  • cwaters120
    cwaters120 Posts: 354 Member
    I batch cook on my days off, proportion it in containers, and label it all with calories and date made. this way, when I want something but don't feel like cooking, its there, premeasured, precounted, and just nuke it for a bit and I can eat dinner. For me, its a matter of planning so I don't "fall off the wagon" .
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    You need somebody?

    Not just anybody.
  • barkin43
    barkin43 Posts: 508 Member
    You need somebody?

    Not just anybody.

    You know I need someone;
  • Mlkmaid
    Mlkmaid Posts: 356 Member
    If he's that picky you're going to have to eat the same things (within reason) and just portion control. Or cook for him and pop a frozen diet entree in the microwave for yourself. And maybe you need to talk to him about being more supportive. Can he grill? Have him grill meat or fish and toss a salad.
  • rmontpetit
    rmontpetit Posts: 31 Member
    i Always have egg and veggy in my fridge ... they are fast and easy and you can vary easely. Slow cooker is really easy too i love cooking chiken . Hole chiken with some thyme. or chiken breast with potato and carrot. you can also do soup il the slow cooker.
    And i know a caterer were i go to by home made frozen meal... also a good idea. And as i don,t alwasy find time to cook when i do i always do for 4 to 5 person (i live alone with my boyfriend) so i have left over for later in the week.
    maybe you can visit www.soscuisine.com it give you a weekly meal plan that you do most on the coocking once a week they also help you to plan that cooking day.
  • MegWilbe
    MegWilbe Posts: 56 Member
    I save take away containers from Tokyo Joes and have small ziplock containers. On Sunday's I make up food for the week. I make a big batch of rice then fill several containers with a severing of rice then top with steamed Tofu (but you can chicken or fish/shrimp) and steamed veggies. Then all I have to do is pop it in the microwave. I make a peanut sauce from 1 tbl creamy peanut butter, 1 tbl soy sauce or Bragg's aminos and 6 tbls water you can also add in crushed red peppers, then stir and microwave for 30secs at a time until creamy. Then I chop a bunch of romaine, divide them into several storage containers then top with different veggies olives, tomato, carrots, jalapeños or even Vegan bacon (you can use pork or turkey) or Boca crumbles (or ground turkey) also some beans (chickpeas and pintos are my favorite) then through the week all I have to do is add dressing or avocado. Then I throw whats leftover from the week into a large pot, fresh or frozen veggies, boca (you can do chicken or turkey), corn, tomato sauce, broth and make i very low cal soup I can just heat up when I need a filling but not high cal snack. A go to meal when I dont feel like cooking for my husband (because Im vegan) is a keep pre-sliced raw chicken around, I put that in the middle of a pyrex with cut carrots on the left and cut potatoes on the right I drizzle olive oil, sprinkle some sea salt and black pepper and roast @ 375F for 30mins or until chicken is cooked through, he gets a fabulous meal and I dont feel like i even cooked!~ lol Hope these help!~
  • AliciaStinger
    AliciaStinger Posts: 402 Member
    I'm the same way; I work until 7:00 two nights a week, and if I don't have a decent lunch, I can finish off a few hundred calories of whatever I see before I calm down enough to figure out what to eat. If I have time while I'm at work, I'll think about what I have at home; if I plan to eat something before I get home, I will often bee-line for it, instead of choosing the doughnut holes that stare at me when I walk in the kitchen. However, planning ahead is not my specialty, which is why I make use of the following:

    -EGGS: keep some hard-boiled ones in the fridge, or throw a couple in a pan when you get home.
    -SALAD: in my house (about once a week) we'll wash and cut up lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber and throw them in a big container in the fridge. That way we always have salads when we want a quick snack. You can top it with different cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or tuna from a can and use different dressings or veggies (bell peppers and carrots, for example) to change it up.
    -OTHER SALADS...if you like tuna salad (I have a very good, yet basic recipe), egg salad, pasta salad, chicken salad, or any other kind of "salad" that you can think of, find a recipe online or buy some. Places like Jewel sell these in their deli section, but the prices are outrageous; you can make pasta salad for 15+ people on what you'd spend for a pound (which is only a few servings) of pre-made.
    -CHICKEN: some places will sell pre-cooked chicken breast that you can keep in your freezer and warm up in minutes. You can have this with the salad previously mentioned or put a little sauce and cheese on it if you like chicken parmesan...it has far less calories and carbs than the breaded, fried chicken parm dishes one would find eating out. Also, many stores sell whole rotisserie chickens if you prefer.
    -SANDWICHES: just about anything I've already mentioned could be put on a slice or two of bread and make a decent dinner. Also, PB&J is quick, easy, and really satisfying; peanut butter will fill you up, and the jelly and bread will satisfy the carb-cravings. If not, a PB&J sandwich is only about 215 calories (although I use Healthy Life bread, which is really low on calories and carbs), so you could treat yourself to some ice cream after and still probably be under 400 calories.
    -CEREAL: Not much of a filler, but it's quick! Throw some fruit in there for the sake of nutrition.
    -STUFF-IN-A-CAN or FREEZER FOOD: you can keep canned soups around, or have some canned beans with your chicken on a tortilla, or use mixed veggies as a side to another dish...just keep in mind that canned food tends to have a lot of salt.

    I hope this helps!

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