This morning as I was chopping veggies I started thinking that instead of a “Hot Pocket” or a “Hearty Man” type of dinner disaster I’ll be having home cooked veggies with a taste that’s obscenely delicious. They really are that good. I’m a single guy, run a business, this blog and several other projects. That’s in addition to personal relationships, truck maintenance, laundry…yada, yada. Basically no time but I love to eat well. Here’s what I do. Once a week I’ll hit the store for veggies. The two pound bag of onions, five pound bag of potatoes, butternut squash, peppers etc. etc. Then, once home everything gets tossed into the refrigerator. And, usually on Sunday morning, I’ll peel and cut a few of the more difficult things like the butternut squash and rutabaga. Will keep going on this until I’m sick of it and toss what I had cut in a bowl with a little water, cover with wrap and put back into the frig. Keep in mind I’m taking my time, some good music is playing, morning sun shining outside. For me this is really a very peaceful and zen type of experience.
Tonight, I’ll transfer the cut veggies to the stock pot add more water and put on the burner. As the water is heating up I’ll finish cutting up the rest of the veggies. Meanwhile there will be music in the background, friends over, glass of wine going on. The veggies will cook while I’m cleaning up and goofing off. Will let them cook until the toughest of them (usually the rutabaga) is al dente. Once done they’re transferred to a bowl where they’ll cool.
This is how I do things now. Previously I’d steam the veggies which is great but very time consuming since the batch size is small. With the large stock pot everything can be cooked in one shot. And speaking of cooking everything at once I cook the entire five pound bag of potatoes, the entire two pounds of onions etc. Only want to do this once and don’t want the veggies sitting around attracting bugs and getting old.
After everything is cooled down I place what I’ll be using in the next few days into the frig. The rest goes into two days worth serving sizes in containers that are then frozen (will take a container out the day before I’ll use it and let it thaw in the frig).
OK, showtime, just take out what you want, place it into a sauce pan with a little water (forget the microwave this is just as fast and it won’t toughen up your food), put on the heat and in five minutes you’ll have some fantastic food. A little salt and pepper, maybe a little organic thyme…some extra virgin olive oil (this is essential). Unbelievable, died and gone to heaven type of good.
You’ve got to try this out. And one other thing. Make it a goal that every week to try out some new vegi that you haven’t had before.
Yep, doing this is a little work at first but it is also very meditative and pleasurable if done right (music, right frame of mind etc.). Then after you do the prep, your meals will be just as convenient,(maybe even more so) than the … ugh …”Hot Pocket” action.
Don’t fall for the marketing hype. Create fast food that you love and that adds to your life instead of detracting from it. Eat well and live naturally.
