How do you approach weeknight meals? When I come home from a long day at school, I tend to open the fridge, grab anything that's cooked, reheat, and eat. Sometimes I even skip the reheating step since without a microwave, it would require turning on the stove.
I'm trying to do better. It turns out cold cauliflower doesn't taste too great. It's not easy, and I'm often unsuccessful. But I hope by blogging some of my better meals, I will be more motivated to take thirty minutes to prepare a balanced meal instead of eating a carbs bomb (burrito, pasta) or frozen food.
These meals aren't gourmet, or even coherent, but they force me to use my leftover food. More, they leave me feeling better than instant ramen. (Not that I have anything against instant ramen. Finals season has commenced, which means I'll be starting my diet of packaged noodles very soon.)
Quick Dinner: Chicken, Starch, and Greens - Two Ways!
Version 1 | Risotto with mushroom, onion, and Parmesan cheese. Leftover chicken with breadcrumbs, reheated. Baby bok choy, quickly stir fried.
Time: About thirty minutes, including risotto cooking time
Shopping List: Box of arborio rice, grated Parmesan cheese, chicken stock, mushrooms, an onion, baby bok choy, dry white wine, and a protein, if you don't have some left over. (I got everything on this list from Trader Joe's.)
Version 2 | Brown rice with store-bought rotisserie chicken and stir fried southern greens (mustard, spinach, collard greens)
Time: Ten minutes, not counting rice cooking time
Shopping List: Brown rice (Mitsuwa), rotisserie chicken (Whole Foods), prewashed/premixed southern greens (Trader Joe's), stir fry seasonings (sesame oil, oyster sauce, garlic)
