Constant Cooking

[Smaug]

One week into induction.

Aside from rolling up coldcuts and eating cheese or celery, it seems like everything takes a lot of preparation.

Or maybe it is just that I have to eat different from my wife and kids now, none of whom cast a shadow. So can't depend on the family meals for everything, and my wife thinks low carb is nuts (which she can afford to do at 5"6' 108 lbs.)

Anyway, I see all these recipes and my eyes fog over by step 6. What about quick stuff? Are there any commercial soups that work (other than chicken broth)?

Any other ideas?

[liv]

Re: Constant Cooking

When you cook, cook enough to last for two days. If it something that can be frozen, cook and freeze (hamburger patties are great for this)
Commercial soups are usually loaded with salt and fillers but soup is something that is relatively quick to cook. (You have a blender right?)

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Constant Cooking

Even commercial chicken broth is loaded with junk like dextrose, MSG and wheat gluten.

I am cooking for one, so a lot of times I just roast/bake meat in my toaster oven. It's great for baking pork steaks and fish. I do like to cook, so I do up some foods that take some work, but I like the basics most of the time.

I also have a gas grill which I use nearly every day. I cook all my steaks, burgers and most chicken on the grill. Then you can just throw some veggies on the grill and call it a meal. I always grill extra and freeze some for later. Here's some thighs and veggies I recently grilled...



Sunny!

[chinadoll]

Re: Constant Cooking

That looks sooo good. I may just skewer my veggies and do the same for dinner tonight.

[IrishMom82]

Re: Constant Cooking

I understand how you feel. I'm a little tired of all the cooking as well. The main thing is that I now have a HUGE water bill cause I'm constanly washing my cooking utensils.

I do agree with the whole idea of cooking extra and freeze. I'm not a big fan of freezing and thawing cause it just doesn't taste as good but it's practical.

[not2late]

Re: Constant Cooking

First you have to figure out what foods your family typically eats. Does your family usually eat carby foods like pasta or rice-based casseroles, or does your family do the 1 meat, 1 veg, 1 starch route?

If you all do the 1 meat, 1 veg, 1 starch route, your meal planning will be easier because you already have the meat and you just need to make sure the 1 veg is a legal veg legally prepared (and skip the starch of course.) If you have a casserole-type family, your meal planning will be more challenging. In that case, you might want to spend some time on the weekends preparing a multi-use protein. For example, cook a family pack of chicken breasts or chicken thighs by roasting them in the oven or poaching them in water. During the week, the chicken meat can be used in different pasta or rice based casseroles for the rest of your family and you can use them for things like chicken salad (for your lunch or dinner), or a chicken "fauxjita" (slice the chicken into slices, and use large lettuce leaves as the tortilla wraps.) The chicken can also be used in a stirfry that everyone can eat or can be used as a filling in an omelette for you.

If you want chicken broth, you can put a few chicken parts into a large pot, add water, and an onion sliced in half. Bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Use the chicken for whatever you want, and save the cooking liquid (because that's the broth!)

Ground meat can be sauteed with alittle chopped onion, salt and pepper. Store it in the frig and throughout the week, just season it with herbs and spices to suit the recipe you are preparing. The family can add it to whatever casserole they're having and you can use it in a "burrito" (add some chili powder to your portion, heat it and roll it in lettuce leaves--add shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream or a spoonful of guacamole). It can be used in a noodle-less eggplant lasagna (layer the cooked ground meat with sliced eggplant, tomato sauce and cheese, bake in oven) or whatever you can think.

PS. I'm also moving this thread to the "Food and Cooking" Forum so you will get more ideas.

[Smaug]

Re: Constant Cooking

First you have to figure out what foods your family typically eats. Does your family usually eat carby foods like pasta or rice-based casseroles, or does your family do the 1 meat, 1 veg, 1 starch route?

If you all do the 1 meat, 1 veg, 1 starch route, your meal planning will be easier because you already have the meat and you just need to make sure the 1 veg is a legal veg legally prepared (and skip the starch of course.) If you have a casserole-type family, your meal planning will be more challenging. In that case, you might want to spend some time on the weekends preparing a multi-use protein. For example, cook a family pack of chicken breasts or chicken thighs by roasting them in the oven or poaching them in water. During the week, the chicken meat can be used in different pasta or rice based casseroles for the rest of your family and you can use them for things like chicken salad (for your lunch or dinner), or a chicken "fauxjita" (slice the chicken into slices, and use large lettuce leaves as the tortilla wraps.) The chicken can also be used in a stirfry that everyone can eat or can be used as a filling in an omelette for you.

If you want chicken broth, you can put a few chicken parts into a large pot, add water, and an onion sliced in half. Bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Use the chicken for whatever you want, and save the cooking liquid (because that's the broth!)

Ground meat can be sauteed with alittle chopped onion, salt and pepper. Store it in the frig and throughout the week, just season it with herbs and spices to suit the recipe you are preparing. The family can add it to whatever casserole they're having and you can use it in a "burrito" (add some chili powder to your portion, heat it and roll it in lettuce leaves--add shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream or a spoonful of guacamole). It can be used in a noodle-less eggplant lasagna (layer the cooked ground meat with sliced eggplant, tomato sauce and cheese, bake in oven) or whatever you can think.

PS. I'm also moving this thread to the "Food and Cooking" Forum so you will get more ideas.

wow, great answer, thanks!

We are a 1-1-1 family, because my wife is a health nut, so I do have some of the bases covered.

[not2late]

Re: Constant Cooking

Okay, since you have a 1 meat, 1 veg, 1 starch family, just make sure the 1 meat is cooked in a legal way----it can be very neutrally cooked. For example, if tonight's dinner is oven baked fried chicken, just skip the breading on your pieces and instead drench your pieces with grated parmesan cheese. If tonight's meal is a stirfry, before it gets drenched in carb-rich "stir fry sauce" remove your portion.

As for the veg, just make sure you have a veg you can eat. And of course, skip the starch.

Just work with your wife on the menu planning. Because, let's face it---if she's going to have a casserole with ground meat in it, she'll probably brown the ground meat with very basic seasonings anyway, so just have her reserve a portion for you. The rest she can use for the family's meal. If she's going to bake chicken legs, just ask her not to put any flour or sauce on your portion.

Same thing with the veggies: if she's steamming some broccoli, there's no need for her to prepare a special broccoli dish for you. Just ask her to reserve 1 cup of the steamed broccoli for you. Then you can have the broccoli tossed with olive oil or with butter as your vegetable side dish.

I mean, look at the pic of Sunny's meal---grilled chicken thighs, and vegetable kebabs. It's a healthy meal for even the low fat, high carb crowd. It's a very neutral meal, because if she had carb-loving folks for supper, she could add something like dinner rolls or corn on the cob. But she would STILL be able to eat a perfectly legal Atkins Induction meal from that menu.

If your family supper tonight is something like that, I don't think it will increase food preparation or cooking time would it? All you would do is skip the starch portion of the meal.

[Smaug]

Re: Constant Cooking

all good thoughts, thanks!

[Creek]

Re: Constant Cooking

Because I work and I'm the main food preparation person in the house, I use Sunday as my "cooking" day. Yesterday, for example, I set the oven to 350, and made an Atkins Meatloaf (2 pounds) and I coated six chicken breasts with butter and roasted them, while I was also baking Sunday dinner of pork chops over sauerkraut. I also chopped my salad vegetables, except for the lettuces: green pepper, onion, celery, radishes, and cucumber. I put these into seperate Zip Loc bags and to make my salad, I just tear the lettuce (which I've prewashed, cored and stored), add my chopped veggies from the bags, and add a piece of tomato. I also made a dozen deviled eggs for snacks or to throw on the plate with a meal.

Tonight I'll reheat the meatloaf in the microwave and have that with tossed salad. I'll also take meatloaf slices for my lunch with 2 cups of tossed salad for the rest of the week or I can take a 2 cup salad with sliced chicken breats on top. Tuesday, I'll reheat two of the chicken breasts and have those for dinner with sauteed snow peas and a salad. Wednesday night we'll have steak and tossed salad with sauteed mushrooms. Thursday night, I use the rest of the chicken breasts to make a Chicken Salad served on tossed salad. Friday night is bacon cheeseburger night! I usually use Saturday night as a new low carb recipe night.

I plan, plan, plan and plan. Then for the rest of the week, I don't even have to worry about it. Notice that the only night that an actual pan is involved during the weeknights is Tuesday & Wednesday to sautee the mushrooms and snow peas. The steak and cheeseburgers are cooked outside on the grill.

[chinadoll]

Re: Constant Cooking

When i was working I did the same. Now my "do ahead"s are cole slaw, tuna salad, grilling a bunch of eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, and peppers for the week, soups, and cutting up the salad stuff. It is such a life saver when you come in hungry and there is something all ready to eat.