I’ve always enjoyed cooking for my family, but recent changes
have made meal planning a bit challenging.
We’re down by two family members, so the amount of servings I
need to make has changed drastically. And as the only parent in the
house, I am now solely responsible for deciding what we are going
to eat and when. On top of it all, I’ve been told by my daughters’
doctor to eliminate snack foods and concentrate on fresh fruits and
veggies and whole grains.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking for my family, but recent changes have made meal planning a bit challenging.
We’re down by two family members, so the amount of servings I need to make has changed drastically. And as the only parent in the house, I am now solely responsible for deciding what we are going to eat and when. On top of it all, I’ve been told by my daughters’ doctor to eliminate snack foods and concentrate on fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains.
Which raises the question – how do you create a healthy, yet interesting, diet for three people without having a whole lot of leftovers which eventually get thrown away?
A few simple ideas have come to me. We like pastas and casseroles, but most of my recipes make six to eight servings. Rather than try to reduce ingredient amounts (which requires math, and I went into journalism to avoid math) I look at these recipes as “cook once, eat twice” dishes. This means following the recipe as is, but dividing it into two smaller pans, baking one that day and freezing the other.
I also try to plan meals where I can use some of the food in other dishes. Instead of cooking chicken breasts for just one night, for example, I’ll cook the whole package and use what’s left for sandwiches or a stir-fry.
One-dish meals are a great way to watch serving sizes, as well as being quick and simple. Good choices are dishes that include foods from several food groups, such as meats, whole grains and vegetables. Stews, soups, chilis and stir-frys all fit the bill here.
We’ve been eating more fruits and vegetables, and summer is a great time to try local produce. But I hate having to throw things away, and I always seem to have a hard time buying the right amount of fresh fruits and veggies. So I’ve begun cutting up half of what I buy and freezing the rest. This way, we can have fresh zucchini three months from now.
Even shopping has become a challenge. Although my 21-year-old son has moved back in with us, he’s not always home for dinner, so it is usually the girls and I. The first time I had to shop just for three of us, I found myself wandering aimlessly down the aisles of the grocery store with no clue as to what I should buy.
But as with any difficult task, shopping for three has slowly become easier. I try to shop with convenience in mind by purchasing foods that are individually frozen, such as chicken breasts. When I do have to buy larger quantities, I buy freezer bags and split the packages. Foods that freeze well include bread, meats, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
On the days we are not hungry for a full meal, we make healthy “snacks” instead. Some examples are a piece of whole grain bread spread with ricotta cheese and low-sugar spreadable fruit or corn muffins with apple and cheese slices. Fat-free refried beans mixed with a small amount of low-fat sour cream and some reduced fat cheese and baked tortilla chips are another favorite choice. Other good snack choices are whole grain crackers and pretzels, small amounts of nuts and seeds and low-fat dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.
Chicken tenders – the strip of rib meat attached to the underside of the chicken breast – are now sold separately and are packaged in the perfect size for cooking small meals. Here are a few recipes using chicken tenders, which are great for fast, healthy meals – they cook quickly and anything you don’t use can be easily frozen.
Wok-Seared Chicken Tenders with Asparagus & Pistachios
(Recipe courtesy of eatingwell.com)
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. chile-garlic sauce
¼ c. shelled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add asparagus; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add chicken; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger, oyster sauce and chile-garlic sauce; cook, stirring, until the chicken is juicy and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in pistachios and serve immediately. Serve over brown rice with a simple salad of arugula and orange sections and a light vinaigrette.
Chicken with Onions and Peppers
(Recipe courtesy of eatingwell.com)
½ tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno peppers
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp. salt
1 lb. chicken tenders
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
½ medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, jalapenos, oil and salt in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Add tenders, bell pepper and onion; toss to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly; cover with foil. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve over rice, in a pita pocket or on a whole grain roll with a little shredded mozzarella cheese.
