homemade "fast food" ideas

[JenniJune]

I've been wanting to start a post about super fast meal ideas for when we're in a pinch. My daughter started soccer, and some of you will know what a rush soccer nights can be! We eat out regularly, but I'd love to do so much less. We are vegetarian but not vegan. Here are a couple of my go-to thrown-together type of meals- and yes I know they're less than ideal, but we're talking about being in a rush, so no judgements! :-) 

Boxed Annie's Mac & Cheese with a ton of steamed frozen veggies mixed in and then topped with nooch.

Intant brown rice cooked in veggie broth, steamed veggies, mix together and stir in a can or two of beans, sprinkle with homemade taco seasoning and perhaps salsa (I have topped this with cheese for DH).

Two cans of garbanzos in the blender with half an onion and some vegenaise, then spread on bread or tortillas. With fruit on the side, this is actually one of my favorite lunches.

Nooch sauce (little bit of butter, whole wheat flour, almond milk, and nooch) poured over, well, anything because it makes it so rich and filling, but typically I pour this over noodles and veggies.

What are your super fast meal ideas?

[STVUstudent]

When I make brown rice, I cook the whole box at a time, then freeze it in family sized portions... I do the same thing when I cook dried beans and pasta.  They are so easy to throw into a recipe, and much cheaper than canned (beans).  I usually cook them up on the weekends to have them ready at a moments notice. 

BLATs are a quicky favorite- Vegan "bacon" with lettuce, avacado, tomato and veganaise on our favorite vegan Italian bread.  Vegan fajitas- a quick stir fry of portobello mushrooms, onions, and peppers, wrapped up with vegetarian refried beans, lettuce and tomato.  I also make the fajitas into an enchilada casserole that freezes well... just cover it all with enchilada sauce.   Top with vegan cheese if desired about half-way through the bake, and vegan sour cram if desired once done.  I like chopped avacado on mine.

Tofeta crumbled onto a salad... extra-firm tofu drained and pressed, cubed and marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, basil and oregano...  or crumbled into pasta...  I also keep a lot of tomato sauce in the freezer.

[JenniJune]

Thanks for replying, those are great ideas! And pre-made beans, why didn't I think of that?! ;-)

[STVUstudent]

I get the dried beans because they are so much cheaper, then cook and freeze in "can" sized portions, since most recipes call for "a can"... about 1 1/2 cups.  1 bag of dried garbanzo beans, about $1.50, makes over 4 cans worth of beans, and they have a better texture (IMHO).  I put them on for a hot soak (bring salted water to a boil, add picked and rinsed beans, any variety, boil for 3 minutes, cover and let stand for 4 hours up to 16 hours... drain, rinse, cover with fresh water, salt, simmer until tender).  Pasta I cook until just underdone, then freeze in bags or boxes- just add to boiling water, by the time it returns to a boil, the noodles are perfect.  Or, you can add them to a casserole in the oven, by the time it is hot, the noodles are done.  I love my freezer- it makes weekday mealtimes so much easier.

[Baci3000]

I love these ideas! OP you say, "less than ideal", but I think they sound pretty great and healthy.I mean, think about what they could be eating!  What is Nooch?

Love the BLT idea with avocado! That sounds so good. I actually just tried the "bacon" last night and it was really not bad at all!

I dont' have many fast ideas yet, I'm pretty new at this, but I did make something the other night that gave me a ton of leftovers and I've been eating in wraps for lunch everyday with sliced avocado. I also put a bunch in the freezer for another dinner.  It's really good!

Homestyle Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 package Gimme Lean Beef Flavored meat substitute
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed (I used about 2 cups)
• vegetable broth for sauteing
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (start with 1/8 teaspoon and add as you like)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• Fresh Parsley, minced
• Fresh Cilantro, minced

 

[JenniJune]

Nooch is just short for nutritional yeast. :-)
And you sure got my mind working with that quinoa recipe. I would have never thought to put it in a wrap. My kids love wraps! I can definitely work with that idea, thank you!

[rkoloms]

On the weekends, I cook and freeze brown rice, beans,soup/chili/stew, and something casserole-y in single servings, like lasagna. I keep lots of chopped vegetables in the freezer, and lot of whole grain pastas in the pantry.I keep these in the frezer for quick meals and snacks Sweet Potato Burritos

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups canned kidney beans, drained (I use home cooked black beans; you can use any bean)

2 cups water

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

12 whole wheat tortillas, warmed

shredded cheese (whatever you have)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic in until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve. NOTE: I put the cheese inside and freeze burritos wrapped in wax paper in a big zipper bag; they can be microwaved safely in the wax paper.

[rkoloms]

Here are a couple of quick pasta recipes:

 

Pasta with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce 

1/2 cup low or no sodium vegetable broth

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (I use smooth)

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic (add to taste, it is pretty spicey)

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces uncooked whole wheat angel hair

1 pound firm tofu, drained and cubed (optional)

1 cup (2-inch) sliced green onions

1 cup shredded carrot

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until smooth, stirring frequently (this can also be done in the microwave; use a tempered glass bowl, like pyrex, cook for 20 seconds, stir, repeat until smooth). Remove from heat. Cook pasta in boiling water 8 minutes, omitting salt and fat. Add tofu, onions, and carrot; drain. Place pasta mixture in a large bowl. Add peanut butter mixture; toss gently. 

 

Super Quick Stir-fry

Here is a quick dinner recipe, adapted from Vegetarian times. It takes less than 15 minutes (if the rice is cooked)

Heat a few chili pepper flakes in olive oil, along with a sliced garlic clove and sliced ginger. Remove the garlic and ginger before they burn. Add onion saute for 1 min. Add 2 diced up baby eggplants and saute for 5 mins (I have used zucchini and broccoli, too; really, any fresh or frozen veggies will do). Add red/yellow peppers & mushrooms. Add 2 tbsp each of brown sugar, soy sauce or tamari & vinegar, and saute 2 more mins. Add fresh basil. Serve over rice (you could use room temperature leftovers) or rice noodles (they are super quick in a pinch). You can also add cubed tofu before serving

 

Mushroom Stroganoff, is a great, speedy weeknight dinner, especially if you cook the noodles the night before (I use whole wheat egg noodles or bowties). I also throw in spinach, either fresh or frozen chopped.

1 lb portabello mushrooms (either the large or baby bellas), cut in half and sliced

1/2 onion, diced

1 - 1 1/2 c sour cream (I use fat free plain Greek yogurt)

1/2 - 1 Tbsp Hungarian Paprika

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil or butter (I use some of each)

1/8 cup (or so) vegetable broth or dry white wine (optional, not part of the original recipe; I think that it gives it some depth)

Saute diced onions in olive oil or butter (your preference) until just soft and translucent. Add sliced mushrooms, saute until cooked through. Add broth/wine paprika and incorporate well. Turn down heat and add sour cream. Heat through, add salt & pepper to taste. Add more sour cream if the 1 cup doesn't cover everything well. Serve on top of egg noodles or rice. Once I made this and I didn't have enough yogurt, so I added cream cheese and it was still very good! Mushrooms are a great source of protein as well as many other nutrients.

And don't forget about your slowcooker! If you don't have one, start looking on freecycle

 

 

 

[JenniJune]

Today's fast meal was cooked rice, beans, salsa, and cheese thrown into tortillas and baked until crunchy.