One-Dish Vegetarian Meals

I was watching an episode of The Biggest Loser and one of the trainers was showing the contestants how to make a simple quinoa dish. I was thrilled. Finally, mainstream TV is catching up to my way of eating. Then the trainer said, "This makes a wonderful side dish to any meal."

Wha--? The dish had quinoa, veggies, and beans, a complete meal in and of itself. Do we have to stick in a side of chicken with that?

I think, however, the one-dish meal is a big adjustment for anyone looking to switch over to a vegetarian lifestyle. My mom mentioned the other day that while she enjoys many of the meals I make, she misses having several things on her plate to choose from -- green beans at two o'clock, mashed potatoes at four, salad, meat, etc. 

I hadn't thought about it, but it's true. Most of what I make are one-dish meals. The vegetarian recipes I use usually contain beans, greens, and a grain so it doesn't seem worth it to--I don't know--dump a can of corn or some other vegetable on the plate as a side. Not that I couldn't; it just never occurs to me to do so. 

It's not always that way. This week for example we had veggie burgers with a side of roasted brussel sprouts. But last night I made a big spinach salad and after carmelizing the onions, toasting the walnuts, and broiling my own homemade bread crumbs, hell if I was going to put any effort into making a side dish. 

How do you eat at home? Vegetarian or not, do you prepare a main course and side dishes for each meal or do you trend, as I do, toward more one-dish wonders?

Cheers,

Dena

Cooking Early: Pros & Cons

My routine has changed a bit in that this past month I've found myself exercising more in the late afternoons, around 4-5 pm. Since I still do most of my workouts in Greensboro, this means I've been getting home around 6 pm and guess what? The last thing on earth I feel like doing when I'm tired, hot, and sweaty is to stand over a stove and cook a healthy meal. This has meant a lot of PB&J or bad snacking dinners.

My solution? Cook early. I take a break after my morning writing session and, where before I would exercise, now I find myself chopping onions and sauteing mushrooms around 10 am each day. 

The good part is that I love having a meal ready to eat when I come home tired and hungry. I dig into the fridge and bam! Three minutes later food is on the table. 

The down side is that there's something not quite as satisfying as reheating food in the microwave vs. serving it hot from the pan. Also, I find myself doing a LOT of preview "taste testing" of our meals. Eating Black Bean Cocoa Quinoa (sooooo good, btw) and roasted brussel sprouts with garlic and lemon at 10:30 am? Sure! Why not? I'm eating forkfuls of each while standing over the kitchen sink, so the calories from this side meal don't count, right? Right??

Anyway, it feels... I don't know... almost ridiculously luxurious to have the option of cooking the evening meal before I've eaten lunch and sometimes--if I know my day is going to be busy--before I've even had breakfast. 

Does anyone else do their cooking at odd hours? 

Cheers,

Dena