Summer vacation brings a lot of fun activities with the family. This week we made it to the $1 movies, the Riverbanks Zoo, the library, the pool, etc. T-ball was supposed to start this week but it got rained out. I am still on schedule and going strong in the gym. Beth is training to run in the Peachtree and playing tennis. So what do we eat when we are busy and don't have the time to make dinner from scratch?
Of course we would rather eat a meal where all the food is fresh and unprocessed. It just tastes better and keeps you feeling tip top. But for most of us, we have jobs, family, and hobbies that impact our schedules and don't allow us the time to make a full meal. So here is the low down on one of my favorite, quick fix, vegetarian meals.
If you only have 10 minutes to cook and eat before you are out the door, this is a great way to go. Pop the naan in the oven to warm up so its soft and chewy, the eggplant heats up in 90 seconds and it is aromatic and flavorful without being spicy, and the rice adds depth and makes the meal filling. I usually get all this in the international section of my local Food Lion, you can get everything for about $7. Tasty Bite makes many other vegetarian meals with potatoes, spinach, chickpeas, and lentils that are good but the eggplant is the best. If you are on the go this summer, try to keep this meal in mind. The eggplant and rice will keep for a while in your pantry so it something to keep on hand if you are in a rush and want something meatless and delicious. Half the bag of eggplant, half the bag of rice, and half a loaf of naan will put you at 560 calories.
Eat smart people!
Otto
For those of us that still can't give up meat (and more importantly hot dogs and bacon)but still want to avoid the ills of Food.inc, I've found a nice middle ground for those highly processed foods. Applegate farms (www.applegatefarms.com) makes organic, grass fed, nitrite/nitrate free and antibiotic free processed foods. Basically these guys are giving the processed foods we grew up on a good name again. Ive had the hotdogs and they are now a staple. I get their stuff at trader joes, but I think they are carried by most grocery stores. Go to the web site, type in your zip, and it will tell you where their stuff is on the shelf.
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