Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Some Unwanted Advice for Your Wednesday

Some Unwanted Advice for Your Wednesday
and, for once, it's from me

So, I have a pattern that I fall into where I eat whatever I want all weekend, vow to eat only organic vegetables all week and have very healthy Mondays and sometimes Tuesdays. Of course, by Wednesday I hardly have time to think about food let alone make myself anything so I start eating out again and by the weekend it's skipped lunches and takeout for dinner.

My mom used to tell me that when she lived in NYC after college she'd make herself a big pot of gazpacho or guacamole every Sunday and then live off of it all week because she couldn't afford anything else. I always thought I'd try it but never really did. Sundays were for not wearing pants or doing much of anything.

But a few weeks ago I had a lot of tomatoes and cucumbers so I thought I'd try it and now I've become one of those women with tiny labelled containers all over her fridge. Seriously. I've taken to it like a fish to water. It's a little alarming. Next I'll have a Filofax and say things like, "let me see if I can pencil you in," unironically. 

But here's a list of some things that I get ready on Sunday and leave in the fridge all week.

Brown rice or whole wheat pasta
Sliced veggies
It sounds stupid, but when I have pre-sliced cucumbers, carrots, onions (not tomatoes because they get gross) along with berries, pre-washed grapes and whatnot, I'm a lot more likely to actually eat them instead of heating up a HotPocket*.

Gazpacho
1 tomato
1 small cucumber
1/2 an onion
1 pepper (optional)
1 clove garlic
Tomato Juice
Salt, pepper, Adobe & hotsauce to taste

Combine in large bowl. Refrigerate. Eat

Garlic Ginger Sauce
My dad and I always asked for extra bowls of this when we went out for Chinese. The version I make is a little thicker and is great on brown rice with broccolli and shrimp or tofu. 

1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 onion, diced
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. minced or mashed
1 T. rice vinegar
1/2 c. soy sauce (to taste)
Olive oil
Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil over medium heat until they're almost transparent. You can add the veggies and tofu/shrimp now if you want or just make the sauce and pour it over them later. Depends how you like them.  Pour in the soy sauce and turn up the heat until it boils. Immeditately reduce heat and add rice vinegar, sugar and ginger. Cook until it smells like a chinese restaurant. 

Curry Sauce/Soup
I just discovered how easy this is. I used to order curry soup so often I didn't even have to ask for extra pineapple- they already knew when I called. This is another great sauce to pour over brown rice with a bunch of veggies (and extra pineapple) or just make it as a soup and eat it with noodles. 

2.5 T Curry Paste
1 can light coconut milk
Ghee, butter, or olive oil
Sliced onions
Sliced veggies
Fresh or canned pineapple

For soup: 
thai noodles
1.5 c. ish chicken broth

Saute the onions in the ghee until they're soft. Add the curry paste and cook until it coats the onions, being careful not to burn it. Slowly add the coconut milks and cook until it's fully mixed. Simmer for 5 minutes. In the meantime, if you're making soup, cook the noodles. Then add the chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes. If you want, you can then add veggies and simmer them, or just pour it over. 

Miso Soup
I actually eat this for breakfast with greens and a poached egg if I'm feeling really healthy. 
1 t. Miso
Chives
Greens
Boil water. Add miso, stir in. Immediately add greens and, if desired, egg, and reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. 
Rice and Beans
I've never actually made these and I don't have a recipe but it just struck me as a good idea. Aren't I helpful? 

 *HotPockets are amazing. Why did no one tell me about them in college?

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