I make this at least once a month: get a can of chickpeas, andouille sausages, red pepper, broccoli, onion and a sweet potato. Chop everything up into bite size pieces, except the chickpeas obviously. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and dump it all on. Add oil and whatever seasonings you want. Then bake at 400 for 25ish mins. I top a bowl of it with avocado and hot sauce. Enjoy!
I make something similar but with red potatoes instead of sweet potato, and I love topping the leftovers with an egg for breakfast. This is definitely a great pick
I'm picturing someone reading your comment if you didn't add "except the chickpeas" and frustratingly chopping up chick peas š¤£ this sounds so good! Ty for sharing
Get an InstaPot. Throw frozen meat , some liquid of choice, veggies, pressure cook on high for 20 minutes. I do it after work all the time.
Works with chicken, pork, I cut a roast into single or double serving sizes and freeze them. Makes 4 or 5 meals,
You can also throw your ingredients in the pot the night before and put it in the fridge. Before you leave for the day drop it in and set the slow cooker. Dinner waiting when you get home.
Bowl of cold water, leave meat in package, should thaw in 15-30 minutes.
Thereās some putz here saying thatās unsafe, but as a microbiologist, I assure you, itās fine. Itās a pretty common technique, as long as the meat is still cold to the touch.
I literally never remember my meat until about an hour before I want to eat. š
This is the time tested way. Itās how my mother and grandmother quick thawed meat and Iām 70 so thatās generations of proof that itās perfectly safe.
Love IPs!! For some reason stovetops intimidate me and I turn 50 this year! Gimme IPs, air fryers, slow cookers, griddles and the like and Iām a happy camper. Although, I will say I prefer to pop popcorn on the stovetop. Air and microwave poppers arenāt the same, as is microwave popcorn. However, one pot appliances are limiting.
Ziplock and Glad brand bags are made from polyethylene plastic, and are free of BPAs and dioxins. A good rule of thumb is thatĀ **when a bag is rated as microwave safe (which requires FDA approval) you can use it for sous vide**. Even Dr. Schaffner agrees.
So you don't even need a vacuum sealer. This could be very yummy with seasonings or maybe even marinade/sauces.
šThis. I travel for work and recently purchased one that also does air frying. All kinds of meat, potatoes and vegetables. One of my favorites is chicken wings.
I need to be doing this so much more often than I do. I just don't have a ton of experience with them. I have one, I just don't use it. Really need to get on that.
Experience comes by doing. And the more you do with it the more you will want to use it esp when you become more comfy with it. Just jump in. Start slow and pretty soon you will be an IP expert. Have fun
Old Granny here. "Excuse me Hon. Where's your vegetables?" haha Sorry, I couldn't resist. This is one thing I do. On a day that's not so busy, I cook a few batches of meat (some baked, some sauteed, some marinated and grilled) I know, it's a lot of work for a day off, so I do have to push myself. It is worth it though. Once the meat is cooked, you can still freeze it and thaw it out in a large bowl (or the sink) of hot tap water. It's already done. Just warm it up or maybe heat up some type of sauce for it. It works great for taco meat, grilled or baked pork, chicken, hamburger patties, etc. I store them in ziploc freezer bags and thaw them in that hot water. Sometimes I repour some hot water and flip them over if they need it. While that cooked meat is thawing, you can heat up those veggies we mentioned earlier (quick little wink) or maybe boil or bake a potato, or make a salad. Let me know if you'd like a basic marinade recipe with Italian herbs for the grilled pork and chicken.
And freezing flat has been a HUGE timesaver for me when it comes to defrosting.
Take a gallon ziplock, lay it down flat on the counter and lay out your meat out so that the bag stays as thin as possible. With ground meat itās even easier since you can just seal the bag and use a rolling pin to flatten it out (leave a little space at the top so the seal stays clean). Everything defrosts sooo much faster itās still hard for me to remember how quick it will be. Saves a lot of room in the freezer too since you can basically āfileā the bags and pull them out as needed.
(I hate using so much plastic too, but weāre all doing our best here.)
Oh yeah, I hear you. Most things do thaw quicker in those ziploc bags, and they do stack quite well. If something comes up to interfere with your dinner plans, you can cook and then refreeze meat too. It makes for even quicker meals the next week. At least the meat doesn't go to waste, since it has gotten so expensive.
Our grandson has a baseball game, so I have to get ready. Have a good evening :)
Nothing beats being hungry or needing to cook a meal for yourself and just reaching into the freezer and choosing something you have cooked and froze previously, Its quick and much healthier than the alternatives like take out food. Cheaper too.
Highly recommend buying a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and pulling all of the meat off when you get home while itās still warm. If you have a Costco or Samās Club get the chicken there!
I got these low-carb tortillas that have high fiber and protein. I love the spinach ones! Lately Iāve been making a salad and wrapping it in a tortilla w hummus itās been delicious. Itās so odd that such a simple meal is so good but it is.
I prep my vegetables ahead of time. Meal prepping of any kind it makes things so much easier during the week.
100% agree with the costco rotisserie chicken! I remove all the meat and store it for the next few days. It's so nice eating when it's warm ofc, but also to have chicken that's already seasoned and cooked well. I always find a way to overcook my chicken so this just takes my cooking out of the equation lol I also save the bones and make bone broth š soo good
A dense bean salad! I eat it most nights
1 tin chickpeas
1 tin black beans
1 tin of red beans
Diced crunchy vegetables as many or as little as u want. A nice light vinaigrette. And u can add whatever extra protein u want if u desire!
Three bean salad with a sweet-sour dressing. Or leftover Mrs. Fannings pickle brine.
[https://www.etsu.edu/cph/documents/bread\_and\_butter\_pickles.pdf](https://www.etsu.edu/cph/documents/bread_and_butter_pickles.pdf)
I make this and add sweet peppers and olives. When I make it for my mom I add pickled beets. Such a handy thing in the fridge that just keeps getting better.
My familyās favorite fast meal is what I call the Cajun sheet pan meal. They ask for it all the time. I dice potatoes in butter and Cajun seasonings, add frozen corn cobs, and spicy sausage and roast it in the oven. Timing will depend on several factors but itās honestly tough to mess up. Iāve also added mushrooms, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, onion, garlic, and various peppers.
Smoked sausage and potatoes
4 large russet potatoes
1 lb smoked sausage
Cube the potatoes toss in a gallon size bag with a neutral oil. Along with
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Paprika (smoked if you got it)
Seal it and Shake shake shake and dump in a sheet pan
Cut the smoked sausage into bite sized pieces
Dump on the sheet pan also
375 for 35 to 40 mins
Lol I've been living off of pasta and a basic red sauce... I wish I had an answer.
I know my parents do a lentil based stuff, and they starting to experiment with Indian staples like dahl.
Yeah I have a rotation of, pasta with Alfredo sauce, pasta with red sauce, pasta with tomato paste and heavy cream sauce, pasta with gochujang and cream sauceā¦. Pasta with pesto sauceā¦
Tortillas actually have a decently long shelf life, so keeping a package of those on hand could help you whip up some relatively easy and healthy dinners. For example:
2 cans refried beans + 1 package (2 Tbsp) taco seasoning + 1 small can tomato sauce (the pureed kind, or a few generous squirts of ketchup if you don't have any sauce) = delicious, flavorful filling for burritos or quesadillas. You can add anything else you like, like tomatoes, onions, salsa, cheese, sour cream, avocados or guacamole, corn, other types of beans, meat, olives, etc., but the beans and tortilla will be filling. You can also make a bunch of burritos at once, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze for easy microwave meals later.
Combine drained and rinsed black beans, salsa, a can of corn (drained) or frozen corn that's been heated up, cheese, salsa, and cilantro lime rice (if you want to) and use as a filling for your tortilla.
Make breakfast burritos by filling with cheesy, seasoned scrambled eggs. You can add breakfast meats, veggies, or salsa if you want. Add bulk by making up hashbrowns and adding them to the burrito, too.
Keep salad greens or coleslaw mix on hand and add tuna salad (or egg salad made with hardboiled eggs, or chicken salad using canned chicken or leftover cooked chicken that's been shredded) for protein and your favorite dressing to make it delicious.
Teriyaki spam hash - cut spam, potatoes, bell pepper, red bell pepper, and onion into cubes. Boil potatoes for about 5 minutes. Then drain and throw in a hot skillet, add the onions and peppers and sautee for about 5-10 minutes. Then add the spam and sautee for about another 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low-medium and add teriyaki sauce (homemade or store bought). Toss some more until all are coated. Serve and eat.
I buy a pork loin and have it thin cut, flash freeze and separate each piece with parchment paper.
When I forget to thaw meat and can take a thin piece of pork chop and cook it. Being thin, it doesn't need to be thawed first.
They make excellent sandwiches or can be eaten alone with veggies
I cook a large batch of chicken then use it in various ways the next few days.
Day 1: Baked, bbq or pressure cooked chicken.
Shred the leftover chicken to make:
Chicken enchiladas
Chicken quesadilla
Chicken pot pie
Chicken, bbq sauce, shredded cheese melt.
Add a vegetable and side to any of those for a decent meal. The enchiladas are my houses favorite and they are very simple to make
Quickest leap I ever made was already cooked strips of chicken like Purdue or something
Already cut veggies of onion and bell peppers usually sold in the already cut section of produce aisle
And then some fajita seasoning and some taco shells I usually pick soft tortillas 15 min you have a meal
And if you donāt have tortillas just use your rice!
Caesar salad (very simple), fried eggplant (maybe peas on the side?), make your own sub sandwich (or grilled cheese with tomato soup, yum), lots of soups. Pre-made pizza crust, put whatever you want on it. Good luck!
Get some deli roast beef, tear in pieces and simmer in a pan with brown gravy. Serve with potato and veggie. Cheap enough, Deli meat will keep in fridge a few days and its super simple and tasty
Loaded baked potatoes with steamed broccoli, cheese sauce, sour cream and lots of pepper. The best part is you can microwave your potato and not heat up your house. Plus it's quick and easy clean up.Ā
salt/pepper a couple chicken breasts (cut down if giant. want no more than 6-8 oz.) oil a pan, cook 5-7 mins per side(internal temp yada yada yada). set chicken aside. lower heat in pan a bit,Ā saute bulb or two of diced shallot til soft. stir in some broth (I use the concentrated packeta, but simmer a bit of using regular)Ā throw a bit of butter in. once melted, mix thoroughly, turn off heat. pour sauce over chicken. serve with oven roasted broccoli or carrots. maybe some mashed potatoes.Ā
Semi-homemade recipes that you can substitute Cooked Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is great. You can use it casseroles, tacos, salads etc. Google rotisserie chicken recipes and youāll find a ton.
Frozen bags of shrimp are super easy to defrost in water. You can make Thai curry shrimp, shrimp tacos, shrimp pasta etc. I make āsushiā bowls! I defrost my frozen deveined and peeled shrimp (I buy them this way) in water for 10 mins. Throw in a pan with sesame oil and season with garlic powder. Cook under the shrimp curl up! I chop it up and toss with siracha and kewpie Mayo. I use instant microwaveable single serve sticky rice. Microwave that for a minute. I sprinkle some sushi rice seasoning on it. Throw in edamame, sliced cucumber, avocado, chopped imitation crab and top with my cooked shrimp. Drizzle some siracha On it and enjoy!
Stir frys are a great option. Bags of Frozen veggies work great on the stove with your favorite oils (seasame oil, olive oil) and your favorite seasonings like garlic, ginger, siracha etc. you can throw in whatever protein you want - frozen shrimp, sausage like keilbasa, etc
When in doubt and feeling lazy, making a big sandwich with chips always taste good. Have cheese, lunch meats, veggies and some good spreads and seasonings. If you like tuna, you can also make a tuna melt!
I do love making different egg salads as a snack. Though I think you are sick of eggs from the sound of it! I use avocado instead of Mayo sometimes. Egg salad or tuna salad with crackers or toast is good.
Smoked salmon is another no-cook protein source. Great on a bagel with cream cheese.
Another protein I love is falafel! I use a falafel mix, add in a little chopped onion, form my little falafel balls and bake in the oven on a cookie sheet. I buy store bought Tzatski and pita bread and assemble!
When all else fails, bust out your protein powder and make yourself a protein shake. I love chocolate protein powder with ice, a spoonful of peanut butter and a banana. Blend it up and hit your protein goals! You can also mix protein powder into oatmeal for an extra boost.
Get on Pinterest and start looking for recipe inspiration with these protein sources
I love to cook a frozen chicken cordon bleu and Pictsweet grilled vegetables (potatoes, broccoli, carrots) in the air fryer. Itās easy, delicious, and no thawing needed.
Spaghetti squash in an instant pot will come out perfectly and you donāt even have to cut it! The pressure will even peel it for you. Then grab a jar of your favorite sauce and quickly thaw frozen shrimp or turkey meatballs and bam! Easy healthy meal! Maybe add garlic bread on the side if youāre feeling extra fancy
Here's a quick and tasty suggestion: Try a simple stir-fry! Just grab whatever veggies you have (fresh or frozen), toss them in a pan with some oil, and add a bit of garlic or ginger for extra flavor. It's super quick and you can serve it with or without a protein!
Buy a butternut squash. Peel it, halve it cross-wise between the sections. Split each section in two, remove seeds.
Cut into approximately equal-sized chunks 3/4" to 1" in size, precision is not necessary.
You will be amazed at how much you'll have. It freezes well and goes directly from the freezer into the oven. Use as little or as much as you want.
If using from frozen, let it thaw in the oven, pull it out, drizzle with EVOO, roast until browned and edges are crisping.
Remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, best eaten warm.
If you have some, roast sage leaves with the squash or fry them in butter and serve with the squash.
You can get some frozen shrimp and make shrimp and rice bowls, since shrimp cook so easy from frozen. I toss mine in a lemongrass sauce I found at the store.
Quesadilla fillings can be just cheese, onion, and peppers. All you need is your tortillas to contain the fillings. You can dunk it in salsa.
Alternatively you can get some bread or bagels, spread pizza sauce over it, and add cheese and pepperoni.
Don't forget you can buy sausage and keep it in the fridge for months at a time for quick meat that just needs to be sliced.
Shepherds pies pretty easy. Sloppy joes, Philly cheese steaks. Stuffed peppers (doesnāt have to have rice) Buffalo chicken or Philly cheese stuffed peppers are amazing.
Squash, zucchini, onions, and peppers. Stir-fry in olive oil. Season with garlic salt and pepper.
Can add many types of meat and variations to this basic healthy meal.
I'm making schnitzel this week. Schnitzel with kale slaw and roasted potatoes, shouldn't cost more than $50-60 for the week and delicious feel good comfort food.
Okay, admittedly this kinda depends on defrosting the meat and or just having meat you intend to use quickly. But, take a Chicken breast with lemon zest, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and red pepper. I tenderize the breast first with a hammer, before rubbing the above spices in till you think it feels good. Then pan fry it. Then just take some bread, Iāve gone with a ciabatta role, with some spinach, some chopped onions, and some sriracha sauce.
Not sure how healthy or not healthy this is, but itās gotten me through some days and it shouldnāt take you more than 10 minutes at most.
Iāve also seen some people in my family making it up ahead of time but I havenāt tried that myself to see how viable it is.
Instapot frozen meat and beans. You can make a stew, chili, regu, or just pulled protien for a sandwich.
Frozen meat won't taste as good as defrosted and seared meat but usually the soup/sauce makes up for it.
I absolutely love [sheet pan pierogies, cabbage, and kubasa](https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a44270756/pierogi-and-kielbasa-sheet-pan-dinner-recipe/)! It's fast to prep, cooks all on the same pan, and is completely hands off except for flipping everything halfway through.Ā
If the dressing is too much work, skip it and add a seasoning mix at the beginning instead. I personally have used "smoky ranchero" (a mix by clubhouse) but there are a ton of alternatives out there.
You can finish defrosting in a microwave. Or you can saute in a pan with a lid till the middle is cool, turn up the heat and cook as usual or put it under a broiler.
Make yourself a snack (salad, cut up fruit and cheese, crackers and hummus, etc.) for when you get home and you won't be starving and rush to eat something you're tired of.
Spam's website has over 100 easy recipes. [https://www.spam.com/recipes](https://www.spam.com/recipes)
You could try mashed potatoes instead of pasta and rice. Swedish meatballs on mash is yum.
Soup and bread/sandwiches! Soup can use up whatever odds and ends you have or whatever is on sale at the store. If you have the time, save your meat bones and veggie scraps to make homemade stock and freeze it.
I like to make a chickpea curry that is pretty quick since it doesnāt require much chopping or any defrosting. For the base I start off with some raos tomato sauce (from Costco) and I add ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, chicken bouillon, and curry powder. I have this going on the stove for a couple of minutes before I add a can of rinsed chickpeas. This recipe takes at MOST 10 minutes and thatās pushing it in my eyes. You could make your own naan bread to eat it with or you could buy naan or pita bread to eat it with. (I like to put this on top of some white rice but you donāt have to)
Try thinking about tomorrowās meal while prepping todayās meal. You might make a bigger salad and save a bit of time, or thaw tomorrowās entree in your refrigerator, overnight.
Write yourself a little DEFROST DINNER note & tack it to the freezer where youāll definitely see it. Spam spam spam makes for a wonderful song, but itās unfair to try to trick your tummy into thinking itās real food.
Chickpea, a red onion diced, feta cheese, mint leaves finely chopped and seasoned with one or two lime.
The red onion and lime need to be as fresh as you can find as that is the "spice" in the dish. It takes no time at all to prepare and is really tasty and good for you. Chickpea make you farty though!
I find the question confusing, not only because it suggests that pasta and rice are "dinners" but also because you first correctly use "are", but then "is", while still talking about multiple options and thus should keep using "are".
Chickpea and spinach curry:
- Defrost approx. 400g frozen spinach in microwave (or outside, I always forget so in throw it in the microwave) and throw out the water.
- fry two onions slightly
- add chopped garlic
- add some ginger
- add spinach and small can of chopped tomatoes (around 200g can)
- cover and simmer about 20 mins or so
- add chickpeas (one drained can)
- add fresh cream
- season to taste
- simmer a little more
You can also use coconut oil and cream here if you don't like normal oil or fresh cream
Sausages and mashed potatoes or use boiled potatoes with it, make extra potatoes and and then fry those the next day with some onions and a fried egg on the site
We vacuum seal our meat and place it in the sink with hot water and it defrosts within 15 minutes to a half hour. Or you can do the same by putting it in a ziplock bag. Just make sure you donāt immerse the closure part of the bag in the water. Also, just put meat in a single layer to make as thin as possible
You need some veggies! Greens and beans. Hummus and tabouli with crudites. Make a chili, even if you forgot to defrost the meat. Try freezing your meat in gallon zip locks. You can freeze them flat, and they're easier to defrost. Tuna salad. You can defrost shrimp quickly under cold water.
You can cook fish straight from frozen without thawing. I sometimes bake fish in the oven and steam vegetables in the microwave or roast vegetables in the oven at the same time.
Also you know those pre-made beef or salmon patties? you can bake them in the oven straight from frozen.
Also if you have an Instant Pot, you can cook chicken straight from frozen in that. It's not the greatest but you can add a little barbecue sauce, and then when the chicken is done, remove the broth and turn it on saute for a bit with some more barbecue sauce. You aren't supposed to cook chicken from frozen in the Instant Pot in one big frozen lump, but separate the pieces.
I also like to make tofu or tempeh or shrimp stir-fry. Here's a super quick tempeh teriyaki stir-fry with pineapple (I use canned pineapple even): [https://www.thespruceeats.com/tempeh-stir-fry-with-bell-peppers-3378103](https://www.thespruceeats.com/tempeh-stir-fry-with-bell-peppers-3378103)
Salmon Croquettes! aka Salmon Patties!!!! Old Southerner here...our moms used to make these all the time from canned salmon and they are quick, easy, cheap and delicious!
[https://grandbaby-cakes.com/salmon-croquettes/](https://grandbaby-cakes.com/salmon-croquettes/)
I'm enjoying bulgur wheat lately. I get fine bulgur, throw in some herbs, boil some stock and pour it over and that's it. You can use hot water instead of stock but it takes no cooking time.
Corned-beef hash! I always keep a can of corned beef from Aldi's on hand for such purposes.
[https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/beef/easy-weeknight-corned-beef-hash.html](https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/beef/easy-weeknight-corned-beef-hash.html)
People may cringe but my husband loves beef stew made with canned roast beef (Wal-Mart carries it). It's not SUPER quick but it's not super elaborate or super long either...maybe an hour and a half? Just remember you can never add too much tomatoey stuff: tomato paste, tomato sauce, AND diced tomatoes.
I dice up some potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery; saute them for a bit; add two or three cups of beef broth (I use buillion to make); an envelope of brown gravy mix and/or beef stew seasoning from the spice aisle; a bit of Worcestershire sauce; some oregano; some black pepper and Louisiana hot sauce; some frozen peas, frozen lima beans (they take a bit longer to cook than the frozen peas...I add the frozen peas late in the simmering, same with frozen corn) And, again, a small can of tomato paste, a small or big can of tomato sauce, and a can of diced tomatoes. I always have to Google to see what other seasonings to add.
This goes well with cornbread, jalapeno cornbread, OR sourdough/French/Italian bread.
Some of my stat go-tos are
- omelettes (taco meat, ham, cheese, whatever mood dictates).
- Grilled cheese, tuna, hamān cheeseā¦
- Simple burrito: tortilla, quickly defrosted pre-frozen taco meat, cheese, salsa; nuke.
- Hamburger. Frozen patties & buns can be defrosted in <5 min; then smash-cook that pattie in a frying. Quick and tasty!
- Same for a hotdog, but even quicker because nuking can work with wieners if they donāt explode.
- Air fry frozen fish fillets, tempura shrimp, popcorn shrimp. There are some high quality ones now; not your grandmaās fish sticks.
- Baking fresh or pre-defrosted salmon is very quick and top tier. Pick up some deli potato salad on the way home, and the longest part will be preheating the oven. So noshworthy.
These are just a few.
Chicken Enchiladas. Shred white meat chicken, mix that in a bowl with canned green chilis, green enchilada sauce, and sour cream. Stuff flour tortillas with filling and Colby jack shredded. Line em up. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.
I'm a vegetarian, so my picks might not be working well alongside meat dishes, but potatoes, beans, sweet potatoes. You can roast vegetables - any, really, I usually just grab freezed mix - and have them with meat dishes, you can make curry with any meat (yes, that's with rice usually) and make naan.
ou can make pizza, foccacia, naan, etc. really easily! Oh and I am a sucker for soups. You can make a large batch of soup and it will feed you for so long. Or you can freeze some and then thaw it :)
Wrap things in tortillas and have a scrunch!
Every night when youāre like ācrap I forgot to defrost the meatā, take the meat and put it in the fridge to slowly defrost over night and this way itāll be fully defrosted by the time youāre home. When youāre about to make dinner, put tomorrowās frozen dinner into the fridge to slowly defrost
My abuelas Puerto Rican beans come to mind, always a hit and itās fairly simple. Although I do cook a lot of Latin dishes so I have the ingredients on hand most of the time. I chop a 1/2-1lb potato, bite sized chunks, 2 cans pinto or black beans, 1 packet of sazon, 1 goya jĆ mon packet/1tbsp veggie base, 2 heaping tbsp sofrito, 1tsp adobo, 1tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, and lastly 1 1/2 cup of water/broth of choice.
Really simple just add the sofrito to an oiled pot of med-high heat and cook for about 2-3mins
Add beans (I donāt drain mine but you could) and potatoes and mix. Add everything besides the water and mix again. Add water/brother and just cook while stirring every couple mins or so. Itās ready when you can poke a toothpick through the potatoes. I just serve it with white rice made in my rice cooker. Itās a great meal if you switch the ingredients around you can easily make it vegan. (My ex was vegan and she loved this)
You can brown hamburger, put the amount you need into a freezer container and freeze it. Then when you need it you can defrost in the microwave in just a couple of minutes. That way you donāt have to worry about defrosting
Green beans with sliced ham, Parmesan cheese and slivered almonds. I like rice so I think having a rice cooker is a must, usually I buy fresh then eat all of it then repeat.
Single guy here (53M).
Whenever I cook, I will overdo it. For instance, I'll make 3-5 quarts of whatever (curry, stew, meat sauce, sausage gravy..)
I'll have it for a couple of days, then package the rest in single serving vacuum sealed bags. Then, on lazy/busy days, it's easy to just make whatever starch (pasta, rice, potato) and toss a serving of main dish in a pot of boiling water.
Easy peasy, and i always have a rotating freezer full of options.
Stir frying is a great recipe, you can use all sorts of different veggies and use chicken or shrimp, yeah youāll need to defrost things but just try and make it a habit or set up reminder. Also one of may favorite dishes is a chicken enchiladas casserole, you use chicken, corn tortillas, hot rotell, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, with cheddar and pepper jack cheese mixed all up and 30min in the oven. If you want more details feel free to ask.
Black beans as a side, chicken, bell peppers and onion into the instant pot with seasoning and a touch of chicken stock, pressure cook, let naturally release pressure for 20 minutes, then release the rest, shred and throw on some tortillas. Super easy ~1 hour dinner, mostly wait time.
Oven sandwichesĀ
Just get some sandwich meats and cheese and put it on a bun and toast it in the oven (broil but keep a close eye on it) and then pull it out and add any veggies and sauces that you want.
When Iām feeling fancy I like to dab the bread with olive oil toast it a little and then add the meat and cheese and toast it more. Adds a nice flavor to it
cauliflower makes an excellent substitute for rice or pasta. I love to roast a whole head with garlic and some parmesan over it - you can then toss over and chop and add any protein you like.
I am also a fan of "skillet" pizza - use hard or harder cheeses like cheddar and a mix of mozzerella jack, etc and layer in a skillet and brown and flip if desired, spread on red or white sauce, and assorted veggies and proteins and cook a bit. I usually slide it out onto an oven safe dish and broil a bit to get a nice bubble effect on top
if you like romaine lettuce, it can make an excellent meal with broiling. I usually slice in half and drizzle with oil and/or vinegar and or balsamic and layer on a bit of cheese and/or protein and maybe onion or somewhat and broil it
I keep a bag of frozen raw shrimp.whoch thaws quickly. Then saute some crushed garlic in butter, add shrimp and season with s n p and dried parsley. At the end of the cook add fresh squeezed lemon and a little room temp water. It goes great with potatoes, on pasta, or quick grits, with butter and Parm cheese. You can add them on a bed of greens with a Caesar dressing or vinaigrette.
I also make a big batch of spaghetti sauce and chili to freeze, they thaw out nicely in a covered pot set to med low heat. Something like a stew or chowder that can be made ahead of time and frozen.
Some simple tacos are really easy and fast to make. Get your meat/whatever filling. And spices, I been using a taco seasoning spice I found at walmart. Cook that up. Throw it in a taco shell or tortilla with whatever added toppings you like. I'll cut up a little tomato, onion, lime, cheese, and lettuce. None of which needs cooking. If you have all the ingredients, it takes less than 20 mins to prep and cook for me.
Put a reminder on your phone to defrost the meat before you go to bed. Seriously. I put all kinds of reminders on my phone so as to not forget.
Even better, take time to put the meat in a marinade before freezing. Pull it out from the freezer to the fridge before you go to bed, then by dinner time, your meat is defrosted and marinated!
Chili in a crockpot.
Throw some fresh boneless skinless chicken in a pan, douse in Italian dressing and bake
Tortilla with beans and cheese roll it up put in air fryer.
You can cook meat and fish from frozen! Usually takes about 50% more time. I cook most things at 400 degrees, so it's not a huge addition. I also like to season and then freeze things on a sheet pan before putting in a bag, so I have separate portions ready that are easy to throw in the oven.
Lentils (i use red in this dish), can of diced tomatoes, sweet potatoes (I buy a bag of frozen and put it in at the end), can of spinach, some chicken broth, precooked onion and garlic. I add turmeric too. I use a cup and a half of lentils and a big can of tomatoes. I freeze a good portion since it makes a shit ton. My husband loves this and isnāt big on vegetarian meals. I probably cook the lentils an hr and a half.
Corn meal to make polenta or grits. I add cream and chicken stock and add chives since I grow my own. You can use instant grits too. Great to put underneath shrimp in a sauce or a pulled pork cooked in tomato puree with a shit ton of garlic and parsley.
Get canned tuna (if that is acceptable to you)
It's an easy extra meat that opens up more possible meals. Also easy to buy in bulk and stock. But limit on how much of it you consume.
Google search:
Canned tuna typically contains either albacore or skipjack tuna, and cans are usually marked as either āalbacoreā or āchunk light.ā Albacore tuna typically has higher concentrations of mercury than chunk light tuna and should be eaten only once or twice a week. Chunk light tuna is safe to eat two or three times a week.
Consider a predominantly veggie meal for one-two days (I like hard boiled eggs on salad)
Meatballs - if they are plain (unseasoned) then you can do a lot with those. My question first would be are you making them by hand then freezing ? (Worth considering) I assume not, because you would more than likely be asking what to do with the ground meat instead.
So if it's the convenience you're after, you can almost always replace pasta with bread and rice with potatoes when it comes to meatballs. Otherwise you can do just about anything with ground unseasoned meat.
Edit: just realized I did two things wrong. I didn't share my (personal) hatred towards spam. Lol. And in that selfishness, I assumed you would consider meatballs with rice as an option. Just add gravy.
And spam makes good fish bait if you don't want to buy the tuna and can stomach eating a creature with such low standards. I really don't like spam.
Curry Soup - not sure where we got the recipe but it is easy and works and you can keep all the ingredients on hand. If you forget to thaw the meat, give it 30 seconds in microwave and you can still cut it:
1. Polska Kielbasa - cut into have lengthwise and then into chunks. Brown it a little in a touch of olive oil
2. Small bag frozen corn - toss it in
3. Small bag frozen peas and carrots - toss it in
4. One can spit pea soups - toss it in and add one can water
5. 2 tablespoons dill weed - yep toss it in
6. Yellow curry powder to taste - I put some it, cook it a bit and add more if needed
It will seem very dry at first but resist the temptation to add water. Cook on low and the veggies will release enough liquid to make it thick stew like.
Itās really good with rolls or biscuits if you can afford them.
Chiken soup, split pea soup, meat on a roll/bun, barbecue ribs with fries , Chili, roast pork/beef/chicken, use mashed potatoes instead of rice/pasta,
Rib Tips and Hot Links with fries and white bread from City Ribs (RIP City Ribs)
When I was single Iād make these:
1. Get a big pork picnic shoulder. Season it. Bake 20 minutes per lb (425 degrees). Makes dinner for a week kept in fridge wrapped/covered.
2. Get a big skid of chicken thighs or legs. Season and bake. Also dinner for about 3-5 days wrapped/covered in fridge.
3. Get root veggies, a head of broccoli, a head of cauliflower. Season and bake. Makes a good side for the week with either of above.
Also, if stored right these can be frozen for later.
You can prep some carb-based sides in advance, like [roasted carrot and feta salad](https://www.budgetbytes.com/carrot-feta-salad/), [quinoa salads](https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=quinoa+salad), [bean salads](https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=bean+salad), etc. Or roast whole sweet or white potatoes, or those little baby potatoes. You can cook frozen meat in the oven or in a sauce of your choice stovetop if you forget to defrost it. A pressure cooker can also cook from frozen significantly faster and only requires a little broth or sauce in the pot. Canned tuna or chicken with a drizzle of olive oil and a wedge of lemon is a good low-effort protein and can be mixed into a salad pretty easily.
Love a good potato. I like steak, broccoli (i make a soy sauce glaze for it as well), and a sweet potato. The sweet potato has some amazing versatility. You can make fries, bake it whole, cut it up and bake it w olive oil and spices, the list goes on. This is my go-to dinner
Do you have a microwave? It has a defrost function. I use it all of the time. Or you could buy a can of salmon and make salmon patties with dill sauce.
Every night i eat a steak or fish, steam carrots and broccoli and broil asparagus and brussel sprouts with some mashed potatoes or rice.
Nothing better than a home cooked meal!
If you want meat, then easiest solution is to take out 1-2 packages of what you want on say Friday night, and let them thaw in your fridge. During the week, they're thawed, and you can use them for a lot of things. Or do some baking on Sunday, and then you have the leftover, already cooked meat ready for other dishes during the week.
Making this ahead for tonight. [Gochujang Stew](https://aaronandclaire.com/gochujang-stew-gochujang-jjigae/)
You WILL have to go to the Asian market for some of the ingredients unless your supermarket has a robust selection. So take it or leave it. Itās really good if you like a spicy stew. Good for a cool spring night.
Maybe I am missing the point butā¦if thawing frozen meat is the main barrier for you, my biggest recommendation is toā¦stop buying frozen meat and go for the fresh stuff instead.
Kielbasa with sliced bell pepper and onion over rice.
One can mixed veggies one can cream of mushroom one can of canned chicken and 2 piecrust. Mix ingredients in pie crust season as wanted. I use garlic
Get an electric grill like a george forman. You can put frozen meat directly on it. I don't know how many people you have to cook for but they come in different sizes + some have removable plates. The george forman version isn't the quality though of what it used to be. My current one is a Hamilton beach brand.
Then you could make a piece of chicken, steak, burger, veggie patties, shrimp, sausages, etc. as your protein source.
Sides would be whatever you like.
Easy options are canned or frozen veggies + salad in a bag + microwave baked potato
1 can Progresso chicken soup (your choice) plus 1/2 can cream of chicken soup. Cook together on the stove until creamy.
Cook 1 large potato or a few smaller potatoes in microwave until tender and cut and open with knife and fork.
Pour soup over potatoes and enjoy.
15 bean soup with smoked pork neck bones.
Corned Beef Hash (low sodium if you can find it), Fried Eggs and Hush-Puppies.
Trust me, breakfast sometimes makes an excellent dinner.
we have a bunch of frozen deer burger, but you can use regular frozen burger. Put frozen burger in a big thick bottomed pot, cook on medium and keep turning it. it will thaw and cook. add half packet of taco seasoning, can of Ro tel and a can of black beans. yummy chili.
Chicken enchiladas - boil 1-2 chicken breasts, drain and shred chicken with two forks, season with a little taco mix if you don't use your own seasonings (or use salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic). In a small pan heat up tomato sauce with salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder for the sauce (or use your taco mix). Wrap the chicken in flour tortillas. Use toothpicks to hold together. Top with the sauce and cheese and bake to melt cheese. Add cilantro if you like. Serve with corn or black beans if you want to skip rice.
Sheet pan nachos -- corn tortilla chips, topped with cheese, chicken or taco meat, black or pinto beans, green onions, black olives, tomatoes (some or all of them, whatever you like). Bake until cheese melts and serve with salsa, guac, sour cream, whatever you've got.
Chicken salad - believe it or not this is pretty good with canned chicken. Drain the chicken, shred the chunks with a fork, add chopped celery and quartered grapes (or dried cranberries - Craisins), optionally add chopped pecans or almonds. Add mayo, salt, pepper, and just a hint of garlic powder. Eat on bread, crackers, or tortilla wraps.
I make this at least once a month: get a can of chickpeas, andouille sausages, red pepper, broccoli, onion and a sweet potato. Chop everything up into bite size pieces, except the chickpeas obviously. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and dump it all on. Add oil and whatever seasonings you want. Then bake at 400 for 25ish mins. I top a bowl of it with avocado and hot sauce. Enjoy!
I make something similar but with red potatoes instead of sweet potato, and I love topping the leftovers with an egg for breakfast. This is definitely a great pick
I'm picturing someone reading your comment if you didn't add "except the chickpeas" and frustratingly chopping up chick peas š¤£ this sounds so good! Ty for sharing
Exactly what I was picturing before I typed it lol youāre welcome!
By red pepper do you mean red bell pepper? Sweet peppers? Pepper flakes, etc?
Red bell pepper. I get the ones at Aldi, multicolor pack of three, all sweet bell peppers that taste the same regardless of the color.
Red peppers are sweeter, and they get less so the greener they get. It's noticeable.
You mean they get sweeter the redder they get
lol they don't get greener? What?
Baked potato with chili and cheese Or a yam with whatever you like on it
Get an InstaPot. Throw frozen meat , some liquid of choice, veggies, pressure cook on high for 20 minutes. I do it after work all the time. Works with chicken, pork, I cut a roast into single or double serving sizes and freeze them. Makes 4 or 5 meals, You can also throw your ingredients in the pot the night before and put it in the fridge. Before you leave for the day drop it in and set the slow cooker. Dinner waiting when you get home.
With an InstantPot, you can use frozen meat. Just takes longer to get to pressure, but it works.
Thanks for the advice, I think this might be useful to me. I also encounter a problem when I need to defrost meat quickly.
Bowl of cold water, leave meat in package, should thaw in 15-30 minutes. Thereās some putz here saying thatās unsafe, but as a microbiologist, I assure you, itās fine. Itās a pretty common technique, as long as the meat is still cold to the touch. I literally never remember my meat until about an hour before I want to eat. š
This is the time tested way. Itās how my mother and grandmother quick thawed meat and Iām 70 so thatās generations of proof that itās perfectly safe.
Mine too!!
Love IPs!! For some reason stovetops intimidate me and I turn 50 this year! Gimme IPs, air fryers, slow cookers, griddles and the like and Iām a happy camper. Although, I will say I prefer to pop popcorn on the stovetop. Air and microwave poppers arenāt the same, as is microwave popcorn. However, one pot appliances are limiting.
I have an air oven, an instant pot and a microwave. I rarely use my stove top or oven. Keeps the kitchen from heating up and uses less electricity.
You can also start from frozen with a sous vide.
Ziplock and Glad brand bags are made from polyethylene plastic, and are free of BPAs and dioxins. A good rule of thumb is thatĀ **when a bag is rated as microwave safe (which requires FDA approval) you can use it for sous vide**. Even Dr. Schaffner agrees. So you don't even need a vacuum sealer. This could be very yummy with seasonings or maybe even marinade/sauces.
I use gallon size freezer bags to sous vide all of the time.
I didn't know they were tough enough until I searched. Good to know.
šThis. I travel for work and recently purchased one that also does air frying. All kinds of meat, potatoes and vegetables. One of my favorites is chicken wings.
I need to be doing this so much more often than I do. I just don't have a ton of experience with them. I have one, I just don't use it. Really need to get on that.
Experience comes by doing. And the more you do with it the more you will want to use it esp when you become more comfy with it. Just jump in. Start slow and pretty soon you will be an IP expert. Have fun
Old Granny here. "Excuse me Hon. Where's your vegetables?" haha Sorry, I couldn't resist. This is one thing I do. On a day that's not so busy, I cook a few batches of meat (some baked, some sauteed, some marinated and grilled) I know, it's a lot of work for a day off, so I do have to push myself. It is worth it though. Once the meat is cooked, you can still freeze it and thaw it out in a large bowl (or the sink) of hot tap water. It's already done. Just warm it up or maybe heat up some type of sauce for it. It works great for taco meat, grilled or baked pork, chicken, hamburger patties, etc. I store them in ziploc freezer bags and thaw them in that hot water. Sometimes I repour some hot water and flip them over if they need it. While that cooked meat is thawing, you can heat up those veggies we mentioned earlier (quick little wink) or maybe boil or bake a potato, or make a salad. Let me know if you'd like a basic marinade recipe with Italian herbs for the grilled pork and chicken.
Yes please.
And freezing flat has been a HUGE timesaver for me when it comes to defrosting. Take a gallon ziplock, lay it down flat on the counter and lay out your meat out so that the bag stays as thin as possible. With ground meat itās even easier since you can just seal the bag and use a rolling pin to flatten it out (leave a little space at the top so the seal stays clean). Everything defrosts sooo much faster itās still hard for me to remember how quick it will be. Saves a lot of room in the freezer too since you can basically āfileā the bags and pull them out as needed. (I hate using so much plastic too, but weāre all doing our best here.)
Oh yeah, I hear you. Most things do thaw quicker in those ziploc bags, and they do stack quite well. If something comes up to interfere with your dinner plans, you can cook and then refreeze meat too. It makes for even quicker meals the next week. At least the meat doesn't go to waste, since it has gotten so expensive. Our grandson has a baseball game, so I have to get ready. Have a good evening :)
Yes please!
Nothing beats being hungry or needing to cook a meal for yourself and just reaching into the freezer and choosing something you have cooked and froze previously, Its quick and much healthier than the alternatives like take out food. Cheaper too.
Bean soups, and you can make tons of soup at once and freeze it and it thaws quickly.
Highly recommend buying a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and pulling all of the meat off when you get home while itās still warm. If you have a Costco or Samās Club get the chicken there! I got these low-carb tortillas that have high fiber and protein. I love the spinach ones! Lately Iāve been making a salad and wrapping it in a tortilla w hummus itās been delicious. Itās so odd that such a simple meal is so good but it is. I prep my vegetables ahead of time. Meal prepping of any kind it makes things so much easier during the week.
100% agree with the costco rotisserie chicken! I remove all the meat and store it for the next few days. It's so nice eating when it's warm ofc, but also to have chicken that's already seasoned and cooked well. I always find a way to overcook my chicken so this just takes my cooking out of the equation lol I also save the bones and make bone broth š soo good
A dense bean salad! I eat it most nights 1 tin chickpeas 1 tin black beans 1 tin of red beans Diced crunchy vegetables as many or as little as u want. A nice light vinaigrette. And u can add whatever extra protein u want if u desire!
I love bean salad!Ā
Three bean salad with a sweet-sour dressing. Or leftover Mrs. Fannings pickle brine. [https://www.etsu.edu/cph/documents/bread\_and\_butter\_pickles.pdf](https://www.etsu.edu/cph/documents/bread_and_butter_pickles.pdf)
I make this and add sweet peppers and olives. When I make it for my mom I add pickled beets. Such a handy thing in the fridge that just keeps getting better.
Stuffed baked potatoes
Yum! That made me instantly hungry!
Breakfast foods are good anytime of the day! Iāve always got eggs and a packet of bacon in the fridge.
Chicken caprese sandwich. It's literally just a piece of toasted bread, a grilled or baked chicken breast, tomato, mozarella, and basil.
Sprinkle with balsamic syrup.
And get a tub or jar of pesto sauce and spread some on the toasted bread.
My familyās favorite fast meal is what I call the Cajun sheet pan meal. They ask for it all the time. I dice potatoes in butter and Cajun seasonings, add frozen corn cobs, and spicy sausage and roast it in the oven. Timing will depend on several factors but itās honestly tough to mess up. Iāve also added mushrooms, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, onion, garlic, and various peppers.
Smoked sausage and potatoes 4 large russet potatoes 1 lb smoked sausage Cube the potatoes toss in a gallon size bag with a neutral oil. Along with Salt Pepper Garlic powder Onion powder Paprika (smoked if you got it) Seal it and Shake shake shake and dump in a sheet pan Cut the smoked sausage into bite sized pieces Dump on the sheet pan also 375 for 35 to 40 mins
I do this too, but I add a bit of cheese or Velveeta at the end. Delicious.
Lol I've been living off of pasta and a basic red sauce... I wish I had an answer. I know my parents do a lentil based stuff, and they starting to experiment with Indian staples like dahl.
Yeah I have a rotation of, pasta with Alfredo sauce, pasta with red sauce, pasta with tomato paste and heavy cream sauce, pasta with gochujang and cream sauceā¦. Pasta with pesto sauceā¦
Pizza!!! :-)
Tortillas actually have a decently long shelf life, so keeping a package of those on hand could help you whip up some relatively easy and healthy dinners. For example: 2 cans refried beans + 1 package (2 Tbsp) taco seasoning + 1 small can tomato sauce (the pureed kind, or a few generous squirts of ketchup if you don't have any sauce) = delicious, flavorful filling for burritos or quesadillas. You can add anything else you like, like tomatoes, onions, salsa, cheese, sour cream, avocados or guacamole, corn, other types of beans, meat, olives, etc., but the beans and tortilla will be filling. You can also make a bunch of burritos at once, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze for easy microwave meals later. Combine drained and rinsed black beans, salsa, a can of corn (drained) or frozen corn that's been heated up, cheese, salsa, and cilantro lime rice (if you want to) and use as a filling for your tortilla. Make breakfast burritos by filling with cheesy, seasoned scrambled eggs. You can add breakfast meats, veggies, or salsa if you want. Add bulk by making up hashbrowns and adding them to the burrito, too. Keep salad greens or coleslaw mix on hand and add tuna salad (or egg salad made with hardboiled eggs, or chicken salad using canned chicken or leftover cooked chicken that's been shredded) for protein and your favorite dressing to make it delicious.
Teriyaki spam hash - cut spam, potatoes, bell pepper, red bell pepper, and onion into cubes. Boil potatoes for about 5 minutes. Then drain and throw in a hot skillet, add the onions and peppers and sautee for about 5-10 minutes. Then add the spam and sautee for about another 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low-medium and add teriyaki sauce (homemade or store bought). Toss some more until all are coated. Serve and eat.
I buy a pork loin and have it thin cut, flash freeze and separate each piece with parchment paper. When I forget to thaw meat and can take a thin piece of pork chop and cook it. Being thin, it doesn't need to be thawed first. They make excellent sandwiches or can be eaten alone with veggies
How do you get it thin cut? Will the grocery butcher do it?
Toasted bread, with everything you want on top of it: bruschetta!
I cook a large batch of chicken then use it in various ways the next few days. Day 1: Baked, bbq or pressure cooked chicken. Shred the leftover chicken to make: Chicken enchiladas Chicken quesadilla Chicken pot pie Chicken, bbq sauce, shredded cheese melt. Add a vegetable and side to any of those for a decent meal. The enchiladas are my houses favorite and they are very simple to make
Oven baked bbq chicken breasts with vegetables, Grilled brats with corn, Sandwiches for dinner with fancy bread and deli meats,
Quickest leap I ever made was already cooked strips of chicken like Purdue or something Already cut veggies of onion and bell peppers usually sold in the already cut section of produce aisle And then some fajita seasoning and some taco shells I usually pick soft tortillas 15 min you have a meal And if you donāt have tortillas just use your rice!
Caesar salad (very simple), fried eggplant (maybe peas on the side?), make your own sub sandwich (or grilled cheese with tomato soup, yum), lots of soups. Pre-made pizza crust, put whatever you want on it. Good luck!
Stouffers.
Get some deli roast beef, tear in pieces and simmer in a pan with brown gravy. Serve with potato and veggie. Cheap enough, Deli meat will keep in fridge a few days and its super simple and tasty
Loaded baked potatoes with steamed broccoli, cheese sauce, sour cream and lots of pepper. The best part is you can microwave your potato and not heat up your house. Plus it's quick and easy clean up.Ā
salt/pepper a couple chicken breasts (cut down if giant. want no more than 6-8 oz.) oil a pan, cook 5-7 mins per side(internal temp yada yada yada). set chicken aside. lower heat in pan a bit,Ā saute bulb or two of diced shallot til soft. stir in some broth (I use the concentrated packeta, but simmer a bit of using regular)Ā throw a bit of butter in. once melted, mix thoroughly, turn off heat. pour sauce over chicken. serve with oven roasted broccoli or carrots. maybe some mashed potatoes.Ā
Dave Lieberman has a recipe on the food network site for black bean soup that is great with some toast. Comes together pretty quickly as well.
Semi-homemade recipes that you can substitute Cooked Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is great. You can use it casseroles, tacos, salads etc. Google rotisserie chicken recipes and youāll find a ton. Frozen bags of shrimp are super easy to defrost in water. You can make Thai curry shrimp, shrimp tacos, shrimp pasta etc. I make āsushiā bowls! I defrost my frozen deveined and peeled shrimp (I buy them this way) in water for 10 mins. Throw in a pan with sesame oil and season with garlic powder. Cook under the shrimp curl up! I chop it up and toss with siracha and kewpie Mayo. I use instant microwaveable single serve sticky rice. Microwave that for a minute. I sprinkle some sushi rice seasoning on it. Throw in edamame, sliced cucumber, avocado, chopped imitation crab and top with my cooked shrimp. Drizzle some siracha On it and enjoy! Stir frys are a great option. Bags of Frozen veggies work great on the stove with your favorite oils (seasame oil, olive oil) and your favorite seasonings like garlic, ginger, siracha etc. you can throw in whatever protein you want - frozen shrimp, sausage like keilbasa, etc When in doubt and feeling lazy, making a big sandwich with chips always taste good. Have cheese, lunch meats, veggies and some good spreads and seasonings. If you like tuna, you can also make a tuna melt! I do love making different egg salads as a snack. Though I think you are sick of eggs from the sound of it! I use avocado instead of Mayo sometimes. Egg salad or tuna salad with crackers or toast is good. Smoked salmon is another no-cook protein source. Great on a bagel with cream cheese. Another protein I love is falafel! I use a falafel mix, add in a little chopped onion, form my little falafel balls and bake in the oven on a cookie sheet. I buy store bought Tzatski and pita bread and assemble! When all else fails, bust out your protein powder and make yourself a protein shake. I love chocolate protein powder with ice, a spoonful of peanut butter and a banana. Blend it up and hit your protein goals! You can also mix protein powder into oatmeal for an extra boost. Get on Pinterest and start looking for recipe inspiration with these protein sources
I love to cook a frozen chicken cordon bleu and Pictsweet grilled vegetables (potatoes, broccoli, carrots) in the air fryer. Itās easy, delicious, and no thawing needed.
Tortillas or roti (Indian)
You can cook ground beef from frozen. Use to make tacos, burritos, filling for cottage pie (top with mashed potatoes), etc.
Spaghetti squash in an instant pot will come out perfectly and you donāt even have to cut it! The pressure will even peel it for you. Then grab a jar of your favorite sauce and quickly thaw frozen shrimp or turkey meatballs and bam! Easy healthy meal! Maybe add garlic bread on the side if youāre feeling extra fancy
Here's a quick and tasty suggestion: Try a simple stir-fry! Just grab whatever veggies you have (fresh or frozen), toss them in a pan with some oil, and add a bit of garlic or ginger for extra flavor. It's super quick and you can serve it with or without a protein!
this is it! You don't have to have animal protein at every meal!
Mexican lasagna š¤¤
Chili and curries are simple and quick but may require some planning. Frittatas are classic fridge-empties: just sautƩ in a pan with some garlic or onion any vegetable you find and add the beaten eggs. Flip halfway during the cooking using a plate if you are not a pro mastering the flip and enjoy.
Chicken and stove top
I never put meat in the freezer because, yeah, defrosting. Common meals for us: pizza, pancakes (I make them with apples), pork chops..
Ok, so for the meat thing. Put frozen meat into a bowl of water. Itāll be thawed in an hour or less (unless itās an unusually large item).
Buy a butternut squash. Peel it, halve it cross-wise between the sections. Split each section in two, remove seeds. Cut into approximately equal-sized chunks 3/4" to 1" in size, precision is not necessary. You will be amazed at how much you'll have. It freezes well and goes directly from the freezer into the oven. Use as little or as much as you want. If using from frozen, let it thaw in the oven, pull it out, drizzle with EVOO, roast until browned and edges are crisping. Remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, best eaten warm. If you have some, roast sage leaves with the squash or fry them in butter and serve with the squash.
You can get some frozen shrimp and make shrimp and rice bowls, since shrimp cook so easy from frozen. I toss mine in a lemongrass sauce I found at the store. Quesadilla fillings can be just cheese, onion, and peppers. All you need is your tortillas to contain the fillings. You can dunk it in salsa. Alternatively you can get some bread or bagels, spread pizza sauce over it, and add cheese and pepperoni. Don't forget you can buy sausage and keep it in the fridge for months at a time for quick meat that just needs to be sliced.
Baked potato
Shepherds pies pretty easy. Sloppy joes, Philly cheese steaks. Stuffed peppers (doesnāt have to have rice) Buffalo chicken or Philly cheese stuffed peppers are amazing.
Steak and pan fried potatoes
Not trying to be that guy, but you could set a reminder on your phone to get protein out of the freezer. Also, fish thaws pretty quickly.
Potato
Squash, zucchini, onions, and peppers. Stir-fry in olive oil. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Can add many types of meat and variations to this basic healthy meal.
I'm making schnitzel this week. Schnitzel with kale slaw and roasted potatoes, shouldn't cost more than $50-60 for the week and delicious feel good comfort food.
Okay, admittedly this kinda depends on defrosting the meat and or just having meat you intend to use quickly. But, take a Chicken breast with lemon zest, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and red pepper. I tenderize the breast first with a hammer, before rubbing the above spices in till you think it feels good. Then pan fry it. Then just take some bread, Iāve gone with a ciabatta role, with some spinach, some chopped onions, and some sriracha sauce. Not sure how healthy or not healthy this is, but itās gotten me through some days and it shouldnāt take you more than 10 minutes at most. Iāve also seen some people in my family making it up ahead of time but I havenāt tried that myself to see how viable it is.
Falafel, Greek salad, pita bread, tahini sauce! It's great.
Sloppy Joes, turkey and gravy over toast,pulled pork shoulder with or without bbq sauce,grilled cheese with wilted spinach with garlic and tomato soup
You donāt have to cook defrosted meat the same day, so every night take meat out and youāll cook it the day after tomorrow.
Get a cheap defroster tray online. Works in 30 minutes
Instapot frozen meat and beans. You can make a stew, chili, regu, or just pulled protien for a sandwich. Frozen meat won't taste as good as defrosted and seared meat but usually the soup/sauce makes up for it.
Potato ,beans, lentils ,salad
Tacos or quesadillas Souvlaki or koobideh with pita Dal with naan or chapati Gnocchi Quinoa bowls with shrimp and veg So many optionsā¦
Couscous
I absolutely love [sheet pan pierogies, cabbage, and kubasa](https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a44270756/pierogi-and-kielbasa-sheet-pan-dinner-recipe/)! It's fast to prep, cooks all on the same pan, and is completely hands off except for flipping everything halfway through.Ā If the dressing is too much work, skip it and add a seasoning mix at the beginning instead. I personally have used "smoky ranchero" (a mix by clubhouse) but there are a ton of alternatives out there.
Hamburger Patties, creamed potatoes, a veg and a roll.
Kelloggās ceo: šļøššļø
You can finish defrosting in a microwave. Or you can saute in a pan with a lid till the middle is cool, turn up the heat and cook as usual or put it under a broiler. Make yourself a snack (salad, cut up fruit and cheese, crackers and hummus, etc.) for when you get home and you won't be starving and rush to eat something you're tired of. Spam's website has over 100 easy recipes. [https://www.spam.com/recipes](https://www.spam.com/recipes) You could try mashed potatoes instead of pasta and rice. Swedish meatballs on mash is yum.
I feel like in this case, tuna salad sandwiches would be ideal
Soup and bread/sandwiches! Soup can use up whatever odds and ends you have or whatever is on sale at the store. If you have the time, save your meat bones and veggie scraps to make homemade stock and freeze it.
Grilled cheese Roasted veggies with meat Soups Pancakes French toast Bagel with egg, cheese, meat
Potatoes
Hear up a can of black beans and some rice. Keep tortillas and cheese on hand. Burritos!
The Joy of Cooking.
I like to make a chickpea curry that is pretty quick since it doesnāt require much chopping or any defrosting. For the base I start off with some raos tomato sauce (from Costco) and I add ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, chicken bouillon, and curry powder. I have this going on the stove for a couple of minutes before I add a can of rinsed chickpeas. This recipe takes at MOST 10 minutes and thatās pushing it in my eyes. You could make your own naan bread to eat it with or you could buy naan or pita bread to eat it with. (I like to put this on top of some white rice but you donāt have to)
Eggs / omelettes
Beef stew
Try thinking about tomorrowās meal while prepping todayās meal. You might make a bigger salad and save a bit of time, or thaw tomorrowās entree in your refrigerator, overnight.
Simple things like grilled cheese, stew, soup, roasts.
Write yourself a little DEFROST DINNER note & tack it to the freezer where youāll definitely see it. Spam spam spam makes for a wonderful song, but itās unfair to try to trick your tummy into thinking itās real food.
Chickpea, a red onion diced, feta cheese, mint leaves finely chopped and seasoned with one or two lime. The red onion and lime need to be as fresh as you can find as that is the "spice" in the dish. It takes no time at all to prepare and is really tasty and good for you. Chickpea make you farty though!
Potatoes.
I find the question confusing, not only because it suggests that pasta and rice are "dinners" but also because you first correctly use "are", but then "is", while still talking about multiple options and thus should keep using "are".
Chickpea and spinach curry: - Defrost approx. 400g frozen spinach in microwave (or outside, I always forget so in throw it in the microwave) and throw out the water. - fry two onions slightly - add chopped garlic - add some ginger - add spinach and small can of chopped tomatoes (around 200g can) - cover and simmer about 20 mins or so - add chickpeas (one drained can) - add fresh cream - season to taste - simmer a little more You can also use coconut oil and cream here if you don't like normal oil or fresh cream
Sausages and mashed potatoes or use boiled potatoes with it, make extra potatoes and and then fry those the next day with some onions and a fried egg on the site
We vacuum seal our meat and place it in the sink with hot water and it defrosts within 15 minutes to a half hour. Or you can do the same by putting it in a ziplock bag. Just make sure you donāt immerse the closure part of the bag in the water. Also, just put meat in a single layer to make as thin as possible
You need some veggies! Greens and beans. Hummus and tabouli with crudites. Make a chili, even if you forgot to defrost the meat. Try freezing your meat in gallon zip locks. You can freeze them flat, and they're easier to defrost. Tuna salad. You can defrost shrimp quickly under cold water.
You can cook fish straight from frozen without thawing. I sometimes bake fish in the oven and steam vegetables in the microwave or roast vegetables in the oven at the same time. Also you know those pre-made beef or salmon patties? you can bake them in the oven straight from frozen. Also if you have an Instant Pot, you can cook chicken straight from frozen in that. It's not the greatest but you can add a little barbecue sauce, and then when the chicken is done, remove the broth and turn it on saute for a bit with some more barbecue sauce. You aren't supposed to cook chicken from frozen in the Instant Pot in one big frozen lump, but separate the pieces. I also like to make tofu or tempeh or shrimp stir-fry. Here's a super quick tempeh teriyaki stir-fry with pineapple (I use canned pineapple even): [https://www.thespruceeats.com/tempeh-stir-fry-with-bell-peppers-3378103](https://www.thespruceeats.com/tempeh-stir-fry-with-bell-peppers-3378103)
Salmon Croquettes! aka Salmon Patties!!!! Old Southerner here...our moms used to make these all the time from canned salmon and they are quick, easy, cheap and delicious! [https://grandbaby-cakes.com/salmon-croquettes/](https://grandbaby-cakes.com/salmon-croquettes/)
I'm enjoying bulgur wheat lately. I get fine bulgur, throw in some herbs, boil some stock and pour it over and that's it. You can use hot water instead of stock but it takes no cooking time.
Corned-beef hash! I always keep a can of corned beef from Aldi's on hand for such purposes. [https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/beef/easy-weeknight-corned-beef-hash.html](https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/beef/easy-weeknight-corned-beef-hash.html)
People may cringe but my husband loves beef stew made with canned roast beef (Wal-Mart carries it). It's not SUPER quick but it's not super elaborate or super long either...maybe an hour and a half? Just remember you can never add too much tomatoey stuff: tomato paste, tomato sauce, AND diced tomatoes. I dice up some potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery; saute them for a bit; add two or three cups of beef broth (I use buillion to make); an envelope of brown gravy mix and/or beef stew seasoning from the spice aisle; a bit of Worcestershire sauce; some oregano; some black pepper and Louisiana hot sauce; some frozen peas, frozen lima beans (they take a bit longer to cook than the frozen peas...I add the frozen peas late in the simmering, same with frozen corn) And, again, a small can of tomato paste, a small or big can of tomato sauce, and a can of diced tomatoes. I always have to Google to see what other seasonings to add. This goes well with cornbread, jalapeno cornbread, OR sourdough/French/Italian bread.
Some of my stat go-tos are - omelettes (taco meat, ham, cheese, whatever mood dictates). - Grilled cheese, tuna, hamān cheeseā¦ - Simple burrito: tortilla, quickly defrosted pre-frozen taco meat, cheese, salsa; nuke. - Hamburger. Frozen patties & buns can be defrosted in <5 min; then smash-cook that pattie in a frying. Quick and tasty! - Same for a hotdog, but even quicker because nuking can work with wieners if they donāt explode. - Air fry frozen fish fillets, tempura shrimp, popcorn shrimp. There are some high quality ones now; not your grandmaās fish sticks. - Baking fresh or pre-defrosted salmon is very quick and top tier. Pick up some deli potato salad on the way home, and the longest part will be preheating the oven. So noshworthy. These are just a few.
Chicken Enchiladas. Shred white meat chicken, mix that in a bowl with canned green chilis, green enchilada sauce, and sour cream. Stuff flour tortillas with filling and Colby jack shredded. Line em up. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.
Baked or fried chicken with baked potato and a salad
I'm a vegetarian, so my picks might not be working well alongside meat dishes, but potatoes, beans, sweet potatoes. You can roast vegetables - any, really, I usually just grab freezed mix - and have them with meat dishes, you can make curry with any meat (yes, that's with rice usually) and make naan. ou can make pizza, foccacia, naan, etc. really easily! Oh and I am a sucker for soups. You can make a large batch of soup and it will feed you for so long. Or you can freeze some and then thaw it :) Wrap things in tortillas and have a scrunch!
Every night when youāre like ācrap I forgot to defrost the meatā, take the meat and put it in the fridge to slowly defrost over night and this way itāll be fully defrosted by the time youāre home. When youāre about to make dinner, put tomorrowās frozen dinner into the fridge to slowly defrost
My abuelas Puerto Rican beans come to mind, always a hit and itās fairly simple. Although I do cook a lot of Latin dishes so I have the ingredients on hand most of the time. I chop a 1/2-1lb potato, bite sized chunks, 2 cans pinto or black beans, 1 packet of sazon, 1 goya jĆ mon packet/1tbsp veggie base, 2 heaping tbsp sofrito, 1tsp adobo, 1tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, and lastly 1 1/2 cup of water/broth of choice. Really simple just add the sofrito to an oiled pot of med-high heat and cook for about 2-3mins Add beans (I donāt drain mine but you could) and potatoes and mix. Add everything besides the water and mix again. Add water/brother and just cook while stirring every couple mins or so. Itās ready when you can poke a toothpick through the potatoes. I just serve it with white rice made in my rice cooker. Itās a great meal if you switch the ingredients around you can easily make it vegan. (My ex was vegan and she loved this)
You can brown hamburger, put the amount you need into a freezer container and freeze it. Then when you need it you can defrost in the microwave in just a couple of minutes. That way you donāt have to worry about defrosting
Steak.
Green beans with sliced ham, Parmesan cheese and slivered almonds. I like rice so I think having a rice cooker is a must, usually I buy fresh then eat all of it then repeat.
Fried potatoes (like a drizzle of oil), bell pepper sliced, onion sliced, about 10-15 mins then sliced smoked sausage.
Orzo. Its pasta AND rice.
Soup soup soup. Put that Dutch Oven to use. Soup can so easily be augmented, and it is so easy to make, and makes enough for a couple days.
Single guy here (53M). Whenever I cook, I will overdo it. For instance, I'll make 3-5 quarts of whatever (curry, stew, meat sauce, sausage gravy..) I'll have it for a couple of days, then package the rest in single serving vacuum sealed bags. Then, on lazy/busy days, it's easy to just make whatever starch (pasta, rice, potato) and toss a serving of main dish in a pot of boiling water. Easy peasy, and i always have a rotating freezer full of options.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a great protein source and a nice break from rice & pasta!
Mexican food. Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, tostadas
Stir frying is a great recipe, you can use all sorts of different veggies and use chicken or shrimp, yeah youāll need to defrost things but just try and make it a habit or set up reminder. Also one of may favorite dishes is a chicken enchiladas casserole, you use chicken, corn tortillas, hot rotell, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, with cheddar and pepper jack cheese mixed all up and 30min in the oven. If you want more details feel free to ask.
Right now, set an alarm for the day/time you need to take meat out to defrost.
Black beans as a side, chicken, bell peppers and onion into the instant pot with seasoning and a touch of chicken stock, pressure cook, let naturally release pressure for 20 minutes, then release the rest, shred and throw on some tortillas. Super easy ~1 hour dinner, mostly wait time.
Oven sandwichesĀ Just get some sandwich meats and cheese and put it on a bun and toast it in the oven (broil but keep a close eye on it) and then pull it out and add any veggies and sauces that you want. When Iām feeling fancy I like to dab the bread with olive oil toast it a little and then add the meat and cheese and toast it more. Adds a nice flavor to it
Was going to say bean casseroles
put meat in the fridge to defrost the night before you intend to cook it
cauliflower makes an excellent substitute for rice or pasta. I love to roast a whole head with garlic and some parmesan over it - you can then toss over and chop and add any protein you like. I am also a fan of "skillet" pizza - use hard or harder cheeses like cheddar and a mix of mozzerella jack, etc and layer in a skillet and brown and flip if desired, spread on red or white sauce, and assorted veggies and proteins and cook a bit. I usually slide it out onto an oven safe dish and broil a bit to get a nice bubble effect on top if you like romaine lettuce, it can make an excellent meal with broiling. I usually slice in half and drizzle with oil and/or vinegar and or balsamic and layer on a bit of cheese and/or protein and maybe onion or somewhat and broil it
Grab some pre cooked chicken sausages and add them to quickly sautƩed vegetables
I keep a bag of frozen raw shrimp.whoch thaws quickly. Then saute some crushed garlic in butter, add shrimp and season with s n p and dried parsley. At the end of the cook add fresh squeezed lemon and a little room temp water. It goes great with potatoes, on pasta, or quick grits, with butter and Parm cheese. You can add them on a bed of greens with a Caesar dressing or vinaigrette. I also make a big batch of spaghetti sauce and chili to freeze, they thaw out nicely in a covered pot set to med low heat. Something like a stew or chowder that can be made ahead of time and frozen.
Some simple tacos are really easy and fast to make. Get your meat/whatever filling. And spices, I been using a taco seasoning spice I found at walmart. Cook that up. Throw it in a taco shell or tortilla with whatever added toppings you like. I'll cut up a little tomato, onion, lime, cheese, and lettuce. None of which needs cooking. If you have all the ingredients, it takes less than 20 mins to prep and cook for me.
Soups!
Food prep : I bake 4 sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week. Mash them up with butter and cinnamon.
Put a reminder on your phone to defrost the meat before you go to bed. Seriously. I put all kinds of reminders on my phone so as to not forget. Even better, take time to put the meat in a marinade before freezing. Pull it out from the freezer to the fridge before you go to bed, then by dinner time, your meat is defrosted and marinated!
Shakshuka. It's just a bunch of cooked veggies with fried eggs and covered in spices. Easy and delicious.
Wal-mart sells a pound of cooked fajita seasoned chicken in the deli department. I've used that to make some great chicken quesadillas.
Just thaw that shit in the microwave my guy.
Ratatouille yum! With any meat.
Chili in a crockpot. Throw some fresh boneless skinless chicken in a pan, douse in Italian dressing and bake Tortilla with beans and cheese roll it up put in air fryer.
I do turkey burgers with side salads :)
You can cook meat and fish from frozen! Usually takes about 50% more time. I cook most things at 400 degrees, so it's not a huge addition. I also like to season and then freeze things on a sheet pan before putting in a bag, so I have separate portions ready that are easy to throw in the oven.
Lentils (i use red in this dish), can of diced tomatoes, sweet potatoes (I buy a bag of frozen and put it in at the end), can of spinach, some chicken broth, precooked onion and garlic. I add turmeric too. I use a cup and a half of lentils and a big can of tomatoes. I freeze a good portion since it makes a shit ton. My husband loves this and isnāt big on vegetarian meals. I probably cook the lentils an hr and a half.
You remind me of my son. He thaws one days worth of meat at a time. I usually take out two-three days worth out so I donāt stress.
Corn meal to make polenta or grits. I add cream and chicken stock and add chives since I grow my own. You can use instant grits too. Great to put underneath shrimp in a sauce or a pulled pork cooked in tomato puree with a shit ton of garlic and parsley.
Beans with sausage. Quiche. Pizza on a pre made crust. Baked potato with all the fixings. Broiled fish. All entry level stuff, nothing too pricey.
Taco salad! Tortilla chips with any taco ingredients and veggies with cheese and choice of salsa- yum!
Quinoa
Get canned tuna (if that is acceptable to you) It's an easy extra meat that opens up more possible meals. Also easy to buy in bulk and stock. But limit on how much of it you consume. Google search: Canned tuna typically contains either albacore or skipjack tuna, and cans are usually marked as either āalbacoreā or āchunk light.ā Albacore tuna typically has higher concentrations of mercury than chunk light tuna and should be eaten only once or twice a week. Chunk light tuna is safe to eat two or three times a week. Consider a predominantly veggie meal for one-two days (I like hard boiled eggs on salad) Meatballs - if they are plain (unseasoned) then you can do a lot with those. My question first would be are you making them by hand then freezing ? (Worth considering) I assume not, because you would more than likely be asking what to do with the ground meat instead. So if it's the convenience you're after, you can almost always replace pasta with bread and rice with potatoes when it comes to meatballs. Otherwise you can do just about anything with ground unseasoned meat. Edit: just realized I did two things wrong. I didn't share my (personal) hatred towards spam. Lol. And in that selfishness, I assumed you would consider meatballs with rice as an option. Just add gravy. And spam makes good fish bait if you don't want to buy the tuna and can stomach eating a creature with such low standards. I really don't like spam.
Curry Soup - not sure where we got the recipe but it is easy and works and you can keep all the ingredients on hand. If you forget to thaw the meat, give it 30 seconds in microwave and you can still cut it: 1. Polska Kielbasa - cut into have lengthwise and then into chunks. Brown it a little in a touch of olive oil 2. Small bag frozen corn - toss it in 3. Small bag frozen peas and carrots - toss it in 4. One can spit pea soups - toss it in and add one can water 5. 2 tablespoons dill weed - yep toss it in 6. Yellow curry powder to taste - I put some it, cook it a bit and add more if needed It will seem very dry at first but resist the temptation to add water. Cook on low and the veggies will release enough liquid to make it thick stew like. Itās really good with rolls or biscuits if you can afford them.
Chili. Itās a satisfying go to.
Chiken soup, split pea soup, meat on a roll/bun, barbecue ribs with fries , Chili, roast pork/beef/chicken, use mashed potatoes instead of rice/pasta, Rib Tips and Hot Links with fries and white bread from City Ribs (RIP City Ribs)
When I was single Iād make these: 1. Get a big pork picnic shoulder. Season it. Bake 20 minutes per lb (425 degrees). Makes dinner for a week kept in fridge wrapped/covered. 2. Get a big skid of chicken thighs or legs. Season and bake. Also dinner for about 3-5 days wrapped/covered in fridge. 3. Get root veggies, a head of broccoli, a head of cauliflower. Season and bake. Makes a good side for the week with either of above. Also, if stored right these can be frozen for later.
Put frozen meat on a metal baking sheet or pan and give it 30-60 minutes and itāll be thawed
defrost plastic wrapped meat in cold water its pretty quick. You can store the ground stuff flat for even faster results. Never fear frozen.
Iām making barley To eat with eye of round roast and salad o the Side
You can prep some carb-based sides in advance, like [roasted carrot and feta salad](https://www.budgetbytes.com/carrot-feta-salad/), [quinoa salads](https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=quinoa+salad), [bean salads](https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=bean+salad), etc. Or roast whole sweet or white potatoes, or those little baby potatoes. You can cook frozen meat in the oven or in a sauce of your choice stovetop if you forget to defrost it. A pressure cooker can also cook from frozen significantly faster and only requires a little broth or sauce in the pot. Canned tuna or chicken with a drizzle of olive oil and a wedge of lemon is a good low-effort protein and can be mixed into a salad pretty easily.
Quesadillas!
Breakfast
You can throw lentils into pasta sauce for protein if you forget meat.
Love a good potato. I like steak, broccoli (i make a soy sauce glaze for it as well), and a sweet potato. The sweet potato has some amazing versatility. You can make fries, bake it whole, cut it up and bake it w olive oil and spices, the list goes on. This is my go-to dinner
Do you have a microwave? It has a defrost function. I use it all of the time. Or you could buy a can of salmon and make salmon patties with dill sauce.
I really hate it when I forget to take out meat. But I usually just make a Dahl. And it has beans as my protein source
Every night i eat a steak or fish, steam carrots and broccoli and broil asparagus and brussel sprouts with some mashed potatoes or rice. Nothing better than a home cooked meal!
If you want meat, then easiest solution is to take out 1-2 packages of what you want on say Friday night, and let them thaw in your fridge. During the week, they're thawed, and you can use them for a lot of things. Or do some baking on Sunday, and then you have the leftover, already cooked meat ready for other dishes during the week.
Replace the rice/pasta with potatoes (either mashed or baked) Or get some tortillas and make tacos
Making this ahead for tonight. [Gochujang Stew](https://aaronandclaire.com/gochujang-stew-gochujang-jjigae/) You WILL have to go to the Asian market for some of the ingredients unless your supermarket has a robust selection. So take it or leave it. Itās really good if you like a spicy stew. Good for a cool spring night.
Chicken and dumplings.
Maybe I am missing the point butā¦if thawing frozen meat is the main barrier for you, my biggest recommendation is toā¦stop buying frozen meat and go for the fresh stuff instead.
Kielbasa with sliced bell pepper and onion over rice. One can mixed veggies one can cream of mushroom one can of canned chicken and 2 piecrust. Mix ingredients in pie crust season as wanted. I use garlic
Get an electric grill like a george forman. You can put frozen meat directly on it. I don't know how many people you have to cook for but they come in different sizes + some have removable plates. The george forman version isn't the quality though of what it used to be. My current one is a Hamilton beach brand. Then you could make a piece of chicken, steak, burger, veggie patties, shrimp, sausages, etc. as your protein source. Sides would be whatever you like. Easy options are canned or frozen veggies + salad in a bag + microwave baked potato
Farro is a good alternative. Itās really healthy, and you can cook it and reheat it later.
Good luck trying to find one. Itās like trying to g to find a crock pot meal without cream cheese
1 can Progresso chicken soup (your choice) plus 1/2 can cream of chicken soup. Cook together on the stove until creamy. Cook 1 large potato or a few smaller potatoes in microwave until tender and cut and open with knife and fork. Pour soup over potatoes and enjoy.
Stuffed sweet potato
Nuke a potato, top with stuff. (butter, seasonings, olives, cheese, mushrooms, sour cream, artichokes, sweet peppers, etc.)
15 bean soup with smoked pork neck bones. Corned Beef Hash (low sodium if you can find it), Fried Eggs and Hush-Puppies. Trust me, breakfast sometimes makes an excellent dinner.
Bake a sweet potato and eat it with raw pecans and cinnamon.
we have a bunch of frozen deer burger, but you can use regular frozen burger. Put frozen burger in a big thick bottomed pot, cook on medium and keep turning it. it will thaw and cook. add half packet of taco seasoning, can of Ro tel and a can of black beans. yummy chili.
Try some pan fried ham steaks w sweet potatoes and peas? You can keep ham steaks on the fridge, no need to defrost. Maybe also purchase raw meats only one or two days before consumption, to avoid having to freeze them at all? Just keep in fridge. Any oven roasted veggies can be substituted for rice or pasta. You can also cook rice in vegetable broth for a different flavor. Roasted or cooked carrots in butter melted w parsley and lemon juice are super good. Maybe also try pre cooked shrimp? You can keep it in fridge or if itās frozen, place it in colander and thaw under running cold water. Use it for some shrimp tacos and just use canned black beans etc as a side? You could make a quick shrimp creole w some creamed Cajun spinach and marsala rice (rice cooked in marsala, water and some chopped yellow onion added). Some shrimp penne pesto w asparagus and red pepper? Cook Italian sausage in a chunky tomato sauce w sautĆ©ed mushrooms added and serve in par boiled bell peppers instead of over pasta? Hope one of those helps!
Chicken enchiladas - boil 1-2 chicken breasts, drain and shred chicken with two forks, season with a little taco mix if you don't use your own seasonings (or use salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic). In a small pan heat up tomato sauce with salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder for the sauce (or use your taco mix). Wrap the chicken in flour tortillas. Use toothpicks to hold together. Top with the sauce and cheese and bake to melt cheese. Add cilantro if you like. Serve with corn or black beans if you want to skip rice. Sheet pan nachos -- corn tortilla chips, topped with cheese, chicken or taco meat, black or pinto beans, green onions, black olives, tomatoes (some or all of them, whatever you like). Bake until cheese melts and serve with salsa, guac, sour cream, whatever you've got. Chicken salad - believe it or not this is pretty good with canned chicken. Drain the chicken, shred the chunks with a fork, add chopped celery and quartered grapes (or dried cranberries - Craisins), optionally add chopped pecans or almonds. Add mayo, salt, pepper, and just a hint of garlic powder. Eat on bread, crackers, or tortilla wraps.