Big cities are reknowned for their great food. Paris. New York. Toronto.
Except if you're a 26 year old articling student working 12-14 hours a day, and have to feed yourself (mostly) from what comes from the lower level of your 60 storey high-rise office tower.
Had a coffee with Sarah on Tuesday morning. After our usual catching up, I couldn't help but ask how she was eating. Not in a "how are you, dear" kind of way but in a "how the hell can you even find food in this jungle of cement and black suits? kind of way". I was in food culture shock after only three days of it.
People from TO must think I am delusional, writing about a farmstand! She tells me that her commute is 18 minutes, and she was really hoping for 12. She tells me that it's worth it to her to walk another 6 blocks (city blocks, probably in fabulous heels to boot) to go to a grocery store, rather than the convenient but uber-limited stall in her building, but that it's really hard and takes much longer than she has time to spend.
And then there's the issue of cost. Living and working in a busy city centre is like being in an airport. You have to pay what they say, because there are no other options. And just when my worry was reeling out of control, I spotted a green pepper in her purse! It probably cost her 12 bucks, but it was at least a vegetable!
Green Pepper notwithstanding, it has to be incredibly excruciatingly difficult to eat properly or well in that context. Law is a time-demanding profession where every minute counts. The commute bugs her because she "loses point one" for those extra six minutes. Both ways! That's an extra hour a week!
So - here's my revised TO menu plan for the busiest and best articling students but especially for my friend Sarah.
Making an extra half hour for yourself once a week can add up to more time for yourself, more money in your wallet and some calm at the end of a long workday.
Proteins are expensive, heavy and perishable.
Proteins (especially fresh fish, meat, eggs) are at a premium, both because of how much time they cost you to get, and how expensive they must be. So. We'll use these first, working from the kind that must be eaten immediately, to those that can wait a day or two. Plus, they're heavy and that is hard for a walking or subway commute.
Time is crucial in a young lawyer's day and time is money.
Walking (out of your way) to the store can easily take 1.0 and probably can't happen more than once a week. SAVING time must be the ultimate goal here. Adding more billable time to a young lawyer's workday can add to their leverage and credibility at their firm.
Organization is also a top priority to reduce the stress of doing this.
Pleasure should at least rate on the list. Giving all you have for clients can lead to one or two bouts of crap food just because it may be all you have at the 8:00 juncture of a long day with no sleep in the near future, so it might be nice to have something really really delicious to help.
Don't cook on the day you shop.
This is always my downfall, but here's my logic. Once I've actually lugged eveything home, unloaded it, put it away, and done the prep for the next week, I am ravenous, irritated and just ready for it all to be over. AND I LOVE COOKING!
I can only imagine what a chore this is for someone who hates it. So BUY one of those fresh dinners at the store. If the sushi looks good,get some! Maybe a fresh broccoli salad and a grilled chicken breast? Maybe even something you wouldn't ever attempt like a sage butter squash ravioli. This day is your one get-out-of-premade-jail-free card. Enjoy the fruits of someone else's labour.
I will keep each recipe to three main ingredients.
Fresh Fish Day: DAY 2 Day you are exhausted and overtaxed
The partners: FISH, LEMON, SWEET POTATO
The goal: Set up breakfast for the week, side dishes for the next few days and make a homemade dessert for fun.
Boil 3 different pots of boiling water: One is for rice, one for your steel-cut oatmeal for the week, and the other small one is for the sweet potatoes.
Make some rice, and more than you need
Cut up the sweet potato, or buy it already cut up.
Boil the sweet potato until tender (10 minutes?)
Put a pat of butter in a medium (7) pan
Rinse the fish under cold water
S + P fish
Put the fish in the pan pretty side down - wait 7 minutes and flip it.
Grate the zest and then squeeze lemon juice over the fish
In 10 seconds, slide it on the plate over the rice. Sprinkle the sweet potato around, and enjoy.
Juice the rest of the lemon into a tbsp of melted butter.
Divide rice into two containers. One is going to be savoury, one is going to be a great healthy dessert for tomorrow night.
Day 3: If you are having a friend over during the week, this is the meal.
The associates: PORK, KIDNEY BEANS, TOMATOES
The goal: Entertain a friend or a date, and remember what life is like outside of the office
Salt and pepper the rinsed pork tenderloin
EVOO in a deep pan, brown the tenderloin on all sides and then take it out to wait.
Add shredded carrots, can of tomatoes, cut up celery, cut up onion and chopped garlic to a pan with some evoo, and sautee till soft.
Rinse the red kidney beans while the veggies are softening
Dump the big can of crushed tomatoes and the beans
Add a tsp of cajun or creole spice
Cut up the pork in slices on a cutting board, then add the pieces back in the pot to simmer until they are not pink in the centre.
Serve over the (warmed) leftover rice. This meal can be made, cooled, and reheated for at least a few days, and makes a great desk lunch.
For Dessert? Add the leftover rice to a skillet, a few good glugs of maple syrup, some cinnamon and even some butter or cream if you have some. Add the sweet potato until it comes together like a yummy sweet risotto. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. YUM.
Day 4: Chicken Day
The triumverate of cases: CHICKEN, NEW POTATOES, CARROTS
The goal: Comfort food (for everyone except the chicken:)
In a ceramic dish, dump the new potatoes and shredded carrots at the bottom, glug some evoo on top.
Put the chicken breast over the veggies, bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until it smells like home.
Day 5 : Pasta Day
The practice group: PASTA, TOMATOES, FETA
Today's goal: use up items in your pantry and fridge
Make the whole wheat whole grain pasta.
In a pan, sautee some garlic with some evoo, and a pat of butter
Add in the small can of tomatoes
Zest lemon, then add the juice
Take the pasta out of the water, and add directly to the pan.
Put on the plate and sprinkle with cubed feta cheese.
Day 6: Leftovers?
Day 7: Chili
The department: BEANS, PEPPERS, TOMATO SAUCE
The goal: A cheap, healthy, and convenient meal
3 cans of rinsed red beans, black beans and lentils
1 can of Bravo Spaghetti Sauce
1 diced red pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
Simmer and serve with whole grain brown toast and cheddar cheese
Printable grocery list:
STAPLES:
Greek Yogurt, honey, seeds, dried cranberry, blueberry
Whole Wheat crackers and light babybel cheeses
Steel cut oatmeal or red river cereal
A delicious jam that you made
I wish I could write apples, but I am not a fan during the workday - too sticky. Having said that, they do last a long time, and are quite good for you, lots of fibre, are sweet, and very portable. Ok, so,
Apples.
Garlic
PERISHABLE HEAVY THINGS:
Some fresh fish that looks really good, and is already skinless and filleted.
A free range grain fed, formerly happy chicken. Stressed out animals from a factory really do not belong in your body. Organic or free range antibiotic free are absolutely worth the higher price (especially when you make a lawyers' salary!). Skin on or off is your call, but ON is cheaper and will make up for the cost of the more expensive chicken.
A pork tenderloin
Organic eggs
Cheddar Cheese, Feta Cheese
Non-Perishable Heavy Things:
Can of red kidney beans
Can of chickpeas
Two cans of crushed tomatoes, one big, one small
Organic brown rice
Perishable Lighter Things :
Pre-cut, preshredded carrots.
Celery Stalks
Onion
Lemons and Limes
Sweet potato
New potatoes
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