Yesterday was Monday, so that means Red Beans and Rice for dinner. Yesterday I pulled together a half a bag of veggie ground beef, some chopped celery, some chopped onion and garlic, a jar of tomatoes from the summer (but canned would have been great, too) and a can of red kidney beans and simmered for about 20 minutes.
It amazes me how many times I make this recipe, and how it is literally different every time. On top of that, dinner Monday usually means lunch on Tuesday (which I just polished off). And it was delicious!
I keep thinking I am going to get sick of the recipe and I just don't. Why is that???
Freestyle recipes are like snowflakes - no two are alike. Yesterday I used the opportunity to add in about a quarter cup of super-spicy salsa which has been lingering in my fridge since the holidays. It gave the sauce a terriffic kick! I also added some tiny chopped beets, which added an earthier flavour.
I have two new students working for me this semester who are really fun to have in the office, and we talked a bit about food yesterday. We talked about how skills like shopping, cooking, eating and leftover management are life skills which one absolutely MUST acquire. And the sooner, the better!
Essentially, as a busy person, there is something immensely satisfying about Red Beans and Rice Mondays.
I know "what's for dinner". I can freestyle what I want into a basic recipe and know it will turn out OK. I can make just a bit extra and freeze some for the next time meal time is crazy. I added a second can of red kidney beans when this occurred to me last night.
Kathy Freston, the author of "The Lean" which is a fantastic book on eating, balance and healthy habits, suggests eating a bowl of brown rice for breakfast in her book. Talk about outside the bowl.
Having said that, I thought about my years of enjoying Rice Krispies, Rice Crackers and Rice Pudding and realized that it's not T H A T weird. So I tried it.
On Monday night, I make extra rice. Tuesday morning I grate an apple, add some cinnamon, nuts or seeds (this morning it was green pumpkin seeds) and coconut milk, and breakfast is done!
Some mornings it is chocolate almond milk, apples and cranberries.
Chia and Peaches...
Hemp seeds with Blueberries...
Raspberries with some Nutmeg (you'll swear you are eating a jelly doughnut!)
Oranges with Vanilla... (creamsicles??!!??)
It is extremely filling and satisfying. (Heck, just writing "oranges and vanilla" make me want to eat breakfast all over again!!!) Very inexpensive, great fibre, great flavour and easily transportable. The perfect quick breakfast that I can eat at my desk "whenever" I can fit it in. No soggy cereal turning to mush.... The fruit and nuts just amp up the nutrition.
Sometimes the busiest among us just need to adopt one little habit to make our weeks go a bit more smoothly.
Killing off "What's for dinner?", "How can I use up these leftovers?", "How can I save some cash?", "How can I eat healthier?", "What's for Lunch?" and "What's for breakfast?" with one shot??
P RICE less.
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