Sunday, March 20, 2011

One Meal Fits All




Although there are only two of us (and one handsome beggar dog), we still have our own food quirks and serving styles.  Of course I will never be a short order cook, but with a couple of extra steps I make enough food to make the whole family happy when we have our family Sunday dinner.  Of course nothing I am about to say is revolutionary or professional quality, but it's easy, fast, and delicious.

I start with the protein- since I usually bake, grill, or broil our food, I find it easy enough to add different seasonings to the fish/chicken/tofu and bake it all at the same time.  This time I made honey mustard salmon and chipotle seasoning salmon and it didn't take any more time than making only one variety.

While I'm baking, I thrown in a veggie- this time I roasted red onions for a side.

Next, I like to have a fun side or an appetizer. This time I used some simple ingredients (onion, pesto, vegan cheese) and topped a brown rice tortilla for some flatbreads.  Again, I threw them in the oven as my salmon was baking and wasted no time.
  

The final step is selecting a base.  I usually like to load up a bowl of spinach and throw my food on top so I can have more of the fun stuff.  In that case, I just fill a gigantic bowl with greens like so:


The more refined members of my family have learned to eat from plates rather than bowls and I usually have a grain, such as my quinoa dish pre-cooked and ready for enjoyment.
 

The easiest part about a bigger dinner?  I cook 4-6 servings so I can always pack up the extras and 2-3 lunches are covered for the week.

Question: Do you cook multiple meals for family members?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I cook many meals on the same day to avoid 'wasting time' during the week day. Thankfully the hubby and I pretty much have the same tastes!

AllThingsYummy said...

Breakfast is the meal I most often have to make different dishes. I like pancakes, waffles or french toast while the hubby prefers bacon and eggs.