Thursday, October 04, 2007

The new frontier in laziness

Fresh fruit, vegetables, oatmeal and snacks. I've been putting lots of effort into cooking three entrees (divided into 10 meals), with sides, per week. But I also want to increase my "raw" food intake -- and that shouldn't require cooking. Plus I want to start eating breakfast, and in fact grazing more often; a food diary revealed that I will eat something every three hours, even if all that's available to me is walking to the Coke machine for another soft drink (did I mention I'm trying to cut way back on soft drinks?) Also, I recently learned steel-cut oats can be prepared in the microwave -- I don't know why, but I assumed the healthier oatmeal would not also be quick.

In this new world order, I'd like to see what I can get done with two ten-minute entrees, possibly a side dish that requires prep, and various healthy "raw" sides. I'll require four each of two veggie sides and two fruit sides each week (bananas and minisalads being popular enough to stay on constantly); four of one breakfast item plus four oatmeals. Does this add up to 24? Yes it does!

Let's see if I can put together two week-plans, to alternate:

WEEK ONE
Lemon-herb chicken with carrots; beef ravioli (3 servings each)
Veggie sides: 4 salads and 4 carrots-with-yogurt cheese
Fruit sides: 4 bananas, 2 raspberry/cream cups, 1 apple/cheese (= 2 srv)
Breakfasts: 4 yogurt cups with blueberries, 2 oatmeals + 2 snack oatmeals

WEEK TWO
Berry potstickers; orange stirfry beef
Veggie sides: 4 minisalads and 4 carrots-with-yogurt cheese
Fruit sides: 4 bananas, 2 peach cups, 1 apple/cheese (= 2 srv)
Breakfasts: 4 yogurt cups with blueberries, 2 oatmeals + 2 snack oatmeals

WEEK THREE
Brown sugar chicken; red beans/rice with chicken
Veggie sides: 4 minisalads and 4 srv green beans with almonds
Fruit sides: 4 bananas, 2 peach cups, 1 apple/cheese (= 2 srv)
Breakfasts: 4 yogurt cups with blueberries, 2 oatmeals + 2 snack oatmeals

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