How to Break Out of a Meal Planning Rut
Variations and forms that save my dinners
Weāre at the point in the winter months when thereās not a ton of fresh, local produce available aside from root veggies. The fresh juicy tomatoes of late summer are a distant memory and the crisp bit of a snap pea is still months away. The standby soups and stews and roasts have all been made. February to April are the months I do more āout of seasonā cooking than typical as I wait for the spring greens to overwhelm my salad spinner.Ā
When Iām lacking inspiration, I look to my pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what has been lying dormant since summer and make a plan to eat it. I found a few lasagna noodles in the box, but not enough for a full pan so we made lasagna in a bread loaf pan. The last of the green beans from summer were a side with some chicken thighs. Kale, frozen in gallon bags from the summer CSA, is getting added generously to smoothies and soups. Pickled and fermented veggies are sides for stir fries, and sometimes are the only veggies of a meal alongside a simple bowl of rice. Small cubes of basil frozen in olive oil are thrown into tomato pasta sauces and blended with kale for a green pasta sauce. Part of this strategy is to make space slowly but surely in our kitchen for the bountiful summer ahead, and part of it is to make sure that we are rotating through what we have on hand.Ā
Doing this is a food value of mine - to make use of what you have so it doesnāt go to waste, and to honor your past self that thought it was important to get in the first place.Ā
I fully believe in and value using ingredients well, but some weeks the intentionality of using things up feels like a slog. There are fleeting moments of feeling like a little kid at the edge of a tantrum - Why do I care so much about sustainability and being frugal and making sure Iām a good steward of the food in our house? When I feel like this, I usually am due for a meal outside of our house. I assure myself that all the food will get used up in the coming months before our spring CSA begins. I was feeling almost tantrum-y after an absolutely packed week at work on Friday and my husband suggested going out for tacos. I usually reject things like this because my time in the kitchen is soothing and calming but I was so drained and exhausted that I said yes immediately.The chips, queso, and fajitas were just what I needed.Ā
Meals That Take on a New Form
When Iām feeling āblahā about using what we have on hand, it can also mean that itās time for a couple of meals that specifically donāt āmake useā of what we already have on hand. My favorite way to get new inspiration for meals is to think of a meal I really like and spin it so itās prepared/served in a new way. When you think of ways to quickly spin a meal, I think of pizza/flatbreads, sandwiches/wraps, salads, or soup. Think of a chicken caesar salad wrap, taco salad, or fruit salad pizza. These are the original ways to eat these dishes. So if Iām feeling out of ideas, I think about a meal I love and make it in a new way. These various forms are great for the creative home cooks out there who use recipes as a guide, and arenāt afraid of trying something new.
Now for some examples! We had brats in our freezer and friends coming over for dinner, so rather than trying to capture the perfection of a grilled brat in the summer, I dreamed up a brat sandwich and other ways to use brats. I kind of feel like a genius for these ideas!Ā
Brat Pizza: To make it into a pizza you will need a sauce. Make a bƩchamel (white sauce) and mix in some mustard. Then top the pizza crust with crumbled, cooked brats (just slice open the casing and cook like you would ground beef), sharp white cheddar cheese, onions, and then throw arugula on it once it comes out of the oven.
Brat salad: Start with a bed of arugula, slice brats on a severe diagonal and sear, then top the salad with shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced raw red onions, and whip up a dijon dressing.Ā
Brat sandwich: Slice brats lengthwise and sear on both sides. Put on a ciabatta roll smeared with Dijon mustard. Top the brats with caramelized or pickled onions, arugula, and sharp white cheddar cheese and voila - the brat sandwich.Ā
Brat soup: Crumble and cook brats with diced onions. Add some butter and flour and then whisk in some broth until the liquid is smooth to make a roux. Pour in some heavy cream or whole milk and Dijon mustard, and cook until desired thickness. Sprinkle in a couple handfuls of shredded sharp white cheddar cheese and stir until combined. Add arugula at the end and simmer until wilted.Ā
Another great dish for this is chicken tikka masala!
Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza: Using naan as the base, smear the sauce all over, topping with sliced cooked chicken, cubes of paneer, thinly sliced onions, and drizzle with chutney once it comes out of the oven. Top with cilantro leaves if you are a cilantro girlie.Ā
Chicken Tikka Masala Salad: A salad is a little harder for this dish but I think you could do it with a pasta salad: Combine cooked pasta, cubes of cooked chicken, cubed paneer, thinly sliced onions and cilantro, and toss with the quintessential sauce.Ā
Chicken Tikka Masala Sandwich: A saucy sandwich like a meatball sub would be my inspo for a chicken tikka masala sandwich. Scoop the sauced chicken into a sliced roll, top with paneer and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes. Then drizzle with chutney, and sprinkle diced onions and cilantro on top.Ā
Chicken Tikka Masala Soup: Think of this as a spin on a grilled cheese and tomato soup. Use the smooth red sauce as a side to a paneer and chicken grilled cheese. It might be a little strange but it will be delicious!
Iāll stop at just these two dishes, but I think you could apply this to hundreds of meals that could use a fresh spin. You could also do this with one kind of application for a week. See how many variations of grilled cheese you can come up with for next weekās meals, or see if you can think of 7 different kinds of pizza or flatbreads for dinners, or think of a variety of chopped salads when you feel like your body needs a boost of veggies. Of course you could also think of grain/rice bowls, charcuterie/snack boards, or casserole/hotdish forms as well!Ā
I hope this helps you plan for your upcoming dinners and lunches, which sometimes feel never-ending, but can also serve as a grounding to your day and inspiration for these wintery times.Ā
Things I Like
The sun has been out the last two days! Iām not usually a sun person but Iām finding myself just standing and soaking it all in.Ā
Dreaming of this Chopped Italian Sandwich at the beach this summer
Transparent patchwork curtainsĀ (image via Etsy)
May your week be gentle and may you eat well. š²š„£