To help on my quest to get healthy and eat a diet devoid of grains, I invested in a new cookbook last week. I bought Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan. She also authors the blog The Clothes Make the Girl.
Though the recipes in Well Fed look fabulous, my favorite part of the cookbook was the section explaining how to structure your cooking, so that you are not spending all day every day in the kitchen. Joulwan suggests doing a weekly “Cook-Up,” where you pre-cook most of your food for the week. Brilliant!
Since I’m always stretched for time during the week, I thought I’d give the weekly cook-up a shot. So yesterday I pumped up the praise music and got to work in the kitchen. I chopped, steamed, sauteed, grilled, and mixed. I cooked for hours.
I missed my nap (especially bad on the day we set the clocks ahead).
My feet were killing me.
I was bone tired.
But in the end I prepared enough food to make the rest of my week a piece of cake! I cut up tons of fresh veggies for snacks. I tried my hand at homemade mayo and made a spicy sunflower seed sauce for some asian cuisine later this week. Or maybe I’ll use it for dip with my veggies. Who knows?
I made a beef stew that we’ll eat in in a couple of days, and my husband grilled enough chicken to make several salads and main dishes. I also browned some ground beef and onions to use in a dish later this week.
I pre-steamed some brussels sprouts and cabbage. I baked a spaghetti squash and riced some cauliflower for quick side dishes. We won’t be lacking in veggies, that’s for sure!
So what’s on the menu this week? Most recipes are from Well Fed .
Monday: Pad Thai
Tuesday: Cinnamon Beef Stew with Mashed Cauliflower and Roasted Carrots
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Salad
Thursday: Ground Beef, Jicama Fries, and some other veggie
Friday: Grilled Chicken & whatever veggies I have left.
Saturday: Steak on the BBQ!
Sunday: Leftovers, to make room for my next cooking adventure.
Hopefully all of this pre-cooking will work out well for me. One thing is for sure: There will be no “oh my goodness, what’s for dinner, honey can you run out for fast food” moments at my house this week!
What’s on your menu?
I cook ahead all the time, and it is such a help. I love being able to have a meal when I am just too tiered to cook. It is a big help to organize before you begin a cooking marathon. I collect all of the utensils, pots and pans, and storage containers, food sealer, etc. I set out the ingredients for each dish and measure as much ahead as possible.
I make sure the sink and dishwasher are empty when I begin. I put hot soapy water in one of the sinks so that I can wash things and reuse them as needed. I put other dishes into the dishwasher, and run it while I am cooking if it gets full. I label each of the containers I use and put the finished items into the refrigerator or freezer. By the time I’m done, most of the dishes are clean. I wipe down the stove and counters. By the way, if your feet hurt, there is nothing wrong with pulling a chair into the kitchen to sit for a bit while things are simmering if they do not need constant attention. You can also chop your veggies on a plate or tray while you sit at the dining room table.
Those are some great tips! I took breaks from cooking, but my feet still hurt at the end of the day. I think I need a good, soft mat in the kitchen.
And I agree that it helps to be prepared ahead of time and clean as you go. Thanks for your thoughts!
A couple of mats will help your feet. Put one in front of the stove and another in front of the sink. I’ve been wanting to get GelPro mats, but they are *spendy*, You also might want to get mats that your cats can’t damage.
Funny, I picked up a mat today at Costco. I can already tell the difference!