Stories Plus

I tend to come home rather tired after a full day of work, and yet some meals are always worth putting together. A lot of them require a lot of prep and waiting around for dough to rise or for the crock pot to finally say the meal is ready. As much as I love making foods like beef stew and stromboli, my favorite meals to cook involve pasta or rice.

I most enjoy using up leftover chicken or rice to throw together a refried rice dish of sorts. First, I simply scramble an egg and then throw some of the leftover rice over top. Then I add, chopped carrots, peas, and sometimes the leftover chicken, which I cut into smaller pieces. After allowing that to simmer for a bit I add some soy sauce, pepper, and a little bit of sugar to make it sweet. It usually makes just one or two servings which is just enough for today’s and tomorrow’s lunches.

If I don’t have rice I tend to enjoy a good pasta alfredo. I particularly enjoy my pasta with spinach, broccoli, and garlic. Sometimes I’ll add peas or sun-dried tomatoes. Then I top it with some parmesan cheese (or as I like to call it, “spaghetti sprinkles”). Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a simple carbonara. I just throw an egg in a bowl with some parmesan cheese and garlic salt while I wait for the noodles to cook. Typically, I boil my peas while waiting for the water to boil and take them out to cook my pasta to use fewer dishes.

All of these small meals are just a great way for me to get my carbs in for lunch. It provides a great energy source for a small workout before I go back to work. I find that eating healthy doesn’t always mean just cutting out carbs, but choosing when to have them.