My Favorite Holiday Cooking Hacks

Easy Instant Pot Holiday Hack Meal Recipe Below

Holiday Hacks: Time-Saving Kitchen Tips

The holidays still look different for most of us again this year: holiday parties, school concerts, family gatherings, shopping, and vacations may not be happening quite the same way - yet somehow, we are still VERY busy. Give yourself the gift of taking some shortcuts and holiday hacks to alleviate stress and enjoy your holiday.  Here are a few of my thoughts on how to make life easier without sacrificing flavor, nutrition or resorting to take out and overly processed foods.  

Go Semi-Homemade

My clients know I am very pro-cooking, but sometimes taking shortcuts can turn a potential take-out night into a total kitchen win. For example:

●       Grab a rotisserie chicken and incorporate it into soups or chilies so you can reap the benefits of high-quality protein without spending extra time cooking it. Shred the chicken and stuff lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lime for lunch.

●       Start with your favorite frozen cauliflower pizza dough, then add your favorite jarred sauce (find one that’s organic without a lot of sugar added) and vegetable toppings plus a sprinkle of flavorful cheese to make it a meal!

●       Buy pre-chopped or frozen produce, especially those hard-to-manage vegetables (ahem, squash) that are more time-intensive to prepare. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and roast for a side dish or added to salads during the week.

Cook Once, Eat Twice

Batch cooking is an efficient way to keep up with your healthy eating goals no matter what time of year. It essentially means cooking more than what you need in the moment so you can take advantage of having all of your cooking tools and gadgets out (read: it’s way more efficient!). Not to be confused with leftovers, batch cooking usually refers to one component so you can repurpose it later. For instance:

●       Need rice or quinoa for your Monday night meal? Make a large batch so you can easily incorporate it in salads and grain bowls all week long.

●       Making hard-boiled eggs? It takes the same amount of time to make six as it does to make two. Enjoy as a snack, crumble into salads, or mash with some avocado.

●       Baking sweet potatoes? Make a few more than you need and you’ll have the base for an easy, customizable lunch ready to go. You can also puree or mash the flesh for baked goods and use in place of pumpkin in a recipe.

Sheet Pan and One Pot Meals

Raise your hand if your least favorite part of cooking is the clean up. I feel you! Make it easier on yourself by searching for one-dish meals to seriously cut down on time spent doing the dishes. Here are a few to get you started:

●       Create baking pockets by lining foil with unbleached parchment then crimping for perfectly roasted fish that stays juicy, never dry.

●       Roasting your favorite protein with seasonal produce is a tasty no-fuss way to incorporate a few servings of vegetables into a meal

●       Still haven’t learned how to use your Instant Pot? Now would be a good time! You can get frozen proteins to the table fast with this safe and simple pressure cooker.

A simple 12-minute Instant Pot recipe: frozen protein [like chicken thighs] + favorite jarred tomato sauce + a jar of olives = yummy cacciatore that will have everyone running to the table for dinner. If you use plant-based protein, like dried chickpeas, just soak the dried beans overnight and be sure they are covered with fluid [jarred sauce + some broth] before cooking in Instant Pot. This is a great holiday pot luck dinner if you are going to a gathering.

My clients enjoy digital meal plans that are tasty and easy with both of my packages. 

Want to talk about how I can help you put healthy no hassle meals together? Click here.