There are several convenience foods I wouldn't be without in my cabinet.
What follows is a list of the top few that we always have in stock:
(1) Kashi -- a pilaf mix that can be cooked for breakfast & dinner. I found
this at the grocery store & bought it on a whim. Made with oats, brown rice,
rye, red winter wheat, triticale, buckwheat, barley and sesame seeds. I make
a batch using apple cider as the cooking liquid with a little cinnamon and
nutmeg and it comes out wonderful. It is made by the Kashi Company & I think
I found it at the local Super KMart grocery area. (Michelle, this is great
to have on hand for a whole grain snack. Reheats in the microwave -- add
some vanilla soy milk and Mmmmmm.)
(2) Veggie Burgers -- fat free Bocas are still my favorite, but are still
too pricey.
(3) Lots of rice pilaf, couscous, and grain mixes that I can make instantly
for quick dinners when I'm too tired to cook.
(4) Jyoti canned Indian foods. Some are higher in fat than others, so check
the labels. Their Saag (spicy greens) is fabulous, as is the Dal (lentil
soup), Chole (spicy chickpeas) and the Sambar (yellow lentil stew). (Can't
remember fat contents on these, though, & I don't feel like running down to
the pantry to check...)
(5) We always keep a loaf of whole grain bread handy. Great for snacks with
some apple butter spread on top.
(6) Also, I make a big pot of ministrone or chili on the weekends and freeze
half of the batch in dinner size portions. That way, I have a freezer full
of soup or chili that I can pull out later, one dinner at a time, when I
don't have time to completely cook a full meal.
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