My day job is really busy right now, with lots of last minute twists and turns on a project that was due over two weeks ago. I want to retreat to the kitchen and the simplicity of chopping carrots but my bothered and distracted mind follows me right in. I stand over the open refrigerator and stare at the chicken that really should be cooked this weekend and the dark tuscan kale that is starting to wither and fade. But I can't seem to pull it together enough to figure out even the most basic, simplest of kitchen tasks. Finding the focus to roast a chicken eludes me, and the wilted kale only makes me sad.
In these times I turn to easy, instant food which in my kitchen is crackers and cheese, with maybe a few slices of sausage. An apple with peanut butter. Toast. With my mind and energies focused elsewhere, not much more seems possible for me.
The freezer is also provides, especially if I was vigilant in my more productive times and managed to stash a few yogurt containers filled with tomato sauce, or stew, or even stock for a quick chicken noodle soup made with store-bought rotisserie chicken and a handful of orzo pasta.
My favorite mind-caught-up-elsewhere meal is a little leftover brown rice sautéed with a quickly chopped green onion, some frozen peas tossed in towards the end and a fried egg over the top. Simple, nutritious and deeply nourishing.
It's tempting to reach for the nearest frozen pizza or take-out at times like this, but I've found that to the extent that it is possible, good, wholesome homemade food is far more supportive, spiritually and physically, then anything pinged in the microwave. Even in the middle of stress and distraction, it is important to take care of my body and provide for myself. The very act of doing this unwinds the tension a little and neatens up my edges.
What do you cook when you're distracted and can't be bothered?
(Image: Dana Velden)
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Comments (23)
pasta, pesto and peas. it never fails, i grew up with it and it makes me happy. if you buy fresh pasta, pesto and frozen peas the whole thing takes less then 10 minutes.
My favorite is slow cooker meals. Chili, Beans, Stews, Chicken and dumplings, etc.. It's still nourishing and can be fairly quick and easy, and doesn't feel like I am really cooking
Omelettes are a go-to for me when I'm busy and distracted. Eggs are the only necessity, then I can dig into my fridge and find other things to toss in. And the end result is always comforting...especially if I have it with a slice of tasty bread with a wee bit of butter. Mmm.
Eggs are good, and can be scrambled easily with a little leftover rice and green onion. A weirdly good staple of mine is garbanzo beans with a little oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. If the situation is really dire I may just get by on milk or kefir.
At my house we are big fans of easy bean and cheese burritos. Sometimes we may get creative and add an egg or sauteed jalapeno, really anything extra that might be in the fridge. On nights that we have time but no energy our burrito may turn into a loaded baked potato with black beans, salsa and cheese
OMG! what is that gorgeous photo of?
...dal, my go to dinner when i can't be bothered is a quick dal and either brown or basmati, and yogurt...and homemade pickles, which i always have an assortment of and always come in handy for dinners such as these.
I am a toast girl-- eaten in the French tartine fashion with cheese or peanut butter or an egg. Right now I smash up avocado, slather it on my bread, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. So simple but it tastes so good. Ideally I have a side salad, but some days it is just a piece or two of fruit and a mug of tea.
Soup and sandwiches, or ravioli with a bit of olive oil and parm. Is there anything more comforting than tomato soup and grilled cheese?
When I'm distracted and can't be bothered ... that's exactly when I'm most inspired to cook/bake. But when there's not time, I agree with above: slow cooker or egg anything (egg salad sandwich, fried egg sandwich, etc.)
Tigress:
The photo is of a succulent wall, taken at Flora Grubb Gardens, a favorite garden shop/nursery in San Francisco. The walls, which are a series of boxes planted with succulents, are such an amazing and mesmerizing blend of pattern, texture and color. I wish I had one so I could just sit and stare at it, especially when I'm in that distressed/distracted place!
When you simply can't be bothered about food there is nothing like eggs, or cheese. I'll often just slice up a boiled egg and stick it in between slices f toast with some sliced tomato (my favourite sandwich in the whole world!). And for a simple supper, you just can't beat pasta tossed with a little olive oil with a generous amount of parm grated over....
Oh, we were camping and at the end of a long day, hiking with the dark and chill chasing us down, it was salami, cheese and crackers. I had a coffee cup of wine to go with it and it was wonderful. No fuss, little muss and I got fed. Then came the camp fire and all was good.
Ditto on the pasta, pesto, peas. The other night rushing to daycare pickup and knowing the fridge held maybe mustard and miso, I ran into Associated for exactly those three items. Happy child, happy mother, deal with the rest of the situation another day!
And yeah, that photo is great! You may not have it together to cook but your photo-choosing skills are not suffering.
I was in the same predicament last night; I normally do not cook on weekends, but last night I didn't feel like going out to dinner. So, I made a creamy garlic-gorgonzola soup. It was fast and easy to make—instant gratification...well, almost.
I served the soup with fresh bread. Hold your fire!
The thing is, I always have bread dough fermenting in the fridge. So, all I do is, roughly shape the bread into a loaf, allow it to rise, and bake. I also use the same, basic dough for a darn good pizza.
In any case, soups, pastas, and even breakfast for dinner, are often on the list of dishes that will satisfy at the sound of the first stomach grumble.
I agree with some others when I want a meal but don't want to go out but also don't want to cook, eggs are a great item. They can be cooked quick and you can add whatever is on hand.
I am also a fan of leftovers. I always seem to make a little too much for dinner of whatever i am making and so in stressful or lazy times there is usually something in a tupperware container I can reheat.
Last but not least, I love a good slice of toast with some avocado slices and sea salt. Yum.
I'm here at work. I've been at work every day for three weeks in a row now and it isn't letting up. Let's be honest here: there were some roasted sweet potatoes at some point this week, then it worked toward buying a roasted chicken, beans and rice, and tonight I'm eating take out Chinese food at work.
I need to stock up with non-perishables for months like this.
I wish I could cook more often, soon enough though. I too love eggs with a generous dash of herbs and toast with jam, yummmm...
like stephaniedg, i bake and cook soooo much more when distracted - especially here on the east coast where its brutally cold and i want a warm yummy smelling kitchen. today i baked amazing oat bran muffins loaded up with dried apricots, cherries, and granny smith apples - best thing? i now have muffins for days so that once i concentrate again, i don't have to stop to make something else!
Instant ramen - but I break an egg in and add whatever greens I can find in the fridge to boost the nutritional value.
Egg and cheese sandwich on sourdough bread. I always have everything I need in the fridge so it only takes a few minutes to prepare. Plus, it doesn't require much thought.
ICThomas, I like ramen with an egg in it, too!
My go-to dish for the "OMG, no time to cook!" nights is pasta with butter, parmasean and an over-easy egg. I've been eating that a lot lately but I'm trying to come up with ways to add more veggies to it. If I have it (it makes great leftovers) braised cabbage goes well with eggs, too.
My braindead dish that's easy, tasty, healthy and satisfying is a quinoa creation that's been floating around the internet forever and is SO good - cooked quinoa, mixed with ponzu, sesame oil and Sriracha.
Chop an avocado over the top and crumble some nori sheets in, ignore the boyfriend's "oh no, not quinoa AGAIN.." look and tuck in.
good bread, cheese, avocado, olives, and a bottle of wine
leftovers (theres ALWAYS leftovers in my house)
ravioli with butter and garlic