Cheat Cooking

Yesterday afternoon was set aside for some "bulk cooking" I wanted to do for the coming week. I call it "cheat cooking" (see, because I'm so punny like that). I like to have some things already made so I don't have an excuse to eat crap convenience food during the week on days when I'm not so enthusiastic about cooking or doing anything other than ruing an especially difficult day.

So yesterday I made a pot of pinto beans using a jar of salsa we didn't love, but it tastes really nice as a base to the beans. I brought 5ish cups of water to a boil in my stovetop to oven pan, dumped in the salsa (some roasted red tomato based stuff which was too salty and a bit blah when used as a salsa), and then added half a pound of picked over pintos. I let that all come back to a boil, then popped it all in a 350 degree oven for an hour and a half. Mmm. Beans. It does my little mexican heart good knowing that there are beans waiting for me should I need them. I put half in the fridge and half in the freezer.

I also made some "cheat" vegetable dumplings. I just bought a packet of fresh/prepared dumpling wrappers and made a filling out of stuff I had at the house. I used some rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, onion, garlic, ginger, five-spice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and some rehydrated tvp. In all, I think I made up about three dozen. They too are in the freezer awaiting a quick steaming and instant dinner.

Finally, I made a double recipe of my saag tofu (which has become a requested favourite from the staunch non-vego in our house). This has been parceled out into 4 servings, and is also in the freezer awaiting reanimiation.

I feel all proud and super accomplished... and am hoping this will get me back on track with cutting out the processed junk food eating that has really fatigued me the past couple weeks.