Quick Fix Meal Ideas for Busy Moms – or Dads

I never cease to wonder how mothers, or fathers in some cases, manage to get their children ready for school, give them breakfast, prepare lunch for school, ensure dinner is available when they come back, help them with their homework, tuck them into bed and do whatever else you postponed the whole day while staying abreast of other responsibilities.

My friends already know me as an avid conformist to African time and that fact makes me wonder what I would do when I actually have my own kids and have to not only dress myself but my kids also – hopefully the beloved husband would sometimes be able to dress himself.

While I ponder the above, below are quick fix food ideas to make life a tiny bit easier for busy moms.

Here’s what a New Jersey mom has to say:

“Every mom can testify that we wish we had at least a couple of extra hours every day to keep things balanced. More often than not, we have to work, go to school and still attend to the kids and of course our husbands, which means coming home after work and ensuring dinner is ready in no time. After several days of ordering pizza for dinner, and watching my favorite TV cook, Rachel Ray, I realized there were a few cost effective items I could buy and keep as staples in my kitchen for a quick fix meal. With these I can easily whip up a dinner in 30 minutes.

For a dinner of 4, I use
1 Birds eye Asian stir fry veggie bag
Aidells Chicken Teriyaki meatballs (Costco)
20 oz can of Spaghetti sauce 
½ pound of spaghetti
½ a bulb of onions
2 seasoning cubes
¼ cup of olive or canola oil

I start by stir frying the onions and the spaghetti sauce in the olive oil, on a medium sauce pan, while I boil the pasta on another burner for about 10-15 minutes. After I stir the spaghetti sauce for about 3 minutes, I add the seasoning cubes, the meatballs and the veggies and let it simmer for about 8 more minutes. I may also add some curry powder if I wish. When the spaghetti is cooks, I drain it out and pour it into the saucepan with the sauce to cook for about 3 more minutes. DINNER IS READY!!!”

….And here’s what Rachael Ray thinks you should try out:

Quick Suiza Burritos

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), Salt and pepper, 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 avocado, sliced, 1 cup salsa verde, 8 small flour tortilla, 2 cups sharp cheddar or pepper Jack cheese

Preparation:

• Pre-heat a grill or grill pan. 

Drizzle the chicken with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken breasts, about 5-6 minutes on each side, then thinly slice.
• Coat the sliced chicken in salsa verde.
• Place the tortillas on the grill and char on each side. Stack the tortillas and wrap them in foil to keep them warm.
• Place the chicken in the tortillas, top with avocado and cheese, then wrap and roll into burritos.

Please feel free to share your quick fix, favorite recipe or insight on how you manage to do your job of being mom so well.

 

About Authour:

Emmanuela Anyanwu holds a degree in Economics from the City College of New York. She currently works in the financial services industry and has substantial experience coaching on career related topics. She is very passionate about Africa – and wants to propagate positive change. Lifestyle writing is more than a craft to her- it's a medium through which she expresses and explores the multi facets of life.