How to Cook a Quarantine Dinner with Your Favorite Staples
Raid your pantry to create your new favorite meal during quarantine
Staying home to do your part? Me, too. We can hold space for this difficult time while also nourishing ourselves as we stay home to save lives. Here are 5 tips to cook a fab quarantine dinner with your favorite staples.
7 Tips to Cook a Quarantine Dinner with your Favorite Staples
Prepare your favorite starch or carb as a base.
Here, I used gluten free ramen noodles. My favorite versatile base during quarantine. Just bring the water to a boil, then cook for 3-5 minutes. Versatile + quick!
Base Ideas:
White rice
Wild rice
Brown rice
Baked potato
Corn pasta
Lentil pasta
Quinoa
Saute’ your favorite vegetables you have on hand.
Here, I used Cal-Organic root veggies. Mini carrots, rutabagas, turnips + potatoes.
To saute’ your veggies: add an oil to a pan+ season. Keep reading for ideas on seasonings + oils. Wash your veggies + chop into small pieces. Cook on medium heat + continue to turn with a spatula.
Vegetable Ideas:
Mini carrots
Rutabagas
White potatoes
Red potatoes
Purple potatoes
Turnips
Spinach
Green Chard
Gold beets
Red beets
Daikon
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Green cabbage
Leeks
Radish
Red onions
I always choose Cal-Organic veggies whenever I can. But, shop your freezer to see if you can add a bag of frozen veggies to your fresh veggies that you will saute’.
3. Add a protein to your sautéed veggies.
Here, I used a can of garbanzo beans. Shop your pantry to find beans to strain, rinse + add to the pan to saute’ with the veggies.
Protein Ideas:
Garbanzo beans (Chickpeas)
Cannellini beans
Kidney beans
Green peas
Navy beans
Lentils
Great Northern beans
4. Saute’ with your favorite oil on hand
Here, I used olive oil.
Oil Ideas:
Grape seed oil
Olive oil
Avocado oil
Butter
Vegan butter
5. Season with your favorite sauce or spices.
Here, I used coconut aminos. If you don’t currently have coconut aminos on hand, I absolutely recommend picking it up on your next grocery run. Or, add to cart on your next online order. Coconut aminos are like soy sauce, without the soy + rich in essential amino acids, has a low glycemic level + has almost half the sodium of soy sauce.
Sauce + Spice Ideas:
Coconut Aminos
Herbed salt
Garlic salt
Minced garlic
Dill
Parsley
Chopped nuts
Looking for more ideas during Quarantine?
Up your basic muffin game with Citrus Muffins
Use up your peanut butter or SunButter with Puppy Chow
Make your rice less boring with Raw + Simple Almond Sauce
Stock your freezer with Hilary’s Eat Well
DIY your new favorite Smoothie
