The deadline diet

Being fabulous is SO exhausting, isn’t it? There just aren’t enough hours in the day to crank out a bestseller and eat right. And who’s got the money for constant takeout? You—yes, you—can enjoy a decent meal even on a deadline with a little planning and a well-stocked pantry. None of this info is groundbreaking—many of us learned it in Home Ec classes as teens. Consider this a refresher course on how to feed a starving author when you’re the writer AND the cook.

Limit the menu to limit the crazy

Studies show most folks eat a very limited variety of meals; you stick with what works and what you like, right? Set aside 10 minutes, right now, and turn your faves into an easy-peasy menu.

1. Write down your top 7 entrees: Pizza, tacos, tuna casserole (don’t judge), chef salad, soup, burgers n’ fries, mac n’ cheese, scrambled eggs, chicken pot pie, etc.  (I know this reads like a Cracker Barrel menu, but comfort food always knocks it out of the park for this Maryland-born carbo hound.)
2. Add veggies & fruit to make them meals. Keep it easy…it can be a “boughten” salad and applesauce but you want to stay healthy and fabulous, don’t you?
3. Assign each meal to a day of the week. Monday = Spaghetti & tossed salad, Friday = Meatloaf, baked potato, string beans, etc. It worked for my mom, it’ll work for you.

The make-or-break criteria

Every meal on your list MUST pass this test: Can I make this on my own, easily, consistently, and successfully? If not, default to frozen or the occasional takeout version. No harm, no foul, just get real.

Stock your freezer, pantry, & fridge

Now that you’ve got your usual suspects list, gather the ingredients for these meals and keep them on hand so there’s no last-minute scramble.

• Freezer: Frozen veggies for sides, fruits for smoothies, bread for sammies. (My freezer always has perogies, veggie burgers, and potpies.)
• Pantry: Canned soups, pasta, peanut butter, pasta sauce, mac n’ cheese kits, pancake mix.
• Fridge: Yogurt, cheese, eggs, fruit, salad makings (including dressings), condiments.

Minimize the collateral damage

Few things harsh my creative mellow quicker than kitchen chaos. To combat this, limit your cooking spells. Set aside one day every so often to make freezable versions of your faves (soups and pasta dishes work well). If you live alone, make massive slabs of things like stuffed shells, subdivide into just-for-one-size portions, and tuck in the freezer. You can then nuke up a yummy meal in seconds.

And in the TOTAL DESPERATION dept…

Just emerged from editing your masterpiece and it’s 9pm? Here’s where Raisin Bran comes into its own. Stock breakfast fodder and (pro-tip!) powdered milk for that desperation dinner. A smoothie whipped up from yogurt and frozen fruit is a fast fuel-up, too.

Burn the midnight oil, not dinner

You’re a genius and you just got a brilliant idea for your next novel the minute after you put the potatoes on. So, here’s your final, maybe most important tip: Set a timer for anything on the stove. You’re less likely to burn up your meal and burn down your house.

I’m starving and Hazel quit

Yes, it’s easy to think “why bother?” when it’s only “party of one?” I know I’m tempted to just graze at the kitchen sink. But, let’s show ourselves some respect. Since few of us have a Hazel (remember Shirley Booth’s wisecracking housemaid/cook?), it’s up to us to nourish ourselves, body and soul, with the good stuff–even when we’re crunching on a deadline. Bon appetit!

PS–Stop by my Facebook page and tell me your favorite quick n’ easy meal.

Beloved, I pray all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 1:2