We eat dinner every day. When I was exclusively a stay at home mom, I always cooked.

Some green leafy veggies, some protein source, you know the drill. I would start cooking at 2:00pm every day so I could put a nutritious whole food dinner on the table before meltdown time.

Now that I am working, I must admit that the standard has changed. Do I feel guilty? YES! Some days I cook and get such happiness watching my kids eat healthy food. All is right in the world on those days. Other days I work until everyone is melting down hungry and we boil some whole grain gluten-free or whole wheat noodles – depending on who has already filled up on dried mango or pretzels for dinner (aaaaah!). On those days, I have to make a decision to forgive myself; that being a mother is not only about food.

Today was the best of both worlds! Sure, the dinner was not all grown in the garden, but it was a delicious vegan, relatively well rounded meal that everyone loved and I seriously whipped it up in 15 minutes – no joke.

I was so impressed with the outcome I decided to post it. It fed all six of us nicely, with one kid taking the leftovers for lunch in a thermos.

Cheaters broccoli

Put oven on broil.

Open a bag of frozen organic broccoli florets.

Dump it on a baking sheet.

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil and good quality salt and mix.

Place in oven at bottom of oven, away from the flame – you donʼt want to burn the oil.

Let it roll for about 5 minutes depending on your oven. I like to let it brown a teeny tiny bit.

Dump into a bowl.

Put in a big spoon. 

Done!

10 minute chili (I admit I used canned beans and sauce but at least I didnʼt just order a pizza)

Everything is organic which is GMO free (supposedly) and BPA free cans so keep those eyebrows down all you crunchy yoga moms!

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

one large onion, diced as ine as you have patience for

pinch of good salt

2 cloves garlic, roughly sliced

3 cans organic black beans, drained sort of

1 can organic tomato sauce (BPA free can)

1 bag frozen organic corn 

2 Tablespoons organic molasses

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

[disclaimer: all spice measurements are estimates; I didn’t really measure]

Heat a large pot at medium, add olive oil, and onion. Stir every so often till transluscent.

Add garlic after onion gets translucent, let it go till onions are slightly browned but not burnt. Add everything else, stir every so often in between stopping to yell at kids to come set the table, and checking other kids homework, so nothing burns.

Cook till bubbly. Done.

 

Cut open avocados, cut into cubes, put in bowl. Sprinkle with a little good fine salt. 

Squirt some lemon juice. Mix.

Done.

Cube some nice fresh tomatoes. Put in bowl.

Sprinkle some garlic powder and tiny pinch of salt. Mix.

Done!!!!!

I served it with some taco shells and some whole grain wraps on the table so everyone could make what they wanted out of it. Itʼs a nondairy, gluten free, vegan meal but some kids ate it with cheese and some went and got some plain yogurt to garnish, which is nice for the probiotics.

Rockin!