Its really just a matter of meal planning. Most this stuff only takes 30-40 min to make, even a frozen pizza takes ~20 min to cook in the oven. I make one thing that might carry over into another dish later in the week. Like I'll make a batch of seitan one week when I have time, put some in the freezer, and it is good for 4 meals (for 2 people). The time it takes to assemble a meal like gyros or a "no killy philly" is minimal, its mostly chopping, and if you're knifework sucks then a food processor will definitely cut time. The curry dish only took about 35 min, most of that was simmer time, and the left overs feed us a 2nd day.ColdSmoke said:
Every Monday on my lunch break I figure out the meal plans for the week, send the grocery list to my other half to pick them up on his way home from work (he works by a better grocer, and in the burbs so taxes are cheaper on non food items and liquor). If I decide we're going to have rice during the week I make a few dishes that incorporate rice, so I make a bigger batch and then its ready to go, if there are veggies that can be chopped ahead of time, I'll do them all at once, etc. Some meals do take longer, but a hearty vegetarian meal is easy to whip together. My go to is black bean taco salad/burrito bowls. Chop half an onion, garlic and a can of beans + Dee Roo Taco Tuesday seasoning in a saucepan, chop lettuce, add rice, cilantro, lime, tortilla chips, and salsa. Boom 10 min meal, if the rice was premade (I also have a rice cooker with a delay timer that helps a lot). You can get fancier with roasted veggies, avocado, homemade pico, or sometimes I make a chipotle vinaigrette if time permits.
I have to reiterate that I'm a big believer in the freezer. If I am going to be spending time cooking and the meal will freeze well, I double the batch and then save myself a couple days cooking in the future when I am strapped for time. Some weeks i'm busier than others, so I try to take advantage when I do have time.
