From Frozen To Fabulous: The Veggie Burger
Cooking can seem daunting some days, even to someone who loves it. Trust me. After a day of substitute teaching, then coming home to write, coach, teach health workshops and build a business I often come home hungry and semi-exhausted from the day. So, I imagine the thought of cooking can be unappealing to many if it’s something that’s not done often. Cooking is love, it’s work and it’s a beautiful mess of a gift. I truly believe the spirit of cooking is inherent in every human, it was a survival skill back in the day, which is why I teach it - but our lifestyle has evolved so much that we’ve moved away from it. It makes me sad, but I’ve a feeling we’re coming to a point where this will turn around because at the core - we’re still human and long for connection to family, food and one another.
I adore cooking for all of the above reasons, but I’m also a human being. I’m not a machine who can cook 21 meals a week. We don’t live in a world where we have the liberty of cooking and meal planning for pleasure and entertainment.
What I can encourage my fellow humans to do is eat at home more often, even if it means not cooking.
Having go to freezer items can decrease mealtime stress, speed up decision making and get you in the kitchen without breaking your spirit. Eating even 1 or 2 meals a week at home is a vast improvement over none, increasing the likelihood that you’ll feel better health wise - ‘cause too much take-out isn’t great for the brain and bod - and meal delivery, prep and services aren’t solving those moments where you need a quick go to - especially if you’re single, a mom home alone during the day or feeding a family on a budget.
Freezer finds are my favorite kinds of kitchen staples. Dr. Praegar’s veggie burgers (not sponsored, they like my posts on social media, that’s it) can always be found in my freezer. For about $3.99 in most grocery stores you can get a pack of 4 or at COSTCO or BJ’s a box of 12 for $10.99. The ones from COSTCO are larger patties and when I was in South Carolina cooking for the whole family this summer while mom recovered from back surgery, these bad boys saved my life.
Cooking doesn’t have to mean complicated, it can mean choice - simple choice.
1. Go to the grocery store, head to the freezer aisle and pick up your Praeger’s
2. Get cozy in your kitchen and heat your Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Burgers according to the box instructions
3. Stack your veggie burger on your favorite bun or bread, I like Dave’s Killer toasted up good and crunchy
4. Pile your burger high with jarred roasted red peppers (always in the fridge for nights like this and speedy salads), sliced onions and condiments to compliment
5. Opt to stack two burgers together and go bunless - stuffing them with avocado and dig in
This is one fun way to eat at home, reduce your take-out, get in the kitchen and live out a little meatless Monday action. Great for singles, families - economical and eating whole without eating a whole paycheck.
More on quick freezer finds and my favorite products to make speedy meals at home.
XO