This year, I am trying to be a bit more efficient both out of necessity and for sanity’s sake. If I am not organized, I find myself making lunches in the early morning, then moments after the kids are off to school I am prepping my own lunch and breakfast. Then, only an hour or so later I am prepping snacks and dinner.
My kids don’t have a typical boxed snack most days because:
- (a) they are ravenous after school
- (b) cookies, crackers and chips are fine in a pinch but not so good for anyone on a regular basis
- (c) they ask for miso soup and fried Brussels sprouts for snack and I’m ok with that.
Our weekly meals include boxed lunches that I prefer to prep fresh in the morning (and I have the luxury to do so) and many dinners in thermoses to go.
So one new thing I’ve started doing is planning out meals a bit better so food doesn’t go to waste and I know what to prep when.
Last week, I was making pizza and while prepping snacks and dinner I decided to make the garlic oil I drizzle over the pizza. Dan would not stop eating it and I had a lightbulb moment.
So, this week I prepped a full jar of my garlic oil and used it to season vegetables, in salad dressing, for croutons and of course Dan, who doesn’t eat butter could dip his bread into it to his heart’s content.
It was so easy and this time of year all the farmers’ market garlic is cured and ready to go – so stock up! Good garlic is priceless.
- Crush 4-8 cloves of garlic intoan old mustard jar or mason jar.
- Add 1/2 tap of Kosher salt and mash it into the garlic.
- Fill the jar with a good quality olive oil.
- Stir to combine and taste for salt. Add more if needed.
- Leave the jar of garlic oil on the counter and use it all week long or until gone.
- repeat as needed