Although I love to cook elaborate meals, there are times when I need (or want) a meal quick & easy. Since traditional convenience foods are basically garbage, I've been working on developing a repertoire of fast
real food.

Two mornings a week I work at my husband's business; often, I don't eat before I get the girls out the door and dropped off at camp/school/grandparents. There was a time I regularly picked up breakfast on-the-go (oh, the shame). But now, I pack a quick breakfast if I need to. A favorite: one hard-boiled egg (I keep a bowl in the fridge), fresh seasonal fruit, a piece of whole grain bread spread with
homemade butter (I toast it at the office) and fresh-brewed coffee. Another easily-totable breakfast is homemade granola, yogurt & fruit.

I've also been working on developing go-to fast real-food dinners for those nights when "I just can't cook." A regular this summer has been a
Rose-inspired meal of fresh
gazpacho and a fritatta. The one above is filled with roasted veggies and goat cheese. Coupled with a buttery chardonnay, it tastes near gourmet and is ready in a flash (this dinner is fastest when you use gazpacho made ahead of time & leftovers as filling for your fritatta).
It's not so much coming up with ideas for fast meals that is challenging, it's the execution of quick meals made from real food ingredients (seasonal vegetables & fruits; fresh eggs, dairy & meat; minimally processed whole grains) that typically take an investment of time to prepare. I've acquired and implemented a few tips...
- Make double recipes of meals and freeze half for later
- After shopping, clean & prep produce and store it for the week for easy access
- Make a big batch of things like soup and granola for quick meals & snacks throughout the week
- Use the seasonal things you've preserved/frozen in quick meals (think canned or sundried tomatoes on pasta; or pureed frozen berries or jam on pancakes)
...but I'm in search of more. What are your favorite fast real-food meals? What tips & tricks do you use? I'd love to hear your thoughts...