Nutritious Meals Easy Even When You’re Busy

It’s three weeks to Hanukkah and Christmas, but who’s counting, right? It’s really no laughing matter, however, for our days are full of activities as these two important holidays approach.

Here are some of my strategies to get through a busy season and feed the family at the same time:

Put someone in charge of the dishwasher, especially on weekends. If you’re doing extra cooking then, it’s always a monumental task to start cleaning up and find that the dishwasher is already full of clean dishes. Step out of the kitchen for a few minutes while your helper puts away the dishes, and get him or her to help load it up again. Run the dishwasher more often if you’re baking on weekends.

Buy an extra measuring cup or measuring spoons; having two on hand means you’ll find one of them faster. Besides, one may be in the dishwasher just when you’ve got the urge to make dozens of cookies for the cookie exchange.

Serve comfort foods. Maybe that means spaghetti twice this week, but kids appreciate familiar foods. Plus, you don’t need to drag out a cookbook to find a recipe.

Buy chunky soups. With evening school programs and additional gift shopping time you’ll need a quick meal. Chunky soups served with rolls and canned fruit make a nourishing meal that frees up pots and pans.

Pick up some holiday place mats. They’re not very expensive, and even if you’re eating canned soup, a pretty place mat with Frosty the Snowman on it cheers everyone up.

Super-Quick Red Sauce

From Vegetarian Times magazine, November 1997.

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 green onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped and juices reserved 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in oregano and sugar. Add tomatoes with juice and simmer just until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

Yield: 4 (1-cup) servings.

Nutrition information per serving (sauce only): 60 calories, 1.55 grams fat (23 percent fat calories), 2 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 300 milligrams sodium.

, DataTimes MEMO: The goal of Five and Fifteen is to find recipes where you can do the shopping in five minutes and the cooking in 15. Merri Lou Dobler, a registered dietitian and Spokane resident, welcomes ideas from readers. Write to Five and Fifteen, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

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