Easy Vegan Rainbow Bowl

When I am in the kitchen on a week night, I am hopping around the kitchen multi-tasking several different components to my meals at once. I don't like to do the whole prep all your veggies first then cook. I typically start cooking by turning my pan on, and chopping the first veggie to go in (typically onions). Get the onions in as soon as the pan is hot, then continue chopping and adding, starting with the items that take the longest to cook. This goes for any multitasking in the kitchen, start a pot of rice before you get moving on your stir fry, cut up your potatoes and get them in the oven first. Its small time saving cheats like that which make the difference between having dinner at a reasonable time on a week night and eating 30 minutes before your bed time.

The biggest time saving tip I have though to become a week-night dinner pro is to plan your meals. By taking the time and putting up a menu of what you are having for dinner each day, you avoid the 30 minute "what do you want to eat" conversation with your kids, husband, wife, significant other, pet goldfish. By having a plan of action already created if you walk in the door and see "Baked Potatoes with Lentil Stew" you might want to preheat your oven and get your potatoes in (although I admit sometimes I just microwave my potatoes). Don't even get me started on "its just so much faster to go out and grab a dinner from a restaurant" by the time you get there, wait for your food, eat your food, pay for your food, and get home, you've wasted as much time as it would've taken you to do the same thing at home, and you spent a lot more money doing it.

To extend your time-saving, all my meals are constructed to produce 4 servings. For my husband and I, that means 2 dinners and 2 leftover lunches. When dishing out meals I get out two plates and two tupperware containers and divide everything somewhat evenly. I usually will give my husband much bigger portions than myself, since he needs more food than I do!

This meal is fun to prep, but has you on your toes a bit in the kitchen! Multi-tasking is a necessity to get this one ready in time for a week-night meal - but I know you guys got this!!