Dinner does not need a recipe. It needs a formula.
When my calendar is full and everyone is eating at a different time, I build dinner from what I have: a protein, a carb, a veg, and a flavor. That is it. Pick one from each column and dinner builds itself.
Here is how it works at my house.
The formula: protein, carb, veg, flavor
Column A: protein. Chicken, ground beef, eggs, sausage, beans, rotisserie chicken. Whatever is cooked, thawed, or in the pantry.
Column B: carb. Rice, tortillas, pasta, potatoes, bread. The part that makes it filling.
Column C: veg. Broccoli, carrots, salad kit, roasted cauliflower, cucumbers. Fresh, frozen, or bagged all count.
Column D: flavor. This is the part that keeps it from tasting like the same dinner twice. Teriyaki sauce, salsa, pesto, ranch, chimichurri, taco seasoning. Change the flavor and you change the meal, even if the protein is the same one you cooked on Monday.
Same protein, three different dinners
So Monday’s chicken becomes Tuesday’s tacos with salsa and a tortilla, and Wednesday’s bowls with rice, cucumbers, and teriyaki. Same protein, three different dinners. Nobody is bored, and nothing goes to waste.
That is the whole idea behind the Build a Better Bowl concept in Uncomplicate Your Plate. No need to stress yourself over a formal recipe. Use what you have and enjoy!
Start tonight. Open the fridge, pick one thing from each column, and see what dinner you get. You already know how to cook. You just need a system that fits your calendar.
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