Low Effort, "Non-Recipe" Recipes That Nourish My Family for Days
Today’s post is brought to you by Vitamix!
All opinions and recommendations are my own.
On the eve of busy days I try to do at least one thing for future me — something that means tomorrow morning is already handled, or dinner doesn’t require much brain power.
So, I made muffins. I pressure-cooked some beef. I blanched spinach and blended a carrot ginger dressing. I made a pot of rice that is technically three grains but I promise it’s super easy.
I personally don’t mind eating the same thing for lunch and dinner. And then again for lunch the next day. When the food is really good, why not? I like things tasty, but also simple.
My toddler doesn’t mind repeating meals depending on the week. And if she does feel tired of it the next day, I rebrand it. (More on that below)
That’s the key to cooking once and eating for days — the same ingredients can go in different directions if you need them to.
If the idea of a big Sunday meal prep feels overwhelming, then same! It’s not the only way. I don’t want nor even need to make an entire week’s worth of meals at once. As with most things, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Below is everything I made, written the way I actually cook — which means some of it has measurements and some of it doesn’t. 🤣 You’ve got this!
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Banana Oat Muffins
Makes about 12 — freeze them, thank yourself later
I make these in my Vitamix X5. It has 10 programs, self-cleaning mode, and I have the food processor attachment which is *chef’s kiss*. From muffin batter, soups, and sauces to dressings, smoothies, and even nut butters… this blender does it allll!
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If you already have oat flour, skip straight to blending everything together. If you don’t, start with whole oats — the blender makes the flour for you, voila!
What you need:
1½ cups oats (or oat flour)
½ tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas (about 1 cup)
2 eggs
½ cup Greek yogurt or cottage cheese (or 3ish heaping spoonfuls)
one heaping spoonful of chia seeds, flax, or a mix of both
2 spoonfuls of oil (avocado, olive, or coconut oil)
generous splash of vanilla
generous pinches of salt
Optional add-ins: spoonful of maple syrup or honey or diced apples or fruit
Note: If you don’t add a sweetener, they will be quite bland — so up to you!
How I make them: Dry ingredients into the blender first so they become oat flour. Then everything else goes in. Blend until smooth, pour into a muffin tin (if too thick you can add a splash of milk), bake at 350° for 18–22 minutes.
One blender, one tin.
Let them cool completely before you freeze them. In the morning I pull one out, toast it/reheat it, slap some butter onto it, and she eats that while I work on chopping fruit or adding an egg to it. You know how toddlers need food RIGHT MEOW.
Korean-Style Beef (Janjorim)
Pressure cooker, 2 pounds, feeds us for days
How I make it:
2 pounds of beef (pre-chopped stew meat is my go-to) into my pressure cooker with enough broth to mostly cover. High pressure for 30 minutes.
Once it’s done, switch to sauté on high and add:
Soy sauce — generous
Several cloves of garlic
Ginger if you want!
Big handfuls of shishito peppers
Splash of sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Traditional jangjorim also has some sugar added, but I just nix it if I’m feeling lazy. The meat is already super tender thanks to the pressure cooker.
Let it reduce for about 5–10 minutes.
Next-day ideas:
Eat it again as is!
Fry leftover rice in a pan with the vegetables and a little of the braising liquid — add an egg on top if you’re feeling it.
Drop the beef into a simple broth with noodles and whatever vegetables you have left.
Rice (with more fiber)
I do a mix of white rice, purple rice, and brown lentils — roughly 1/3 of each, or whatever looks right in the pot!
The lentils add protein and fiber, the purple rice adds protein and antioxidants (and looks pretty), and it’s never a bad idea to dress up your rice to help out our gut!
As for water, I just use the knuckle method — touch the surface of the rice with my index finger and make sure there’s enough water that it reaches the first crease on my finger (I have it reach sliiightly below the first crease just from trial and error — everyone’s hand is different!)
Garlic Spinach
Bring a pot of water to boil.
Turn the stove off.
Then, add the spinach, let it sit for 20-30 seconds. (Don’t overcook. You want the spinach to stay bright green!)
Strain it, and squeeze as much water out as you can, then toss with raw or sautéed garlic, sesame oil, and salt. This time I left the garlic raw. Both are good, imo.
Carrot Ginger Dressing
Bright, savory, slightly sweet
Every since my aunt made this for us a couple years ago, it’s been a staple. You can add it to some greens or even use it as a dressing on a grain bowl. Once you taste it you’ll understand why I looove having it on hand.
What goes in:
1 large carrot (or two smaller ones), roughly chopped
A knob of ginger
¼ onion
2 spoonfuls of rice vinegar
2 spoonfuls of soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 spoonful of sesame oil
2 spoonfuls of olive or avocado oil
1 spoonful of honey or maple syrup
Blend in my Vitamix X5 until completely smooth (Add more olive oil if still too thick). Taste and adjust — more ginger if you want it sharper, more maple if you want it a little sweeter.
Keeps in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Shop the Vitamix Mother’s Day sale here
This whole spread — muffins, jangjorim, rice, spinach, dressing — came together in a pocket of the day when I felt motivated to make tomorrow smoother for my family. And it was thoroughly enjoyed! Thanks again to Vitamix for sponsoring this week’s free post!
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