Yesterday, I was busy planning out this week’s meals when I decided to flip through a favorite old cookbook, Quick Vegetarian Pleasures. Several years ago I used this cookbook so much that I almost wore it out! It’s full of stained pages and the spine is in ill repair, but the recipes are still delicious…and quick.

I have a favorite beans and rice recipe that I made off and on for years but I had totally forgotten about it. For some reason, it had slipped my mind just how easy it is to make – canned beans, salsa, onions and some spices. I jazzed it up with a little fresh cilantro, lime juice and garlic as well.  In no time flat I whipped up the dish and Bruce and I both brought it to work today. And guess what? Tasty, healthy, low in fat and calories — simply yummy.

It reminds me that meal prep never has to be has hard as we sometimes make it. It’s often getting back to basics and revisiting our favorite, no-frills recipes. For me, beans and rice tastes like comfort food.

This is why I keep a binder of go-to recipes that I use for my major meal planning. Instead of always having to search for new recipes, I have 20-25 that I use regularly. I change them up by the season, and in this case, periodically turn to forgotten resources.

What do you do to make meal planning simple each week? What resources do you keep within arm’s reach?

You can learn more about how I plan a week’s worth of healthy meals with minimal effort when you enroll in Money Saving Meal Planning: Quick, Healthy and Delicious Meals on a Budget. The class starts tomorrow, September 9 and I’d love to have you join us. I’ll be teaching my simple, sustainable system to create healthy meals and save money.

Filed under: Healthy Meals, Healthy lifestyle, Meal Planning, Recipes