I am not whining but I could not bring myself to update the blog last night. I had a crazy busy day at work and Brandon and I had plans to go visit his grandmother after work. Our visit was lovely but we didn’t arrive home and start making dinner until 8 p.m. After we cleaned up and I finally made my way to the couch the daily update just wasn’t going to happen. Last week I was ravenously hungry and this week I am so tired. What’s going on here!?
What I do want to discuss today is how we made dinner happen last night. It was not without compromises and creativity. Recently, I have been out of the habit of weekly menu planning. This has made dinner time so stressful because every night we deal with the, “what do you want for dinner” debate. Last night, Brandon had actually done some research and offered suggestions on what to have but they were all meat-centric and I just wasn’t in the mood for it.
We stopped by the grocery store on our way home from our visit and were starving, tired and a little cranky. After a 30-second meltdown about what in the world to cook, I realized that I could easily make the chicken dish Brandon was requesting for him and bake tofu for me along with shared side dishes. Five minutes and $5 later we were out of the store and on our way home to cook.
HIS
Cornflake chicken with roasted potatoes, squash and zucchini.
HERS
Sesame ginger maple tofu with roasted sweet potatoes, squash and zucchini.
HOW WE MADE IT HAPPEN
I am so lucky that Brandon is willing to help in the kitchen. While I was pressing the tofu and prepping the side items, he cleaned and pounded the chicken and prepared the dredging dishes (flour, egg wash, cornflakes). Once I had the tofu and the veggies in the oven roasting, I sauteed his chicken on the stove top. Brandon set the table while I finished up dinner.
Less than 30 minutes later we sat down to eat, both happy with our dinners. Success! It’s easy to make eating dinner at home work…even if preferences vary sometimes.
I love the sesame ginger maple sauce that I made for the tofu. I posted the original recipe on Bakin’ and Eggs. Check it out!
How do you make meals work when dinner preferences don’t line up? Do you ever make “his and hers” versions of dinner?
Skipping ahead to today…
Leftover tofu on top of spinach with carrots, green peppers feta and honey mustard. Great Harvest Whole Wheat Sourdough toast on the side.
I’m not sure if I will be able to post tonight because we are going to a concert and I’m getting up early tomorrow to practice ashtanga. We’re taking Brandon’s sister to see The Civil Wars. Have you heard of them? If not, check them out. I’m so excited!
I used to make his and her dinners far more often but I find it’s far too much trouble. I try to find compromises as far as what we both like when it comes to main dishes. I will switch up side items or make extra veggies just for me.
Kimberly – that is definitely the standard in our house too. His and Hers dinners are special occasions for when I really am not in the mood for meat and he is or if he wants something like steak.
Ah! I love them Jen! I just love duets, especially when they’re heavy on the piano. Have fun tonight. I’m definitely going to check out more of the Civil Wars. 🙂
I love The Civil Wars! Enjoy the concert 🙂
Oooh they look really good! Have fun tonight! 😀
And I’m checking out that tofu recipe right now- it sounds delicious!!
This is extremely great! I’m trying to eat less meat in my diet. If I weren’t married, I would probably attempt to become mostly vegetarian. I’m going to try this recipe on the tofu. I’ve been so intimidated by making it. Thanks for posting the recipe.
Ashlee – I say the same thing all the time. I probably would be a vegetarian if it weren’t for my marriage. I know that’s kind of silly to say but my desire to go veggie creates some big debate in our house so for now we compromise.
Tofu is delicious! Don’t be scared…just go for it!
I always end up making tofu the same way so I’m excited to try that sauce recipe. Ha, last week I was crazy tired and this week I’m ravenously hungry! I’m asking “what’s the deal” myself…
Holly – I definitely am guilty of always sticking to the same tofu preparations too but I’m so glad I tried this tahini sauce.
I’m trying to keep track of when I feel hungry and tired so that I can see if there are patterns to it! I am always amazed by how much my body changes day to day!
Starving one week, tired the next….anyone else thinking what I am thinking??
yes, wondering the same thing! 😉
Jen, I am newer to your blog and I do love reading it- but I hope that you don’t have readers that are giving you a hard time if you don’t post every day. Seriously, you have a lot on your plate and we’ll be here to read whenever you get the time to update.
Mary Beth – thank you SO much for your kind words about not feeling like I have to post every day. Sometimes I put more pressure on myself than anyone else. It’s nice to take a break sometimes because I hate it when my posts feel forced.
Hey Jen, my name is Amy Cook – I am married to John Cook – you worked with him at Luckie. I have been enjoying both of your blogs for some time now and I love the recipes I have tried so far. But the hunger and tiredness —pregnancy :)???
Tara, Mary Beth and Amy – although it wouldn’t be a terrible thing, let’s hope that there’s no Peanut Butter Baby on board! 😉
Have a good time tonight!
I’m a vegetarian, but my husband is not–and we have a 2-year-old. I have to menu plan for my sanity! About half of our dinners are vegetarian ones. For the rest, there’s a meat, but I round it out with a big salad and veggie sides. Our son eats what we eat because I’d lose my mind if I had to make separate dinners for everyone!
Have fun at the concert!
I am lucky that Brandon will eat meatless dinners a couple times a week so we compromise. We always say that when we have children they will eat what we eat too!
We plan for the week as well, but sometimes improvise when needed. We don’t do his-hers meals, because bless his heart, he’ll put up with my ‘hippie’ dishes 😉 Enjoy the concert!!
Micki – I’m lucky that Brandon will try just about anything but I usually can’t do more than two vegetarian meals in a week without starting to get a little push back. I need to get back to meal planning!
I do that a lot too! I’ll make my hubs beef (or even turkey sausage) and i’ll have tempeh or canned wild caught salmon. I don’t crave meat but only 1-2x a week. I am so glad my hubs is flexible and eats anything!
i’m impressed with that chicken though, yum.
Its so helpful your hubby cooks with you… I mealplan and Dave eats what I give him. HE doesn’t complain much but he does often want more meat in the diet. But I figure we go out to eat at least 1X a week so he can eat his meat then! I’ve bee crazy busy at work too and didn’t get home until past 8 a couple nights- its hard to still be motivated to cook but sometimes it is a huge stress releiver so I do it : )