5 Minutes to Lunch
With the help of a (vegan) hamburger. And a butternut-squash trick.
Katie, how can it be “5 minutes” if one of the ingredients is butternut squash? Those things take ages to cook! True, but here’s what I like to do: Buy the BIGGEST butternut squash you can find.
Roast the whole thing (see: How to Roast a Butternut Squash… sorry in advance for the creepy photo! :-?). Then portion it out into single-serving amounts and freeze whatever you don’t plan to use within a few days. Unlike spaghetti squash, butternut defrosts quite well.
Hamburger Veggie Burger Helper
- Steamed Broccoli (or other veg)
- Roasted Winter Squash (or sweet potato)
- Burger, crumbled (I highly recommend these burgers)
- Optional: Nutritional Yeast for topping
Mix everything together, season with salt, and sprinkle nutritional yeast on top, if desired. Try to mix/chop everything well enough that you get a little of each component in every bite :). (You can even pulse with a hand blender a few times if you wish!)
For a gourmet twist, try drizzling with coconut milk immediately prior to eating.
Seriously, why bother with complicated recipes that take hours when simple things can taste just as good? My dessert was just as easy and quick-to-prepare as lunch.
Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls
Life is too short to spend it slaving over a stove (unless, of course, you enjoy the cooking process. I just don’t happen to be one of those people.)
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Question of the Day:
Do you ever freeze leftovers?
I love to cook in bulk and freeze extra servings of things. Cook once, eat twice… or three or four times! Soup is a favorite meal to freeze. But I like freezing foods like pancakes as well. The only problem is that my freezer can get pretty crowded! 😕
Other question: Have you ever eaten Hamburger Helper?
For the Stevia Giveaway Winners: click here.
Artisana winner: bottom of this post.
I always make loads and freeze the extras…. but brilliant tip on the butternut! I roast chunks just about every night and it can be a real pain when you haven’t got much time so I’ll definitely try that, thanks 🙂
the stevia link isnt working.
Wow, I am having trouble with links today! I am so sorry and feel so embarrassed. Thanks for letting me know, Sarah. I fixed the link.
Your comment on my blog didn’t work but I saw the comment on here so that works too! I’ll let you know how the co-workers like your fudge. But I’m not saying they’re sugar free or vegan. Last time I won the Christmas Eve Cook-Off for my “Chicken” Enchiladas and they were made with seitan and soy cheese. Muahahhaha.
Haha I always tell people AFTER they admit to liking something too :).
Hey Katie, good topic the other day (artificial sweetener that is … though fudge is pretty darn good too) you’re right, things with fake sweetener do taste fake plus if you’re only having a little sugar why bother changing it for the artificial stuff. Sometime’s I’ll freeze leftovers but I’ll normally be having them the next day so they just go in the fridge, pancakes sounds like a good one to make in bulk and freeze though!
5 minute dinner and 3 minute dessert! I am sold 🙂
This looks so good! I’ve never heard of that type of veggie burger; where do you buy them!? Thanks Katie!
I actually find them at Whole Foods or a little hfs in Texas called Sprouts. They’re in the frozen section.
I love freezing stuff, but am not organised enough to do it very often! I never knew you could freeze B-nut Squash though 🙂
freezing leftovers and planned leftovers are a busy working mom’s lifeline! if i had to cook from scratch and start over every single meal I think i would die.
I definitely plan leftovers so when im at work, the family can eat! Otherwise they would be eating tv dinners or pizza every night!
🙂
I don’t freeze things simply because I am usually just making things for myself and usually it doesn’t require cooking. I love cooking and baking for that matter though, so it would never really bother me.
I actually have had hamburger helper and everything like it before going vegetarian and now of course vegan.
My mom used to make homemade Hamburger Helper with real cheese, so I guess that was at least better than the boxed crap! 🙂 Yours looks truly delectable! 🙂