Busy lifestyles are the norm for many families, and their schedules won’t be slowing down anytime soon. With this in mind, Howard Cantor, our Corporate Executive Chef, shares insights into his own life and how he joyfully elevates everyday meals using simple, staple ingredients found in many pantries or refrigerators.
Enjoy this blog by Chef Howard as he explains how he finds time in his busy schedule to cook for his family and offers inspiration for brands to create products that require minimal effort, allowing consumers to enjoy an elevated meal experience.
As a single parent with a busy teenager who is active in sports and has a vibrant social life, I often find that cooking is the last thing I want to do at the end of the day. It can sometimes feel like a time-consuming chore. However, as a chef, I know that there’s no need to sacrifice flavor or quality just because we’re short on time. With some creative planning and a few shortcuts, you can create delicious meals without spending hours in the kitchen.
One-Pot Meals
One of the most efficient ways to save time in the kitchen is by preparing one-pot meals. Dishes like these are easy to clean up and allow you to cook multiple ingredients simultaneously, making it perfect when you have a craving for a quick and easy meal. Consider sheet pan dinners where you roast your protein (e.g., chicken, fish, tofu) and vegetables all in one pan.
When we have a one-pot dinner, my go-to is my (almost) famous Cantorian Chicken recipe. I like to start by preheating the oven and roasting my proteins. Then, I add my vegetables, deglaze with some stock, and return the protein to the pan along with rice, couscous, or a grain mix. This goes into the oven for about 20 minutes. While it’s cooking, I can make a salad, clean up, or catch up with my kids before we eat. We do this 2-3 times a week as part of our regular routine. To make this dish even easter, I created a Cantorian Chicken Seasoning that captures all these delicious flavors into one.
Cooking with Convenience Ingredients
Don’t hesitate to take advantage of pre-cut, frozen, and convenience ingredients like pre-cooked grains, packaged seasoned vegetables, bagged salads, or rotisserie chicken. These ingredients can significantly reduce prep time while still providing a fresh and flavorful base for your dishes. Look for frozen veggie blends that are flash-frozen and sauced or seasoned to pair with a protein to help round out the meal.
One of my favorite things to do is stop by a local grocer that sells packaged frozen bases and plan my weekly menu while walking through the freezer aisles. This approach saves time on the front end, so there’s less work on the back end.
What’s in Your Pantry?
Having a well-stocked pantry filled with spices, herbs, canned goods, and condiments can help you whip up a delicious meal without much effort. Items like canned tomatoes, canned beans, coconut milk, curry bricks, and broth bases can serve as the foundation for soups, stews, sauces, and curries. Ramen noodle packs are a great way to create a fun meal that everyone in the house can personalize while still tasting great and filling you up.
Keeping a wide variety of spices and premade seasonings on hand allows you to create depth of flavor in just a few minutes. Using stock and sauce bases is a great way to add layers to your meal in little to no time. With the right pantry products and a little know-how, a simple dish can be transformed into something exciting.
Dips and Sauces
Homemade dips and sauces can be time-consuming to prepare, but fortunately, there is an endless supply of store-bought versions available that can help speed up your cooking process and expand your menu for a quick midweek dinner. Look for options that can be used in multiple dishes; you don’t want to buy a product you’ll use just one time, only to have it end up at the back of the fridge, never to be seen again.
Learn Cooking Techniques
Certain cooking methods are faster than others, and learning to use them to your advantage can save you time. Take stir-frying, for example. It’s a speedy and flavorful way to cook vegetables and
proteins, but you need to be prepared with ingredients ready to go (think convenience ingredients). High heat and constant movement of ingredients ensure they cook evenly and quickly while adding great flavor and texture.
Beyond the Knife
While some kitchen gadgets might seem unnecessary, others can save you a lot of time in the long run. A food processor, for example, can chop, slice, and shred ingredients in seconds, significantly reducing your prep time. Similarly, a high-quality blender can help you make soups or sauces in a flash for dinner and double as a margarita mixer for taco night.
Never underestimate the benefits of an electric pressure cooker, the usefulness of an air fryer, or the convenience of a crockpot. These tools are specifically designed to help you speed up the cooking process and make life a little easier.
Simple Ingredients, Simple Recipes
Long ingredient lists can be intimidating and time-consuming. Instead, focus on simple recipes that highlight a few fresh, quality ingredients that can be enhanced with some great premade help. Simple pasta dishes, stir-fries, salads, and roasted vegetables can all be made quickly while still offering satisfying flavors. Often, the best meals come from fewer ingredients, allowing the natural flavors to shine through.
Be adventurous! Subscribe to culinary blogs, read recipes, and identify common ingredients so you can avoid waste. This way, you can enjoy a variety of flavors without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Contact us today to request samples of Cantorian Chicken Seasoning and more!