But it doesn't have to be that way, said Leslie Cerier, an Amherst-based vegetarian chef and educator with more than 40 years of cooking experience.
"For me, it's about being creative, flexible and stocked," she said.
Cerier, 65, runs the blog "The Organic Gourmet" and has taught culinary workshops around the world, as well as locally, at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge and for the Northeast Organic Farming Association in Amherst. She has also published several cook books.
In her own cupboard, Cerier said she stocks quick-cooking grains like kasha, amaranth, roasted buckwheat, quinoa and teff, a fine grain about the size of poppy seeds. Those grains are particularly good for fast meals because they're packed with protein and carbohydrates on their own, she said. Red lentils are another good option.
Using those staples, Cerier said she can make seemingly complex dishes like coconut curry lentils and quinoa pasta with cilantro pesto in about 15 minutes.
"I'm always thinking about nutrient-dense, nutritious food," she said. And if a dish doesn't have enough protein or carbohydrates on its own, she adds in seeds, nuts or vegetables.
"If I make eggs, sometimes I'll make an omelet with veggies and cheese, and that's delicious and quick. Or if I fry up two sunny side eggs and put some dulse next to it, and have that with chai tea, I'm pretty happy."
Buy in bulk so there's always something in the cupboard, she advised. And to maximize the shelf-life of grains, which can keep for months at a time, she suggested moving uncooked grains into progressively smaller and smaller jars as they're used to minimize oxidation.
To add flavor, Cerier stocks a diverse array of spices and herbs that include parsley, rosemary, dill, thyme, dried cayenne, fennel seeds, coriander, cumin, curry powder, black pepper and high quality sea salt, to name a few. Herbs and spices can be a good way to reinvent familiar dishes, Cerier said.
"That helps me make the same meal twice if I want to, or change it," she continued.
Planning ahead and incorporating leftovers into future meals is equally important. Don't think of leftovers as another round of the same meal, Cerier said. Instead, think of them as ingredients for the next meal.
"Let's say I just made a pot of beans. One way to make a new dish with those beans is to turn those beans into a dip, a stew, or add them to a salad," she said. "I could get local organic tortillas, refry them with spices and eat them as a taco with cilantro."
Ultimately, Cerier said cooking fast requires an understanding of each individual ingredient and its cooking attributes.
"For me, I'm very sensual - I want to taste it, smell it, see it, engage with the food, and then, when I have a relationship with the food, be quick with it," Cerier said.
To that end, Cerier said it's important to experiment with flavor combinations, try new foods and learn to enjoy the process.
"So many people who come to my class have never tasted amaranth, or made a peanut sauce. (Students) will immediately leave class and go shopping. All of a sudden, they're tasting things they've never had," Cerier said. "People should always cook from their hearts. Your joy of cooking is also the nutrition."
Coconut Curried Red Lentil Soup
The red palm oil and red lentils give this soup a beautiful orange color, Cerier said. Feel free to use any greens you like - spinach, collards, kale, mustard greens or even nettles. You can also swap ghee or extra virgin coconut oil for the red palm oil.
