For the past two weeks or so I've been busy getting ready for the holiday craft fair season. If you participate in the crafty rounds, you know the drill: Craft like crazy, set up the best booth/table/space you can and then smile and chit chat like the dickens. And hopefully you'll sell a ton so you can relax, be creative, and produce wonderful things until the whole thing begins again. Even if you're not in the craft biz, this is a busy season for most people, and getting healthy and tasty meals is always a bit more difficult this time of year. 
 
I wish I had time for grocery shopping and cooking, but it's hard to get things started when your fridge and cupboards resemble a dust bin. I've been ordering take-out and eating cereal for dinner more times than I care to admit.  The first step is realizing that there is a problem, and I now realize that I should have had a plan all along.
 
 
Step One: Go grocery shopping. Stock up on apples, oranges and bananas--a quick, healthy snack that will give you a quick bout of needed energy. Buy things like frozen tortellini, prepared pesto, and frozen vegetables so you can quickly make a delicious vegetable soup like the one I found over at This Week for Dinner. Not only is this soup quick to prepare, it cuts down on serious prep time by using the miracle of the modern world: frozen veggies. 
 
 
Step Two: Breakfast for dinner. Face it, it's kinda humiliating to eat a cold bowl of Frosted Flakes for dinner, so forgo the bowl, pick up your skillet, and make yourself an egg sandwich. Not only will your sandwich taste better, it will make you feel less pathetic. Trust me. Gussy up your sannie with proscuitto, cheese, and arugula and you'll be one happy camper, as seen over at My Boyfriend Cooks for Me.
 
 
Step Three: Cook for a crowd. It's always easier to cook a huge pot of something and have leftovers for days, than to cook a new meal every day. Leftovers are a huge time saver and are perfect for busy weeks. Cook up a giant batch of soup or vegetable curry, or simmer a spicy chili and then heat the leftovers and call it a dinner. This vegetable chili by Dana Treat is super delicious (I know, I've made it often). Filled with beans, vegetables and green chilis is an ideal cold weather option. 
 
 
Step Four: Make friends with salad. While a green salad is nice and all, it's not the kind of food that keeps on giving. Instead, try a hearty salad full of grains and beans. This roasted red pepper and quinoa salad from Closet Cooking will not only taste wonderful the next day, it's a good vegetarian and gluten-free option. 
 
I wish I could give you a Step Five, but I'm running out the door (this time I'm heading to my booth at the huge four-day One of a Kind Show in Vancouver). And because I need all the quick meal tips and ideas before I order in pizza, help a girl out! What's your greatest tip to have a meal on the table in a hurry. I'm all ears. 

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