Deadlines. The word didn’t even exist until the Civil War; it was a military term used to denote a line that if you crossed it? Well, you get the idea. Deadlines can bring about a certain sense of foreboding and finality — and stress. With NaNoWriMo just around the corner, many of you will have a deadline — November 30th.

When I’m stressed and frantic, I sometimes make the mistake of eating out. Less dishes, less fuss, less hassle, and a break away from the computer. Realistically, though, this isn’t an economical idea and it can be too much of a distraction for me. For those times when I’m staring down the line, the weather usually dictates what I eat. Sandwiches and peasant meals are easy options, sure, but as soon as the leaves start to fall? I’m planning ahead and freezing a portion of the larger meals to have on hand for future lunches.

Here’s some options I leverage when I’m short on time. Everything listed here takes a half an hour or less of prep. Though, I should warn you. . . None of these solutions are fancy. For that, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere. 😀

• Crock Pot – Oh, how I love my crock pots. We have one big enough to hold a roast and another smaller one. There are several cookbooks out there and these are great for soups, chilis, ham and potatoes, applesauce, etc. What’s really interesting about the crock pot, is that it takes less energy to cook with, too. So you can dump your ingredients into one in the morning and by dinnertime? Voila.
• Stir-Fry – Frozen bag of veggies, plus meat or tofu, and a sauce? You’ve got a stir-fry that takes no time at all. A super easy sauce is one teaspoon Siracha, two tablespoons peanut butter, dash of honey, and 1/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce. Use a wok for extra bonus points. We often skip the rice; if you want a quick and easy carb, add dried chinese noodles.
• Calzone – This is one of our favorite quick-and-easy meals, because if you do it right? There’s nothing to “cook” when you’re prepping this. Take one tube of refrigerator pizza dough, a package of pepperoni, a small 8 to 10 ounce can of pizza sauce, and shredded cheese. Spray a rectangular cookie sheet and roll out the dough onto it and press into the edges. Visualize three “rows” length-wise. In the center row, pour out the pizza sauce, leaving a one-to-two inch gap at either end. Then, arrange the pepperoni in the sauce and add the cheese. Now, you’ll make an “envelope” with the dough. Take the top and the bottom and seal over the end. Fold over one side, then the other, until you’ve blanketed the filling. (For fancier presentation, you can cut strips in the dough and criss-cross all the way down.) Then, bake as directed on the tube of dough; usually about twenty minutes. These homemade pizza pockets can be made with sausage, eggs and bacon, broccoli and alfredo, and a lot of other fillings, too.
• Breakfast. Not just for mornings, anymore. – A lot of breakfast foods are filling and easy to make. Pancakes can be made out of a box. Bacon and eggs. Skillets or omelets take a bit of work but frozen potatoes are great for making a quick hash.
• Soup and sandwiches – There’s a ton of soups out there from canned to homemade recipes and sandwiches require a little ingenuity. I love grilled cheese and portabella with roasted red pepper myself; we often opt for the low sodium brands and add our own spices. If you’re just wanting soup, don’t forget the crackers or the rolls.

If you’re even shorter on time, here’s some other suggestions:

• Cook a large portion of meat at the beginning of the week.
• Meal plan, meal plan, meal plan. Can’t tell you how much time and money this saves us.
• When you do have time, cook larger portions and freeze for the future.
• Skip the meat and use recipes that require beans or other vegetarian options. For example, veggie nachos!
• Make a ritual out of your deadlines and have a default option when you’re in crunch time. Peanut butter and jelly isn’t just for kids!

What about you? What do you do when you’re facing deadline?

Mood: I drew a line. And I’m staring right at it.
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: HAH.
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: I am yogi master.
In My Ears: A screaming cat. (Seriously, when will he ever be full?)
Game Last Played: Tetris
Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter collection
Latest Artistic Project: In progress!
Latest Release: “Fangs and Formaldehyde” from the New Hero anthology through Stone Skin Press