Need easy dinner ideas ...I can't use my right hand HELP PLEASE!!!

I have tendinitis in my right elbow with a possible tear. I can't use my right hand or arm at all. I am right handed.

I usually cook everything from scratch. I can't cut or chop or barely prep anything. I also can't drain a large pot of pasta.

Tonight I'm making a stir fry. I bought a bag of frozen terriaki stir fry veggies and some chicken tenders - expensive but I can't cut up chicken. I can make rice because I don't have to drain it.

I want to try to feed my family healthy food through this - I'll give in and used more processed things I am just at a loss for ideas. Tomorrow I may do a simple lasagna with the no cook noodles.

Re: Need easy dinner ideas ...I can't use my right hand HELP PLEASE!!!

Do you have a mini prep?

Also, do you have a small mesh sieve like this?

You can let the mini prep do all of your chopping and use the sieve to take pasta out of the water (and let someone else drain it later!)

You can do panini with a side salad.
Use the BBQ! You can whip up quick marinades and grill big pieces of chicken breast, chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks.

You can also make burgers or hotdogs on the grill.

You can serve any of those with couscous, quinoa, salad, rice, pasta salad.

Need easy dinner ideas ...I can't use my right hand HELP PLEASE!!!

How old are you kids? Maybe some pizzas or quiches. Shake and bake - chicken, fish.
I make pretzel chix - ground up pretzels in a mini chopper, mix 1/2 pretzels with 1/2 breadcrumbs. Coat chix in honey mustard and then the mixture and bake.

Chicken pot pie (if you get help cutting chicken) - buy a pie crust, add chix and mixed veges with cream of celery/chicken soup and bake.

ETA: Maybe if you go shopping one of your friends/husband can chop/prep everything for a few days?


Again...ETA: Maybe get a crinkle cutter. I have one for DS (4) and he cuts chicken and potatoes with it. You could use your left hand probably if DS can do it!

Crinkle cutter

This is more like the one DS has:
DS's crinkle cutter

Maybe one of these would help with prep - I've seen different ones with different sizes
Chopper

Message edited 8/8/2012 10:48:16 AM.

Re: Need easy dinner ideas ...I can't use my right hand HELP PLEASE!!!

Double post

Message edited 8/8/2012 11:49:48 AM.

Re: Need easy dinner ideas ...I can't use my right hand HELP PLEASE!!!

There are some one handed cutting boards on Amazon that look pretty interesting. This one is kind of pricey but looks like it would work well.

As far as ideas, I would definitely load up on frozen veggies. I like the plain or lightly sauced kinds when I'm in a pinch (which is often since I have a 3 month old). There are some decent rice or pastas with veggies and light or no sauce. I also like bush's grilling beans which are probably not the healthiest.

For main courses, definitely burgers, sausage, or marinated chicken on the grill. I would bet if you go to a butcher and explain your situation they would help you out on trimming the meats. Meatloaf would probably be easy, you can add frozen chopped onion and peppers and canned tomatoes. You could do ravioli since it would be easier to scoop out. You could do tacos and buy premade pico instead of chopped tomatoes.

Message edited 8/8/2012 11:49:32 AM.

Re: Need easy dinner ideas ...I can't use my right hand HELP PLEASE!!!

I'd try to do a bunch of crockpot- 1 pot meals. There's lots of recipes online where there is very little prep work and are healthy.