Solving the Jack Sprat Problem

Do you live in a Jack Sprat household? You know – Jack could eat no fat and his wife could eat no lean.

I have a friend named Robin whose husband Dave is a big meat lover. She, on the other hand, far prefers vegetables and grains, which are also better for her health. Cooking is not her favorite pastime. They had partially licked the problem when her husband got an indoor smokeless grill that allows him to prepare meats to his heart’s content. But she’s still at odds trying to come up with ideas for meals. What to do?

Growing up in farm country, I clearly would have fallen in the meat side of this equation. After all, we usually had a freezer full of our prime beef. But lately, I’ve begun to limit my meat intake and now lean in Robin’s direction. I think a lot of dishes I’ve been making would serve them both. When she saw a few of my weekly menus, she could quickly pick out some dishes that sound very pleasing to her, and would also make excellent sides to Dave’s grilled meat.

She liked the idea of Watermelon Salad with Watermelon and Peaches and Grain Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumbers. Ensuring domestic tranquility and pleasant dinners together means they’ll just need to make sure that the sides go with the meat.

Robin even liked the sound of some other dishes that combined meat with vegetables, like Curry Chicken Breasts with Chickpeas and Spinach. The only question is whether it would appeal to the other half. If that worked for Dave, would he like Indian-Spiced Pea Fritters? And what meat would he pair that with?  

I have recently prepared a number of vegetable dishes that include beans or cereal grains. Some contained meat; some did not. Sausage and Bean Casserole. Cod with White Beans and Chorizo. Chickpea and Green Bean Salad with Aioli. Lentil, Tomato, and Green Bean Salad (pictured). With creativity, they could be adapted to her needs. Not one is complicated, and all can be whipped up within 30 minutes or less! Of course, it would help if she could master the Instant Pot. When I offered to coach her on some of these Instant Pot recipes, she was on board.

If you’d like any of the recipes mentioned here, shoot me an email.

How about you? If you live in a Jack Sprat household, how do you solve these problems? Comment below!