I feel like a mom with a new baby when it comes to my basil plant.

I wrote that this morning when I started this post and as of tonight, it has started to wilt 🙁 I guess I’m bad with plants after all.

Now I’m sad I didn’t make better use of it while it was at its best. I’ll have to make up for it in tomorrow’s meals and get the last leaves while it’s still with us.

The last couple of days have been hectic at work and I’ve been doing my best to stay on top of things at home. Healthy meals and daily exercise have all still taken place but they’ve all felt a little more strained or without as much enthusiasm. I need a kick in the pants!

Despite feeling a little off my game, at least the food has still been tasty.

Last night I brought out the green beans again to pair with my favorite roasted chick peas.

I’ve been really trying to keep to easy meals so I don’t completely throw in the towel with home cooking on nights when I get home well past my old man’s dinner hour of 5:30. These chickpeas are super simple and perfect for when I’m not feeling up to a lot of prep. Open up the can and dump it in the pan. Even seasoning is optional but I recommend a light sprinkle of something Italian. I used an Italian blend, which also went into the rice. Very fragrant and flavorful!

Of course, my green beans took a little longer than I had hoped mostly because I had to snap the ends off those suckers. But I did that while waiting for their water to boil and it kept me from snacking. I am the worst about snacking when I’m cooking. That’s the real reason I can’t keep cereal around the house.

The rice was cooked as the beans cooked and they all came together right about at the same time. The chickpeas are good whenever but I think they are best if they can cool a bit after cooking (about 10 minutes in the pan) because they harden up a bit, giving them a nice crunch.

Oh yeah! Dinner is served!

What are your go-to easy meals?