october 4: autumn delicious with squash, salmon, pear and spinach, brown rice

Just to reiterate, by "fast food", I usually try for half an hour of active time (I estimate it would take me around 15 minutes to drive to a restaurant, find parking, and sit at a table -- so it's definitely worth making it at home for less). Worst case, dinner should take from the time the rice is put into the cooker, to the time the cooker beeps that the rice is ready (~45 minutes).

Entree: Simple salmon met a pan

Sides: Brown rice; pear, walnut, and spinach salad (this uses up 1/2 pear); roasted kabocha squash with cumin and cinnamon

Dessert: Upside down pear cake (this uses up the other pair half)

T-45: Put the brown rice to cook. Chop, chop, chop! Peel and cube the kabocha squash.
T-30: It took me around 15 minutes for the squash. At this point, mix the spices for the squash and grind them for a couple minutes. Don't forget to preheat the oven!
T-25: Put the squash into the oven. Start cutting up the pear (for both salad and dessert).
T-20: Make the rest of salad, minus the dressing.
T-15: Ah! Time's running out. Put olive oil in a pan and start heating it on the stove for the salmon. Meanwhile, start making the cake.
T-12: Put the salmon in the pan. Continue making the cake.
Dinner-time! Put the cake in the oven. Call everyone for dinner. Don't forget to season the salad!

Sometime during dinner: Take the cake out, make sure it's cooked. It shouldn't interrupt dinner conversation if you live in a small apartment like I do.