Category: Cooking For 2

Easy No-Cook Oatmeal

Posted on by Lisa P

Serves: 1
Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Also called “muesli” in many parts of Europe, you don’t need to soak this no-cook oatmeal overnight. A good one-hour soak in the morning will do the trick. Make it while you’re waiting for your coffee and by the time you get out of the shower it’ll be ready to go. Continue reading “Easy No-Cook Oatmeal” →

Pasta Mish Mash

Posted on by Lisa P

Serves: 2 people
Hands-on time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min

This pasta dish is a great way to use up leftover items from the week.  A thick pasta (penne or fusilli work great) plus a ton of veggies and some protein are all it takes.  The ingredients are very flexible, and I’ve never had a bad batch!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb thick pasta such as penne or fusilli (gluten free preferred)
  • 1 C of onions, peppers, shallots, fennel, cabbage or other fragrant vegetable with a lot of water content
  • 1 C any leftover non-starchy vegetable such as broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic
  • 1-1/2 C leftover protein
    • meat-based: chicken sausages, meatballs, chicken, steak, pork chops, etc.
    • vegan/vegetarian: cooked chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, pine nuts, peas, soybeans, etc.
  • 1/2 C white wine or chicken broth (veggie broth if vegetarian/vegan)
  • 1/2 tsp italian seasonings (or herbs de provence)
  • 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • parmesan cheese (optional, omit if vegan or dairy-free)

Continue reading “Pasta Mish Mash” →

Basic Linguine with Clam Sauce

Posted on by Lisa P

I make this linguine with clam sauce recipe at least once a month.  I’ve got it down to a science, and on a good day I can whip it up in 15 minutes. I usually have the ingredients on hand, which means I don’t even need to plan ahead and it can fill in for those occasional “OMG I didn’t plan and I have to make something quick” days.  ()There are more of those than I care to admit, but let’s not talk about that.)

<Original recipe with canned clams here.>

Chicken Piccata (adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

Posted on by Lisa P

Serves: 4-6 people
Hands-on time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min

This is one of those recipes that looks complicated because of the number of steps involved, but once you get started it goes pretty quick. Even so, it is a tad longer than 30 minutes but totally worth the extra time! Continue reading “Chicken Piccata (adapted from Cooks Illustrated)” →

Chicken and Arugula Tortilla Wraps

Posted on by Lisa P

INGREDIENTS

Pan #1

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 – 14 oz can of small dice organic tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
  • 12 ounces raw or cooked chicken, cut into small pieces
  • 2-3 cups arugula
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1-2 tsp crushed dried red pepper, or to taste

Pan #2

  • 5-8 GF corn tortillas

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes, chopped garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté 2 minutes.
  2. Add chicken, stir and and cook a couple of 2 minutes. If using raw chicken make sure it is opaque when determining doneness.
  3. Stir in arugula and balsamic vinegar. Reduce heat to low; cook until arugula wilts. Season with salt and pepper if desired and keep warm.
  4. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet (Pan #2) over medium heat. Add tortillas one at a time and heat for about 1 minute per side.
  5. Serve chicken and arugula in tortillas. Add optional toppings such as salsa, chopped olives,
    thinly sliced cabbage, etc.

Vegan “Dirty” Brown Rice

Posted on by gch_admin

This is a wonderful rice dish as a vegan main course or a side dish to a piece of fish or chicken. You can spice it up with any of your favorite vegetables and or hot peppers.  For a protein-rich version add a drained and rinsed can of black or red beans along with the vegetables. (See note in directions.)

Ingredients

1 cup of fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup of fresh cauliflower, chopped
1 cup of sliced carrots
2 cups of long grain brown rice
5 1/2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of garlic
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of your favorite dried herb or herb blend (optional)
1 can of drained beans or chickpeas (optional for protein if desired)

Directions

  1. Combine 2 cups of long grain brown rice and 5 1/2 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring just to a boil. Add carrots and seasonings, stir and bring to a boil. (Add 1-2 tbsp of butter or oil if desired.)
  2. Reduce heat and cover tightly.
  3. Simmer 30 minutes, then lift cover and quickly add the cauliflower and broccoli. Don’t stir.
    Re-cover immediately. [To make this a complete meal with protein, you can add a can of drained beans or chickpeas right here as well.  Add them first, stir the pot, then add the cauliflower and broccoli on top.]
  4. Simmer 15-20 minutes longer, or until rice is tender and all the water is absorbed.
  5. Fluff lightly with a fork and serve.

Nutrition Info

Nutritional Value of Brown Rice (1 cup cooked)

216 Calories
1.8 g Total Fat
0 g Cholesterol
10 mg of Sodium
84 mg of Potassium
45 g Total Carbohydrates
5 g Protein

Nutritional Values of Vegetables (1 cup raw)

73.6 Calories
.8 g Total Fat
0 mg Cholesterol
89 mg Sodium
2607 mg Potassium
15 gr Carbohydrates
5.26 g Protein