Life changes, and apparently mine does this all at once. In two weeks time, I’ll have flown to Houston to wrap up work at my most recent position, will head home to pack up the one bedroom apartment in Chicago, will fly down to Atlanta to train for my new career, and then back to Chicago to move into our gorgeous two bedroom place in River North. Am I cooking as much these days? No, but I’m relying on some old standbys to get us through the next few weeks without eating out every night.

When I know a busy period is coming up I plan ahead and cook up odds and ends on the weekend that can be quickly thrown together in a casserole dish during the week. Pre-cooked rice and chicken breasts can mean the difference between a 20- and 60-minute meal. Mexican Layer Casserole takes advantage of both. This dish is comfort food to me. It’s flavorful and filling and comes together quickly, even though the ingredient list looks long. Don’t skip the chiles in adobo sauce because their spicy smokiness really punches up the flavor in the casserole. You should be able to find them in the Mexican food section of most large grocery stores, along with the can of green chiles. If you prefer less heat just omit the green chiles, gringo

Mexican Layer Casserole

Adapted from Low-Fat Living Cookbook
Serves 6
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$2.50

Rice
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Sauce
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
1 cup low-fat sour cream
2-3 chiles in adobo, chopped with 2 teaspoons sauce reserved
1-4.5 ounce can green chiles, chopped (optional. You could use a can of chopped chiles, too.)

Filling
No-stick spray
3 cups broken up corn tortilla chips
1-15 ounce can refried black beans, warmed
1.5 cups low-fat shredded sharp cheddar
1 cooked chicken breast, diced small (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Prep work: Mince the garlic. Chop the cilantro, onion, and chiles in adobo. Chop the green chiles and chicken, if using. Warm up the beans in a sauce pan on low heat.

1. To make the rice: mix together all of the rice ingredients and set aside.
2. To make the sauce: Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to low. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then stir in the sour cream. This will help prevent curdling when you add it to the hot sauce. Stir in a small amount of the sauce into the sour cream, then transfer the sour cream mixture to the sauce in the saucepan. Add the chiles in adobo with the reserved sauce and the chopped green chiles (if using). Stir everything to combine and remove from the heat.
   

4. To assemble the casserole: Heat the oven to 375° F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with no-stick spray. Arrange half the chips on the bottom, then drop spoonfuls of the warmed beans on top, using about half on this first layer. Warming the beans makes this step easier. Layer on 1/2 cup cheddar, half of the rice, half of the chopped chicken (if using) and half of the sauce. Repeat the layers of chips, beans, cheese, chicken and sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar on top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.

Nutrition info assumes that optional ingredients are used and low sodium chicken broth and low fat sour cream, cheese and black beans are used. This casserole is a good source of almost everything and is still low in fat in spite of the cheese and sour cream.

Currently making me happy
I started this in my last post and I think I’ll keep doing it as I find things that make me happy. For now I want to focus on things I discover as I get to know Chicago, but eventually I will branch out.

Just three blocks from my house is the sweetest of temptations, Canady Le Chocolatier. It’s a lovely little chocolate shop tucked into a small store front in the South Loop. The hot chocolate at Canady beckons me out of the apartment even on the ickiest Chicago winter days. But the chocolate silk pie, oh man, I have never had anything like it. The texture is smooth and creamy but it’s not so rich that you get sick of it after a few bites. The flavor is much more complex, with a honey-like depth to the sweetness. I’m practically salivating just writing about it.

Mr. Canady makes all of the chocolates on site and you can tell that this is his passion. Each of his little treats is like a gem, a delicious, addicting little gem.

Isn't this the sweetest little necklace? Go check out Allison Mooney's Etsy shop for more.

Currently making me happy

How much do I love Allison Mooney’s jewelry on Etsy? The answer is A LOT. Her pieces are so delicate and timeless that I have a mind to buy them all up and wear them all at once. Go to her Etsy store to see more lovely things.

I have been eating a lot of chicken lately. I’m learning to cook for me and my boyfriend and the guy loves his poultry. He’s open minded and welcomes my meatless creations, so I indulge him with dishes like this Mediterranean Chicken. Fennel is still pretty much in season so it’s not expensive, and this dish gives you a chance to play around with it. The briny olives here add a nice kick to the mellow sweetness of the roasted fennel. Cherry tomatoes seem like such an indulgence this time of year, but they get roasted in this dish, which brings out their flavor, so I succumbed. Oh, how I miss tomatoes during the winter. This recipe is for two people, but you could easily double it. This is a make-ahead kind of dish because the chicken needs to marinade for at least an hour. Otherwise it comes together quickly with little hands-on time.

Mediterranean Chicken with Roasted Fennel

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen’s Cooking for Two 2009. Is it cute or obnoxious that I bought this book?
Serves 2
Marinade time: at least 1 hour
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35-45 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$6

Marinade

1/3 cup olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped basil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few grindings of fresh black pepper
2 bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each)

Veggies

2 fennel bulbs
1 cup cherry tomatoes
10 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
juice of half a lemon
chopped basil for garnish

Prep work: Mince the shallot and garlic. Chop the basil and olives. Juice the lemon. To prep the fennel, cut off the stalks then slice them in half. Core them by cutting a cone out of the bottom (see photo). Slice the fennel thinly lengthwise.

1. For the marinade: combine all of the marinade ingredients (except the chicken, silly) in a bowl and stir to combine. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade and place in the refrigerator. Add the rest of the marinade and the chicken to a large zipper-lock bag, press out the air and seal the bag. Smoosh the chicken around in the marinade in the bag and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
2. Heat the oven to 450° F. Combine the fennel, tomatoes, olives, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the reserved marinade (not the stuff the chicken is sitting in!) and toss to coat. Dump the veggies into a 8- or 9-inch square baking dish.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and nestle them skin-side up in the veggies. Throw out any marinade left in the baggie. Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 160° F, or about 35-45 minutes. A meat thermometer is really handy for measuring internal temp.
4. Stir the lemon juice into the remaining reserved marinade. Transfer the chicken, veggies and pan juices to a platter and pour the lemon-marinade mixture over it. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before sprinkling with the remaining basil. Serve it!

Nutrition info assumes 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the final recipe. OK, there is a lot of fat in this, but I don’t eat the chicken skins and I did say it is an indulgence Pull the skins off if you want to save some fat and calories, or satisfy yourself that you are getting half your daily recommended fiber and most of your vitamin C and a fourth of your iron.

And some how, this disappoints me.

Where is all the damn snow?!? My imagination promised me heaps of pristine fluffy flakes begging to be stomped on, scooped up and rolled around in. I have a RomCom playing in my head where my boyfriend and I, scarved and earmuffed, frolic and romp through the snow while bouncy pop music chirps about the glory of love. Has it happened IRL? Nooooooo! And I was seriously beginning to pout until yesterday, when we got over 6 inches of snow. This Pee Wee Herman video pretty much sums up my reaction:

I’ve only gotten a little bit of frolicking in, but I have to say that I find myself grinning and even giggling when I walk down the street. I stomp into the snow banks, and I don’t care that my boots get all messy. Snow is new to me and I pretty much love everything about it.

And all of this was to set up my new favorite winter dish, this super quick chili recipe I tweaked from Real Simple. I added some ground meat to it, but you could just omit that part if you want to keep it vegetarian. I love the addition of bulgur because it adds a little more heft to the dish. It sticks nicely to the ribs. In the photo you can see a big hunk of my favorite cornbread, made with blue cornmeal for fun. I’ll post that recipe after this one. It’s some good stuff.

Quick Chili

Adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4
Total Time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$4

1/2 cup bulgur wheat
juice of half a lemon
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 pound ground meat (optional. Use beef or pork, whatever you have)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I like the ones with mexican spices or adobo seasoning)
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed

Prep work: Juice the lemon, slice the green onion, seed and chop the jalapeño, chop the onion, bell pepper and garlic

1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the bulgur and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep the bulgur covered for 10 minutes. The water should soak into the grains. Stir in the lemon juice, jalapeño, a nice glug of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. While the bulgur is cooking, brown the meat in a large pan or a pot over medium-high heat. If you are not using the meat then just heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and skip to the next step.
3. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper to tast. Stir everything to combine and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and 1½ cups water to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed beans and simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Divide the chili into bowls and top with the bulgur mixture.

The nutrion info assumes a total of 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 95% lean ground beef was used.

I’m busy, I’m packing, blah, blah, blah. You get it by now. In spite of everything going on in my life, I must take time to feed myself nourishing meals. Fast food won’t cut it for me. Maybe I’m high maintenance or a bit snobby. I’m OK with that, because I get to eat lovely dishes like this hearty concoction of winter veggies.

Last week at the market I came across no fewer than 5 types of sweet potato and I knew I had to do something with them. These beauties are high in vitamins A, B6, C and dietary fiber. Most sweet potato dishes I’m familiar with amp up the sweetness with brown sugar. I wanted to take a different approach, so I searched for a savory dish and found this recipe on Real Simple. That site ought to start paying me for advertising because I reference it here so often. It really is my go-to place for recipes when I’m keen on one ingredient.

Combining the sweet potatoes with kale and quinoa make this dish a nutrition boon that includes good doses of iron and calcium. The wine adds a complexity to an otherwise simple dish, but if you don’t have any on hand you could substitute broth. I’d recommend skipping the broth and buying a nice bottle of wine that you can finish off with dinner

Sweet Potato, Kale and Quinoa

Serves 4
Total time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$3.50

1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small sweet potatoes, about a pound
8 ounces sliced cremini or “baby bella” mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch kale
3/4 cup dry white wine (or veggie broth)
kosher salt and black pepper

Prep: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-sized chunks. Remove the stems from the kale by folding in half lengthwise and running a knife down the side of the stem. Tear the kale into 2 inch pieces and rinse in a strainer. Peel and chop the garlic.

1. In a small saucepan, bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot. Don’t use a skillet here because you will never get all of the kale in there. Add the sweet potatoes and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms soften.
3. Add the garlic and toss with the veggies, then add the kale, wine or broth and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the kale often and cook until it starts to wilt and soften, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve the quinoa in bowls topped with the veggies.

I can’t believe how much vitamin A and C is in this dish, and check out the iron, protein and fiber content. What this label doesn’t show is the nice dose of the B vitamins and vitamin K you get, too. This one is going to stay in my repertoire for when I’m feeling the winter doldrums in Chicago.

Stew can be quick if you use the right ingredients. This recipe from New Vegetarian Cuisine is a perfect example. The trick is to use red lentils if you can find them, which are actually yellow lentils with the outer husk removed. Whole Foods has them in the bulk section, but you may also be able to find them at larger grocery stores amongst the dried beans. They are a bright orange color and turn yellow once they are cooked. Bonus points: Lentils have plenty of iron, protein and fiber. If you can’t find red lentils you can substitute green or brown, but the cooking time will need to be extended by 10-15 minutes.

I modified the recipe in New Vegetarian Cuisine by using yellow potatoes, which hold up better to cooking than regular baking potatoes. If, like me, you like chunks of potato in your stew try using Yukon Golds. I also switched out the tarragon for basil because I had some left over from the Mediterranean Olive Bread I made, and it’s easier to find in most grocery stores. If you use a food processor to shred the veggies, this dish comes together in minutes. Did I mention how much I love my new food processor? I don’t even mind that I have to wash it by hand (since I don’t have a dish washer).

Balsamic Lentil Stew

Lentil Stew Action Shot!

4 cups water
1 1/4 cups red lentils
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
ground black pepper
5-6 green onions
2 carrots
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
2 large cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Cut the potatoes into cubes. In a large pot, combine the water, lentils, potatoes and pepper (to your liking) and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes.
2. While the lentils are cooking, chop the green onions and grate the carrots, zucchini and squash. You can also use the grater on a food processor for the veggies. Finely chop the garlic.
3. In a large no-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, veggies and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Once the carrots are softened, add the veggie mixture to the lentils. Mix in the basil and vinegar and heat through another 2-3 minutes. Serve in big bowls. You won’t need another meal for about 8 hours.
   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/04/quick-and-cheap-dinner-balsamic-lentil-stew/feed/ 4 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/04/food-pr0n-jumping-pepita-quesadilla/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/04/food-pr0n-jumping-pepita-quesadilla/#comments Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:56:15 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=910

   Cheese, glorious Cheese!

   I always end up with a bunch of leftover parsley or cilantro and I’m never quite sure how to use it up. I saw this quesadilla recipe in my Phytopia Cookbook and thought the parsley spread was a clever way to prevent waste. Turns out that parsley is chock full of Vitamins A, C and Iron. And this recipe is versatile. You could make all kinds of parsley spreads using this basic recipe. Switch out the nuts, add some lemon juice, maybe throw in a few olives…just use your imagination and whatever you have laying around. I think a version of the paste would be excellent as a “sauce” for whole wheat pasta.

   I renamed the recipe Jumping Pepita Quesadilla because:

   1. I’m a big dork
   2. The pumpkin seeds really do jump when you toast them, which I find entertaining

   The Phytopia Cookbook is teh shizz. I’ve used mine heavily for many years and it’s all banged up and warped from spillage. All of the recipes I’ve tried are insanely healthy and delicious. Go buy it, you will love it.

   Jumping Pepita Quesadillas

   Adapted from The Phytopia Cookbook. You will need a food processor for this recipe.

   Serves 4

   For the spread:
   1/3 cup raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds, found in the bulk section of Whole Foods or in the Mexican food section of larger grocery stores)
   1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
   1 clove garlic, peeled
   1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried
   1 cup fresh parsley leaves, rinsed and dried
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   1 tablespoon olive oil

   For the ‘dilla:
   1 medium tomato
   8 whole-wheat flour tortillas
   1 cup grated Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

   1. Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. They will start to jump and pop. Giggle with glee. Stir the seeds to prevent burning.
   2. Mince jalapeno and garlic in a food processor. Careful, son. That’s raw garlic!
   3. Add the remaining spread ingredients and process until you have a paste.
   4. Finely dice the tomato. Assemble the ‘dilla by smearing 1/4 of the spread on a tortilla. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the tomato and about 1/4 cup of the cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Repeat for the remaining quesadillas.
   5. Place each quesadilla in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook on each side until toasted, a few minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
   
   Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch!

   I have a bonus feature for you. I calculated the nutritional value of each ‘dilla on NutriMirror.com. Check out the numbers on this thing! Can you believe how nutritious a quesadilla can be? And this spread is yummy! If you are concerned about the fat and sodium, simply use low fat cheese and reduce the amount of salt in the spread.

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/04/food-pr0n-jumping-pepita-quesadilla/feed/ 2 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:06:50 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=834 I’m no longer merely flirting with vegetarianism. I have tackled it to the ground and am humping it’s leg. We aren’t going steady yet, as I have had a few meatful meals in the last several weeks. I just can’t make the commitment, at least not until I get to know it better.

   Wow, I rode the wheels off that metaphor, but dangit it was fun. This is a lovely salad that I modified from a recipe in Quick Vegetarian Pleasures. The rice will take 45-60 minute to cook depending on how you go about it. I like to cook rice in a steamer so it takes me closer to an hour. Most of that time is hands off because the rest of the recipe comes together quickly. I know the raisins sound freaky, but trust me they add a nice sweetness to the flavors. Skip them if you are being a wuss and I’m sure the salad will turn out fine. Wuss.

   Broccoli and Rice Confetti Salad

   Serves 2-3 as a main dish
   Total time about 1 hour, though only 20 minutes is hands on
   Cost per serving about $3
   

   

   It's a veggie landscape!

   For the salad:
   1/2 cup brown rice
   1 head of broccoli
   1/3 cup raisins
   2 carrots
   1/4 of a small red onion
   2 tablespoons basil

   For the dressing:
   1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
   2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
   1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   ground black pepper to taste

   1. Cook the rice as you normally would. If you cook it directly on the stove, combine the rice with 1.5 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes. I steam rice because it never burns or sticks to the bottom of the pan that way. It requires a steamer, though.
   2. Chop the broccoli into florets. Cut the carrots into sticks then dice into small chunks. Place the broccoli in a saucepan with about 1/4 cup water, cover the pan, and heat over medium heat for a few minutes. The broccoli will be bright green and tender-crisp. Drain off any remaining water.
   3. Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk for a minute or two. Set aside.
   4. Mince the onion and basil. Set aside.
   5. When the rice is done, combine it with the broccoli, raisins, carrots, onion and basil. Mix in the dressing and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature.

   This salad is even better after it’s marinated in the fridge for a day. If you feel the need for more protein in your meal, maybe you could add some tofu…or just lick some peanut butter off a spoon

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/feed/ 2 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/25/quick-and-cheap-dinner-yes-it-is-that-easy-tomato-sauce/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/25/quick-and-cheap-dinner-yes-it-is-that-easy-tomato-sauce/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:33:25 +0000 drmiggy http://drmiggy.com/?p=487 PSSSHHH!]]> Homemade tomato sauce is one of life’s simple pleasures. Unfortunately, most folks rarely get to indulge because tomato sauce has a reputation for being labor intensive. I have one thing to say about that: PSSSHHH! Summer is the best time of year to do anything with tomatoes, so why not go for it? Follow my boyfriend’s recipe for a plate-licking, going-back-for-thirds-and-fourths tomato sauce. He takes a bit longer to simmer his, but I bastardized his recipe and got it on my plate in under 30 minutes.

   Yes, It IS That Easy Tomato Sauce

   

   Look at the steam rising off of this!

   Serves 2-3, but can easily be doubled
   Total time: 30 minutes
   Cost per serving: $3-4

   4 ripe tomatoes
   1 Tbsp olive oil
   3 cloves (or more!) garlic
   1 med. onion
   2 cups whole wheat rotini or other chunky pasta

   salad dressing of your choice
   Bagged salad greens
   hydroponic sprouts (my new favorite thing)
   grape tomatoes

   1. Set a pot of water deep enough to cover the tomatoes to boil. Score the bottom end (not the stem end) of the tomatoes with an ‘X’. You don’t have to cut deep, just enough to break the tomato skin. Once the water is boiling, put the tomatoes in for no longer than 60 seconds. Fish the tomatoes out with a spoon and let cool for a minute. Now this is important, turn off the burner but keep the water on the stove. You’ll use it in a sec for the pasta.
   2. Heat the olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Peel and press (or chop) the garlic. You should be able to slip the skins off now the tomatoes are cool. Toss the skins in the rubbish bin, unless you feel like snacking on them (which I totally did). Cut each tomato in half and dig out the seeds (with your fingers) into the sink. This part is fun ‘cuz you get to get messy.
   3. Scoot the garlic into the heated oil, stir for a few seconds, then place the tomatoes cut side down into the pan. Bring the heat up a few notches and let simmer for a sec. Now turn the heat back on the tomato water. Add more hot tap water if you need to so that you have enough to boil the pasta. Since it’s still pretty hot it should only take a second to boil.
   4. Chop up half the onion in the mean time. My boyfriend likes HUGE chunks in his sauce, but you chop to the size you like. I suggest going no bigger than bite sized since we won’t be simmering as long as he does.
   5. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package. Smush the tomatoes with the back of spoon, hacking them up into large chunks. Let them simmer a bit longer. If the sauce is getting a little dry just add some of the boiling pasta water to it. About a 1/4 cup at at time should do ya.
   6. Toss all the ingredients for the salad together. I just love those hydroponic sprouts they sell at whole foods. They are so peppery and pack a big nutrition wallop.
   7. Check on the tomato sauce, which by now should look as saucy as Tara Thornton on True Blood. Smush up the tomatoes again and add the chopped onions. Let simmer for a few more minutes, until the onions look translucent. Again, if you need to add water just get some from the boiling pasta water.
   8. Check the pasta for done-ness, and drain. Put into a bowl and scrape the tomato sauce on top, tossing to coat. It won’t look like there is a whole lot of sauce because it’s not all thick with preservatives and food additives like that jarred crap. Trust, it’s coating the pasta. Serve along side the salad.

   If you are really pressed for time just skip the part where you boil and peel the tomatoes and remove the seeds. My boyfriend doesn’t do it because he’s not as fussy as me, and his sauce comes out fine. You can also add all kinds of crap to this sauce, like olives or chicken or even herbs if you want to get all fancy. I like it simple, but go nuts if that’s your thing.

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/25/quick-and-cheap-dinner-yes-it-is-that-easy-tomato-sauce/feed/ 3 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/15/quick-and-cheap-dinner-double-boil-pasta-madness/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/15/quick-and-cheap-dinner-double-boil-pasta-madness/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:51:41 +0000 drmiggy http://drmiggy.com/?p=465 That title is for MagsMac, since she likes it when I get silly with the recipe names.

   This is a weekend meal for me, mostly because it takes about 30 minutes to prepare. The salmon burgers a little on the expensive side, but they are one of my favorite convenience foods at Whole Foods. Plus, salmon is just so darn good for you. I realized when planning for this dinner that I was gonna dirty up quite a few pots, so I made one pot do double boil duty. Check out the deets below.

   Double Boil Pasta Madness!!

   Total time: 30 minutes
   Cost per serving: about $8 (those salmon burgers aren’t cheap, but they are delicious!)

   1/2 cup green lentils
   1 Tbsp olive oil
   1/2 medium sized white onion
   2 large garlic cloves
   1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
   1 cup frozen spinach
   2 cups whole wheat pasta (I like to mix shapes like shells and rotini, but if you want to be all boring then just go for one type)
   cooking spray
   4 salmon burgers from Whole Foods, any flavor
   a few handfuls of fresh spinach
   a few spoonfuls of pico de gallo
   salad dressing of choice

   1. Fill a large pot with waaaaaay more water than you think you need to boil the lentils. Put the lentils in the pot and bring to a righteous boil. Low the heat and let the pot simmer. Now pay attention here, we’re gonna do some math, HOORAY! Lentils need about 25 minutes to get cooked through. Some people like ‘em way mushier, but I prefer then to hold their shape so 25 minutes is max for me. Look at the pasta package and see how long it will take to cook it al dente. Subtract that from 25 and that is how long you will let the lentils boil before you add the pasta. Por ejemplo:

      25 minutes for lentils – 13 minutes for pasta = 12 minutes the lentils boil before you add the pasta to the water

      Make sense? This way you only use one pot for both.

   2. While the lentils are boil pre-pasta, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sized SAUCE PAN. Not a skillet or a fry pan, but a sauce pan that can hold a few cups of liquid. Chop the onion and mince the garlic and add it to the oil. Stir for a few minutes until the onion gets a little translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Dump the entire contents of the canned tomatoes into the pot. Don’t drain them, you want the juice. Let that heat to a simmer, then add the frozen spinach and stir until the spinach is, uh, not frozen. Set the sauce on low heat on the back burner and cover.
   3. By now you can probably dump the pasta into the simmering lentils and crank up the heat again just until it boils, then lower back to a simmer. Keep an eye on the time, because there is no sin less forgivable than overcooked pasta.
   4. While the pasta cooks, heat a pan over medium heat and spray the pan with cooking spray. Add the salmon burgers to the skillet and cook about 6-7 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, make the spinach salad by tossing the spinach, pico de gallo and dressing in a bowl. This is DOUBLE SPINACH MADNESS, too!
   5. When the pasta is done cooking drain the entire pot in a strainer and return the pasta/lentils to the big pot. Add the sauce to the pasta/lentils and stir to combine. Serve along side the salmon burgers and the salad.

   When I make something a little more complicated like this, I try to think ahead to how I can reuse pots and pans, like for the pasta and lentils and then again for the sauce. I don’t have a dishwasher so this saves me time when I clean up, too.

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/15/quick-and-cheap-dinner-double-boil-pasta-madness/feed/ 1 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/09/quick-and-cheap-dinner-hummus-sandwich-and-tzatziki/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/06/09/quick-and-cheap-dinner-hummus-sandwich-and-tzatziki/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:31:37 +0000 drmiggy http://drmiggy.com/?p=445 I’ve been buried at work since I got back from ASCO, but I knew this was going to happen so I prepared, yay for me. This week instead of cooking I focused on some healthy convenience foods to get me through meal times without resorting to eating out. By the time I get home I feel pretty flattened and have no brain power to cook, which is why this meal requires little mental circuitry to prepare.
   

   My camera is on the fritz, so I had to use the BlackBerry to take this

   Hummus Sandwich and Non-Authentic-But-Still-Delicious Tzatziki

   Total time: 10 minutes tops
   Total cost per serving: a couple of bucks?

   2 cups plain non-fat yogurt
   1 small cucumber
   1 large tomato
   1 small garlic clove
   a handful of pita chips
   1 piece of whole grain bread (I use Whole Foods Seeduction Loaf here)
   about 2 tablespoons of prepared hummus
   1-2 tablespoons prepared pico de gallo
   a handful of spinach leaves
   1-2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
   a handful of cherries
   1 kiwi fruit

   1. Grate the cucumber on the small holes of a box grater, or if you don’t have a grater then chop the buh-jesus out of it. You want small pieces. Chop the tomato and mince the garlic fine. Mix all of that in a bowl with the yogurt. This is the tzatziki, or at least my version. You can sprinkle a little salt in there if you want, but I don’t think it needs that.
   2. Cut the piece of bread in half. I am only making a halvsies sandwich here, you could go for a whole one. I just know that with the tzatziki and the fruit I won’t need a whole sandwich for dinner. Spread the hummus on one piece, then spread the pico de gallo and feta on top. Is it weird to put pico on a sandwich? I think it tastes delicious, and it’s so easy. Top with the spinach and the other piece of bread.
   3. Serve the tzatziki with some pita chips, with the cherries and kiwi for dessert. I leave the peel on kiwi fruit and just eat it for the extra vitamins and fiber. Also possibly weird, but that’s how people from New Zealand eat it…or so I heard.
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