I'm out of ideas. I am fighting off hunger 24 hrs/day, it seems, and cooking just really doesn't appeal to me. The combination of those two realities means I am not eating as healthily as I should because I just eat whatever is fastest (or in front of me). I'm also eating a LOT of scrambled eggs... and it is getting old.
You might have noticed a serious lack of Super-Delish Thursdays around here. Well, that is the reason. So I need some help - can you recommend recipes for main courses that are 1) yummy, 2) nutritious, and 3) are one dish meals? I am thinking slow-cooker or casserole type meals. That's about as complicated as I want to get, cooking wise. I'd love you forever if you left a link or recipe in a comment. I'm getting hungry just writing this, sooooo... help!
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Saturday, December 19, 2009
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12 comments:
I feel that way too, and I'm not even pregnant!
This is one of my favorite go-to pasta dishes. It requires about the same level of work that a slow cooker recipe would and is super delish: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pasta-with-Kalamata-Olives-and-Roasted-Cherry-Tomato-Sauce-106310.
Another idea for a quick, nutritious meal is to eat a lot of grains, which require almost no work. Quinoa and polenta are easy, and you can pile on top whatever veggies you might have in the house (just saute them all together, or roast them in the oven).
Hope this helps a bit, and happy eating - you're almost there! :)
http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com is one of my favorite sites for recipes. Just about everything I've tried of hers has been great, nothing too complicated.
Good luck!
Carol - I have some Trader Joe's polenta (comes in a tube, like cookie dough sort of?). I'm not really sure what to add to it to make it taste good... any tips? Isn't it really bland without anything added?
Hmm, I usually just make it from cornmeal. Here's a very flavorful and easy recipe I made yesterday: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/herbed-polenta-recipe/index.html.
I'm assuming the pre-made tube contains cornmeal, water, and probably salt. If that's the case, then you could probably follow the same recipe but just start from the part where you've cooked the cornmeal (that way, you get to add the yummy flavors of cheese, butter, milk, and herbs so it's not bland), which will give you something with the same consistency as grits (which is basically is). Or, if you want to use it more like a solid, you could also slice your tube up, fry (or bake, to be healthier), and top with marinara sauce and cheese.
How about a pot of lentils with ham chunks and carrots? You make great lentils anyway so just add some good stuff. Very nutritious and filling. Yummy with some cornbread.
How about tortellini and spinach soup? I just got this recipe from another blogger, and it is one of the easiest, most delicious meals ever, and especially comforting when it's cold outside.
Excuse the long recipe that follows, but it really is easy! It's great with hot bread. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion (about 1/2 small onion)- This could be doubled for future since I like onion
4 to 6 cups broth, chicken or vegetable (I used 3 cans of regular sized chicken broth last time, and it worked great- each can gave almost a perfect 2 cups- so six cups in all)
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (9-ounce) package fresh tortellini
Coarse grained salt and cracked black pepper
5-10 ounces fresh baby spinach
Directions
In a 3-quart soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute the onion, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes, turn heat up to high, and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions. When tortellini is almost done, add spinach and taste, adjusting seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of Parmesan.
woops- I just re-read my recipe and realized that I accidentally left in a few notes I had typed to myself for future reference when I made the soup again. Feel free to ignore them :)
It's nothing gourmet, but it's a great one dish meal and I usually take the recipe and make 2 8x8's and freeze one.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/layered-enchilada-bake-107317.aspx
You can always do a side of spanish rice if you wanted.
My go-to meals usually end up being soups or stews.
This one is especially good from Real Simple.
http://tinyurl.com/y9nbg5h
The easiest thing that I make for the family is pulled pork with gravy. Take a pork roast and throw it in a crockpot with some canned gravy and a bit of water. Cook for about 6 hours or so. Use forks to seperate the pork and serve it over rice. I normally serve it with steamed veggies on the side.
This is so easy and yummy. I've made it with pork as well.
Chicken Tacos in the Crockpot
-Take 1 low sodium chicken taco seasoning packet (you can use a reg. taco seasoning packet, but it really doesn't taste nearly as good), and cover the bottom of the crockpot.
-Lay 6 frozen tenderloins or 3 frozen breasts on top of the seasoning.
-Take one container of fresh pico (I use H.E.B.'s hot variety, we like the kick) and cover the chicken. You can use a can of rotel, but the fresh tastes better.
-Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/4 water cup over the top of everything. Do not stir.
Simmer in crockpot for 4 to 6 hours on low. If you're home, flip it halfway through, but not necessary. Remove chicken and shred with a fork. Stir back in, mixing everything up, and let cook/simmer for at least 30 more minutes.
We throw it on tortillas with a shredded mexican cheese blend. Great for leftovers, too.
Hey Kathleen! Are you an oatmeal eater? This is my go-to "power oatmeal" that I make almost every morning-I wake up ravenous too and this is one of the things I can eat that actually keeps me full for quite awhile. You could omit or substitute in re any of the ingredients, but this is what I generally make (I do a huge pot at a time and then have it around to reheat for several days)
In a big pot combine:
Old Fashioned Oatmeal
raw bulgar
ground flax seeds
wheat germ
wheat bran
(whatever other whole grains you like/prefer)
hot water to cover
a good amount of some kind of dried fruit-I usually do raisins, but cherries, blueberries, whatever are great too
Brown sugar to taste
Heat on medium high until bowling, turn back to simmer and simmer for 5 minutes or so.
Add a generous amount of either almond or peanut butter and also milk-these are the key ingredients to the "stay full" factor.
Voila, Power Oatmeal. My unborn loves this :) so yours likely will too-cheap, easy, filling!
If you have left over cranberry dressing after Christmas, it's great with that thrown in as well.
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