Cooking for One: what to eat? what to eat?

[lorilei]

My husband is going to be out of town for a few days this week, and it's suddenly occurred to me that I'm going to be on my own for dinner. He travels frequently and I'm normally quite good at creating little main dishes "for one"... but this week, I'm not so sure.

I think this week is going to be busy enough that I'm running fairly low on inspiration.

I have plenty of food in the house -- and I'm feeling inspired to eat. I MIGHT even feel inspired to cook if I can just find the right recipes to tempt my tastebuds.

Right now I'm craving ethnic foods... spicey, odiferous things. And probably things on the more vegetarian side (although seafood is ALWAYS good). Some ingredients I might choose to use up: spinach, red cabbage, tofu, tempeh, beans (all sorts). Am also willing to run to the grocery store :) Am also having a shrimp or scallop craving...

Anyone care to help out a poor, ragged, weary soul who did TOO TOO much gardening over the weekend and is now having a hard time just sitting at her desk?? ;)

[yorkshirepud]

I was on my own to dinner for a few nights too recently and I just whipped up stir frys with noodles ... they were quick ... easy ... and they will feed your ethnic craving as you can make them as spicy as you wish ... plus you can obviously make them vegetarian too ....

I see you have spinach ... a really good dish I had recently was out of the CL Annual 02 ... its was a curried rich salad with spinach and a citrus vinegarette (didn't do the citrus bit) .. it was delicious and much better the next day - so you can make it in advance and it will save you cooking when you get home from work) ...

yp

[Gilgamesh37]

Well let me toss in with some semi-prepared things I do when I'm on my own and short on time (which, since I'm in the process of moving households right now, is pretty much every night for me!)

Stir fries are great--chuck in whatever you've got and you're good to go.

One of my current faves is Boca nuggets--or Boca patties, only instead of a bun, I wrap them in lettuce leaves (trying to watch night time carbs)

Or lo-fat creamed spinach with chicken or shrimp stirred in--or with a poached egg on top.

[lorilei]

Originally posted by yorkshirepud
I see you have spinach ... a really good dish I had recently was out of the CL Annual 02 ... its was a curried rich salad with spinach and a citrus vinegarette (didn't do the citrus bit) .. it was delicious and much better the next day - so you can make it in advance and it will save you cooking when you get home from work) ...
yp

Fresh or frozen spinach, might I ask? And does someone maybe have the recipe for this?? It's not coming to mind which issue it's from.


Stir-fry is an excellent idea, btw... and with noodles, it's even better. Unless I'm in a cooking mood, I'm not sure I'll want to wait for rice.

[mightyh]

I'd try Kima's quick Indian chickpea recipe posted a few weeks back... It goes together in about five-ten minutes and tastes really complex. I think I will make it for my dinner tonight!

Here's the recipe with her notes:
Garbanzos Masala

Prep and cook time:15 minutes

1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 fresh jalapeno chilies, rinsed, stemmed,seded and chopped
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2c. fresh cilantro,divided
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 1/2tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained
2 to 3 firm ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 c. plain yogurt

1. In a 10-12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat, combine the onions,chilies and ginger and oil; stir often until the onion is lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add 1/4c. of the chopped cilantro, curry powder, garam masala and sugar;stir until fragrant, about 30 secs. Stir in the chickpeas and all but 1/2c. of the tomatoes, then add 1/2c. water. Boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the tomatoes have disintergrated and most of the liquid has boiled away, about 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat , stir in 1 cup of yogurt, and season to taste with salt.
Pour into a serving bowl. Top with remaining cilantro and tomatoes. Top portions to taste with more yogurt.


This is so good. I did cut the chilies down to only one and it was plenty hot enough for us. It tastes even better at room temp. IMHO.

[lorilei]

Those garbonzos DO look good... thanx :) And I'm fairly sure I have some on hand.

[Natasha]

Hi Lori!

I have done the eating-for-one too and love stuff like sandwiches (hot or cold), wraps, soups and hearty breads, and casseroles and lasagna that I don't get sick of and can heat up for days at a stretch.

OR you could make all the things with scallops you don't get around to making otherwise. ;) I know I take these opportunities to cook seafood and such that I particularly enjoy but my SO can't eat.

But these are not terribly original, are they? Really I popped in here to suggest that you come up and visit in your husband's absence, so you won't have to cook at all! :D ;)

I know, I know...but it was worth a try, n'est-ce pas?

Natasha

[lorilei]

Ah, yes. Worth a try, Natasha. Worth a try. Unfortunately, I have classes this week... :(

So, I'll have to settle for cooking cool things all by my lonesome.

[Natasha]

School schmool. :p

Happy first day of the new term!

Other ideas are stuffed sweet potatoes or the ubiquitous chili. I'm sure you'll do fine, anyway - you're never short of ideas. :)

Later,
Natasha

[yorkshirepud]

lorilei ...
sorry ... i forgot all about your request for this recipe ... here you go ... hope its not too late ...

Curried Rice Salad with Spinach-and-Citrus Vinaigrette
This rice salad has a sweet flavor that's balanced by the refreshing vinaigrette.

This recipe can be found on page 143 of Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2002.
Ingredients
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups cold cooked long-grain brown rice
1 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon thawed orange juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
8 cups torn spinach

Directions
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well with a whisk. Stir in rice and next 4 ingredients.
Combine lemon juice and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add spinach; toss gently. Serve rice mixture over spinach mixture.

Preparation Time:   16 minutes

Cooking Time:   0 minutes

Servings/Serving Size:  Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup rice mixture and about 1 1/2 cups spinach mixture).

Nutrition Facts (per Serving):
312 calories; 60 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 5.8 g fat; 478 mg sodium; 8.4 g protein; 157 mg calcium; 3.8 mg iron; 8 g fiber


I did make some adjustments (i.e. didn't do the vinegarette, or the apple/raisins). I also just mixed the spinach into the rice so it would get some of the sauce. It really was delicious. With the leftovers for lunch i threw in a little canned tuna for some protien ... just as delicious.

[lorilei]

Never too late :)

After all, even if I don't make it THIS week, I can always make it later on...

Loving this... thanks!

[yorkshirepud]

No problem lorilei ... I would definately recommend making this in the morning or day before ... it is much, much better after all the flavours have had a chance to get to know one another.

YP

[MrsReber]

I'm so bad- when DH isn't around, I usually make english muffin pizzas. I also can only make CL's peanutty noodles when he isn't around since he doesn't like them! Then there's my old standby- a bunch of veggies sauteed in olive oil with garlic and tossed with pasta.

[makedah]

Messages like this come up every once in a while and I don't really understand. Why is it a big deal to cook for yourself? I cook for myself all the time. I have a coworker whose husband died 3 1/2 months ago and she hasn't cooked a meal since. I understand this because I think that the idea of cooking and eating alone probably scares her. But otherwise, I just don't get it!

[Teresa]

Here is something I make for myself when I am on my own.

Ratatouille with Poached Egg

Cube a quantity of tomato, zuchinni, onion, green pepper (2-3 cups?). Saute in a smallish skillet with some olive oil. Add small amounts of water if it seems dry. Add 1/4 cup of your favourite salsa. The vegetable mixture should be on the wet side. I like to add some seasoned salt to this kind of mixture, but that is up to you. Now make a little hollow in the vegetable mixture and crack an egg into it. Salt and pepper it. Cover the pan and cook until the egg is nearly set to your liking. Add some cheese of choice (feta, cheddar, fontina, whatever). Cover for a minute to let the cheese melt. Enjoy with some nice french baguette to sop up the juice.

Easy, fast, yummy.

[Wendy w]

Hi Lori!

Cooking for 1 is the story of my life. I am a little late with this but I'm sure that you will need to cook for yourself at another time. You requested ethnic, vegetarian w/the possible additon of shrimp so here you go. I love this salad! Excuse the formatting, I'm still new at this MasterCook thing!

Another quick thing to do is to make pita pizza. I did this last night, I spread a little pesto on a pita bread and added tomato, olives, artichoke hearts and a grating of romano cheese. This can be done with whatever vegetables are around.


* Exported from MasterCook *

THAI NOODLE AND VEGETABLE SALAD

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 oz. dried 1/4 inch rice noodles (rice -- soaked in warm water for 20 minutes and drained vermicelli)
1 t. Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cucumber -- cut lengthwise in half, seeded, and cut into 2 inch long julienne
1 carrot -- cut into 2-inch long julienne
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint
1-3 red chilies -- seeded and minced,
or 1/2 to 1 t. red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic -- minced
2 T. fish sauce -- or to taste
(optional)
2 T. sugar
2 T chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts -- (2 to 3)

Bring 4 qts of water to a boil. Add the noodles and stir to separate. When the water returns to a boil, cook until just tender to the bite, 1-2 minutes. Drain the noodles, toss with the oil.

Toss the bean sprouts, cucumber, carrot, green onion, and half of the
cilantro into the noodles. Combine the chilies, garlic, vinegar, lime
juice, fish sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Add to the vegetables and toss to combine. Garnish with the remaining cilantro. Sprinkle peanuts over the
top. Serve.

Makes 4-6 servings
Calories 190 fat 2 g Sat fat 0 g mono 1 g poly 0 g chol 0 mg sodium 9 mg
carb 38 g prot 6 g.

For a heartier salad, add cooked shrimp or chicken.

From Pacific Light Cooking by Ruth Law

[valchemist]

wendy,
you posted that just right. no formatting problems. yay!
val

[Kahlico]

Wendy~

Can that Thai Noodle and Vegetable Salad be made ahead and eaten cold or will the noodles clump? :D

Thanks!

[yorkshirepud]

Kahlico ...

The noodles may clump but just toss some sesame oil (or oil of your choice) in them (you only need a little) and that should hold them.

YP

[Kahlico]

Thanks YP!

[Wendy w]

Kahlico,

I didn't have a clumping problem with the noodles. Good tip, YP, will try this if I ever have a clumping problem. Thanks Val-I used your copying tip.

[stefania4]

When we first started dating I introduced my now fiance to what I call "Kitchen Sink Pasta." They're not really recipes per se, but they're easy to throw together and sooo economical since you can use odds & ends from other recipes. We had a party last weekend and the leftovers from the veggie try went straight into this dish.


Italian-style Kitchen Sink Pasta
2 cups veggies - I often use mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, and/or zucchini
Splash of white wine
1/2 cup prepared linguini or rotini
1 clove garlic
1/8 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella
A few fresh basil leaves

Saute vegetables and garlic in a pan with non-stick spray. Deglaze pan with white wine. Toss with pasta, top with cheese and torn fresh basil. Enjoy!


Asian-style Kitchen Sink Pasta
2 cups veggies - I often use mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, snow peas, celery, and/or broccoli (and sometimes tofu marinated in soy sauce & lemon juice)
1/2 cup prepared soba or udon (available at Asian markets and some larger grocery stores)
1 clove garlic
Teensy bit of sesame oil
Lemon juice

Saute vegetables and garlic in a pan with non-stick spray. Toss with pasta, drizzle with a little sesame oil and lemon juice.