Some greenery (a head of romaine, cut as for Caesar salad, or romaine mixed with baby spinach), on top of which I dump a can or two, depending on number of eaters, of high quality tuna (oil packed, Ortiz is great), olives, a quartered barely hard-boiled egg, and a handful of walnut halves. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil or dressing of your choice (I tend to have a jar of homemade mustard vinaigrette on hand, but whatever you prefer will work fine).
I'll second Giovanni50's suggestion for pasta with canned tuna (just make sure it's good quality, olive oil packed tuna). My own recipe is based on one from Marcella Hazan, although I seldom make it the same way twice. For me the key components are the tuna, some canned tomatoes, anchovies and capers. I prefer a thin pasta like capellini rather than a sturdy one like penne. Marcella adds butter at the end but she's from the Veneto. NO CHEESE! But herbs like basil are okay. Anyway this is something I do almost entirely from the pantry.
Turkey meatballs or turkey sausage from the farmer's market, browned and mixed with jarred red sauce (I know, it's not as good...) and pasta.
Chickpea curry with canned chickpeas.
Eggplant and tomato curry.
Both of the last two with short grain brown rice (Japanese, new crop, cooks fast and you feel healthy), plain yogurt, and lime pickle.
With the leftover rice, make vegetable fried rice and top with a fried egg, a teaspoon of soy sauce, and half a teaspoon of sesame oil.
On Sunday, make a big recipe of pav bhajji (an Indian vegetarian sloppy Joe recipe, sort of) and during the week you can have sloppy Joes on toasted buttered buns or mix with rice and frozen Edamame for a super quick, super nutritious meal.
Leftover pasta cooks up into a lovely omelet, forget the name of the recipe. Soak the pasta in butter til a little crispy and then pour over the eggs. Have a big salad on the side to make up for the butter and carbs.
I like to do stirfry. I go to the salad bar and get only the ingredients I need...and this way, I can pick and choose my favorites. I'll also grab some shrimp or scallops or even a chicken breast to throw in there.
Put over brown rice or udon noodles it's great.
Sauce is ginger, soy and rice wine vinegar or simply a store bought stir fry marinade.
Spicy pasta with tomato, bacon, onion and pepronccini - 30 minutes and a very different taste than the usual spaghetti. Even though it has bacon it has a fresh taste and there's no so much per serving:
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/capellini_capricciosi.aspx
The falafel recipe is amazing...you do have to soak the chickpeas overnight...but it freezes great. http://food52.com/recipes/11921_worlds_easiest_falafel_and_tzatziki
I love to bake a spaghetti squash & then drizzle it with olive oil, top it with a jar of my favorite marinara -- and then just sprinkled with some parmesan cheese. Fast, healthy and so easy to clean up. My finance's favorite is ridiculously fast... He opens a can of sardines & down the hatch!
Ground grass-fed beef tossed with spice mix of choice (I love Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning, or Ras et Hanout), stir fried, and a couple of vegetables, also stir fried. Like cabbage, carrots and green onions, with maybe green beans or asparagus. Or cauliflower and broccoli, with lemon and garlic. Plus a green salad, if I'm up to washing lettuce.
Mac n cheese, ground turkey, broccoli & cauliflower. Prepare Mac n cheese, brown the turkey, mix all of the ingredients together and pour into a glass dish. Top with Parmesan or mozzarella and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake until toasted and brown.
1) Pasta al tonno e alici (tuna and anchovies): One can of tuna fish one sliver of anchovie, mix into a sauce/paste, add a little mayo if you like, add some vinegar and olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the pasta (rigatoni or penne) al dente with some salt. Drain, and mix in with the tuna sauce. Nutritious and yummy
2) Simple baked potato with canned chicken or tuna: Add a little olive oil and vinegar, parsley, or thyme, salt and pepper to taste, pour a can of canned chicken or tuna, After cooking the potato in microwave (6 -7 minutes max depending on size of potato) put in bowl and break into pieces while hot, pour in the chicken/tuna and the dressing. Voila! Chicken/Tuna potato salad.
3) If you don't care for the protein, and have some canned tomatoes, put a can of tomatos and crush by hand in a skilled -add some garlic if you have some- simmer until water is reduced, cook some rigatoni al dente, pour the tomato reduction on top, top off with parmigiano or mozzarella or swiss or whatever cheese you have at hand. Put in a small rectangular pan onto counter top over for 10 minutes to get the nice burnt/crunchy gratinee top. Enjoy a simple gratinee pasta.
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Chickpea curry with canned chickpeas.
Eggplant and tomato curry.
Both of the last two with short grain brown rice (Japanese, new crop, cooks fast and you feel healthy), plain yogurt, and lime pickle.
With the leftover rice, make vegetable fried rice and top with a fried egg, a teaspoon of soy sauce, and half a teaspoon of sesame oil.
On Sunday, make a big recipe of pav bhajji (an Indian vegetarian sloppy Joe recipe, sort of) and during the week you can have sloppy Joes on toasted buttered buns or mix with rice and frozen Edamame for a super quick, super nutritious meal.
Leftover pasta cooks up into a lovely omelet, forget the name of the recipe. Soak the pasta in butter til a little crispy and then pour over the eggs. Have a big salad on the side to make up for the butter and carbs.
Put over brown rice or udon noodles it's great.
Sauce is ginger, soy and rice wine vinegar or simply a store bought stir fry marinade.
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/capellini_capricciosi.aspx
1) Pasta al tonno e alici (tuna and anchovies): One can of tuna fish one sliver of anchovie, mix into a sauce/paste, add a little mayo if you like, add some vinegar and olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the pasta (rigatoni or penne) al dente with some salt. Drain, and mix in with the tuna sauce. Nutritious and yummy
2) Simple baked potato with canned chicken or tuna: Add a little olive oil and vinegar, parsley, or thyme, salt and pepper to taste, pour a can of canned chicken or tuna, After cooking the potato in microwave (6 -7 minutes max depending on size of potato) put in bowl and break into pieces while hot, pour in the chicken/tuna and the dressing. Voila! Chicken/Tuna potato salad.
3) If you don't care for the protein, and have some canned tomatoes, put a can of tomatos and crush by hand in a skilled -add some garlic if you have some- simmer until water is reduced, cook some rigatoni al dente, pour the tomato reduction on top, top off with parmigiano or mozzarella or swiss or whatever cheese you have at hand. Put in a small rectangular pan onto counter top over for 10 minutes to get the nice burnt/crunchy gratinee top. Enjoy a simple gratinee pasta.