Food In Many Forms

I'm in week 2 of meal planning for the new year. But I realize after week, that I really only need two or three recipes to hold me over for the week. Last week it was tuna antipasto, French lentils, and homemade hummus. This week, I have quinoa salad and avocado sandwiches planned, which may be plenty since it's also restaurant week :) This Mediterranean edamame salad was super delicious - but maybe next time I will buy the pre-shelled edamame. Ingredients 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained 1 cup water 1 package frozen edamame 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 4 cups fresh arugula/ spinach mix 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese Dried basil, salt, pepper, to taste Directions In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer on low for about 15 miutes or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed, adding edamame the last 4 minutes of cooking  In sm

I didn't have all the ingredients for the original recipe from Kitchn - "Tomato-Braised Lentils with Broccoli Rabe" - so I just made the lentil part and served them with brown basmati rice. I would have liked more tomato flavor, and I think next time, I would add more tomato paste, and even maybe some canned diced tomatoes. This year, I'm also going to change the way I estimate cost. Since I love to shop at Aldi, and their prices are amazing, I'll be saving my receipts, and using their prices whenever I buy from them. So the prices may seem a little lower, but they are completely realistic. Ingredients 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 1/2 cups green French lentils 1 tablespoon tomato paste 3 cups stock (chicken or vegetable) 5 cloves garlic, crushed 3 medium tomatoes, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste Directions Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Sweat the onions over low heat

I'm easing my way into a more vegetable, fish and legume focused-diet. This recipe can serve a family of 4 or become lunch for a few days during the week. As long as you wait to add the salad greens, the tuna salad should only grow in flavor. Ingredients 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed 2 6 oz cans of chunk light tuna, drained and flaked 1 large bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup onion, diced 1/2 lemon, juiced 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Ground pepper, to taste 8 cups mixed salad greens Directions Combine beans, tuna, bell pepper, onion, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with pepper. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Top each with the tuna salad. Adapted from : http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252451/mediterranean-tuna-antipasto-salad/ Allergens : fish Nutrition (1/4 recipe) : 264 kcal, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 8 g monounsaturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 334 mg sodium, 362 mg potassium, 17 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 22 g protein, 69% vitamin A, 82% vitamin

Looking back at 2017, I had so many financial goals, and food just became an obstacle to them. I ate foods that were not the best for me in the interest of cost-savings. I became a believer in Aldi, and I ate whatever Aldi provided (which was not much, sometimes). I stopped trying to follow recipes because you could never find all the ingredients there, and instead just improvised.  When my favorite Mexican spot next to my office closed, I cooked canned black beans with cumin and garlic and layered them over shredded lettuce and Mexican cheese on tostadas. When my guy came over for dinner, I covered naan bread in caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, shredded parmesan, and fresh mozzarella, and baked it until golden brown. But when I decided to take a graduate class this fall, I realized why I loved to cook so much in college. It was an escape from homework, and tests, and a time I could socialize with my roommates. When the pressures of school returned, so too did my desire to