Food In Many Forms

Since I started working full-time last September, I have relied heavily on leftovers to save me money and keep me eating healthy during the work week. This was one of the best leftover meals I have made so far. When combined with a 4-pack of chicken sausage, this recipe made about 4 1/2 meals for me last week. The flavors of the Spanish rice meld together making it more rich every extra day it hangs out in the fridge. That being said, I still want to experiment with adding other spices and perfect this dish which is sure to be a favorite. Future additions might include chili powder, oregano, garlic, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, or lime juice. I will keep you posted! Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 bell peppers, seeded, ribs removed, and diced 2 ribs celery, finely chopped (optional) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup long-grain brown rice 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon cumin Pr...

This recipe calls for a "fiery" tomato sauce, but I left out the green chiles for a more mild (but still flavorful) version. Shakshuka Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large bell pepper, diced 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp mild red pepper flakes, or more to taste 2 Tbsp tomato paste 28 oz canned chopped tomatoes, with their juice 1/2 tsp kosher salt Fresh black pepper, to taste 6 large eggs 2-4 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley Directions: Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over low-medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and red bell pepper, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Mix well, and let the spices cook for 30 seconds. Next, add the tomato paste, and stir that into the mixture. Finally, add th...

Last week, a good friend of mine texted me, "I just made a very involved pasta salad". At the time, I thought, "hmm, okay cool... random, send me the recipe." But now after having made said pasta salad, I realize how much that is the understatement of the year. "Very involved" is exactly how I would describe it. Don't believe the New York Times' estimated prep time of forty-five minutes - it took me closer to an hour and a half or two hours to make. But it is pretty delicious. And a ton of food.  Ingredients: 2 lb ripe campari tomatoes, cut in wedges 5 Tbsp Olive oil Salt and pepper 2 or 3 garlic cloves, pressed 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped (optional) 2 medium eggplants, about 1 pound 12 oz whole wheat ziti or other short pasta 6 oz mild feta 1 small bunch of basil, for garnish Directions: 1. Heat broiler. Put tomato wedges in a shallow baking dish in one layer. Drizz...

Some of my best memories involve sharing a meal, a drink or a sweet. But it is funny how foods that are not memorable at the time become a source of nostalgia later on. For example, when I was studying at the school of public health, the daily grind had curry chicken salad sandwiches for sale. I ate them, just like I ate many things on-the-go, in between classes or to get me through a study session. At the time, it was just a sandwich, but now I have fond memories of eating them. So today, I embraced that nostalgia, and made me some chicken salad... a heavily adapted version of the Pioneer Woman's recipe. Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds Chicken, cooked and diced 4 whole ribs of celery, chopped 1/4 cup sliced almonds 3 Tbsp light mayonnaise 3 Tbsp light sour cream 1/3 cup So Delicious almond milk creamer 1 Tbsp curry powder Salt & pepper, to taste Directions: Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, almond milk creamer, and curry powder until well combined....

We are all busy, and forget to shop on occasion. We run out of fresh meat and vegetables, and are tempted to eat out, eat a tub of ice cream, or skip dinner altogether. This meal is full of pantry staples that you can always have on hand and does not fail to satisfy! If you are feeling extravagant, add an extra 1/2 cup of shredded cheese to the tuna mixture, in addition to the cheese on top.  Recipe Makes 4 servings Cook the egg noodles, and combine the following ingredients in the saucepan: 6 oz yolk-free egg noodles 2 5 oz cans chunk light tuna 2 8.5 oz cans mixed vegetables, ex. Essential Everyday No Salt Added Mixed Vegetables with Carrots, Potatoes, Celery, Peas, Green Beans, Lima Beans 2 Tbsp Gulden's Spicy Mustard 2 Tbsp Nasaya Vegan Mayonnaise Ground pepper, to taste Spread the tuna mixture in an 8 x 8 pyrex pan, and cover in: 1/2 cup shredded 3-cheese blend, ex. Fontina, Asiago, Parmesan Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. ...

This recipe totally made me rethink enchiladas - the nontraditional ingredients really worked well together! I felt like the original recipe could use even more vegetables, so I changed the recipe to double up the veg for next time. Ingredients : 8 (5 inch) corn tortillas 1 unpeeled butternut squash, seeded 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 onion, chopped 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped 8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1 cup enchilada sauce 1/4 cup goat cheese,  crumbled 1/4 cup cotija cheese,  crumbled 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional) 1/4 cup sour cream, for topping (optional) Directions : 1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). 2. Lay the tortillas flat onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Meanwhile, place the butternut squash half into a microwave-safe dish cut-side-down, and pour in the water. Cook in the mic...