Uncategorized

kitchen essentials

January 10, 2021 by Lea Leave a Comment

If it’s your first time stocking your kitchen or shopping for a new apartment, it can be overwhelming to realize how much there is to buy. When I started cooking in college, I wished there was a resource that just told me what I need to buy. Just the essentials, and nothing more. I always try to keep my supplies minimal– it saves money, saves space, and most of the time, I simply don’t want to be washing a lot of supplies when I’m done cooking.

Getting yourself set up can be a bit of an investment if you’re buying all your basics at once, but there are many ways to save money on these items. TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and even Nordstrom Rack have great kitchen supplies at a discounted price. It’s also important to keep in mind what might be worth spending more money on, and what you can buy the inexpensive version of. For example, sharp knives are a really worthwhile investment to me (also which come at a huge range of prices), while mixing bowls and utensils can be inexpensive.

I’ve included hyperlinks to products that I recommend. This list can also just serve as a jumping off point, especially if you’ve already had your own kitchen for awhile. No matter if you are just starting to cook, or have been for years, having the right supplies for you makes the job so much easier. I hope this helpful!

Small pot. ($16, good for heating up leftovers, making a few servings of soup, stew, or rice, or making pasta. great to have a small pot if you’re usually just cooking for yourself)

2. Small nonstick frying pan. ($30, perfect for making eggs, heating things up, good for making 1-2 servings, easy to clean)

3. Deep, nonstick skillet with lid. ($30, for making large portions like stir-fry, pasta dishes, or shakshuka, good for stirring things around without it spilling over the edge)

4. Large stock pot. ($40, for soups, stew, chilli, boiling water for pasta or potatoes, good for one-pot dishes with volume)

5. Knives. (knives are available at a huuuuge price range, and I have pretty limited knowledge about the world of knives. I recommend starting with a solid basic knife like a chef’s knife/all purpose knife. you can also buy knives in sets or in a knife block, but if you’re not ready to invest in a set, I would just get one sharp one and try to keep it sharp. the knife I use and like I just learned is called a Santoku knife, so I’ll link that one here, and a standard chef’s knife here)

J.A. Henckels 7-inch Santoku knife ($40)

6. Nesting mixing bowls. ($10, I use these all the time for preparing recipes and putting things aside, using a bowl for food scraps, and of course, mixing)

7. Cutting board. ($10, the bigger the cutting board the better, having a good workspace makes cooking much easier)

8. Wooden spoon. ($4, perfect all-purpose cooking spoon)

9. Can opener. ($13, easy to forget about this one, I use a lot of canned products)

10. Tongs. ($1.50, perfect for flipping roasted vegetables, moving things around in a pan)

11. Food storage set. ($40, buying in a set is most convenient, having good food storage makes life easier, the glass is good because it’s very food-safe and helps you see what’s in your fridge)

peanut noodles

January 4, 2021 by Lea Leave a Comment

Rice noodles are another staple in my pantry. They’re really easy to prepare (just soak them in boiled water) and are delicious with chopped vegetables and a simple creamy dressing. It’s great to have a versatile dish in your back pocket that you know you can whip up in 20-30 minutes. For protein, you could do tofu, canned tuna or salmon, fish, or, as always, a sunny-side up fried egg. Experimenting with different dressings also keeps it interesting, so you can have the foundation of the dish down (noodles+protein+veg+dressing) and still feel like you’re eating something new every time you make it. The peanut dressing is a go-to for me, and it’s as simple as mixing soy sauce, peanut butter, and maple syrup. You could also use almond butter or tahini instead of peanut butter. If you don’t have maple syrup, you could also use honey or brown sugar. This is a tried and true salty-sweet combo, that also has fat from the peanut butter to make it creamy and filling.

I really like to keep a few vegetables I can eat raw for dishes like this so there’s no cooking required! Lettuce, thinly sliced radishes and beets, sprouts, brussels sprouts (also is anyone else shocked that it’s brusselS sprouts and not brussel sprouts??), or really any vegetable thinly sliced or finely chopped is good raw, as long as you have a good dressing to go with it.

Additional ingredients like fish sauce and lime juice also work really well here. If you haven’t cooked with fish sauce at home (you’ve definitely had it in dishes from a Thai restaurant) then I would highlyyy recommend picking up a bottle. I’ve found it at most grocery stores like Giant/Stop and Shop. It smells a little funky right out of the bottle, but just a few drops add a ton of flavor. The key to a delicious dressing is just finding a balance of saltiness, sweetness, acidity, and fat. Lime juice and rice vinegar are both great sources of acid for this. You could also had sriracha, hot sauce, or chili flakes to make it a spicy peanut dressing. As you mix the dressing, just keep tasting it and adjusting it until you like the way it tastes.

Ingredients

rice noodles
vegetables
tofu (or protein of choice)
peanut butter (2 tablespoons)
soy sauce (1 tablespoon)
maple syrup (1 teaspoon, sub honey or brown sugar)
optional: dash of fish sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, sriracha, hot sauce

Do it

Boil a pot of water. Take water off heat and soak rice noodles in a heat-safe bowl for 10 minutes or until softened.
Heat a pan with oil. Fry tofu for around 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Thinly slice vegetables and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Prepare the dressing. Mix peanut butter and soy sauce in a small bowl. Add a splash of water, about a teaspoon at a time, until creamy. Add additional ingredients to the dressing (fish sauce, lime juice, sriracha) if using. Taste the dressing and adjust salt, sweet, and acidic components until it tastes good.
Mix everything together in the big mixing bowl until everything is covered by the dressing. Transfer to a regular bowl and eat!

coconut lentils

December 31, 2020 by Lea Leave a Comment

A creamy lentil stew is my comfort food. There are few foods more satisfying than a big bowl of lentils and rice, topped with a dollop of yogurt. This meal is what I eat when I want to feel satisfied and, not to be dramatic, but truly nourished. Part of what makes this so comforting to eat, is also how comforting it is to make. There’s no need to use a recipe, or even use much thought, because most of the ingredients like lentils, tomato paste, and onion are already in my kitchen. I would also highly recommend keeping a can of coconut milk in your pantry for stews like this, to stir into vegetables, or for Thai curry. A tube a tomato paste you can keep in the fridge is also a must for me. Stews like this one also makes great leftovers to keep for the week if you make a big pot. It’s one of those things that tastes even better as times goes on. Lentils, or other legumes or beans (split peas, beans), are really helpful to have on hand. Depending on what you’re using, they cook quickly (red lentils take around 20 minutes, split peas take around 40), and are inexpensive. Even more, they’re nutritious- packed with protein and fiber.

This stew, as always, is really flexible and forgiving. You could make it more soup-like if you add more water or more stewy if you add less water or let it simmer for longer, allowing more water to evaporate. Spice blends, like garam masala or curry powder are also nice to add if you want more flavors and to make it lean more Indian tasting. Blend the stew using an immersion blender or regular blender and it will be creamier and thicker. Add more ginger, add more garlic, make it spicy. This dish is is perfect in its most simple form, but is also fun to expand from.

If you make this, I hope it makes you feel good.

Ingredients

1/4 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, chopped
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 cup lentils/split peas
salt, to taste
toppings: cilantro, plain yogurt, lime (optional)
to serve: rice

Do it

Peel and chop onion. Peel and finely chop ginger and garlic.
Heat a pot over medium heat with oil. When the oil is warmed, add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent and fragrant, around 4 mins.
Add tomato paste, cook until oil takes on a red color, around 1 min.
Add lentils/split peas and cover with water by around 1 inch.
Bring stew to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer until lentils/split peas are soft.
When the lentils are cooked, stir in the coconut milk and let simmer for a few more minutes.
Add toppings and serve with rice. Enjoy!!!

ramen(ish)

December 3, 2020 by Lea Leave a Comment

Really, is there anything more satisfying and comforting than ramen? Those packets of ramen we ate as an after-school snack in middle school and in college aren’t just great because they’re so cheap, I honestly think they’re so good. The long, chewy noodles mixed with that sodium-laden flavor packet is really unlike anything else. Now I’ve realized that ramen you might find in a restaurant is like an art form. Each component of it requires knowledge and skill, like the handmade noodles and making a broth that can take hours, even days to prepare. What I make is so far from that, but it’s like an upgrade from the microwave ramen. You still get the satisfying experience of springy egg noodles, a salty umami soup, and even some veg. A crispy fried egg on top rounds it all out, as crispy eggs always do.

I make this soup frequently on weeknights, especially when I’m craving that comfort or have some veggies looming in the back of the fridge I need to use up. Mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, spinach, kale, raddish, broccoli, even roasted squash work. Just throw in what you’ve got during the last few minutes of cooking.

Some key ingredients for me are really just some miso and/or veggie broth (from the carton or using bouillon paste). You could also fry up some ~aromatics~ like the classic trio of garlic, onion (or scallions, or shallots), and ginger. If you’re using those guys just cook them up in some oil (sesame oil would be especially good here), then add the liquid and miso, then add your noodles. Cooking with egg and rice noodles is also great because they each take less than 10 minutes to cook. If you’ve used water, you could also add a splash of soy sauce right before you take everything off the heat to add even more flavor. You’ll have yourself a hot bowl of noodles in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients

water/vegetable broth (carton or bouillon paste)
miso paste (~1 tablespoon)
vegetables
egg (or whatever protein you prefer)
oil (olive oil, canola, or sesame)
ginger (~1 inch piece, peeled, finely chopped)
garlic (1 clove, sliced)
onion/shallot/white part of scallions (~1 tablespoon, finely chopped)
soy sauce (if desired, a splash)
toppings: scallions, sesame seeds, cilantro, chili flakes

Do it

If using, peel and chop ginger and onion finely. Peel and chop garlic into thin slices.
In a small pot, heat a good amount of oil over medium-low heat. Once the oil is warmed, add the ginger, onion, and garlic. Fry for about a minute, watching for any browning or burning, as these ingredients can burn easily. If using mushrooms, add them here and brown them with the aromatics.
Once ginger, onion, and garlic are fragrant, add about three cups (or enough for you serving size) of liquid. Add miso or bouillon paste if using either/both. Let heat on medium heat so pastes can dissolve. Note: avoid bringing miso paste to a boil, as it diminishes the awesome health benefits of miso! 🙂
When pastes dissolve, add a serving of noodles, let them cook in the broth until softened.
While noodles are cooking, heat a pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is HOT, add a generous amount of oil to coat the pan, then crack the egg into the oil. The egg will ideally bubble and might splatter a bit, so just be careful of the hot oil.
After the noodles have cooked, add the vegetables and stir until vegetables are cooked, but still tender (not too wilty). This should take just a minute or so, depending on the vegetable.
Pour into a bowl, top, and shlurp.

a crispy egg with rice and blistered greens

October 29, 2020 by Lea Leave a Comment

I don’t know if you’re a runny yolk person–it can be a divisive topic–but, I’ve been working on my fried egg game and it’s going pretty well! To me, if I’m going to eat a sunny-side-up egg I want the edges to be really crispy, and the yolk to be a little cooked in the middle and a little runny on top. I’ll tell you about the way I’ve been making a fried egg below. Frank Prisinzano (@frankprisinzano) was an awesome quarantine Instagram follow. His account provides me with a lot of inspiration through his use of “methods,” including one for a crispy eggs. Would highly recommend tossing him a follow if you haven’t already! I also need something like toast, or in this case rice, to mix with the yolk. It’s great to have leftover rice in the fridge to just heat in a pan or the microwave for a quick lunch.

“Blistering” your vegetables is an awesome way to quickly prepare them, and is a fun way to mix it up if you’re used to eating your veggies a different way. Getting your vegetables a little charred lends a kind of smoky flavor, while keeping them fresh and crisp on the inside. I love doing this with broccoli, cabbage, and string beans because they can take the heat. A fried egg and blistered greens is a convenient pairing because they are cooked in similar ways- fast and in a hot pan. Let something like soy sauce, store-bought chili crisp, or hot sauce do the work of adding more flavor for you and you’re good to go!

Blistered Greens

Chop your vegetables into bite-size pieces. Heat a pan over medium high heat. Allow the pan to heat up for a few minutes. Add around a teaspoon of oil (when doing this I keep the pan pretty dry.) You might see the oil a smoke a bit– that’s good. Add the veg to the pan and don’t toss them around, allowing them to get crispy and charred. After one side has some good color, flip them around a continue cooking for around 3 minutes. They should still be bright green and crisp, but not raw. Season with a sprinkle of salt.

Fried Egg

Heat a frying pan (non-stick if you have one) over medium-high heat. If you’re using the pan from your egg you already have a head start! Allow the pan to heat up for a few minutes. Once the pan is hot, add enough olive oil to generously coat the pan (if you’re frying and want something crispy, don’t shy away from the oil.) Carefully crack the egg into the pan. If your pan is hot enough, the whites will bubble up immediately. Be careful here because the oil might splatter a bit! Leave the egg untouched until you see the edges start to brown and crisp and the whites go from translucent to opaque white. Turn off the heat a little before it’s fully done cooking because it will continue cooking off-heat. Sprinkle with salt.

Rice

Cook the rice you have according to package instructions or the way you like best. I make the jasmine rice I had here in my Instant Pot <3. However you cook your rice, a huge key is rinsing the rice. It’s takes some extra time but that’s how I get it fluffy and not sticky. Put the rice in your pot and fill it with a few inches of water, swish the rice around with your fingers. The water will be cloudy because the starch is coming off of the rice. Rinse the rice in a few changes of water until the water is pretty clear. In an InstantPot, I cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then let it sit for 10 minutes, then release the pressure.

noodle salad with creamy sesame dressing

October 28, 2020 by Lea Leave a Comment

This is a “recipe” that’s great to have in your back pocket. I put recipes in quotes because the best part is that you really don’t need a recipe, which is basically the whole point in this blog, lol. This whole thing requires barely any cooking! And no cooking at all if you don’t consider boiling water as cooking! The basic formula I use for this is: chop raw vegetables, cook noodles (rice noodles, udon, ramen noodles, even spaghetti works), whip up a creamy dressing. You can use any veg you like– lettuce, thinly chopped kale, cucumber, carrots, spinach. Everything comes together so quickly, you could make this for lunch during the day or for dinner when you’re hungry and need to eat ASAP. If you want to add some extra protein, you can just fry and egg and put it on top. Crispy tofu is also a great addition, which only takes around 10 minutes to make. If you think you don’t like tofu, I’ll tell you how to get it CRISPY below, which may just convert you.

The star of the show here is tahini. If you’ve never used tahini before, I highly recommend picking up a jar. I’ve seen it everywhere, from Giant/Stop&Shop to Whole Foods. It can be used for so many things, both sweet and savory. If you don’t have tahini, you can also just use peanut butter. I like tahini because it has a more mild flavor than peanut butter (it’s just blended sesame seeds) so it’s great for blending into dressings to make them creamy. It has a lightly nutty, roasty flavor. Another powerhouse ingredient I usually use here is fish sauce. Again, you can find this in the “international” section of your grocery store. If you’re in DC, Hana Japanese Market by Meridian Hill Park rocks and is a great place to check out too.Fish sauce is an awesome ingredient because all you need is a little bit to add a salty, umami punch that makes whatever you put it in more complex than it is. Yeah, it smells like funky and fishy but just trust me.

Recipe: noodle salad with creamy sesame dressing

Serving: 1 (but easy to prepare enough protein, dressing, and vegetables for leftovers, I recommend making the noodles fresh. If you do want to keep leftover rice noodles, coat in a little sesame or olive oil to keep them from getting dry and sticking together!)

Noodles

For rice noodles, boil a pot of water. Once boiled, turn off the heat and add rice noodles. Let stand for around 10 minutes, or until softened to a chewy al dente. Cook other noodles according to package instructions.

Crispy Tofu

While the noodles soak, prepare the tofu. Use extra firm tofu (I recommend the extra firm sprouted tofu from Trader Joe’s because it’s…really firm.) Dry tofu off with a towel and press on it to expel water. Cut the tofu into squares, around 1/2 inch thick (thinner slices=crispier tofu).

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add enough olive or vegetable oil to coat the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu in a single layer, allowing room between the pieces. Then just leave it– seriously! Don’t move the tofu around, this is what allows it to get crispy. After around 6-8 minutes it should be ready to flip (if it’s sticking to the pan, it’s not ready.) Fry on the other side for around 4 more minutes.

Creamy Sesame Dressing

While the noodles are soaking and tofu is crisping, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, mix

1 tbsp. tahini
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil (or sub olive oil)
1/4 tsp. fish sauce
squeeze of lime

Mix together and add water, around a teaspoon at a time to thin out until desired consistency. Your tahini might break at first/look kind of separated :/ but just keep mixing and it well get smooth.

Veggies

Chop up your raw vegetables. Zucchini, kale, carrots, romaine. I like to slice the vegetable to a similar width to the noodles so everything mixes together well. This might feel like an extra step, but I promise it makes a difference in how much you’ll enjoy what you’re eating.

Putting it all together

Drain the noodles and shake off excess water using a colander (or put them in a salad spinner if you have one). Toss the noodles, veg, and protein together in a big bowl. Top with anything you want (cilantro, chopped peanuts, scallions, sesame seeds, chili flakes).

healthy veggie quesedillas

July 24, 2017 by Lea Leave a Comment

I loved quesadillas…until I worked in a Mexican restaurant. Believe me, you would hate quesadillas too if you smelled them at 10:00 in the morning. Quesadillas and I were on a break for a while but the other day I regained my craving. The classic Mexican cheese sandwiched between two flour tortillas is delicious, but can leave me feeling weighed down and aren’t that nutritious. The great thing about quesadillas is that they are so easy, simple, and inexpensive to make at home. I revamped the quesadilla I got to know so well to make it more filling (in a good way) and healthy.

To be honest, these came out even better than I expected. This proves that combining just a few simple ingredients together can make something completely different and delicious. I think the “refried” bean dip is what really makes it. On its own, this bean dip is a great recipe to have in your arsenal. Perfect for dipping chips into, adding to salads and bowls, or spreading on sandwiches. It’s so easy and inexpensive to make– all you need is beans and some spices (there’s actually no oil or frying involved.)

As for the rest of the quesadilla, I bought little corn tortillas– the only ingredients are corn and water. The package comes with a lot so they are also great for making breakfast tacos with eggs and that bean spread we just talked about! It’s also super easy to sneak veggies into this recipe. I sautéed some spinach and corn on the side and added that, but you could also do onions, bell peppers, or zucchini. The avocado also added the perfect creamy texture so I didn’t even miss the cheese but you can add it if you want.

These taste amazing made fresh so the tortillas are warm and crispy, but you could definitely whip up a bunch, keep them in the freezer, and warm them in a pan when you’re ready to eat. You’re not going to look cute while enjoying this one, but it’s so worth it.

Time: 35 minutes
Active: 10 minutes
Serves: 6-7

Ingredients:

corn (or whole wheat) tortillas
2 cans black beans
garlic powder
chilli powder
cajun seasoning (this was a mix of paprika, garlic powder, chill powder, smoked chipotle powder, salt, pepper)– you can use whatever you have on hand
salt and pepper
spinach
corn
avocado
nutritional yeast/cheese (optional)

Instructions:

Start by getting the beans going. You want to give them as much time as possible to soften. Rinse the beans and add them to a pot. Cover them with water– you don’t need to be exact with this. Boil the water. When the water starts to boil, bring the heat down so the beans are simmering. Add the spices– you can taste and adjust as you go so don’t worry about measurements. Let the beans simmer while you prep other things. (In this case I was making my breakfast banana bread!) I let the beans simmer for 35 minutes, but if you don’t have that much time it’s okay, just as long as they get soft enough to mash.
When the beans have softened and most of the water has been absorbed, mash them with a fork until creamy.
When the beans are set, sauté your spinach or vegetables in a pan. Set them aside.
Warm the tortillas on the pan. When they are slightly browned and crispy (I think this is key), spread on the bean dip and top with vegetables, avocado, and cheese or nutritional yeast.
Sandwich the tortillas together, cut in half, and enjoy!

chickpea “tuna” salad

July 3, 2017 by Lea Leave a Comment

This chickpea “tuna” salad sandwich is one to keep in your back pocket for a quick and easy lunch. Packed with protein and fiber, chickpeas make for a healthy meal, that is also super budget-friendly. If you’re not a huge fan of mayo, you can use other simple ingredients like tahini and/or plain greek yogurt to make a creamy dressing that binds the chickpeas together just like your tuna salad. Chopped onion also gives it that classic tuna salad taste and adds some crunch. Add celery if you want, too. Buying a whole bag of celery kind of annoys me, but you could chop up the leftovers to keep for dipping in hummus or peanut butter as a snack throughout the week. You can really go crazy with the add-ins here: spices, lemon, capers, cilantro, scallions, chili flakes, or whatever else you like– the more the merrier here.

This is another quick, no-cook “recipe” that is perfect for preparing at the beginning of the week for lunches on the go. Just toast up some bread, add some greens, and you have the perfect sandwich to bring to work or quickly prepare when you’re in a rush.

Ingredients

chickpeas (1 can=~2 servings)
chopped onion
celery (optional)
a combination of all or one: mayo, tahini, plain greek yogurt (~4 tablespoons)
mustard (~1 tablespoon)
squeeze of lemon
salt and pepper
add-ins: cilantro/herbs, chili flakes, za’atar
lettuce

Do it

Wash and drain the chickpeas. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Finely chop onion and add to chickpeas.
Add tahini/mayo/yogurt and mustard, add black pepper, salt, and other add-ins.
Mash the chickpeas with a fork until it reaches a texture you like. Adjust the flavors to your taste.
Toast bread and assemble with lettuce.

saving money vs. saving time

June 28, 2017 by Lea Leave a Comment

The conflict that plagues all college students– saving money versus saving time. When it comes to food, these two factors seem to be at odds with each other. You can eat out every meal (sounds great), you can spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on a meal plan (not fun but convenient), or you can pay for your own groceries and cook. For me, the last option has allowed me to be healthier and happier. I have found that it also actually saves money in the long run.

I’ll admit, sometimes it feels like a time-consuming burden. On a busy Sunday night when I have an essay to work on, it can be hard to find the time and energy to stop what I’m doing to cook. We all know what these stressful nights feel like and how easy it is to just order food or go to the dining hall for a quick but less-than-stellar meal.

Despite all this, setting aside even just an hour for grocery shopping and an hour for cooking once a week actually saves me time and money. I also eat healthier. Over time, I have learned how to make food that is time and cost efficient. This means creating recipes that are simple, can be made in bulk, and utilize ingredients that are inexpensive and easy to find. It also means learning how to grocery shop efficiently. Sometimes it’s worth it to spend a little extra money for something that is packaged or pre-made. For example, I probably could make my own hummus (it’s just chickpeas and tahini), but I would rather spend a few extra dollars for someone else to do it for me. Just check the nutrition labels to be aware of what you’re actually buying (if you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t eat it) and you’re good to go. Also, something like pre-washed salad can be more expensive than buying it fresh from the produce section, but it can be worth it to save you the hassle of preparing and washing it yourself. There’s also pre-cooked brown rice that comes frozen, but I’m willing to cook something like that myself.

Finding a balance between saving money and saving time is essential for the college chef. Learning where to compromise makes cooking less intimidating and more manageable. Maybe you can start off buying that pre-made meal and add vegetables that you cook yourself. Over time, start subbing some of the storebought products for things you make. You’ll probably find that what you can buy at the grocery store or at a restaurant isn’t hard to just cook yourself. It’s also helpful to transition into cooking more meals. As a freshman, I focused on making myself breakfast. Last year, I bought a smaller meal plan so I could use a meal swipe for lunch and make breakfast and dinner.This way, I could cook for myself while also having the option of grabbing a salad from Freshii or going to the dining hall with friends on particularly busy nights (or when I just really needed some ice cream). It’s all about finding what works for you, your schedule, and your budget.

healthy summer pasta salad

June 28, 2017 by Lea Leave a Comment

Pasta salad is the perfect summer meal– it’s satisfying, cool, and easy to make. Despite this, it’t not always the healthiest option. For this “recipe” I tried to healthify (I’m making this a word) your classic pasta salad by subbing the mayo for some other creamy and flavorful ingredients I already had lying around in the fridge. Using a whole wheat pasta also boosts the healthiness. I added some of my favorite veggies that are easy to incorporate and taste good cold, but you can add whatever vegetables you like. I think chopped celery, broccoli, and bell pepper would be great. For the dressing, I mixed together tahini, dijon mustard, olive oil, and nutritional yeast. If you’re not familiar with nutritional yeast, it’s deactivated yeast. It looks like a yellow flaky powder. It sounds strange, but vegans swear by it because it is an amazing substitute for cheese. It has a cheesy, nutty flavor. I sprinkle this stuff on everything– pasta, vegetables, potatoes, salad. You can find it in the bulk bin at Whole Foods or in shakeable containers in any other grocery store. I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

This was the perfect meal to bring with me for lunch, even on a hot and humid summer day. It’s also easy to cook in a big batch to save for the week. Just boil two or three boxes of pasta and make extra dressing and you’re good to go. Cheers to eating pasta and being healthy.

Ready in: 20 minutes
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

box of pasta
spinach (1 container/bag)
cherry tomatoes (1 container)

for the dressing

tahini (3 tablespoons)
dijon mustard (1 tablespoon)
nutritional yeast (2 tablespoons)
olive oil (1 tablespoon)
garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
salt and pepper

Supplies:

large pot
baking sheet

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400° on the “broil” setting (so the heat only comes from above) and start boiling a pot of water for the pasta. Get your cherry tomatoes ready to roast. (I don’t usually like tomatoes but they are really good roasted!) Cut them in half and arrange them on a baking sheet. Coat them in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them in the oven for around 12 minutes. Keep an eye on them until they look roasted and a little shriveled up. (I like it when there are some extra roasty burnt spots.)
When the water is boiled, start cooking the pasta according to the directions.
While your tomatoes are roasting and the pasta is boiling, prepare the dressing. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. The mixture will be thick and not sauce-like, but don’t add water because it will get thinner and creamier when you add it to the hot pasta.
When the pasta is done boiling, strain it, rinse it with cold water for a minute, and set it aside to cool off. (Pro tip: dunk a mug into the pot before you strain the pasta to save some of the starchy water for later. It will make it easier for the dressing get incorporated). Using the same pot, cook down the spinach. Using a low heat, sauté it in a little bit of olive oil until it is all bright green and soft. Add the pasta back into the pot and add the dressing. Stir it around until the dressing is covering all the pasta.
Add the roasted tomatoes when they are done.

photo by Lea Kriesberg