a food wonk.

a guide to food and cooking with ease

easy

ramen(ish)

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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

  1. If using, peel and chop ginger and onion finely. Peel and chop garlic into thin slices.
  2. 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.
  3. 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! 🙂
  4. When pastes dissolve, add a serving of noodles, let them cook in the broth until softened.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Pour into a bowl, top, and shlurp.

rice and beans with roasted squash

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Rice and beans is a perfect meal. It’s simple, easy to make, makes great, multipurpose leftovers, and offers fiber, and– fun fact– the pairing creates a ~complete protein~ (a.k.a all nine amino acids that humans need are present, in case you care to have a nutrition fun fact). It’s also really affordable, especially when buying beans dry. So many reasons to love rice and beans!

Having a big batch of rice and preparing beans can really set you up for success throughout the week. It was great to have rice and beans, and whatever else you have like squash, ready to go makes for a quick lunch during busy work days. On this day, I just heated up the rice, beans, and squash I had roasted for dinner the night before, and mixed up a little dressing. The roasted squash could easily be replaced with another vegetable. I’m thinking roasted broccoli would be good here. Or throw in another add-on like avocado or even something else just raw like some kale or lettuce. Endlessly riff-able. Add any other little toppings like chopped nuts, herbs, chili flakes, or sesame seeds if you feel moved to do so.

This sort of template is versatile and flexible– you can cook a batch of water grain or type of bean you like or are in the mood for. I’m thinking about black beans, chickpeas, and white beans– all super multipurpose and easy to throw in different meals throughout the week. You can also get funky with the grains if you get sick of rice. I’m a fan of barley and farro, both of which are perfect for throwing in soups and grain bowls. I could talk about rice and beans all day so I’ll leave it at that for now. I’ll include a “recipe” for the rice, beans, and dressing the way that I like to make them but you should make those using the method that works best for you. I love using my InstantPot for both. If you’re not into the InstantPot life I’d honestly recommend getting a rice cooker. They’re inexpensive and make cooking batches of rice easy because you don’t have to worry about it burning or boiling over. For the beans, cans are great. If you want to dabble into the world of dried beans I, again, use my InstantPot and like the method Bon Appétit explains here.

Recipe: rice and beans with roasted squash

Rice

If you’re using an InstantPot, I use a 1:1 ratio water: rice for white/jasmine rice and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then let it sit for around 10 minutes. For wild rice like I made here, I used a 1.5:1 water:rice ratio and cooked it on high pressure for 15 minutes, then let it sit for around 10 minutes.

Beans

If you’re using an InstantPot, throw around a cup of beans in the pot and cover with around 3 inches of water. Sprinkle in a few generous pinches of salt and a few glugs of olive oil (this is key!) Throw in a few cloves of garlic, and/or a halved onion if you want. I made pinto beans here, which cook for 30 minutes on high pressure if you’re using an InstantPot, then release the pressure after around 10 minutes. Again, use canned beans if that’s what’s easiest for you!

Roasted Squash

  1. preheat oven to 350F
  2. peel and chop squash into around 1/4 inch thick slices
  3. drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt
  4. roast for around 20 minutes, checking half-way through to flip

Ginger-Sesame Dressing

  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 inch grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
  • 1 clove grated garlic (or garlic powder)
  • squeeze of lemon juice (around 1/2 tbsp.)
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric (omit if you don’t have)
  • small pinch of salt and pepper

^modify ingredients and ratios as you please!

quick and easy stir fry

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Stir fry is something my mom made a lot for me and my family at home– and for good reason. It’s healthy, easy, and fast. The purpose of “stir frying” is cooking your food in hot oil so it cooks super fast. You need to stir it so it won’t burn over the high heat (hence, the name). This makes stir fry perfect for anyone who can’t devote a lot of time to being in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to bring your pan to a high heat before you add all of your ingredients so you get a nice sear on the tofu and vegetables. Coconut oil is great for this because it has a high smoke point, meaning you can bring it to a very high heat without it smoking or burning. Stir fry is great for getting in a good amount of vegetables along with your protein. I use tofu, but you can use whatever protein source you like. Stir fried tofu comes out crispy and flavorful. Stir fry is also versatile because you can add any vegetables you want and always switch it up. I didn’t use them in this recipe, but you can also use vegetables such as mushrooms, asparagus, and snow peas. Serve it alongside some brown rice or rice noodles and you have a complete and balanced meal. It doesn’t take many ingredients to get a flavorful stir fry. Sesame oil, garlic, and soy sauce all make  for a delicious stir fry. Stir fry is also easy to make in bulk to save for the week.

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Ready in: 35 mins
Servings: 5

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages extra firm tofu
  • 3 bell peppers
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 5 carrots
  • 2 cups chopped string beans
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups brown rice

supplies:

  • large non-stick pan
  • chopping board
  • knife
  • large spoon
  • peeler
  • small pot

Instructions:

  1. Bring water to a boil for the rice. When the water boils, add the rice and let it cook while you make the stir fry (make sure to set a timer so you don’t forget about it).
  2. Prepare all of your vegetables and tofu. Peel and chop everything into small uniform pieces. Preparing all of the ingredients is important here because it will allow you to move quickly once you start cooking.
  3. Heat the coconut oil in the pan over high heat. Wait for it to get hot. Test the heat by sprinkling a little bit of water on the pan to see if it sizzles. If it sizzles, the pan is hot and ready.
  4. Add the tofu pieces to the pan with sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Don’t stir too much to let the tofu cook up in the oil. Once it’s browned on one side,  flip the pieces around so the other sides get browned. This should take around 7 minutes.
  5. Add the vegetables so they have time to cook and get soft. Stir the vegetables around for about 5 minutes or until they are tender (but not mushy) and cooked.
  6. Add the onion and garlic and stir it around for about a minute, making sure that they don’t burn.
  7. Taste and add more sesame oil, salt, pepper, or garlic as needed.

 

photo by Lea Kriesberg

simple overnight oats 4 ways

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

The concept sounds a little weird, but overnight oats are one of my favorite breakfasts. Having breakfast in the morning is really important to me because it helps you stay on track for the rest of the day by getting your metabolism started. I never really ate breakfast in high school, but now that I do I can’t start my day without it. Overnight oats are perfect for busy mornings because you will have a delicious breakfast ready and waiting for you to quickly eat before class or to bring with you. Oats are a great way to start the day because they are rich in fiber and are complex carbs which will give you sustained energy throughout the morning. Throwing in some fruit adds lots of flavor and extra nutrients. You can also mix in protein powder or nut butter for added protein. I like adding chia seeds because they add extra healthy fats and fiber. When you soak chia seeds they absorb the liquid and get gelatinous, making the oats like a creamy pudding. By letting the oats soak overnight, they come out soft and creamy without you having to spend any time cooking or preparing in the morning. With all of the different ways you can make overnight oats, it’ll be a while before you get bored of it.  They also hold up well throughout the week, so I like to make multiple containers of it to keep in the fridge for breakfast throughout the week.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Prep: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 4 tablespoons chia seeds
  • frozen berries
  • 1 banana
  • 1 apple
  • nuts
  • nut butter
  • 1/4 canned pumpkin
  • vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • honey
  • 4 cups almond milk (or your milk of choice)

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Apple Pie Oats:

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Add sliced apple on top
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight and it will be ready in the morning.
  4. Add mixed nuts or peanut butter before eating

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Cinnamon Berry Oats:

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Add frozen mixed berries on top
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Berry Turmeric Oats:

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, cinnamon, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Add berries and honey on top
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Mix in canned pumpkin
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight
  4. Add nuts or nut butter and banana on top before eating

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg

easiest chili ever

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Chili is my go-to dinner. It’s easy to make in bulk for the week and requires just one pot. You can use canned beans, which makes it inexpensive, easy, and full of protein and fiber. Canned beans, grains, vegetable stock, and canned tomatoes are all things you can keep on hand because they have a long shelf life. This makes chili easy to throw together any time. Also, using beans as a source of protein rather than turkey or chicken saves you time and money. Canned beans cost less than one dollar and dry beans cost even less. Chili can be made in less than one hour and can easily be tailored to whatever vegetables, beans, grains, or proteins you like and have. I like to use a variety of beans and add quinoa for more protein and substance. You can leave this out or substitute brown rice. For this chili, I added the spices at the beginning rather than throwing them in at the end and I think it helps bring out the flavors more without adding any cooking time. Taking an hour of time to throw a pot of chili together is so worth it. You have a satisfying and healthy meal ready when you come home after a long day of class. You can easily make chili freestyle, but this recipe can serve as a base for whatever kind of chili you like.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serving: 5-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 bell peppers
  • 4 carrots
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

supplies:

  • large pot
  • cutting board
  • knife
  • large spoon
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • peeler
  • can opener

Instructions:

  1. Prepare all of your vegetables. Chop the carrots, onions, and peppers into small pieces. Open all of the cans.
  2. Heat your oil in the large pot over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot (check by flicking some water into the pot) add the onion. Stir the onion occasionally and if you see any browning turn the heat down. After four or five minutes when the onions are softened add the garlic powder and cumin. Let the onions cook with the garlic and cumin for a few more minutes until they are softer and slightly translucent.
  3. Add the rest of the spices to the pot and cook the spices with the onion for two to three minutes.
  4. Add your canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, beans, vegetables, and quinoa. Turn the heat on high and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to bring it to a simmer (you should see small bubbles). If you want your chili to be less thick, add more water or vegetable stock. Set a timer for 20-30 minutes and let everything simmer with the lid slightly cracked. After the 20-30 minutes is up the vegetables and quinoa will be cooked.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

recipe by Lea Kriesberg

simple sweet potato bowl

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Everybody deserves to know that you can cook a sweet potato in the microwave. This “recipe” requires a little bit of preparation and just 5 minutes. Cook a big pot of any grain (whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa) at the beginning of the week, add a can of beans, and cook your sweet potato in the microwave. If you wanted to pay a little more you can also find frozen brown rice which can also be microwaved. Keep the rice and beans in the fridge for the week and you’re set with a filling and healthy meal. Beans are a great source of protein and the brown rice and sweet potato are both sources of healthy, slow-releasing carbs that will keep you full and satisfied for longer. It’s also so easy to get in some greens by letting them steam with the rice. You can throw in any vegetable you want such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or spinach.

If you want to take this simple meal to the next level, spread some nut butter on the sweet potato (trust me on this one), add avocado, or throw in some spices with the rice (I like cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder).

Prep: 20 mins

Ready in: 5 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

  • brown rice (2 cups)
  • water (1 cup)
  • can of black beans, rinsed
  • sweet potato
  • broccoli

Supplies:

  • fork
  • small pot
  • can opener
  1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot.
  2. Add one cup of brown rice and bring the heat down to low to simmer the rice (you should see lots of small bubbles) for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.* In the last 10 minutes of cooking, put the broccoli in the pot and keep the lid closed so the steam can cook it.
  3. Poke holes all around the sweet potato and microwave it for 5 minutes.
  4. When the rice is cooked, mix in the can of black beans after rinsing the beans.
  5. Slice open the potato and add the rice and beans to a bowl. Save the leftovers for the week.

Notes: Cooking time will depend on what kind of rice you use. Regular brown rice can take around 40 minutes to cook, but I used instant brown rice which takes less time.

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg

easy and healthy buddha bowl

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

This is probably my favorite thing to make at school. It’s so easy to make any cooked components ahead of time, it keeps well throughout the week, requires no cooking or even reheating when you’re ready to eat, and most importantly, it tastes good. Recipes like this let you prepare dinner for the week in just an hour. People call this type of meal a “buddha bowl” because make you can serve it in a big round bowl and all of the different parts make for a perfectly balanced meal (protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and micronutrients). Buddha bowls are great because the ingredients do the work for you. The different flavors from roasting the vegetables and the simple dressing come together to make it delicious without any effort. If you’re feeling adventurous you can throw any spices you like on the vegetables before your roast them; even just some salt and pepper does wonders. Try adding avocado, lemon, sesame seeds, or a fried egg for even more fun.

You can modify this to use any vegetables, grain, or protein you like. Roast or chop a pan of vegetables, cook a big pot of brown rice or quinoa, and prepare a source of protein (beans, hardboiled egg, chicken) and store it in the fridge to assemble your bowl whenever you want it.

It’s also great to have your own salad dressing. Premade dressings can have lots of sugar and chemicals. It’s easy to make dressing yourself in minutes with just a few ingredients. This tahini-miso dressing is flavorful and creamy, which makes the bowl even more satisfying (and only requires three ingredients). The “recipe” below is just one example of how to make a buddha bowl.

Prep time: 20 mins

Ready in: 40 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • sweet potato
  • broccoli
  • cauliflower
  • kale
  • quinoa*
  • water
  • purple cabbage
  • spices (salt, pepper, curry powder, cumin)
  • olive oil

for the dressing

  • miso
  • tahini
  • water

supplies

  • sheet pan
  • knife
  • small pot
  • cutting board
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Bring two cups of water to a boil.
  3. Wash, peel, and chop the sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower.
  4. Place the chopped vegetables on the pan.
  5. Generously toss and coat the vegetables with olive oil.
  6. Add salt, pepper, curry powder, and cumin to vegetables.
  7. Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for around 40 minutes. Keep checking on them and flipping them as necessary, as some vegetables take long than others. Once they get a little browned on all sides, take them out. The sweet potatoes need more time than the broccoli and cauliflower.
  8. Add one cup of quinoa to the boiling water and turn the heat to low to bring the quinoa to a simmer (you should see lots of little bubbles). Loosely cover the pot and simmer the quinoa for around 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
  9. Wash and chop cabbage.
  10. Wash and chop kale.
  11. For the dressing, mix equal parts miso and tahini and add around a tablespoon of water at a time until it gets to the consistency you like.
  12. When everything is ready, throw everything in a bowl. Store leftovers in the fridge for the week.

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Notes: One cup of dry quinoa is usually enough for me for 5-7 days of bowls. The ratio I use is always 2 cups of water for 1 cup of quinoa.

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg