Easy Summer Lunch

I've been on a huge Greek food kick lately, and only the Greeks could get me to consider a salad for lunch. I'm not a salad person in the slightest, maybe have one four times a year. I just don't find its enough sustenance or flavor and a lot of salads have so many preservatives on the lettuce that I just can't take.

Here's my take on a quick easy delicious Greek salad you can make for a weekend or work lunch. Next time I'll be adding grilled chicken for protein and so its more filling. Definitely try and enjoy it outside if you can!

Greek Salad
Serves: 1
2 cups of lettuce (romaine works fine)
1/3 cup green olives (halved with pits removed)
1/3 cup Greek pepperoncini (halved)
1/3 cup halved seedless cucumbers
2-3 slices of halved tomato
2 tablespoons Greek vinaigrette (I used store bought, but could definitely make your own with olive oil, lemon juice, dash or oregano and salt and pepper)

Toss all together and enjoy!

5 minute lunches

I'm a firm believer in delicious lunches. Just because you're at work without a full kitchen does not mean you should have to sacrifice on flavor and freshness during a crucial meal in your day.

That said with my work's current temporary space (Ala plastic silverware and one microwave) my grandiose cooking skills have hit the skids. Over are the days of whipping up a croque madame in the office.

So what's a girl, who is not big on salad, soups or sandwiches to do without blowing the bank on take out lunches everyday? Learn to improvise and get creative.

This morning with scarce ingredients around after a weekend away I threw together a quick Mediterranean couscous salad. (Whoever invented that pasta and quinoa deserves a medal!).

The result was a delicious light lunch, exactly what a busy working girl needs! I also took a trip down nostalgia lane this morning when I stopped at the market to get the feta I found Koala cookies from my childhood and just couldn't resist (pardon the mess on my desk, its Monday.)

Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Servings: 1 1/2 lunch servings
Time: 5-7 minutes

1/3 cup plain couscous (could use Mediterranean/Greek flavor also)
1/4 cup water
1/2 chopped cucumber (preferably seedless, but won't make or break the dish)
1/3 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper

Cook couscous according to directions
Chop cucumber and basil
Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice (season slightly with salt)
Mix together couscous, cucumber, basil
When you pull out for lunch mix in feta and lemon oil dressing
Enjoy!

Tuesday Comforts

Nothing better during a thunderstorm than to be home cooking a comforting meal (shrimp, basil, tomato pasta see recipe below) and blaring Adele. Now off to yoga to burn it off!

Shrimp, Basil, Tomato Pasta

Serves 2

1/2 lb linguine
7-8 pieces of shrimp
1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 can of diced tomatoes in juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup of basil, torn apart
3/4 cup of water
olive oil
salt and pepper

In a skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook shrimp 2-3 minutes remove from pan and set aside

In the same skillet heat olive oil and cook garlic for one minute then add diced tomatoes and water. For extra heat add a dash of red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes and then remove from heat and add grape tomatoes

Meanwhile bring a pot of water to boil and add linguine. Cook per instructions. Strain pasta and return to pot. Add tomato sauce and then add shrimp and basil and mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe: Everyday Food

Its the little things...

Seeing these $6.99 Tulips at Lund's yesterday made me light up and instantly brought me to here...

Photo: Keukenhof Gardens, Emma Wiedner

...my favorite place to spend Spring: Holland. What are the little things that instantly bring you to a favorite place?

Standby Dishes

Everyone has those stand by dishes that can be made with things you always have in your kitchen and can be whipped up by heart. Those dishes that equal comfort in everyday life.

Mine is lemon chicken pasta. So easy, quick and since I cook like an Italian grandmother I always have the ingredients on hand. (Recipe below)

 Lemon Chicken Pasta
Serves: 4
Cook Time: 20 minutes

1 lb penne pasta 
1 1/4 to 1 1/2lb boneless skinless chicken breast
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lemons (save some slices for garnish)
grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and put on a grill pan or grill at medium heat
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add penne. Cook according to package instructions
3. At about 3 minutes before the pasta is finished, heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat
4. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes for about 1 minute, take pan off heat
5. Drain the penne and add to the saute pan then put mixture in large bowl
6. Slice chicken crosswise into strips and add to the bowl
7. Squeeze lemon juice over mixture, then toss the pasta and chicken in bowl
8. Sprinkle Parmesan over mixture until top layer is coated (I like a lot of Parmesan so I add a lot, add as little or as much as you'd like)
9. Season with salt and pepper

Enjoy! I'd love to hear what you think!








 

Thank God for Jameson and Pasta

When you've had a long work day being good and making it the gym and cooking a fresh meal just seems like one more hassle and the guilty pleasure alternatives start to run through your head...

What to eat for dinner? Kraft mac & cheese (the golden voice makes it sound so creamy and delicious) or that new recipe I already bought all the ingredients for

Am I going to go to yoga or make myself a cocktail? The Jameson is already in the house and its only 18 degrees out...

So to make bad decisions for the rest of the night or good decisions, I decided to be devil's advocate and land in the middle.

I did make the new recipe (Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, recipe see below) I had all the ingredients for, but then again food with pasta and garlic you never really have to twist my arm too hard. By the way it was delicious, and I officially could never be on a no carbs diet. Life without pasta is not worth living.

...and Yoga lost to my favorite cocktail the Big Ginger (recipe below). I can be good and do downward dog tomorrow.

Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
(Thanks thekitchn.com!)

Servings: 2
1/2 lb pasta (I used linguine)
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tsp basil, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Cook pasta in boiling pot until al dente
2. Mince garlic, chop basil, pulse sun-dried tomatoes in food processor until smooth
3. Heat saute pan on medium-high heat, add olive oil when hot
4. Add garlic and basil until fragrant (about 1 minute) then add sun-dried tomatoes for 2 minutes
5. Add milk and cream and red pepper flakes and cook for 7 minutes until sauce thickens
6. Drain pasta, reserving pasta water if sauce needs thickening
7. Mix pasta and sauce, top with fresh basil and Parmesan if desired. Season with salt and pepper.

Shown on my beautiful pasta plates from Cabo!

The Big Ginger
(credit: The Local Pub, Minneapolis, MN)
1/2 cup ice
double shot of Jameson
ginger ale
slice of lemon and lime

Pour Jameson over ice, add ginger ale to top off the glass and then add lemon and lime. Enjoy!