summer succotash

Whenever I think of succotash, I think of Daffy Duck from Loony Tunes (sufferin’ succotash!), but there’s nothing funny about this recipe. This is something my friend introduced me to about a year ago. It’s my go-to, no cook meal, especially when I’m feeling like my diet is out of whack. It’s super healthy, filled with vitamin C (tomatoes) and protein (edamames). Best of all, it’s fast and only five ingredients. Also, it tastes fresh, even though you’re using frozen. Did I mention succotash is cheap? I mean really, really cheap.

What You Need:

2 bags frozen corn
2 bags frozen shelled edamames
6 tomatoes (diced)
1 yellow onion (diced)
Balsamic vinegar

What You Do:

Thaw the frozen corn and edamames. You can do this by leaving them out or boiling them then draining out all the water.

Combine the corn, edamames, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl

Add the balsamic vinegar. The amount is completely up to you. I typically use about 1/2 cup for this recipe. Toss is all together and serve.

Messiness – This recipe is anything but messy, especially if you have the time to let the ingredients thaw out on their own.

Simplicity – Three steps, and half the ingredients are prepared for you. Can’t beat that.

Budget – SO cheap! In fact, you can half this recipe and it will be even cheaper, but still make enough to feed about four people. I really like how long this dish lasts for too. I usually take it to work for lunch the next day and can nibble on it for the next two.

Delicious Factor – Really, really good! It tastes fresh and healthy. But it;s not like a lot of healthy foods that taste good, but leave you hungry. This will fill you up because of all the fiber and protein in it.

five days of food

I haven’t posted a new recipe in awhile and last week marks the first week that I broke my New Years Resolution of cooking one new thing a week. In my defense, I’ve been working 12 hour days at my “day job” and have a production meeting coming up for a script of mine (fingers crossed).

So needless to say, I have had little to no time to relax and enjoy a new recipe. However, this past week has made me very proud of myself. This time last year I could cook about two things, but now, I’m able to peek in the fridge, take a look around and cook something from there. It’s really quite an amazing feeling since I haven’t been able to cook for practically my whole life.

Since I haven’t had any new cooking experiences, I thought I’d share what my super-busy-starving-and-tired weeknight menu for the past week. If you’re a busy mom or even just a twenty-something putting in long days at the office, here ya go!

Roasted Asparagus

I LOVE this recipe, especially on Mondays. It’s so fast, easy and in season. You’re eating healthy, but the asparagus keeps you full, which is what you need if you have a case of the Mondays.

Pita Pizzas

Pita Pizzas are excellent on Tuesdays. Your week has started, but you’re still feeling pretty far from Friday. So what’s better than pizza? But the thing about Pita Pizzas is that you can make them with any toppings you want, and since you’re using a pita, they’re healthier than your standard pizza. If you’re a mom, this is a super easy, fun family dinner.

Homemade Tortilla Soup

It’s Wednesday, so chances are you’re in the middle of the hectic activities. Soccer practices, article deadlines, whatever. So the last thing you want is anything labor intensive. This tortilla soup is really just opening a few cans and simmering. It makes a ton of soup so you have leftovers later in the week if Thursday or Friday are too much for you to handle. It’s also delicious.

Lemon Parmesan Broccoli

It’s Thursday, and the last thing you want to do is cook, so don’t. Just chop up some broccoli and throw it in the oven. You’ve got a healthy, crunchy dinner (or side dish for you meat-eaters) in about 30 minutes with very little effort from you.

Roasted Chickpeas

It’s Friday! You made it through the week! You may have dinner plans, but if you don’t and your Fridays are 13 hour days, like mine, then you do not want to cook under any circumstances. It doesn’t get much easier than opening a can and tossing the contents into an oven (seriously, it’s that easy). I love chickpeas because they’re high in protein and low in calories. Also, in this recipe you can choose to make them with cinnamon and brown sugar if you have a sweet tooth, or with salt and cayenne pepper. If you read my blog regularly, you know I LOVE potatoes and french fries, and I have to be honest, when you use salt and pepper, it tastes a lot like french fries.

So, this is my super-busy-starving-and-tired weeknight menu. I hope it helps you out if you’re looking for something easy, fast, cheap, healthy and delicious. Happy Monday all! Lets make this the best week ever

homemade tortilla soup

Growing up, I’ve always been very particular about my soups, and still am. But ever since the first time I tried this soup, it has been my absolute favorite! It’s great because all the flavors in it blend so well, and it’s got everything a vegetarian needs to keep healthy: beans and veggies. This recipe came from my best friend’s mom. Their family lives in the mountains where it gets colder than down here, so I’m sure that soups were excellent on many a night. While visiting over Thanksgiving two years ago, she made this soup, and it was hot and ready by the time my friend and I made it up the mountain. On this particular cold night, it was the perfect thing. I had to get the recipe, and I’m so excited to share it with you now!

Note: I’m adding soup to the list of things I need to learn to properly photograph.

What You Need:
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 tbsp cumin
1 yellow onion (diced)
1 green pepper (chopped)
2 4oz. cans diced green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes(drained)
2 cans whole kernal corn (drained)
1 can black beans (drained)
56 oz. (or 7 cups) Vegetable broth
Avocado (chopped,optional)
Cheddar cheese (grated, optional)
Tortilla chips

What You Do:
In a saucepan, sautee the garlic,cumin and onion until fragrant

Add the green pepper, chiles, and can of tomatoes. Then pour in the vegetable broth.

Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add corn and black beans, then cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over tortilla chips, with the cheese and avocado.

Messiness – This is really clean to make. You only need one pot to cook it all in and there’s minimal cutting. If you aren’t too good with a can opener, it could get messy, but overall, it’s very minimal cleanup!

Simplicity - Super simple. The first part requires a bit of attention, but other than that, you just open cans and wait for the flavors to combine in the most delicious way!

Budget – You can find these for about $1 per item, so it comes out to roughly $10- $15 for the whole thing, and you’ll get 6-8 servings from it. Since I typically cook for one, this one recipe will keep me fed for two days, at least.

Delicious Factor – So so yummy!! I absolutely love this on cold nights, or even on festive summer nights when you’re dinner al fresco. It will quickly become one of your simple, favorite weeknight meals.

quick and easy broccoli cassarole

Holy moly! Life is getting out of control busy! I’m getting really close to the launch of my new clothing company and was fortunate enough to be able to write two articles for the upcoming issue of Vigore! and I can’t wait to share them with you! That being said, time is in even more short supply than usual. This last weekend, I took breaks in between my transcribing work to clean house (which has been getting done only as-needed, so an overhaul was much needed). So cooking this past week had to be quick and delicious.

As you know, I LOVE my cooking blogs. I found another one that is amazing. I found this recipe on there, but made some adjustments, and it was the perfect, quick meal that was so needed last week. I post a lot of quick, easy recipes, and this is no exception. I hope you like cheesy broccoli, because here we go!

What You Need:
1 bag frozen broccoli OR 2 bunches fresh broccoli (16 oz. or 2 cups)
8 oz. light cream cheese
Two handfuls of bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter (melted)
Salt and black pepper

What You Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Boil the broccoli (frozen or fresh) until soft, but still crunchy
Drain, then add cream cheese, salt and pepper (salt and pepper are to taste; I’d say 1/2 tsp of both)
In a separate dish, mix the butter and bread crumbs
Put the broccoli mixture into a rectangular baking dish
Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the top
Bake until the cheese is bubbly (about 30ish minutes)

Messiness – If you use the frozen broccoli, then this is one of the least mess recipes in your book. A little steaming, a little mixing, some baking and voila! Delicious broccoli casserole!

Simplicity – If you use the frozen broccoli, then this is one of the simplest recipes in your book. If you use fresh broccoli, then all you do is chop. The rest pretty much takes care of itself. It’s one of those great recipes that you can make while multi-tasking (i.e. siezing the opportunity to straighten up the kitchen)

Budget – Under $5. You should be able to find broccoli for fairly cheap (I get it for $1) and sour cream and bread crumbs aren’t too expensive either. for $5 you’ll get four servings of this amazing dish.

Delicious Factor – 5/5 because the cream cheese blends perfectly with the broccoli. It’s cheesy, smooth and the bread crumbs add that little extra something that makes it delicious.

pita pizzas

If there is a fast, easy way to make pizza, you better believe I’ll find it. Ever since I was a kid, pizza has been my favorite food, so you can imagine my delight when it was declared a “vegetable” by the food pyramid people (even though a tomato is a fruit). I often keep those frozen pizzas around for those times when only pizza will do, but I know that ordering one means I’ll eat the whole thing. As I’ve mentioned, there’s only about 3 square feet of counter space in my kitchen so rolling dough is not an option, which is why I’m so glad I thought of the pita.

Round, thin, air filled, and individual pizza sized, the pita is truly the greatest make-shift crust I’ve seen. When I first started making this, it made me think of those mini pizza lunchables I’d beg my mom for as a kid, only cooked. And this is a million times better! So, are you ready for the fastest, simplest pizza recipe yet? Good.

Pita Pizzas

What You Need:
A pita
1-2 TBSP pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce
1/2 Cup mozzarella
Any other toppings you may want

What You Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Spread the sauce on the pita

Sprinkle the cheese and other toppings

Place on the oven rack, no baking sheet needed

Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melty and bubbly

Carefully remove and serve!

NOTE: You can microwave it for a minute or two if you don’t have an oven. The crust won’t be crispy, but it will still be delicious!

Messiness – You don’t even need a plate (until you’re ready to eat)! Granted, the toppings can get messy depending on what you want, but if you just use a spoon to get the sauce in place, and you’re a careful sprinkler, then you’ll be just fine!

Simplicity - 15 minutes from start to finish (including cooking). When it comes to recipes that involve cooking, this is one of the fastest. And only three ingredients?! It’s a winner. I really like this as a last minute dinner option, especially if you’ve been busy. Since it’s individual, it seems a bit fancy when you serve it to others. Also, it’s a fun way to have a “pizza bar” (I can’t wait to try that with my family next time we’re all together)!

Budget – Since I only wanted cheese on my pizza, this cost $3 for a package of 6 pitas, a bag of shredded cheese and a jar of pizza sauce. How great is that?!

Delicious Factor – While I love a greasy piece of pizza as much as the next person, this is a suprisingly delicious and healthy alternative. The pita is not too bready and since you place it on the rack, it gets just the right amount of crispy and chewy. It’s impossible to have just one!

tabbouleh

I just found out what tabbouleh is, and I am in love! This seems to be the perfect food. Lunch, dinner; winter or summer, I could eat this on any occasion. After trying a few different recipes, I have finally found an easy recipe that’s so simple for weeknights when I’m running around. There’s very little effort involved.

Now, I did learn that there are many different ways to make this, and the usual way is with little grain and more greens. Every recipe is a little different, so use this one as a basic guide and then taper it to your liking (but personally, I LOVE this way and hope you will too!).

It’s also very healthy and natural, perfect for the person who’s on a diet, trying to lose some weight or just keep on being healthy!

Tabbouleh

What You Need:
1 Cup Bulghar wheat (soaked in 1 cup of water)
1 bunch parsley (finely chopped)
2 TBSP mint (finely chopped)
3 tomatoes (diced)
1 can pitted black olives
3 TBSP olive oil
4 TBSP lemon juice
1 Scallion (diced, optional)
Salt to taste

What You Do:
Make sure the wheat is soaked then add the oil and lemon juice. Mix and let sit for about 30 minutes

Add the parsley, mint, tomatoes and olives. Mix together and serve

Messiness – If you’re feeling lazy (and aren’t planning on serving it to anyone), then you can make it all from start to finish in one bowl. Once all the water is soaked up, just continue adding the ingredients.

Simplicity - There was no cooking involved and minimal prep. It’s a simple side dish that you can easily prepare when making a main dish, or doing something else (like watch a Lakers game).

Budget - The bulghar wheat costs about $5 but is will give you over 4 cups. Other than that, the herbs are cheap (especially if you’re one of those lucky ones who have an herb garden )This will quickly become one of your go-to meals.

Delicious Factor – This is one of those things that tastes really healthy in an excellent way. It gets a 5/5 in my book! If you have any tips about how you love to make your tabbouleh I’d love to hear it!

chile broccoli pasta

I’ve been in a fitness competition lately to see how much I can lose in 8 weeks. I’m down nearly 2% in body fat, and that means one thing: my diet needs to be perfect from now on. What that means, is that I’ve been working out more too, so I need a bit more energy boosting foods than the usual salads.

This recipe I made about two months ago and is a simple, light, delicious pasta dish that’s perfect for lunches or early dinners.

Chile Broccoli Pasta

What You Need:
1 cup pasta
1 cup cut broccoli florets
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large garlic cloves (chopped)
2 fresh red chiles (seeded and diced)
Handful of cherry tomatoes

What You Do:
Cook the pasta in lightly salted water until tender, then drain, wash and set aside

In a separate pan of salted water, boil the broccoli then cook for five minutes, drain and rinse

Heat the oil in the pan that you cooked the pasta in and add the garlic, chiles and tomatoes, cooking for one minute

Add the broccoli and cook for two minutes

Add the pasta and mix well and serve

Messiness – Well, there are a lot of pans involved, but it’s so worth it. It’s also very self contained, making clean up easy.

Simplicity – This recipe requires attention, but it only takes about 30 minutes for both cooking and prep time.

Budget – You can find all of these ingredients for fairly cheap. I was able to get them all at the dollar store so it only cost $5 for about 4 servings.

Delicious Factor – It’s a light pasta recipe, which isn’t always easy to find. Also, I added soy sauce to it to add a bit more flavor and it was amazing! This is one of my favorite weeknight dishes because it makes so much, is cheap and is so quick to make.

avocado salad and lime dressing

Before you read anything, I have to tell you, I have no idea how to take an excellent picture of a salad. New challenge for 2012? I think so. That being said, this salad and dressing is a million times better than it looks (I promise). It took me a long time to eat salad and enjoy it. I’ve never been a greens lover, certainly not mixed greens, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my quest to eat healthier, it’s that dressing can make the salad!! So, here’s an amazing salad, Winter or Summer that’s easy and delicious!

What You Need:

For the salad:
Mixed red and green leaves salad
4 scallions (diced)
5 tomatoes (sliced)
1/4 Cup of walnuts (toasted and chopped… and optional)
2 avocados (diced)
1 TBSP lemon juice

For the Dressing:
1 TBSP lime juice
1 tsp mustard
1 TBSP sour cream
1 TBSP fresh parsley or cilantro (chopped)
1 TBSP olive oil
Salt and pepper

What You Do:

Wash and dry lettuce then place in a bowl

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Mix the dressing in a seperate bowl, then drizzle over the salad.

Toss and enjoy!

Messiness – It’s salad, so unless you’re a crazy tosser (in the American version of the word, not the British version for our friends across the pond ), then the salad should be pretty simple.

Simplicity – Four steps and no cooking! As you know, anything that doesn’t involve cooking is a winner in my book.

Budget – If you have the ingredients, then pretty cheap, except for the walnuts which is why they’re optional.

Delicious Factor - REALLY delicious! I’m learning that if I take the extra 5-10 minutes to chop stuff up, then your salad will undoubtedly taste better. So, since this has all of my favorite things in it, and it’s healthy, it’s delicious!

3 ingredient peanut butter cookies

If you like peanut butter cookies then you are in luck! I’ve been making this recipe since I was really young and it’s the first thing I ever learned to make on my own. The recipe is so easy that I’ve never even had to write it down (which is good since people are always asking for it). It’s a little bit tricky, but SO worth it!

NOTE: The picture below, taken with my phone, is of one of our Super Bowl treats. To make this, make peanut butter cookies and brownies. Lay one PB cookie flat, speard your favorite jelly, add brownie crumbles then top with another cookie that has jelly. So sweet, but SO delicious!

What You Need:
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg

What You Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix the three ingredients together in a bowl until combined
Roll the dough into balls roughly 1” diameter (or larger if you like big cookies) and place on a lightly greased baking sheet
Use the tines of a fork and lightly press them into the dough to make the signature peanut butter cookie criss cross
Bake for around 15 minutes. This is the tricky part. The cookies will not look done, so you need to have, what I call, a “Sacrifice Cookie.” They’ll be soft, so using a spatula, lightly lift one side of a cookie. It will probably break, but you’ll be able to see if it’s brown underneath. Once the underside is brown, your cookies are done! Let them sit, cool and harden for a few minutes before eating.
That’s it!

Messiness – As far as cookies go, this is a pretty unmessy recipe. Rolling the cookies is the messiest part, but the dough isn’t sticky so it’s not bad.

Simplicity – Only three ingredients. Can’t beat that! Also, they mix together really easily so that you don’t need a lot of effort or any special machinery. Nailing the timing can be tough, but if you’re attentive, you’ve got this! I used this recipe for over a decade to trick people into thinking I could cook, and I’m still doing it!

Budget – I’ve learned baking is not a cheap thing, but with three things you probably already have in your kitchen, it’s very economical, and perfect for last minute guests.

Delicious Factor – They’re amazing! Remember how I said that I made them for the Super Sandwiches? Well, there were not many sandwiches made because the cookies all go gobbled up first. They’re the perfect fix when you’re craving cookies.

no-cook broccoli salad

Anything that enables me to eat without having to cook anything is a winner in my book. Minimal effort with ultimate gain is my aim (especially on Mondays). So, when I saw this recipe for broccoli salad, I had to try it. I’ve found that keeping broccoli around is a great way keep up with your healthy eating and have a quick side dish/dinner.

I made some adjustments to the original recipe based on what I had in the kitchen. Enjoy!

(picture taken with my phone)

What You Need:
One bunch broccoli (washed, chopped)
Mayonnaise (the amount is up to you, but around 1/2 Cup)
1 TBSP white wine vinegar
A handful of raisins
A small handful of sunflower seeds (kernals)
Red onion (chopped, optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:
Mix the broccoli, mayo, vinegar, raisins and sunflower seeds (and onion if you like).
Add more mayo if you like as well as salt and pepper to taste.
That’s it! Enjoy!

Messiness - Not messy! You mix everything in the bowl you’ll serve it in which makes clean-up virtually non-existent.

Simplicity - So simple! Once I find a quick, easy no-cook recipe, it becomes a favorite, fast. This is one of the simplest recipes you’ll find on this blog. It’s something you could quickly make before work for those days when you forgot to plan your lunch (NOTE: planning and packing lunches has been KEY in having a low food budget and losing weight)

Budget – CHEAP! You can always find broccoli for cheap but use fresh since you don’t need to cook it or anything. Frozen broccoli may end up mushy when it’s defrosted.

Delicious Factor - It’s a different taste at first because there are so many flavors involved. But then, it’s addicting! It’s also fairly healthy (get the non-fat mayo) so you feel good about eating it for a light lunch or a snack before dinner.