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October 2008
Cooking for One or Two
Find cooking for one or two a challenge? Tired of cooking, or maybe physical limitations interfere with preparing meals? Maybe you are transitioning from cooking for a large family to one or two. This can be a difficult adjustment to make. Here are some tips to help you prepare quick and easy, healthful meals at a reasonable cost.
Tips to Trim Effort, Boost Nutrition and Keep within Budget
Plan Ahead
Plan meals for the week, use a shopping list and coupons for items you normally purchase.
Cooking Tips
- Use some of your “old” standard recipes. You can cut the recipe down, invite a friend, or freeze the extra servings. Label and date the container; use within 3 months.
- Check the Food Network for simple meals in minutes!
- Make the most out of leftovers.
Smart Shopping and Balancing Meals
- Cut down on convenience foods, which are often highly processed, high in salt and fat, more expensive and may not save that much time! There are some healthier “fresh convenience meals”. You may want to limit these convenience foods for emergencies or when you are not up to cooking.
- Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. Visit your farmer’s market for fresh produce at optimal quality. For convenience, buy pre-packaged salad greens. They are expensive, however, there is less waste. Use frozen vegetables if they are not in season. The vegetable should be the main component of your meal.
- Incorporate whole grains. These provide rich fiber and vital nutrients! Include whole grain pasta and bread, brown rice, and bulgur wheat.
- Moderate Protein. Meat, poultry and fish should compliment the vegetables and whole grain. The best buy are larger cuts of meat and even a whole chicken. Roast a whole chicken and use leftovers for meals on subsequent days - use within 3 days or freeze. If it is convenience you want get smaller packages of pre-portioned meat. If it has not been frozen, take out what you need and freeze the rest in individual packages. Eggs and egg whites are also an excellent source of protein that are versatile, quick and easy. Try a vegetable omelet for dinner.
Baked Pasta with Chicken & Vegetables
Here is a recipe for using leftover chicken and vegetables.
- ⅓ lb. Pasta: penne or macaroni (whole grain)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ small onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 cup fresh or canned diced tomato
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook pasta according to package, drain and set aside. Sauté onion and bell pepper in oil until onions are translucent. Add garlic, herbs and tomato, stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and simmer; remove from heat—this is the sauce. Combine leftover cooked chicken, vegetables, cooked pasta, sauce, and ½ of the cheeses in an oven-safe dish; sprinkle the remainder of cheese on top. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until top browns. Serves two (2).
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