This is such an easy and delicious curry. It is incidentally vegan as well, it’s gluten free, I think it might be accidentally paleo – really it’s good for everyone doing every diet except for low carbs (though you could eat it by itself without the rice and it’s probably good for that too). It made about 6 servings and I was more than happy to eat all of them myself but I did have to share so I see a repeat of this recipe next month!
This is your very super basic tomato soup. It’s earthy and comforting and warm. I’m always skeptical of vegan dishes but despite not having any dairy (yes, no butter or cream!) the texture of the soup is creamy and thick. I accidentally had a bit of a heavy hand on the red pepper flakes but when enjoyed with a crusty piece of bread the extra spice was just right.
This is a great lunch recipe. It’s quick, easy to make, you can add anything you like in to it and you can even make a few different flavors for different people (if you have fussy people in your house). I make mine with onion, peppers, and mushroom but feel free to use any of your favorite pizza toppings even pineapples and ham just make sure any meat you used it cooked and that any toppings are cut in to small pieces.
The potatoes do have to soak before you bake them so there is a 30 minute wait and the 30 minute cooking time makes less very less convenient than their frozen counterparts but they’re delicious and taste and feel just like they were fried without all the extra fat and oil needed to fry. They also take only 2-3 minutes of active work, mostly just chopping up a potato.
In most places the summer is too warm to stand over a stove making risotto for 20-30 minutes, but thankfully it’s pretty cool in Seattle and on the right weekend this is a perfect was to celebrate the flavors of the summer in a delicious and simple dish. I used regular rice since arborio rice is a bit pricey, but the dish has the same soul as a real risotto I feel.
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz peas (fresh or frozen)
2 zucchini, cut into 1″ pieces
1 tbsp butter
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 cup rice
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and black pepper, to taste
Source: Eats Well With Others
Technically this isn’t a bento but it was too good of a meal not to post. This was our dinner last Sunday: a very simple mac and cheese, some seared peas with lemon and mint and of course, sweet potato fries (with my special blend of spicy ground peppers on top for an extra exciting kick!)
This is the perfect after work food. It’s fast, one pot, cheap with little prep and practically no mess. Using fresh udon (found in the refrigerator section in most international supermarkets) it becomes a completely no fuss meal but you can substitute fresh noodles for dried one in a pinch though carefully follow directions on the dry noodles before adding them to the soup. You can add just about any vegetable to this and any mix of miso you like. I prefer red for a hearty soup with a bold flavor though shiro miso make a milder soup that many enjoy.
This is your very basic stir fry recipe. You can dress it up in any way you want. Add chili sauce, hosin sauce, more spices, different vegetables, whatever tickles your fancy.
If you have a stand mixer this recipe is about as easy as they come simply pop all the ingredients in and prepared to be wowed by what comes out. This pizza is best when rolled thin and cooked until the edges are perfectly crisp. Ready for just about any toppings and with a very short rise time it’s great for a slow Friday night. You can honestly ignore the rise time if you’re in a rush and you roll it out thin enough it will puff while you’re putting toppings on and when cooking but for a little extra softness waiting the 30 minutes for it to rise will give it a pillow-y texture. This recipe easily doubles for a crowd.
Minestrone is glorified vegetable soup. It’s usually made with whatever is in season and often contains pasta or rice and always has beans in it. I’m not a really big of this soup in restaurants as it’s usually served very thin with a ton of pasta and not much in the way of vegetables and also usually has a beef base which I don’t like. I made mine with vegetable stock but feel free to make yours with chicken or beef if you have that instead. This recipe makes about 8 servings but could be easily scaled down.