Recipes for One, Part 1

KEEPING IT SIMPLE--COOKING FOR ONE (In Honor of Rich--A Solo Man Who is Not Afraid of Women's Power)

by Siouxz, Maven of Cellular Radiance and Stellar Vibrancy on All Levels-- At Least Some of the Time hahaha

Even though I have four kids and cook boatloads of grub, my single friends asked me to write a quick and easy cookbook for the solo person. Here is a sneek-preview of it! Feedback appreciated.

Easy Elegant Asparagus

1/2 lb Asparagus
1 T Pine Nuts or Walnuts
1 T Melted Butter
1 t Balsamic Vinegar

Wash asparagus, break off tough ends. Steam or cook in small amount of boiling water 3-6 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Meanwhile, toast nuts in dry skillet tossing often. Mix melted butter and vinegar in small bowl. When asparagus is ready, drain, drizzle butter sauce on top and sprinkle with nuts. Eat over rice or as a side dish.

Basic Brown Rice--A Must Do if You Are Into Low Carb Intake

1 cup short or long grain brown rice
2 cups water
1 t salt
1/2 t oil

Bring water and salt to a boil, add rice. Cover. Boil for 5 min. Simmer at low heat for 20 min. Turn off heat. Keep lid on and let steam finish cooking rice for another 10-15 minutes. Cut cooking time in half if using basmati or jasmine rice.

Szechwan Green Beans

1 T sesame oil--roasted ok
1/2 lb green beans
2 cloves garlic
1/4 t salt
crushed red pepper to taste

Heat heavy, deep skillet over medium-high heat. After a minute add oil After another minute add green beans. Raise heat to high and stir-fry 5 minutes, until beans are well-seared and bright green. Add garlic, salt and optional red pepper. Stir-fry 5 more minutes, then remove from heat. Serve warm.

Carrot/Beet Slaw

2 medium beets
3 large carrots
1 medium onion
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Grate vegetables on a medium-fine grater all together in a bowl. Add olive oil and lemon juice as a salad dressing to suit your taste. (You don't want to be swimming in dressing, but you want the tartness of the lemon to be prominent.)

Siouxz's Basic Stir Fry

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 T olive oil
1 T org coconut oil
1 carrot
1 C broccoli florets
1 C cauliflower florets
1 green pepper
1/2 c peas--frozen ok.
any other veggies that are hanging around
Chop up veggies to your desired size. Heat skillet or wok to medium high heat, add 1 T olive oil ad 1 T coconut oil( check out my blog entry on the benefits of organic virgin coconut oil- http://susandraves.blogspotcom/Ahhhh Yes Virgin Coconut Oil) , stir in onions. When transluscent, add veggies. Cover. Add garlic next, stirring everything evenly. Add tamari or soy sauce and a little water for steaming affect. Stir up egg. Throw in and stir in. Add peas. Sprinkle cayenne pepper for some heat and its great for your heart). When all veggies are brightly colored and tender, turn off heat. Enjoy with rice or rice noodles.

Spinach Omlette (Inspired by Pat O'Bryan's flip phone video clip of making a spinach omlette as seen on his blog--http://www.patobryan.com/blog/)

3 Eggs
1 T milk
1/2 C Spinach
1/4 C Grated Cheese--Cheddar or Colby or whatever is handy
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 clove garlic
tamari

Stir up 3 eggs in a bowl till light in fluffy. Heat skillet at medium high, add 1 t Olive oil and 1 t org coconut oil. Pour in eggs with finely chopped garlic and salt and pepper. When hot but still slightly liquidy, add spinach. Cover for 1 minute. Add Cheese. Flip omlette over in half. Turn off heat. Cover. Let cheese melt another minute. Eat and savor.

Pasta with Broccoli Florets

Florets cut from 1/2 head of Broccoli
1 C Pasta, your choice
1 T Olive Oil
1 T Butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/8 C Parmesan Cheese

Cook Broccoli florets in boiling water 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. cook past in same water. Meanwhile. heat olive oil and butter in skillet. Saute garlic and mushrooms 2 minutes. Stir in broccoli. Drain pasta when ready. Toss with broccoli mixture and cheese. Yummy!

Easy Low-Calorie Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant cut into 1/2 inch thick round slices
salt
Italian seasoning (generous amounts of basil and oregano)
Spaghetti Sauce
Monterrey Jack Cheese or Colby, sliced
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place eggplant slices in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and seasonings or herbs. Top with the sauce. Place sliced cheese on each eggplant slice and sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover and bake 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until eggplant is tender and the cheese is bubbly, about 15 or 20 minutes. Save what you don't eat.

Spicy Kale

1 bunch Kale
1 T Olive Oil
1-3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
Crushed Red Pepper flakes
1/3 c. Chicken Broth

Bring 1 quart salt water to boil. Add kale or other greens, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 5 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze eater out of greens..pat with paper towel. In same pot heat olive oil. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Saute 1 minute, then stir in kale and chicken broth. Simmer 4-5 minutes.

Potato Leek Soup

1/4 t Salt
2 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Leek, cleaned, trimmed and thinnly sliced
1/8 c. fresh parsley, optional
1 T butter

Bring 4 C water to a boil in a stock pot. Add salt, potatoes and leeks, cover and reduce heat. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Transfer to a a food processor or blender and puree. Do not over-bled or potatoes will become sticky. Return to pot, stir in parsley and butter and reheat.


Stuffed Green Pepper or Two

a little olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. raw brown rice
3 c. water, chicken broth, vegetable stock or tomoato juice
1/4 t allspice
1 small tomato chopped
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/4. c. almonds, chopped
salt and pepper
2 large peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed.

Heat oil in large skillet; add and saute garlic and onion. Add rice and brown about 5 minutes. Add desired liquid and allspice. Cvoer and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes. Toast almods in dry skillet or hot oven several minutes, tossing often. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook peppers in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain ad stuff peppers with rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes.


Winter Vegetable Soup--This makes a big pot that you can freeze and turn into 6 or 8 servings!

4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 medium onions, coarsley chopped
4 c. sliced cabbage
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 t ground black pepper
1/2 t freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 t fresh thyme or 1/4 t. dried thyme
salt to taste
Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce to taste

Place veggies in large soup pot with stock and 3 cups water. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Cool to warm temperature, puree in food processor or blender in batches, return to soup pot. Add seasonings, herbs and spices..simmer slowly on low and go do something fun...comeback in an hour and two and enjoy!