The last few months have been a blur in taking three prerequisite courses plus a 1 unit-martial arts...then dropping one course, but replacing it with packing and rental hunting. I'm excited to finally be reporting to you live in El Paso, TX. The first few days dear Amazing Dad was here to help us get situated and we tried out a few restaurants which I will post about next time. My new kitchen leaves much to be desired for counter space and sink space (dishwasher not currently functional too). We've been here for a week and I haven't felt motivated to cook because of the space. However, Dave helped by mounting a bookshelf on the wall with L-brackets to free up counter space and finding shelf dividers while I was at orientation. Oh, by the way, I am in El Paso because I start graduate school for occupational therapy next week. Let the 33 month countdown begin. Let the healthy cooking continue as a full-time student.
I managed to make something more than pasta and Costco's madras (I think) lentils in a pouch last night! While at my folk's house in April, I spied n' tried a recipe in a magazine (maybe Family Circle) that made use of spaghetti sauce. Although we're coming up to summer sun-ripened non-green house tomatoes and as much as we try to watch our sodium, I think most people run into a very hectic situation where short-cuts are needed in cooking (no time for picking,washing and dicing.) See recipe #2 for my recollection of the magazine recipe since I forgot to take a photo of the article or write down the exact measurements. Also I have a giant bag of peas from Costco, so I changed the veggie. Recipe #1 is something I came up with to take with me to campus when I had my crock-warmer this spring.
If you do have time or are lucky enough to grow your own tomatoes, here's the simple pasta sauce recipe I like to make from Art Smith's cookbook.
Recipe #1 Lentils and Sweet Potatoes: All you need are green lentils, sweet potato and spaghetti sauce. You can buy some premade items to help speed this up (see notes within the instructions). This isn't so much labor intensive as just planning ahead on your lentils and sweet potatoes.
4 Servings
1 cup green lentils
4 sweet potatoes
1-2 cups of spaghetti sauce
Preheat your oven to 400 F and get water boiling in a medium sauce pan
1. Once water is boiling, then add lentils. Bring to simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes. When lentils are tender to eat, drain. (Alternatively, you could also cook the lentils in your crock pot if you have to leave for school or work and want things to be ready sooner-I did lentils on low heat for about 3 hours. **shortcut** Or some stores sell precooked lentils in the refrigerated section-Trader Joe's often has it. I'm really bummed El Paso doesn't have a Trader Joe's...where can I get my cheap coconut milk ice cream, unsulfured/unsugared dried mangoes and honey-chocolate mints now?!)
2. While, waiting for the lentil's water to boil, put the sweet potatoes brushed with a high heat oil (olive oil or avocado oil for example) and wrapped in foil or parchment paper into the oven at 400F for 20-30 minutes until you can easily pierce with a fork. **short cut** substitute sweet potatoes with the precut butternut squash that you can steam in the microwave or simmer on your stove top**
3. Heat the spaghetti sauce on low heat last when you have about 10 minutes left on the other items (or microwave), serve the split open sweet potato and lentils with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sauce
Recipe #2 1-Pan Spinach and Garlic Tilapia
3-4 servings
1 lb spinach (rinsed, washed several times to remove dirt)
4 garlic cloves-minced
1-2 cups spaghetti sauce
3 zucchini cut into 1/4" circles or 3 cups of snap peas (or other non-leafy veggie that cooks in about 5 minutes)
1 lb of white fish such as tilapia or catfish
1 tbsp olive oil
If desired start a pot of rice or begin boiling water to cook quinoa or another grain to go with this saucy dish while you do the preparations.
1. Heat large sauce pan on medium heat. Add olive oil. Let heat a few minutes. Add minced garlic. Cook until the garlic starts to turn golden.
2. Add spinach to pan. May need to do half at a time. Let wilt. Then put spinach into a bowl/serving dish.
3. Now use the same pan to add the fish to. Add enough spaghetti sauce to cover fish. Add your zucchini or snap peas. Let cook on medium for 10 minutes. Turn the fish over after the first five minutes. Check your fish after 10 minutes to see that it is cooked (flakes easily). I used a thin fish, something like halibut or cod could take longer.
Serve over your favorite grain.
What's your favorite restaurant with live music? Or what kind of music do you like to listen to when you cook?
