Recipe Fridays: Oven fries or breakfast potatoes

Mmmm...potatoes.  These oven fries even won over my three-year-old niece, who loves french fries with lots of ketchup.  "I want another potato fry!" she insisted of these much healthier and more wholesome spin on the original.

Oven fries
2-3 Idaho potatoes (other varieties like red potatoes or yukon gold are great, especially for the breakfast version)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pressed or grated garlic clove (or 1/2 t garlic powder), 1/2 t chopped fresh or dry rosemary (if dry, mash with oil with the back of a spoon to extract flavor), salt, and pepper.

Slice potatoes into fry-like shapes.  For wedges, cut in half lengthwise (through the thicker part if not round, resulting in two more flat halves), then cut lengthwise in halves again, then cut each half into 3-4 pieces.  For fries, slice lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick pieces, then slice lengthwise the other direction to make sticks.  If not cooking immediately, place in water to prevent browning.

Toss fries with olive oil and seasoning, and place in oven pre-heated to 425 degrees on metal baking pan.  Cook, stirring every 10 minutes, until fries are brown and crisp outside, soft inside (20-30 minutes).  If they are browning too quickly, turn oven down.  If they are getting soft but not yet brown, drizzle with more oil, toss to coat, and turn oven to 450 or place (briefly!) under broiler.

Breakfast potato version
Cut potatoes into chunks instead of spears (just cut through the spears crosswise).  Replace seasoning with 1 t paprika, 1/2 t turmeric, 1/2 t garlic powder, dash cayenne, and salt and pepper.  Once done baking, toss with sliced green onions.

Recipe Fridays: raw kale, beet, and orange salad

I like raw kale salad.  It's healthy, it's easy, it tastes delicious.  My favorite version is still an Italian-style take, but a little variety is always nice.  The one below is perfect for winter produce.

Raw kale salad

1 bunch kale
1 large navel orange (or several smaller oranges)
1 medium beet
Walnuts (optional)
Lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and fresh pepper

Wash kale thoroughly. Cut off stems, and, if you wish, cut out the stem part of the larger leaves (I leave it in). Tear or chop the kale into less than 1 inch pieces (I gather all leaves and cut into strips, then cut again the other direction a few times).  Put sliced kale in bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Squeeze 1/2 lemon over kale; sprinkle with salt.  With your hands, massage the lemon/salt/oil mix into the kale until leaves begin to soften and turn bright green.

Wash the beet and scrape the outside to remove rough skin.  Remove stem and root section.  Cut beet in half vertically.  Slice each half thinly, then cut slices into matchsticks.  Peel orange using knife to remove as much pith as possible.  Cut orange in slices (going across sections, not between), and split slices into 4 pieces.  Toss beet pieces and orange with kale.  Grind in fresh pepper, and add more salt, lemon juice, or olive oil as needed.  A splash of balsamic vinegar is also nice.  If desired, top with broken walnut pieces.  (A sliced avocado also works).  Enjoy!

Recipe Fridays: Quick Navy Bean Stew

With all the temperatures dropping and snow keeping everyone indoors, now is the perfect time for some steamy soup or stew to keep you nice and toasty. I made this extremely easy and fairly quick navy bean soup from good ole Martha. I added a zucchini and tweaked some minor things, but here's the original recipe. Here's what I did:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used a few small, a few medium as I like more potatoes!)
1 pound mushrooms, cut
1 zucchini, cut
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups water
10 ounces baby spinach leaves, rinsed well
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, optional
Ground pepper

Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and potatoes; cook until onions are golden. Season with salt. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, and thyme. Season with more salt and cook until mushrooms, etc are tender. Add the tomato paste and water. Mix until tomato paste is blended. Cook that until the potatoes are tender (maybe 10-12 minutes). Add spinach, beans, and vinegar. Heat until spinach is wilted. Season with (more) salt and pepper. Serve hot!

Recipe Fridays: Shepard's Pie three ways

I know it sounds a little dated, but I've just realized Shepard's Pie is an incredibly easy, filling, and impressive-looking main course that can be made vegetarian--the perfect winter meal in my house.

Shepard's pie (serves 4)
6 potatoes
2 cups either cooked lentils, ground beef, or ground beef-style soy
1 large carrot
1 large green pepper
1 onion
2 tomatoes
spices: salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg are good (as in all of them, or a meat seasoning mix)
Garlic, butter, and cheese (if desired) for mashed potatoes

Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces.  Boil until tender.  Meanwhile, chop all vegetables.  Saute onion in large skillet with olive oil until translucent.   If using ground beef, add at this point, and cook for 5 minutes, then add carrot and tomatoes.  If using soy or lentils, first add carrots and tomatoes.  Saute until carrots begin to tenderize.  Then add soy or lentils, and cook until heated through and carrots are tender.  Last, stir in spices and green peppers and remove from heat.

Mash potatoes with garlic, butter, and cheese to taste (also salt, of course).  Scrape meat/soy/lentil mixture into round casserole dish.  Spoon potatoes on top in pretty pattern, and then "rough up" top with a fork to encourage crisping.  Place in either a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, or, if you're hungry, under the broiler for 10 (monitoring and turning as needed).  Remove when potatoes are browned in places.

Serve with a green salad with quick pickled onions: Heat 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 Tb sugar until boiling.  Add thinly sliced red onion (rounds) and return to boil.  Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes, until onions are soft and bright pink.

Recipe Fridays: Eggplant with ginger and tomatoes

One major cuisine I've failed to incorporate into my cooking repertoire is Indian food.  It just seems like there's such a high startup cost!  In order to make anything tasty, you need a billion spices, and it still turns out much worse than the carryout you could have gotten in 1/10th of the time. (To be honest, Chinese food probably seems the same way to many people, but since I grew up with it, I find it more manageable.  I think ethnic cuisines have a high fixed cost - low variable cost structure.  Someone should write a paper on this.)  However, there's one dish I make that's vaguely Indian inspired that also happens to be super easy, and turn out delicious every time.  So if you, like me, have an irrational phobia of Indian cooking, try whipping this recipe up for all (ok, most) of the satisfaction with none of the hassle.

Eggplant with ginger and tomatoes

• 2 large eggplants
• 2 large or 4 small tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
• Vegetable oil
• Salt, pepper, and chile flakes to taste

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large pot.  Chop the onion finely, and add to the oil.  Without skinning, cut the eggplant into 2-inch chunks.  When the onion is translucent, add the eggplant and saute until the eggplant is brown in places.  Chop the ginger very finely, and add to pot, sauteing for 2 minutes longer.  Turn heat down to medium-low, roughly chop the tomatoes, add to pan, and cover.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes, or until each piece of eggplant is soft.  You may wish to add more oil, or a couple tablespoons of water if mixture begins to stick.  The eggplant tastes best with lots of oil and when left to cook for 45 minutes to an hour, but that depends on your time and nutritional constraints!  Add salt, fresh pepper, and chile to taste.  Enjoy with rice, or, when cooked for a long time, spread on crusty bread.

Recipe Fridays: Eggplant rollatini

This is a hearty, pasta-free version of manicotti, so could for gluten-free folks.  It's also great for people who don't really like eggplant, as the eggplant becomes melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Eggplant Rollatini
1 large eggplant (or 2 smaller ones)
1 jar tomato sauce (you won't need all of it)
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg
Garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh basil if desired

Trim off the top and bottom of the eggplant, and then slice vertically into long, thin slices.  Cut the middle slices, which will be broader, in half vertically.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and fry each slice of eggplant until lightly browned on each side and soft--you'll need to add more oil after every few batches.  Remove to paper towels to drain excess oil. 

Blend together ricotta, egg, half the Parmesan cheese, 1 smashed garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste (you can add fresh basil to the filling or the sauce if desired).  Spoon filling onto one end of each eggplant slice, and roll.  Place with the loose end underneath into a square baking dish.  Continue with remaining eggplant (2 tablespoons of filling each), arranging in baking dish in single layer.  Pour tomato sauce over top of eggplant, and top with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Recipe Fridays: Things to do with quinoa that are actually delicious

One of the NYTime's top articles this week has been a recipe for a spicy quinoa salad.  This reminded me that when people first started going nuts for quinoa, it was one of those things like Justin Bieber for me--everyone is talking about it, but you're not sure what it is, and you don't get the fuss either way.  Then I tried it, both eating it and cooking with it, and it became one of those things like kombucha, which everyone tells you you're supposed to like, but you just find a little weird.  After much trial-and-error, though, I finally learned how to appreciate quinoa, and in fact now enjoy cooking with it, both due to its health benefits, and because it actually tastes ok!  The big thing that helped me to start liking quinoa was to learn to overcook it.  Most recipes say to cook it just until the thread around the grain becomes visible, but at this point, to me, it still tastes like bugs.  (Sorry for the imagery, but now you know why I don't like quinoa.  Beetle shells, I am telling you.)  I generally cook it for about ten minutes after this point, giving it a much more rice-like texture.  Try cooking white quinoa this way with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  It actually tastes good!  Red quinoa doesn't get as soft, and seems to go better with acidic sauces like a lemon vinaigrette and fresh herbs.  Below is one of my favorite quinoa recipes, courtesy of femonomics contributor Mad Dr.

Mad Dr's Quinoa pilaf

Cover 1 cup white quinoa with 2 cups water, a small drizzle of oil, and a pinch of salt.  Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat.  Continue cooking, adding water as necessary, until about ten minutes after threads become visible (or until quinoa is soft).  Meanwhile, saute 1/2 chopped onion with 2 chopped garlic cloves in olive oil.  When onions are translucent, add 2 chopped celery ribs and 2 chopped carrots.  Add 1 T butter.  Saute until carrots are tender.  Add cooked quinoa, and continue stirring over heat for 5 minutes longer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

The onion, celery, and carrot is what the french call a mirepoix, and provides a vegetable-broth taste to the pilaf, meaning no additional seasoning is necessary.  Mad Dr also adds chopped bell peppers to this, added near the end of cooking.  I like to add toasted pine nuts.  You can add any other vegetable (cooked eggplant sounds good0, or even a protein such as cubed tofu or chicken to make a complete meal.  Add dried fruit, like currants, to give it a fall flavor.

Did you also go through a quinoa=yuck stage?  Have you made any recipes with it that changed your mind?  Post your best quinoa recipe below!

Recipe Fridays: A smoothie with nutritional punch

It's too hot in NYC to eat anything not cold.

For 2
1 frozen banana (cut into chunks and freeze the night before)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1-2 tablespoons almond butter
1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk), add more to reach desired texture
protein powder if desired

Place the banana chunks and strawberries in the blender and cover with almond milk.  Allow to sit out for 10 minutes (this will make blending much easier).  Blend until chunky, then add almond butter, and more almond milk as needed to reach blendable consistency.  Blend until smooth.

Seriously, this tastes like strawberry ice cream and makes an oh-so-satisfying breakfast.  Replace strawberries with any kind of frozen fruit or a mix to change it up, but keep the banana because this gives the smooth texture.

Recipe Fridays: Summery and light noodle salad

One of my favorite things to eat over the summer is the Vietnamese noodle salad Bun.  It's cold rice noodles with a tangy sauce (called nuoc cham) and fresh herbs.  I usually order it as take-out, but recently realized I could make it myself.  Don't laugh at me, but Gwyneth Paltrow has a pretty good recipe for Bun on GOOP (snicker snicker), although hers left out the noodles:

Vietnamese Salad (serves 4)

• 4 large bok choy leaves, rough bottoms discarded, stems cut into ¼" bias and leaves shredded
• 4 big leaves Napa cabbage, shredded
• 1 bunch watercress (discard thick stems), roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• the leaves from about 8 stems each basil, mint, cilantro, roughly chopped
• ½ small cucumber, thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 red Thai chili (or more…or less), thinly sliced
• ½ cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
• Vietnamese Dressing (see recipe below)
• grilled fish, shrimp, tuna, chicken, or tofu for serving (optional)

Vietnamese Dressing

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion or shallot

I tried this recipe out, but instead of the nappa cabbage and watercress, I put in the rice noodles, of course.  The noodles you need for this are usually called "rice stick" or rice vermicelli, and need to be boiled just briefly to become tender.   You just want the thinnest dry rice noodles you can find.  I also simplified the dressing by omitting the salt, hot pepper oil, and red onion and just mixing in the other seasonings until it tasted right.  The herbs are key, but basil and mint are the two essential ones.  Cilantro is nice if you have it.

I then tossed all the ingredients with the dressing, and topped it off with more chopped peanuts and a sliced Japanese-style egg omelet.   Soooo delicious, and refreshing.

This site has more info on making proper Bun.

Recipe Fridays: Noodle salad with peanut sauce

"Thai" peanut noodle salad
(serves 4 as side or 2 as main course)

Soba noodles (8 oz or so)
1 red pepper
1 carrot
pea pods (2 handfuls)
1 scallion

Sauce
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 T sesame oil
2 T fish sauce
2 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
Half-inch piece ginger
Red pepper flakes and agave nectar or sugar to taste

Julienne all vegetables (cut into thin strips--it's time consuming but better this way.  If you have a grater, even better!  This includes scallions and pea pods, cut everything into strips).  Boil soba noodles until al dente, according to package directions.  Blend sauce ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth, adding a little water to thin out if necessary.  Combine noodles, sauce to taste, and vegetables.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.  Serve warm or cold.

If you have a peanut allergy, or just don't like it, Gena of Choosing Raw just put up a version made with only sesame.

Recipe Fridays: Vegetable-based pestos

I have actually never been a big fan of pesto sauce, except in limited doses.  I just find it to be...too much.  Too oily, too salty, too flavorful.  As a result, I like it when it's dabbed next to a tomato salad, but not when it's slathered on pasta.  Well, Mark Bittman of the NYTimes has found a solution for that, like he has for so many things: Vegetable-based pesto sauces!  By starting from a base of green vegetables, the pesto gets a lighter taste and texture, and has a rich, creamy vehicle to deliver the spices and oil that make up the entirety of traditional pesto sauces.  Moreover, it means a much healthier sauce, with veggies built in (equals kid-friendly).

Bittman's original recipe was for asparagus pesto, made as follows:

Salt
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch segments
1 clove garlic, or more to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil, or more as desired
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

You boil the asparagus just a couple minutes until tender (first break off woody ends), then blend in the food processor with remaining ingredients, saving some of the oil and possibly some asparagus cooking water for the end in case the sauce needs more moisture.  Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper last so you can adjust as needed.

Once you figure out the basic formula--green vegetables, nuts, garlic, oil, seasoning--you can endlessly adapt it.  I made Bittman's asparagus pesto with basil and chives blended in, skipped the Parmesan cheese, and subbed walnuts for pine nuts.  What's amazing about these pestos is the texture: instead of oily and grainy like so many pestos, they're light, creamy, and fluffy.

So far, my favorite variation is one made with broccoli stems (never know what to do with those buggers, eh?) and served over a mixture of farfalle and roasted broccoli and carrots.  I boiled the broccoli stems left over from the broccoli florets (I usually throw these out! Never again), then blended with a half bunch of basil, olive oil, garlic, walnuts, red pepper flakes, a splash of white wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.  The result was so delicious I could have eaten it alone.  But, when you're at that point, it's usually as good idea to add a little more salt to the mix, since it will be spread out over pasta.  This is a wonderful idea for summer pastas that can be eaten lukewarm on the porch.  Let me know if you come up with any other combinations!

Recipe Fridays: Black Bean and Corn Salad

This salad is a flavorful summer salad that is a great addition to BBQs and fiesta dinner parties. The other great thing about this? The easy preperation!

1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernals
2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tomatoes, chopped
5-6 green onions, chopped
1 avacado, peeled and chopped
About 1/2 cup cilantro, washed and chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Make the dressing in a small jar or bowl. Shake it to mix all of the ingredients together. Let it sit while you put the salad together in a larger bowl. Once you have combined all the salad ingredients, pour the dressing over; mix well. Serve immediately, or chilled.

Recipe Fridays: Two never-fail pasta salads to bring to picnics, pot lucks, or dinner in front of the TV

One big dilemma I always run into when trying to plan food for a casual get-together is finding foods that won't taste disgusting once they get cold.  If everyone's going to eat standing around, and some people are going to arrive two hours late, you need room-temperature foods so you can be milling with your guests instead of running into the kitchen trying to heat things up.  The same goes for food to bring to a picnic, where nothing is the temperature you wanted it to be.  You need food that both tastes good at room temperature and is safe without refrigeration.  Enter the mayo-less pasta salad.  Two recipes follow, but the possibilities are endless.

Gemelli with spinach, tomatoes, and feta
1 box Gemelli or other spiral-y pasta
1 box grape tomatoes
1 bag baby spinach
1 block feta cheese
garlic, olive oil, salt, and fresh ground pepper
Boil pasta.  While it cooks, pour spinach leaves into large bowl.  Cut grape tomatoes in half and add to bowl.  When pasta is done, pour on top of spinach and tomatoes, add enough olive oil to coat (about 1/4 cup), and stir.  The hot pasta will wilt the spinach and tomatoes, essentially cooking them.  Crumble the feta or cut into chunks and add to pasta.  Add 1 crushed garlic clove and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir gently, and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Farfalle with broccoli and Parmesan
1 box Farfalle
1 head broccoli
1 box grape tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
garlic, olive oil, salt, and fresh ground pepper
Wash broccoli and cut it into florets.  Lay in a single layer in a baking pan, coat with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put in the oven to roast at 450 for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Boil pasta.  While it cooks, cut grape tomatoes in half and add to bowl.  Combine pasta, tomatoes, and broccoli.  Add Parmesan cheese, 1 crushed garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir gently, and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.  (This would also be good with some roasted carrots)

Recipe Fridays: Beating the heat with Gena's banana soft serve

[Image via Choosing Raw]

Earlier we told you about Gena's amazing recipe for banana soft serve over at Choosing Raw.  Since then, I've not only made it, I've made it ten different ways, and completely fallen in love with it.  Gena's basic recipe is to take bananas, slice them into chunks, and freeze them in tupperware.  This is a great use for those bananas bound to become overripe.  You don't want to actually use overripe bananas, as the flavor might be too strong, but the ones you know you're not going to get to in time are perfect for this.  Then you whirl them in a food processor on high for about 5 minutes.  I've found that the bananas need to be at the right temperature--about 5 minutes out of the freezer--for them to "whip" instead of "chop."  Go check out Gena's original recipe for more tips and pics of what the process looks like.

Gena's recipe has become such an integral part of my life because I am an ice cream addict who recently became lactose intolerant.  I also can't do soy, so that's out.  My only ice cream options are coconut bliss and Gena's banana soft serve.  But banana soft serve isn't just for people who are lactose intolerant.  It's for anyone who wants a fruit-based snack that tastes like dessert and keeps you cool in summer.  If you're a frozen grape enthusiast, this treat's for you.

But since I needed banana soft serve to fill almost all my ice cream needs, I wasn't content to eat it just in its original form.  So I mixed in frozen strawberries (slightly defrosted) near the end of mixing to create a terrific strawberry ice cream stand-in.  I added frozen peach chunks at the same time as the bananas to create a new flavor hybrid.  And, I mixed in almond milk and chocolate syrup (would have used plain cocoa if I had it) to make something that was pretty much an exact replica of a frosty, and omigod so good.  Next up, I try peanut butter and chocolate swirled in.  Give banana soft serve a whirl, and let me know if you come up with any good flavor combinations!

Recipe Fridays: Sorta like chilaquiles

Chilaquiles are a Mexican dish of stir-fried leftover tortillas smothered in salsa.  You can add eggs or meat to the dish and eat them for breakfast or lunch.  It's a great way to use up those old tortillas that always seem to get left in the fridge after you buy a batch for taco night.  I love chilaquiles, but when I'm in trying-to-use-up-leftovers mode, I'm not exactly about to make the homemade green or red sauce the dish needs.  So, instead, I tapped into my Jewish roots and made chilaquiles like fried matzoh--by slicing up the tortillas and throwing them into salsa-flavored scrambled eggs.  It's easy, filling, and pairs eggs with hot sauce, one of my favorite combinations!

Modified chilaquiles

3 eggs per person
2 old corn tortillas per person
salsa and/or chopped onion, green peppers, tomato, etc.
hot sauce or more salsa for serving

Slice the tortillas into halves, then slice the halves into strips.  Scramble the eggs.  Mix in the tortillas, and a big plop of salsa (the salsa will keep the eggs moist, so no need to add water or milk).  Salt and pepper to taste, and allow to sit for a few minutes before cooking so the tortillas moisten.  Heat butter or oil in an omelet pan.  If using, stir fry chopped onion and other vegetables.  When oil is hot or onions are translucent, add egg/tortilla mix.  Cook over low-medium heat, stirring up cooked egg as you would for scrambled eggs.  Serve with hot sauce.

Recipe Fridays: Black Bean, Rice, and Feta Salad

This is my go-to side dish recipe. I take it on picnics, to dinner parties, and make it at home to enjoy. My mom makes it a lot, but I have slightly changed her recipe to adapt to my taste. I've included what she adds in with the optional note in case you'd like to try it. I also tend to eyeball and taste-test as I go along so think of these measurements are flexible!

1-2 cups of cooked rice
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
4-5 green onions/scallions, chopped (I like scallions so I add a lot)
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled (again, I usually add more cheese)
2-3 medium/large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup of italian dressing (I'm a fan of Newman's Own); or 1/2 cup of olive oil and vinegar
Optional: chopped celery

Mix everything together in a mixing bowl. Chill for a few hours (or you can eat at room temp if you're hungry!).

Recipe Fridays: Kitchen grilled vegetables

We subscribe to Food and Wine.  I'm not sure why...probably because I'm semi-delusional about my actual culinary capabilities?  I always forget that the people at Food and Wine have way more time than me to cook, and thus do not need to be concerned whether it's really a pain in the butt to roast that first before mixing it into that, and dirty 7 dishes while doing so.  Thus, this week I attempted a delicious-looking grilled vegetable recipe from F&W.  Small caveat, we live in an apartment.  Grill?  Yeah right.  But never fear.  What you, my friend, need is a grill pan, and all your indoor grill fantasies can come true.  (Do you have these?  No?  Just me?)  I got this high-class one for a Chanukah gift:

Because a penny saved is a penny that can be spent on sushi dinners: What to pack for lunch

[Image via Bust]

I like to cook, and I like to eat my cooking.  In fact, I would usually prefer to eat my own cooking than eat at a mediocre restaurant or take-out place.  And yet, that's what I do, day-in and day-out, for lunch.  I am just too busy/not motivated enough/not quite cheap enough to actually buckle down and pack my own lunch.  Maybe this summer, when my schedule calms down, I'll finally change my ways.  I will motivate myself by telling myself that any money I save on packed lunches translates into money I can spend trying out those nice restaurants throughout the city for dinner!  Also, new tupperware (BPA free, I hope?) is always nice!

Here to help me in my newfound resolve is our old friend, the internet.  Here are the best ideas for packed lunch the web has to offer.  Please, please share your own in the comments!

Lemondrop has a plan.  $25 plus 1 hour prep buys you a work-week full of yummy lunch.  Their best idea?  Make an Asian dressing that doubles as a noodle sauce, and use it to dress up fettuccine and pre-mixed salad:

Asian Dressing/Sauce

1. Peel one clove of garlic and throw it in the blender or food processor, blending briefly to dice.
2. Add 4 tbsp. sesame oil, 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
3. Blend for about 20 seconds, until the sauce becomes a rich brown.
4. Pour the sauce into Tupperware and stick in the fridge.

Recipe Fridays: Pseudo-Latin vegetarian platter

When you think in terms of platters, it's easy to make a relatively impressive-looking and indulgent-feeling meal, even for one.  This idea is inspired by my travels to Puerto Rico, where fried plantains and flavorful black beans are standard order (especially for vegetarians!).  I recommend you purchase the ingredients for this recipe at your local Latin grocer.  Almost every neighborhood has one, and I bet you anything the ingredients will be cheaper and fresher than at the supermarket.

Black bean spread
In a hot skillet, saute 1-2 cloves chopped garlic.  Add cumin, chili powder, and ground coriander and stir fry until fragrant.  For 1 person, add 1/2 can black beans (a whole can for two) with a little bit of the liquid.  Stir together until heated through.  With a fork, semi-mash the beans, stirring as you do, so that some whole and half beans are mixed in with a smooth bean puree.   Taste the beans for salt and seasoning, and add more as needed.

Recipe Fridays: Raw, vegan massaged kale salad

I am never going to be a raw foodie. I don't have the time, or commitment. But, sometimes I like to browse raw food recipes, and pretend I am someone much more organized, who cooks a lot more, and who cares a lot more about my health than I actually am. But, even if you are not (as I am not) ever going to be all raw or all vegan, it's nice to steal the best parts of those lifestyles! As such, here's the one raw food recipe I've fully embraced in my own life, because it's easy to make, totally delicious, and packed with nutrients. You can find versions of it over at Choosing Raw, but this is my own take.

1 bunch kale
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup dried currants (or other dried fruit, such as cranberries or cherries)
Lemon juice or vinegar (white or red wine or apple cider)
Olive oil, sea salt, fresh pepper.