Table for One: Curried Carrot Soup

I adapted this recipe from one I found in the Martha Stewart Great Food Fast cookbook.  So different – but so delicious!!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cilantro (garnish)

Directions:

• Heat butter in large saucepan.
• Add onion and spices and cook until onion is translucent.
• Add broth, carrots, and 4 cups water.  Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until carrots are tender.
• In a blender, puree batches of the soup until smooth.  As hot liquids expand when blended, only fill the blender half way and cover the hole in the lid with a paper towel.  (This is messy… but oh so fun!)
• Transfer back into saucepan.  You may need to add more water until it is your desired thickness.  Reheat if necessary.
• Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve in bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Serves: 4 servings

Table for One: Cantonese Pork

A great slow cooker meal.  Dump, cook, and eat!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pork steaks, cut into strips
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 can pineapple chunks, undrained
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 cans mushrooms, drained
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp white vinegar

Directions:

• Heat oil in skillet.  Brown pork on all sides to sear in juices.
• Place pork and remaining ingredients in the slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours).
• Serve over rice.

Serves: 2-4 servings of gravy

Table for One: Vegetable Biscuits & Gravy

I love biscuits and gravy!  It’s a family tradition, in fact.  For every family event or when company comes, my dad or my grandma (the only 2 who are allowed) make the biggest pot of sausage gravy you’ve ever seen.  So I decided to put a spin on the ol’ favorite.  This recipe is perfect for a quick dinner that reminds you of home.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 cups milk
• 1 bag frozen veggies
• biscuits

Directions:

• Heat oil in skillet.
• Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper.
• Cook until it turns slightly brown (about 10 minutes), stirring frequently.
• Slowly (not kidding) whisk in milk and stir until smooth.  Those lumps are tricky – just keep stirring!
• Stir until almost thick.
• Run veggies under warm water to thaw.
• Add frozen veggies to gravy.
• Stir until thickened as desired.  Add more milk if too thick.
• Serve over biscuits.

Serves: 3-5 servings of gravy

Table for One: Simple Glazed Salmon

This is a fabulous recipe for salmon.  A great way to incorporate more fish into your diet.

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets (8 oz)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1.5 tbsp dijion mustard
• 1/2 tsp of soy sauce

Directions:

• Mix brown sugar, mustard, and soy sauce to form a paste.
• Smoother the salmon with the glaze.
• Broil salmon fillets for 12-15 minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Serves: 2 servings

Table for More: Balti Chicken

One of the best Indian chicken dishes I have ever had!  It does require quite a few ingredients, but it is SO worth it!

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes or 1.5 cans
• 1 green bell pepper, cubed
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 hot peppers (jalapenos, red chilies, green chilies)
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

• Heat oil in a large pan.
• Add onions and cook until transparent and soft.
• Stir in tumeric, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and water.
• Cook until non-liquidy – about 3-4 minutes.
• Add chicken and cook until browned on sides.
• Add tomatoes and salt.
• Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
• Stir in bell pepper, garlic, and hot peppers.
• Cook uncovered until tomato juices are evaporated and chicken is thoroughly cooked.
• Serve hot!

Serves: 4 servings (freezes well)

Table for More: Spicy Sausage Soup

This is a deliciously flavorful and spicy crock pot meal.  Have I told you about my love affair with the crock pot?

Ingredients:

• 3 sausage, bratwurst, or kielbasa links, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• 1 carton chicken broth
• 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes (or Ro-tel!)
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 tbsp parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Brown sausage in a skillet.
• Add onion, pepper, celery, and garlic.  Saute until slightly tender.
• Transfer ingredients to the crock pot.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Cook on low for 8 hours.

Serves: 4-6 servings (freezes well)

Table for One: Coconut Crusted Tilapia with Apricot Sauce

We made this last night – and it was incredible!  The perfect blend of tropical and flavorful and goodness!  It was so easy.  I will be making this for company soon… who’d like to come over?

Ingredients:

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 2 tsp cajun spices
• 2 heaping tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 3 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute, beat
• 1/2 cup canola oil

• 3 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp salsa verde (optional)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cajun spices

Directions:

• Combine coconut, cajun spices, and flour in bowl.
• Put cornstarch in another bowl.
• Put eggs in another bowl.
• Heat canola oil in frying pan.
• Smoother tilapia fillets in cornstarch, then egg, then coconut mixture.
• Place in hot oil.  Flip once.  Fry until golden brown.
• Remove to paper towels to soak up excess oil.
• To make apricot dipping sauce, mix remaining ingredients.
• Serve tilapia with dipping sauce – it’s divine!

Serves: 4 servings (or alter to make one serving at a time)

Table for One: Shrimp Stir Fry

Love shrimp, love veggies, love stir fry!  Here’s my rendition.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup chunk pineapple
• Other veggies: snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Rice

Directions:

• Heat oil in a large skillet.
• Add onion and garlic and stir fry until fragrant and tender.
• Add peppers and other veggies.  Stir fry until slightly tender.
• Add shrimp, pineapple, and soy sauce.  Stir fry until shrimp are cooked.
• Serve over rice.

Number of Servings: 3-4

Table for One: Thai Red Curry Beef

I adapted this recipe from a William-Sonoma Weeknight Cook I got for Christmas – highly recommended!  I wanted more vegetables and less beef, and it turned out delicious.  You can substitute the beef for chicken or pork if you so desire.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 cup fish sauce (or soy sauce)
• 2 tsp light brown sugar
• 3 tsp lime juice
• 4 tbsp canola oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red or green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 2 skillet steaks, sliced into strips
• steamed rice

Directions:

• In a bowl, mix coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in frying pan.
• Add onion, pepper, carrots, and celery.  Stir fry until tender.
• Remove vegetables to separate bowl.
• Add 2 tbsp oil to frying pan.
• When hot, add curry paste and simmer for 1 minute.
• Add sauce and bring to gentle boil.
• Cook 5-7 minutes, until sauce is thick.
• Add back in the vegetables.  Then add beef.
• Stir fry just until beef is cooked through.
• Serve over rice.

Serves: 3-4 servings

Table for One: Lemon Spiced Tilapia

I’m trying to incorporate fish into my meal plan once a week.  It’s a great source of so many nutrients, and it’s delicious.  Here’s a tilapia dish I tried… the flavors were beautiful!

Ingredients:

• 2 tilapia fillets
• 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 3-4 green onions, chopped

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Zest lemon into a small bowl.  Slice in half and squeeze juice into bowl.
• Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
• Place tilapia fillets into a buttered glass dish.  Fold under the thins ends of the fish.
• Top fish with sauce.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.

Serves: 2 servings