Simple & Quick Dinner Solutions
Okay. Breath. Pantry stocked? Now what? You can still eat healthy meals from your pantry during this Corona Virus Pandemic. Following are some pantry recipes to cook in the next few weeks.
SOUPS
The first place my mind goes is to soup. It’s the most comforting food I can think of in a time of uncertainty. Soup has been a basic food for hundreds of years in every culture around the world. You can batch cook soup and freeze it in individual portions for stay at home lunches. And a cup of soup makes a great snack especially when more people are home and bored and looking for a little nibble of something.
PrintPantry Tomato Soup
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 2 cups low sodium broth
- 2 garlic cloves or 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano or dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
Instructions
- Blend ingredients on high for 30 seconds.
- Transfer to stockpot and bring to a simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
3-Ingredient Black Bean Soup
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cans black beans
- 4 cups low sodium broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Blend ingredients on high for 30 seconds.
- Transfer to stockpot and bring to simmer.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
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WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN SOUP – My quick go-to dinner for just about any occasion.
Pasta
There have been times in my life when a bowl of pasta with a little butter and salt was a feast. I often crave the simplicity of good pasta. Paired with a little protein it satisfies everyone in the house. And with two teenagers home from school with increased appetites, it’s a life saver.
CACIO E PEPE – My family asks for this 3-Ingredient dinner every two weeks.
VEGAN BOLOGNESE – You won’t miss the meat
PrintEasy Marinara Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon dried basil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 cans (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- Optional: 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 pound pasta
- Black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add tomato paste and cook until it darkens to a deep red.
- Add oregano, basil and garlic to tomato paste to combine.
- Pour in tomatoes and add salt; bring to simmer for 5 minutes. If desired, add maple syrup.
- Use pasta water to adjust marinara to desired thickness.
- Serve over warm pasta with black pepper to taste and optional sprinkle of cheese.
Tuna Puntanesca Pasta
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cans tuna (5–6 oz)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon capers
- 1/4 cup Kalamata black olives (pitted)
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh or dried parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan
- 1 pound short pasta (penne, farfalle, fusilli, rigatoni)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the tuna breaking it apart.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the capers and olives.
- Pour in the tomatoes; lower the heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add a ladle of the pasta cooking liquid to the sauce.
- Drain pasta, add it to the sauce and toss.
- Sprinkle with parsley.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
RICE
A staple of home cooked meals, you can never go wrong with a simple rice dish. I’m not kidding when I say the bacon fried rice is one of the best lunches my family has ever raved about and I just told my husband last week that I could eat it every day. And here we are…
PrintBacon Fried Rice
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ red onion, diced (⅓cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 carrots, peeled, shredded (⅔ cup)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 8 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2–½ cups cooked brown rice
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 green onions, chopped (whites & green)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a deep pan or wok over medium-high heat. When oil is sizzling, sauté red onions and garlic. Stir continuously and quickly to avoid burning the garlic.
- After a minute, add carrots to the pan or wok. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add peas and bacon and continue to stir-fry for a minute.
- Add brown rice and stir to mix. After 1 minute,lower the heat and create a space in the center of the pan. Pour eggs in the center and within that center scramble the eggs to cook through.
- After a minute or so, the eggs will become less runny and coagulate.
- Fold eggs into rice mixture so that bits and pieces of the eggs are distributed among the vegetables and rice. Stir for another minute.
- Once all the ingredients are well mixed, pour soy sauce over the rice and stir to coat. Turn the heat off and fold in green onions.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
Coconut Rice Bowl
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain brown rice
1 can full fat coconut milk (shake can)
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Toppings:
Shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, crushed cashews, pickled vegetables, beans, canned salmon
Instructions
- Toast rice in a stockpot for a 1-2 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, water & salt and bring to a boil.
- Turn to low heat, cover and simmer for 30 – 35 minutes.
- Remove from heat, set aside for 10 minutes covered.
- Fluff with fork, transfer to bowls and top with 3-4 ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 35