So, the Food Guide Pyramid. What was the last update it gave us? Three to five servings of veggies per day?

Ha, ha, ha. I’m laughing all the way to the grocery store.

No, seriously, though, that’s a lot of vegetables. And it’s not that I don’t like vegetables—it’s just that I don’t really eat them. I can eat about ten zillion servings of fruit per day, but when it comes to vegetables… I feel like a small child sometimes because I have to sneak them into my own food. I mean, who does that?

Maybe you will after trying this awesome homemade mac and cheese. Read More »

I studied abroad for five months in China, and let me tell you, the food there is the best in the world. Ever since I got back, I’ve been trying to replicate it. So far I haven’t had much luck, but this recipe is closer than many.

I like chow mein (which isn’t an actual Chinese dish), but I’ve never liked the crunchy noodles that go along with it. They don’t exist in China, and I prefer rice. You can serve this yummy chicken dish with either.

To make enough chicken stirfy for one person, you’ll need half an onion (chopped), about ¼ pound of diced chicken, 2-3 scallions (chopped), two stalks of celery (chopped), a tablespoon of oil, about a teaspoon of soy sauce, some pepper, and any combination of flavored sauces (here I used garlic-ginger stirfry sauce and black bean sauce). Read More »

At least once a week, I find myself with less than a half-hour window to make and eat dinner. I guess I could just grab a sandwich or some Chinese takeout or something, but I have this annoying insistence that most of what I eat taste delicious and have recognizable ingredients. Yeah, I know, I’m a tough customer.

Since there’s no way I’d have time on those days to do more than punch a few buttons on the microwave or set the dial on the oven, I rely on three staple dinners that I can freeze and pop out of the freezer whenever I want. I usually make giant batches of each and then separate them into single portions that I can easily grab from the icicles. Read More »

I love pasta, but it’s often not healthy. That’s really a shame, because it tastes so good. This recipe, though, has both health and taste value. It’s very like a Pasta Bolognese recipe, but doesn’t use fresh herbs (unless you have them on hand, of course—then feel free to throw them right in). Instead, it uses all fresh vegetables. Yum, yum, and more yum.

Here’s what you need: enough dry pasta (of any kind) for two people, about a tablespoon of olive oil, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, 2 garlic cloves, half an onion, about ¼ or 1/3 lb. ground beef or ground turkey, about 1/3 cup milk, 2-3 plum tomatoes, ½ teaspoon dry oregano, ½ teaspoon dry basil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and a couple tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese (optional). Read More »

Sometimes you just need a little something sweet. I feel that way often—well, almost every night, if we’re going to be honest.

Most of the time I don’t have anything sweet on hand, but sometimes I spend a few minutes (and yeah, that’s really all it takes) making something homemade, like this tiny apple crumble pie. It’s delicious and easy, easy, easy.

Here’s what you need: a few walnuts (5 or 6 will do), a tablespoon of brown sugar, ½ tablespoon flour, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, a sprinkle of salt, a tablespoon of butter, about a teaspoon of lemon juice, one small- or medium-sized apple (any kind is OK, but generally, the tarter the better), a tablespoon of white sugar, a tablespoon of apple cider/juice, a generous sprinkling of cornstarch, and about a 2” diameter ball of pie dough.

You won’t usually have that amount of pie dough just lying around, but I like to make a full recipe’s worth of dough, stick it in the freezer, and just pinch off what I need whenever I feel like making a tiny pie.

First, slice your apple and mix it with the lemon. Read More »

I don’t know about the weather where all of you are, but where I live, it’s still pretty freaking cold. While I would love nothing more than for spring to come, in the meantime I’m going to make the best of the ugly weather by having nice, hot meals!

Corn chowder is one of my favorite soup/stew hybrids, and I made a delicious two-person batch last week from a really simple recipe I modified. I guarantee it’s delicious, so give it a try!

Here’s what you need: about a tablespoon of butter, 1-2 slices of uncooked bacon, one small onion, one carrot, half a red bell pepper, about one cup of frozen (or canned, or fresh) corn, two cups of milk, chicken or vegetable broth (optional, and 1-2 cups if you use it), a bay leaf, one potato, a dash of salt, about ¼ teaspoon pepper, and about ¼ teaspoon thyme. Read More »

Eggplant parmesan… the words make my mouth water, and for good reason. Eggplant parmesan is generally thought of as restaurant food, and seems a little ambitious to make it at home—let alone for just yourself.

But not anymore! This recipe takes prep time, but makes up for it in the simplicity and health factors (it’s all baked, not fried in gallons of grease).

You’ll need one baby eggplant (about half the size of a regular eggplant), like this graffiti eggplant.

You’ll also need one large, fresh tomato (chopped), a little salt, about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, half an onion, one garlic clove, ½ teaspoon oregano, ¾ teaspoon basil, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Read More »

If you think sweet potatoes are just for Thanksgiving, think again.

I know, I know—the words “sweet potato” don’t exactly conjure up images of delicious little frosted cakes, but they will after you try this recipe.

One small (the size of a small apple) sweet potato will make enough for two one-serving cakes or four sweet potato cupcakes.

For the cakes, you’ll need the sweet potato, about a half a cup of flour, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons white sugar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons canola (or vegetable) oil, 1 egg yolk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.

And for the icing, you’ll need 3 tablespoons powdered (confectioners’) sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, and a few drops of vanilla extract.

This recipe requires some prep, so you’ll need to either make it on a weekend or carve out time in your schedule for the sweet potato to cook. Here’s what you do: Read More »

Sometimes the thought of eating at the dining hall is just too much, and the prospect of yet another Subway sandwich is just as unappetizing. What, then, is a girl to do?

Answer: small-batch cooking and baking.

Equipment and recipes, though generally designed for a crowd, can be scaled down to serve you and a friend (or even just you). Here are a few retailers and manufacturers that make it easy for those of us flying solo:

A 1-quart baking dish, like this one from Cookware.Com, can do wonders in your kitchen. It holds just enough casserole or salad for two, so you can either dig in with a pal or tuck an extra portion in the fridge to munch on later.

If you’d prefer to divide out your portions, try these casserole pans available from Rachael Ray. They’re perfect for oven-baked dishes, and are high-quality for the price. If you need something cheaper to do in a pinch, though, Hefty offers disposable oven-safe single-serving casserole pans as well. Read More »