My boyfriend is living in a detached garage so he's been eating take-out a lot, which has, lately, been causing health problems (obviously.)
We're going to get some supplies so he can eat healither. As of now, he only has a grill and a kettle.
Anyone have any simple healthy recipes and what we can get (electric skillet, countertop oven, etc etc) to make healthy stuff?
I need a list of essentials
Best answer:
Answer by JQuick
If you get a countertop oven, get an oversized convection oven since it works even better than a regular oven for most baking. An electric burner and a 3-4qt pressure cooker is very practical. Learning how to use a small pressure cooker will save a lot of time and energy. You can make rice in less than 10 minutes, and most veggies faster than that. You can buy inexpensive meat like chuck and round, whatever's on sale, to tenderize the meat in less than an hour for chili, stews, soups, potroast, and desserts like rice pudding. Stews would normally take 2-3 hours. A pressure cooker also helps to ensure that chicken is cooked properly. I suggest the Magefesa Practika Plus or the Fagor Rapida/Splendid 2-in-1 models, which I use personally.
Lowe's sells a 4.4 cu. ft compact fridge for under $ 300 that is great for small rooms. Unlike most compact fridges, it has a separate freezer compartment that's frost free. It's big enough to be useful, but a lot smaller than a regular fridge. I have 3 of them, one for myself and two for roommates. You can get a 10% off Lowes coupon at most US Postoffices in their moving pack coupons.
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A good knife
ReplyDeleteA cutting board
A place to wash and store vegetables
A non-stick frying pan
A cast iron frying pan
A couple of pots with lids
I used to cook at a fancy French place and I catered parties and weddings. I have been cooking for my family now for many years and have adopted a less is more food philosophy. I make many simple recipes that result in fantastic food.
I like single ingredients cooked well. Is there anything better than boiled corn with a pinch of salt and some lime juice? A fresh apricot or plum right off the tree?
Artichokes are really good for you and despite what you see on TV are really easy to prepare. Just boil some water, throw in a little lemon juice and the artichokes and simmer until you can easily pull the leaves out.
If he has a decent bottle of olive oil and a good vinegar he can make a simple vinaigrette which goes great with lean meat, grilled or raw veggies, etc.
You can check out my blog if you wish. I specialize in fast, inexpensive gourmet food.
he needs a refrigerator to keep food fresh! (milk, eggs, meat, yogurt)
ReplyDeleteElectric skillet w/ tall lid is nice... can fry in it (bacon, eggs, chops) or you can actually roast a whole chicken in it! Very handy.
A small slow cooker might be nice... just dump stuff in adn let 'er rip!
He needs some silicone cookware: a spatula to scrape w/ (like for eggs), a spoon, maybe a pancake turner, plastic or silicon-coated whisk, set of measuring cups and spoons
Skillet Lasagna (aka Hamburger Helper)
(you can change up pasta shapes, cheese, and style of tomato sauce for a variety of flavors)
1 lb. lean ground beef
¼ cu p chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrots
1½ cups mafalda (mini-lasagna noodles or other pasta)
1½ cups water
½ tsp. Italian seasoning blend
2 cups marinara or other tomato-based pasta sauce
8 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup or more shredded mozzarella cheese
Cook lean ground beef, chopped onion and chopped carrots in a Dutch oven on medium-high about 6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in raw pasta, water, Italian seasoning, pasta sauce mushrooms. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and serve.
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CHINESE CHICKEN WITH ALMONDS
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken meat
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, optional
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 sticks celery, thinly slices
2 oz fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 oz frozen peas
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch
3 oz split, toasted almonds
Cut the meat into paper thin slices and salt. Heat the oils, add chicken and fry for about 5 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add the soy sauce and mix well.
Add celery, mushrooms, and peas, mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Mix the cornstarch to a smooth paste with a little cold water, stir into the pan, bring to the boil, stirring all the time until slightly thickened.
Add the almonds and serve over steamed rice.
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BBQ CHICKEN
(quick & easy -- do this in an electric skillet w/ dome lid)
2 chickens, cut up
1/4 cup butter
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
Brown the chicken in your cast iron skillet in the butter. Remove chicken and place in a baking pan/dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the chicken.
Cover with foil and bake in 350ยบF oven for about 1½ hours until done. Baste and turn several times during baking.