Experimental food corner.

[rivka]

I wasn't very hungry this evening, but I figured it would be a bad idea to forego dinner. I was in the mood for something light, and something that would help me fill my remaining Lean Plate Club goals for the day. (I was down one serving of fruits or vegetables and one serving of whole grains, and was due for a fish-dairy-or-vegetable-protein meal.)

I found a red bell pepper in the fridge, cut the top off, scooped the seeds out, and put it in the toaster oven at 400 degrees. While it was roasting, I thawed a small handful of frozen bay scallops under hot water, cooked up some whole-wheat couscous, and minced tiny amounts of some vegetables: maybe a tablespoon of fresh tomato, a smidgen of onion, one clove of garlic. I sauteed the onion and garlic in a little olive oil, added the scallops and tomatoes, and seasoned generously with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Then I mixed it all in to the couscous. It tasted a little one-note (pepper), so I added a splash of lemon juice. That turned out to be The Very Thing.

By that time, the pepper was hot and softened but still held its shape. I spooned in the filling (there was too much) and settled down with my dinner. It was So. Good. The couscous was melt-in-my-mouth light, filling without being heavy, with buried morsels of sea-flavored goodness. The seasoning was piquant but not overbearing.

I don't know why I don't cook for myself every night.

Comments

Re: Delicious

[rivka.livejournal.com]

(I rarely have to cook for just myself, and when I do ... well, actually, I don't, I just scavenge whatever's left in the fridge, or have toast. This is fine for one night, but when one's eating partner is away for a fortnight, it does not work too well after the third day.)

Exactly.

My eating partner has a long list of food dislikes. I try to keep some of those things on hand, so that when he's away I can tell myself "here's your chance to have artichoke hearts!" or spinach, or whatever.

Re: Delicious

[maureenkspeller.livejournal.com]

It's a very good idea (in which case, I should stash some baby scallops in the freezer - he does not eat seafood). Last time PK was away for a fortnight, I actually planned two weeks of meals for myself, which people thought was hilarious, until I pointed out that I just wasn't used to being on my own for all that time. It actually worked incredibly well, in that for once I did eat properly while on my own. I can only hope that if I lived alone full-time, I'd be less neglectful where personal nutrition is concerned.

MKS