a food wonk.

a guide to food and cooking with ease

kitchen essentials

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If it’s your first time stocking your kitchen or shopping for a new apartment, it can be overwhelming to realize how much there is to buy. When I started cooking in college, I wished there was a resource that just told me what I need to buy. Just the essentials, and nothing more. I always try to keep my supplies minimal– it saves money, saves space, and most of the time, I simply don’t want to be washing a lot of supplies when I’m done cooking.

Getting yourself set up can be a bit of an investment if you’re buying all your basics at once, but there are many ways to save money on these items. TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and even Nordstrom Rack have great kitchen supplies at a discounted price. It’s also important to keep in mind what might be worth spending more money on, and what you can buy the inexpensive version of. For example, sharp knives are a really worthwhile investment to me (also which come at a huge range of prices), while mixing bowls and utensils can be inexpensive.

I’ve included hyperlinks to products that I recommend. This list can also just serve as a jumping off point, especially if you’ve already had your own kitchen for awhile. No matter if you are just starting to cook, or have been for years, having the right supplies for you makes the job so much easier. I hope this helpful!

  1. Small pot. ($16, good for heating up leftovers, making a few servings of soup, stew, or rice, or making pasta. great to have a small pot if you’re usually just cooking for yourself)

2. Small nonstick frying pan. ($30, perfect for making eggs, heating things up, good for making 1-2 servings, easy to clean)

3. Deep, nonstick skillet with lid. ($30, for making large portions like stir-fry, pasta dishes, or shakshuka, good for stirring things around without it spilling over the edge)

4. Large stock pot. ($40, for soups, stew, chilli, boiling water for pasta or potatoes, good for one-pot dishes with volume)

5. Knives. (knives are available at a huuuuge price range, and I have pretty limited knowledge about the world of knives. I recommend starting with a solid basic knife like a chef’s knife/all purpose knife. you can also buy knives in sets or in a knife block, but if you’re not ready to invest in a set, I would just get one sharp one and try to keep it sharp. the knife I use and like I just learned is called a Santoku knife, so I’ll link that one here, and a standard chef’s knife here)

J.A. Henckels 7-inch Santoku knife ($40)
J. A. Henckels Chef’s knife ($40)

6. Nesting mixing bowls. ($10, I use these all the time for preparing recipes and putting things aside, using a bowl for food scraps, and of course, mixing)

7. Cutting board. ($10, the bigger the cutting board the better, having a good workspace makes cooking much easier)

8. Wooden spoon. ($4, perfect all-purpose cooking spoon)

9. Can opener. ($13, easy to forget about this one, I use a lot of canned products)

10. Tongs. ($1.50, perfect for flipping roasted vegetables, moving things around in a pan)

11. Food storage set. ($40, buying in a set is most convenient, having good food storage makes life easier, the glass is good because it’s very food-safe and helps you see what’s in your fridge)

peanut noodles

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Rice noodles are another staple in my pantry. They’re really easy to prepare (just soak them in boiled water) and are delicious with chopped vegetables and a simple creamy dressing. It’s great to have a versatile dish in your back pocket that you know you can whip up in 20-30 minutes. For protein, you could do tofu, canned tuna or salmon, fish, or, as always, a sunny-side up fried egg. Experimenting with different dressings also keeps it interesting, so you can have the foundation of the dish down (noodles+protein+veg+dressing) and still feel like you’re eating something new every time you make it. The peanut dressing is a go-to for me, and it’s as simple as mixing soy sauce, peanut butter, and maple syrup. You could also use almond butter or tahini instead of peanut butter. If you don’t have maple syrup, you could also use honey or brown sugar. This is a tried and true salty-sweet combo, that also has fat from the peanut butter to make it creamy and filling.

I really like to keep a few vegetables I can eat raw for dishes like this so there’s no cooking required! Lettuce, thinly sliced radishes and beets, sprouts, brussels sprouts (also is anyone else shocked that it’s brusselS sprouts and not brussel sprouts??), or really any vegetable thinly sliced or finely chopped is good raw, as long as you have a good dressing to go with it.

Additional ingredients like fish sauce and lime juice also work really well here. If you haven’t cooked with fish sauce at home (you’ve definitely had it in dishes from a Thai restaurant) then I would highlyyy recommend picking up a bottle. I’ve found it at most grocery stores like Giant/Stop and Shop. It smells a little funky right out of the bottle, but just a few drops add a ton of flavor. The key to a delicious dressing is just finding a balance of saltiness, sweetness, acidity, and fat. Lime juice and rice vinegar are both great sources of acid for this. You could also had sriracha, hot sauce, or chili flakes to make it a spicy peanut dressing. As you mix the dressing, just keep tasting it and adjusting it until you like the way it tastes.

Ingredients

  • rice noodles
  • vegetables
  • tofu (or protein of choice)
  • peanut butter (2 tablespoons)
  • soy sauce (1 tablespoon)
  • maple syrup (1 teaspoon, sub honey or brown sugar)
  • optional: dash of fish sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, sriracha, hot sauce

Do it

  1. Boil a pot of water. Take water off heat and soak rice noodles in a heat-safe bowl for 10 minutes or until softened.
  2. Heat a pan with oil. Fry tofu for around 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
  3. Thinly slice vegetables and place them in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Prepare the dressing. Mix peanut butter and soy sauce in a small bowl. Add a splash of water, about a teaspoon at a time, until creamy. Add additional ingredients to the dressing (fish sauce, lime juice, sriracha) if using. Taste the dressing and adjust salt, sweet, and acidic components until it tastes good.
  5. Mix everything together in the big mixing bowl until everything is covered by the dressing. Transfer to a regular bowl and eat!

coconut lentils

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A creamy lentil stew is my comfort food. There are few foods more satisfying than a big bowl of lentils and rice, topped with a dollop of yogurt. This meal is what I eat when I want to feel satisfied and, not to be dramatic, but truly nourished. Part of what makes this so comforting to eat, is also how comforting it is to make. There’s no need to use a recipe, or even use much thought, because most of the ingredients like lentils, tomato paste, and onion are already in my kitchen. I would also highly recommend keeping a can of coconut milk in your pantry for stews like this, to stir into vegetables, or for Thai curry. A tube a tomato paste you can keep in the fridge is also a must for me. Stews like this one also makes great leftovers to keep for the week if you make a big pot. It’s one of those things that tastes even better as times goes on. Lentils, or other legumes or beans (split peas, beans), are really helpful to have on hand. Depending on what you’re using, they cook quickly (red lentils take around 20 minutes, split peas take around 40), and are inexpensive. Even more, they’re nutritious- packed with protein and fiber.

This stew, as always, is really flexible and forgiving. You could make it more soup-like if you add more water or more stewy if you add less water or let it simmer for longer, allowing more water to evaporate. Spice blends, like garam masala or curry powder are also nice to add if you want more flavors and to make it lean more Indian tasting. Blend the stew using an immersion blender or regular blender and it will be creamier and thicker. Add more ginger, add more garlic, make it spicy. This dish is is perfect in its most simple form, but is also fun to expand from.

If you make this, I hope it makes you feel good.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 inch piece ginger, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup lentils/split peas
  • salt, to taste
  • toppings: cilantro, plain yogurt, lime (optional)
  • to serve: rice

Do it

  1. Peel and chop onion. Peel and finely chop ginger and garlic.
  2. Heat a pot over medium heat with oil. When the oil is warmed, add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent and fragrant, around 4 mins.
  3. Add tomato paste, cook until oil takes on a red color, around 1 min.
  4. Add lentils/split peas and cover with water by around 1 inch.
  5. Bring stew to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer until lentils/split peas are soft.
  6. When the lentils are cooked, stir in the coconut milk and let simmer for a few more minutes.
  7. Add toppings and serve with rice. Enjoy!!!

ramen(ish)

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Really, is there anything more satisfying and comforting than ramen? Those packets of ramen we ate as an after-school snack in middle school and in college aren’t just great because they’re so cheap, I honestly think they’re so good. The long, chewy noodles mixed with that sodium-laden flavor packet is really unlike anything else. Now I’ve realized that ramen you might find in a restaurant is like an art form. Each component of it requires knowledge and skill, like the handmade noodles and making a broth that can take hours, even days to prepare. What I make is so far from that, but it’s like an upgrade from the microwave ramen. You still get the satisfying experience of springy egg noodles, a salty umami soup, and even some veg. A crispy fried egg on top rounds it all out, as crispy eggs always do.

I make this soup frequently on weeknights, especially when I’m craving that comfort or have some veggies looming in the back of the fridge I need to use up. Mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, spinach, kale, raddish, broccoli, even roasted squash work. Just throw in what you’ve got during the last few minutes of cooking.

Some key ingredients for me are really just some miso and/or veggie broth (from the carton or using bouillon paste). You could also fry up some ~aromatics~ like the classic trio of garlic, onion (or scallions, or shallots), and ginger. If you’re using those guys just cook them up in some oil (sesame oil would be especially good here), then add the liquid and miso, then add your noodles. Cooking with egg and rice noodles is also great because they each take less than 10 minutes to cook. If you’ve used water, you could also add a splash of soy sauce right before you take everything off the heat to add even more flavor. You’ll have yourself a hot bowl of noodles in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients

  • water/vegetable broth (carton or bouillon paste)
  • miso paste (~1 tablespoon)
  • vegetables
  • egg (or whatever protein you prefer)
  • oil (olive oil, canola, or sesame)
  • ginger (~1 inch piece, peeled, finely chopped)
  • garlic (1 clove, sliced)
  • onion/shallot/white part of scallions (~1 tablespoon, finely chopped)
  • soy sauce (if desired, a splash)
  • toppings: scallions, sesame seeds, cilantro, chili flakes

Do it

  1. If using, peel and chop ginger and onion finely. Peel and chop garlic into thin slices.
  2. In a small pot, heat a good amount of oil over medium-low heat. Once the oil is warmed, add the ginger, onion, and garlic. Fry for about a minute, watching for any browning or burning, as these ingredients can burn easily. If using mushrooms, add them here and brown them with the aromatics.
  3. Once ginger, onion, and garlic are fragrant, add about three cups (or enough for you serving size) of liquid. Add miso or bouillon paste if using either/both. Let heat on medium heat so pastes can dissolve. Note: avoid bringing miso paste to a boil, as it diminishes the awesome health benefits of miso! 🙂
  4. When pastes dissolve, add a serving of noodles, let them cook in the broth until softened.
  5. While noodles are cooking, heat a pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is HOT, add a generous amount of oil to coat the pan, then crack the egg into the oil. The egg will ideally bubble and might splatter a bit, so just be careful of the hot oil.
  6. After the noodles have cooked, add the vegetables and stir until vegetables are cooked, but still tender (not too wilty). This should take just a minute or so, depending on the vegetable.
  7. Pour into a bowl, top, and shlurp.

a crispy egg with rice and blistered greens

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I don’t know if you’re a runny yolk person–it can be a divisive topic–but, I’ve been working on my fried egg game and it’s going pretty well! To me, if I’m going to eat a sunny-side-up egg I want the edges to be really crispy, and the yolk to be a little cooked in the middle and a little runny on top. I’ll tell you about the way I’ve been making a fried egg below. Frank Prisinzano (@frankprisinzano) was an awesome quarantine Instagram follow. His account provides me with a lot of inspiration through his use of “methods,” including one for a crispy eggs. Would highly recommend tossing him a follow if you haven’t already! I also need something like toast, or in this case rice, to mix with the yolk. It’s great to have leftover rice in the fridge to just heat in a pan or the microwave for a quick lunch.

“Blistering” your vegetables is an awesome way to quickly prepare them, and is a fun way to mix it up if you’re used to eating your veggies a different way. Getting your vegetables a little charred lends a kind of smoky flavor, while keeping them fresh and crisp on the inside. I love doing this with broccoli, cabbage, and string beans because they can take the heat. A fried egg and blistered greens is a convenient pairing because they are cooked in similar ways- fast and in a hot pan. Let something like soy sauce, store-bought chili crisp, or hot sauce do the work of adding more flavor for you and you’re good to go!

Blistered Greens

Chop your vegetables into bite-size pieces. Heat a pan over medium high heat. Allow the pan to heat up for a few minutes. Add around a teaspoon of oil (when doing this I keep the pan pretty dry.) You might see the oil a smoke a bit– that’s good. Add the veg to the pan and don’t toss them around, allowing them to get crispy and charred. After one side has some good color, flip them around a continue cooking for around 3 minutes. They should still be bright green and crisp, but not raw. Season with a sprinkle of salt.

Fried Egg

Heat a frying pan (non-stick if you have one) over medium-high heat. If you’re using the pan from your egg you already have a head start! Allow the pan to heat up for a few minutes. Once the pan is hot, add enough olive oil to generously coat the pan (if you’re frying and want something crispy, don’t shy away from the oil.) Carefully crack the egg into the pan. If your pan is hot enough, the whites will bubble up immediately. Be careful here because the oil might splatter a bit! Leave the egg untouched until you see the edges start to brown and crisp and the whites go from translucent to opaque white. Turn off the heat a little before it’s fully done cooking because it will continue cooking off-heat. Sprinkle with salt.

Rice

Cook the rice you have according to package instructions or the way you like best. I make the jasmine rice I had here in my Instant Pot <3. However you cook your rice, a huge key is rinsing the rice. It’s takes some extra time but that’s how I get it fluffy and not sticky. Put the rice in your pot and fill it with a few inches of water, swish the rice around with your fingers. The water will be cloudy because the starch is coming off of the rice. Rinse the rice in a few changes of water until the water is pretty clear. In an InstantPot, I cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then let it sit for 10 minutes, then release the pressure.

noodle salad with creamy sesame dressing

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This is a “recipe” that’s great to have in your back pocket. I put recipes in quotes because the best part is that you really don’t need a recipe, which is basically the whole point in this blog, lol. This whole thing requires barely any cooking! And no cooking at all if you don’t consider boiling water as cooking! The basic formula I use for this is: chop raw vegetables, cook noodles (rice noodles, udon, ramen noodles, even spaghetti works), whip up a creamy dressing. You can use any veg you like– lettuce, thinly chopped kale, cucumber, carrots, spinach. Everything comes together so quickly, you could make this for lunch during the day or for dinner when you’re hungry and need to eat ASAP. If you want to add some extra protein, you can just fry and egg and put it on top. Crispy tofu is also a great addition, which only takes around 10 minutes to make. If you think you don’t like tofu, I’ll tell you how to get it CRISPY below, which may just convert you.

The star of the show here is tahini. If you’ve never used tahini before, I highly recommend picking up a jar. I’ve seen it everywhere, from Giant/Stop&Shop to Whole Foods. It can be used for so many things, both sweet and savory. If you don’t have tahini, you can also just use peanut butter. I like tahini because it has a more mild flavor than peanut butter (it’s just blended sesame seeds) so it’s great for blending into dressings to make them creamy. It has a lightly nutty, roasty flavor. Another powerhouse ingredient I usually use here is fish sauce. Again, you can find this in the “international” section of your grocery store. If you’re in DC, Hana Japanese Market by Meridian Hill Park rocks and is a great place to check out too.Fish sauce is an awesome ingredient because all you need is a little bit to add a salty, umami punch that makes whatever you put it in more complex than it is. Yeah, it smells like funky and fishy but just trust me.

Recipe: noodle salad with creamy sesame dressing

Serving: 1 (but easy to prepare enough protein, dressing, and vegetables for leftovers, I recommend making the noodles fresh. If you do want to keep leftover rice noodles, coat in a little sesame or olive oil to keep them from getting dry and sticking together!)

Noodles

For rice noodles, boil a pot of water. Once boiled, turn off the heat and add rice noodles. Let stand for around 10 minutes, or until softened to a chewy al dente. Cook other noodles according to package instructions.

Crispy Tofu

While the noodles soak, prepare the tofu. Use extra firm tofu (I recommend the extra firm sprouted tofu from Trader Joe’s because it’s…really firm.) Dry tofu off with a towel and press on it to expel water. Cut the tofu into squares, around 1/2 inch thick (thinner slices=crispier tofu).

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add enough olive or vegetable oil to coat the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu in a single layer, allowing room between the pieces. Then just leave it– seriously! Don’t move the tofu around, this is what allows it to get crispy. After around 6-8 minutes it should be ready to flip (if it’s sticking to the pan, it’s not ready.) Fry on the other side for around 4 more minutes.

Creamy Sesame Dressing

While the noodles are soaking and tofu is crisping, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, mix

  • 1 tbsp. tahini
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. sesame oil (or sub olive oil)
  • 1/4 tsp. fish sauce
  • squeeze of lime

Mix together and add water, around a teaspoon at a time to thin out until desired consistency. Your tahini might break at first/look kind of separated :/ but just keep mixing and it well get smooth.

Veggies

Chop up your raw vegetables. Zucchini, kale, carrots, romaine. I like to slice the vegetable to a similar width to the noodles so everything mixes together well. This might feel like an extra step, but I promise it makes a difference in how much you’ll enjoy what you’re eating.

Putting it all together

Drain the noodles and shake off excess water using a colander (or put them in a salad spinner if you have one). Toss the noodles, veg, and protein together in a big bowl. Top with anything you want (cilantro, chopped peanuts, scallions, sesame seeds, chili flakes).

rice and beans with roasted squash

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Rice and beans is a perfect meal. It’s simple, easy to make, makes great, multipurpose leftovers, and offers fiber, and– fun fact– the pairing creates a ~complete protein~ (a.k.a all nine amino acids that humans need are present, in case you care to have a nutrition fun fact). It’s also really affordable, especially when buying beans dry. So many reasons to love rice and beans!

Having a big batch of rice and preparing beans can really set you up for success throughout the week. It was great to have rice and beans, and whatever else you have like squash, ready to go makes for a quick lunch during busy work days. On this day, I just heated up the rice, beans, and squash I had roasted for dinner the night before, and mixed up a little dressing. The roasted squash could easily be replaced with another vegetable. I’m thinking roasted broccoli would be good here. Or throw in another add-on like avocado or even something else just raw like some kale or lettuce. Endlessly riff-able. Add any other little toppings like chopped nuts, herbs, chili flakes, or sesame seeds if you feel moved to do so.

This sort of template is versatile and flexible– you can cook a batch of water grain or type of bean you like or are in the mood for. I’m thinking about black beans, chickpeas, and white beans– all super multipurpose and easy to throw in different meals throughout the week. You can also get funky with the grains if you get sick of rice. I’m a fan of barley and farro, both of which are perfect for throwing in soups and grain bowls. I could talk about rice and beans all day so I’ll leave it at that for now. I’ll include a “recipe” for the rice, beans, and dressing the way that I like to make them but you should make those using the method that works best for you. I love using my InstantPot for both. If you’re not into the InstantPot life I’d honestly recommend getting a rice cooker. They’re inexpensive and make cooking batches of rice easy because you don’t have to worry about it burning or boiling over. For the beans, cans are great. If you want to dabble into the world of dried beans I, again, use my InstantPot and like the method Bon Appétit explains here.

Recipe: rice and beans with roasted squash

Rice

If you’re using an InstantPot, I use a 1:1 ratio water: rice for white/jasmine rice and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then let it sit for around 10 minutes. For wild rice like I made here, I used a 1.5:1 water:rice ratio and cooked it on high pressure for 15 minutes, then let it sit for around 10 minutes.

Beans

If you’re using an InstantPot, throw around a cup of beans in the pot and cover with around 3 inches of water. Sprinkle in a few generous pinches of salt and a few glugs of olive oil (this is key!) Throw in a few cloves of garlic, and/or a halved onion if you want. I made pinto beans here, which cook for 30 minutes on high pressure if you’re using an InstantPot, then release the pressure after around 10 minutes. Again, use canned beans if that’s what’s easiest for you!

Roasted Squash

  1. preheat oven to 350F
  2. peel and chop squash into around 1/4 inch thick slices
  3. drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt
  4. roast for around 20 minutes, checking half-way through to flip

Ginger-Sesame Dressing

  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 inch grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
  • 1 clove grated garlic (or garlic powder)
  • squeeze of lemon juice (around 1/2 tbsp.)
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric (omit if you don’t have)
  • small pinch of salt and pepper

^modify ingredients and ratios as you please!

marinated chickpea bowl

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It’s summer now, which means it’s all about recipes that require the least amount of time in the kitchen. Foods that are simple to throw together and refreshing. No one wants to spend their summer evenings stressing over what to cook and spending time in a stuffy kitchen. Why be hot in a kitchen, when you could be hot outside? I try to start with my end goal: something that I can keep in the fridge and eat cold, that will get even better as the week goes on (it’s a thing), and something that is versatile so I can utilize whatever produce I have on hand. This meal checks all the boxes. Marinated beans are a great way to keep a delicious, simple, and cold protein source on hand. These herby and satisfying beans can be used in this bowl, thrown into salads, or mashed onto toast. The marinating part means that as the beans soak in the oil and spices, they will absorb the flavors. I paired it with brown rice, simple enough to make a big batch of on the stove stop, or with my new love, the Instant Pot. This week, the yellow and purple cauliflower caught my eye. I was craving roasted veggies so I made the sacrifice to turn my oven on. You could also cook them on a pan or steam them to keep in the fridge for the week.

To go the extra mile and add a big pop of flavor, I used harissa paste and plain yogurt. Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste mixed with other herbs and spices. It’s pretty spicy and really packs a punch of flavor. I like using ingredients like this sometimes because just one product can add a lot of flavor with no effort. I got mine from Trader Joe’s, but I’m sure you could find it in other grocery stores. If spicy isn’t your thing, the simple grain bowl would be great on it’s own or with a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up. The plain yogurt is a nice addition to balance out the heat of the harissa and add even more protein. I finished the dish with a sprinkle of feta because I’ve been putting it on everything lately, but it also just adds a nice tang and saltiness.

Overall, this meal is so easy and can be customized to use the type of beans and veggies you like. You can also experiment with the “marinade” by using different spices or flavor combinations. I think cumin, chili powder, and garlic would make for a great Mexican inspired bowl (the plain yogurt could be like your sour cream!). Anyways, I hope you enjoy this simple and tasty meal. Stay cool!

marinated chickpea bowl
Recipe Type: lunch/dinner
Author: Lea Kriesberg
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Simple, cool, and nutritious summer meal that gets better with time.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 2 heads cauliflower and/or broccoli
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 can chickpeas (3/4 cup dry)
  • 4 cloves garlic (or garlic powder)
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 4 tablespoons harissa paste
Instructions
  1. If you’re roasting your vegetables, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a pot of water to boil for the rice.
  2. While the oven is heating up and the water is boiling, chop the vegetables. Lay on a aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with around 3 tablespoons of oil, or enough to lightly coat all of the veggies.
  3. When the oven is hot, place the baking sheet on the middle rack and roast for around 40 minutes, tossing and flipping around halfway to ensure all sides are roasty. When the water is boiled, add around 1/2 tablespoon of salt and pour in the rice and simmer for around 40 minutes (adding a salt to grains while they cook is a game changer!).
  4. After you have the veggies and rice squared away, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to a big bowl with around 3 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped garlic, and spices. Mix to coat all the chickpeas. Let stand for at least ten minutes before eating for the first time.
  5. Spread around 1/4 cup of yogurt and 1 tablespoon of harissa around the bottom of your bowl or plate. Add the rice, chickpeas, and veggies. Top with a sprinkle of feta.
Notes
Feel free to add any spices you like or have on hand. Omit harissa paste if you don’t like the spice.

 

 

lentil veggie fajitas

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Fajitas are a great meal– they taste great, can be made really healthy, and are versatile. I was debating how I should make these fajitas– you could use plain black beans, simmer the beans with onions and spices, use lentils, or if you’re an omnivore, you could use chicken. I love these lentil fajitas because they have a kind of meaty, satisfying texture and they keep well throughout the week. Using lentils will take more time than just plain black beans, but I think it’s worth it. If you’ve never tried lentils, they’re apart of the legume family (they’re technically a “pulse,” which means they are dried). Legumes and pulses are high in protein and fiber, which make them really filling and healthy. There are many varieties of lentils, but red lentils are perfect in this recipe because they become really soft when you cook them. Lentils are also great because they absorb other flavors. The bell peppers and onions are also so easy to make and are a fun way to get in those veggies. You could use any vegetable you like. I think zucchini and squash would also be great fajita-style. This is one of my favorite go-to recipes, I hope you like it!

lentil veggie fajitas
Author: Lea Kriesberg
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 5
Fajitas made out of hearty lentils and plenty of veggies. An easy plant-based recipe to eat throughout the week.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 3 bell peppers
  • 3 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon spicy Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • olive oil
  • whole wheat tortillas
Instructions
  1. Add the lentils to a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil. When the water boils, turn the heat down so that the lentils are simmering. The lentils will take around 30-40 minutes to become soft.
  2. While the lentils are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Chop the vegetables into thin strips.
  3. Heat up a frying pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper (and more spices if you want).
  4. Sauté the vegetables until they are slightly softened, but not mushy.
  5. When the lentils are soft, drain out any access water if there is some. Add the can of chopped tomatoes to the lentils.
  6. Add the spices to the lentils and tomatoes.
  7. Bring the lentils back to a boil. When it’s boiled, turn the heat down to let it simmer. Let the lentils simmer so that some of the water evaporates and it becomes more thick. Taste it while it is simmering so you can adjust the spices.
  8. When the lentils have reached your desired consistency, add them to a whole wheat tortilla and top with the vegetables.
Notes
You can use whatever spices you like and have on hand. You could also buy a packet of taco seasoning, which will have a blend of all the spices you need if you don’t have or want to buy individual spices.

 

roasted tomatoes with white beans and garlicky greens

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Considering it’s peak tomato season, I thought I should make something that highlights how delicious they are right now. Eating produce that’s in-season means it will taste amazing and cost less– it doesn’t get better than that. I don’t even like raw tomatoes that much, but when roasted, they are so good. I promise, even if you don’t like tomatoes either, you should try them roasted. Their flavor completely transforms to taste like how you find them on top of a margherita pizza or in tomato sauce. Roasting with just a little salt, pepper, and olive oil and then simmering the tomatoes makes this recipe really easy, simple, and hands-off. You just put them in the oven and let them do their thing. When they’re simmering, you can just leave it on low heat for however long you have time for and while you’re preparing other things. You can get so much flavor without doing anything fancy or difficult.

I also usually opt for black beans or chickpeas, but for this recipe I mixed it up and used white beans. They have a really nice mild flavor and absorb other flavors well. I combined them with the roasted tomatoes and let them simmer with vegetable stock to create a delicious, simple, and summery dish to pair with greens and rice. In my opinion, garlic will make anything taste good, so sautéing my greens with some fresh garlic makes this recipe even better. It’s an optional step (you could just leave the greens raw) but the garlic complements the beans and tomatoes really well. You could also eat it with pasta or mixed with any other grain you like. This recipe gives me major Italian-inspired vibes and felt way fancier than it really is. I hope you give it a try!

roasted tomatoes with white beans and garlicky greens
Author: Lea Kriesberg
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 5
Roasted tomatoes and white beans make a flavorful and filling summery dish. It gives me Italian-inspired vibes.
Ingredients
  • 4 large tomatoes*
  • 2 cans white beans
  • 1 can vegetable stock
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 5 cloves garlic (or use garlic powder)
  • brown rice
  • greens (I used collard greens but you could use spinach, kale, or anything else)
  • nutritional yeast/cheese (optional)
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
  2. Boil a pot of water for the rice. When the water is boiled, add the rice and simmer until the water is absorbed or until the rice is cooked.
  3. Chop your tomatoes into chunks (not too small). If you’re using cherry tomatoes, cut them in half or leave them whole.
  4. Drizzle the tomatoes with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to make sure everything is coated.
  5. Place the tomatoes in a pan (preferably one with sides because the tomatoes will release some juice) and place in the oven for around 20 minutes or until they are slightly shriveled and juicy.
  6. While the tomatoes are roasting, chop up the onion and garlic.
  7. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, throw in the onion and cook until it is fragrant and translucent, then put in the chopped garlic. Stir it around so it doesn’t burn. Garlic burns easily so if it starts to get brown too quickly, turn down the heat.
  8. When the tomatoes are done in the oven, add them to the pot with the onion and garlic. Add the vegetable stock and white beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down the heat to medium-low so that it is simmering. It might look too liquidy, but just let it simmer in the pot for at least 20 minutes (this allows some of the liquid to evaporate so it will get more thick and stew-like).
  9. Season with more salt, pepper, and garlic powder if needed
  10. While the tomatoes and beans are simmering, prepare the greens. Chop up a few more cloves of garlic.**
  11. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir it around so it doesn’t burn. After about a minute, add in the greens until they are bright green and softened. This will only take around 3 minutes.
  12. When the tomato and bean mixture is simmered to your liking, add to a bowl with the rice and greens. Top with a little bit of nutritional yeast or cheese for something extra
Notes
*I used a mix of large tomatoes and little cherry tomatoes. You could do all big tomatoes or all cherry tomatoes or a mix.[br]**You can quickly prepare the greens right before you want to eat or cook up a whole bunch of greens to keep for the whole week. I used collard greens, which are a bit more tough so they keep better throughout the week. For something lighter like spinach, I would probably cook right before so it doesn’t get too soft. Adjust how much garlic you use depending on how much greens you’re cooking (and how much garlic you like).