Sometimes, I go a really long time without cooking. After working a long day, I'm often not in the mood, so I end up eating toast or yogurt. Lately, too, I have been buying a fairly substantial lunch, as apparently it's better to consume the bulk of one's calories mid-day. The thing is, I am spending a fortune. The chicken fillet on a bed of lettuce I usually get at Jimmy the Greek costs more than $10. Add to that my morning Starbucks order, and I am spending an unconscionable amount of money for not that much. And, to be honest, I miss cooking. I have still been baking, which is my true love, but when I do, it's too easy for me to end up eating nothing but cookie dough or cupcakes for a week. As I don't have enough closet space for a separate wardrobe of Fat Clothes, this will not do.
This weekend, I decided to make something cheap, filling, and at least sort of healthy. As the rain kept falling, I decided to make lunches for the week with what I could find in the cupboard and the fridge. Well, I did go as far as the balcony, to get some fresh herbs. I live about 90 seconds from the Loblaw's that used to be Maple Leaf Gardens, but when it's raining as hard as it was, I wouldn't go outside to watch George Clooney dance naked. Besides, I actually had some decent ingredients lying around.
Here's what I came up with: fusilli, cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, capers, garlic, and Tunisian olive oil. In the fridge, I actually found some cubed feta and some organic spinach that I had forgotten about. I also had some lovely fresh asparagus, picked up at the St. Lawrence Market yesterday. On the balcony, I grabbed a handful of herbs, including oregano, basil, parsley, and chives.
I mixed up a dressing using chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar, and pepper, and some of the chopped fresh herbs, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil. I also added some of the olive oil the sun-dried tomatoes were packed in.
I cooked the pasta, and threw in the chopped asparagus for the last 2 minutes. I drained the pasta, then dumped it into a big bowl, on top of the spinach, so the heat would wilt it. Then, I stirred in the dressing, and the beans. When the pasta had cooled down a bit, I tossed in everything else.
This weekend, I decided to make something cheap, filling, and at least sort of healthy. As the rain kept falling, I decided to make lunches for the week with what I could find in the cupboard and the fridge. Well, I did go as far as the balcony, to get some fresh herbs. I live about 90 seconds from the Loblaw's that used to be Maple Leaf Gardens, but when it's raining as hard as it was, I wouldn't go outside to watch George Clooney dance naked. Besides, I actually had some decent ingredients lying around.
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| Cleaned out the cupboards. |
I mixed up a dressing using chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar, and pepper, and some of the chopped fresh herbs, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil. I also added some of the olive oil the sun-dried tomatoes were packed in.
I cooked the pasta, and threw in the chopped asparagus for the last 2 minutes. I drained the pasta, then dumped it into a big bowl, on top of the spinach, so the heat would wilt it. Then, I stirred in the dressing, and the beans. When the pasta had cooled down a bit, I tossed in everything else.
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| A mountain of pasta salad. |
It was so good! I sprinkled some parmesan on top before serving, which made it even better. It's all packed up now, more than I can eat over the next few days, so if anyone's hungry, come on over!
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