Steve Adams
THE CONUNDRUM:
We know that having a real connection with the food we eat — the kind that only comes from preparing our own meals — is key to the health of heart and soul. But who has the time? Who hasn't walked in the door at the end of the day to face an audience of starving faces who want it now and couldn't care less if it's nutritious? Think Oliver in the food line. And he was begging for gruel.
THE SOLUTION:
Stock the fridge and cupboard with a combination of fresh and packaged foods, and find recipes simple enough to whip together, but complex enough to nourish the body and please the palate. To help with the recipe part, we turned to three chefs, a food writer, a busy mom, a caterer and a smattering of our favorite cooks for prized quick dishes and secret ingredients. Check the Web (stlmagathome.com) for more recipes.
Maria Sakellariou, personal chef and a member of the demo crew at Trader Joe's (where all the following ingredients are available)
Ms. Sakellariou, Greek by birth, grew up thinking of meals as "lots of little bites, not one big steak." She still feels this is an excellent approach to eating, because "it helps put a quick meal on the table that's flavorful, healthy and portion-controlled." The many shredded, diced, grilled and semi-prepared offerings at Trader Joe's work perfectly with her food philosophy by cutting down prep time but allowing her to put together unique combinations. "Recipes are like a road map. If you get started on one and don't have an ingredient, just substitute something else."
Rainbow Fresh Spinach Salad
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup jumbo raisin medley
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup champagne pear vinaigrette
Pour all ingredients (except dressing) into a bowl, and mix well. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently until evenly coated.
Cider Baked Chicken with Apples
4 boneless chicken breasts (flatten if thick)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon pepper and black peppercorn seasoning
1 cup apple cider, preferably fresh
1 cup applesauce, preferably organic
4 to 5 medium Granny Smith, Fuji or other firm apples, cored, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt to taste
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with lemon pepper and black peppercorn seasoning. Place in hot skillet, skin side down. Cook until lightly browned. Flip and brown other side. In a bowl mix apple cider and applesauce, and pour over chicken. Add apples. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Thai Coconut Lemon Grass Shrimp
1-pound bag medium cooked and peeled shrimp
2–3 packages (10 ounces each) frozen Thai-style lime pilaf
1 can light coconut milk
1 jar (12 ounces) Thai green curry sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Thaw shrimp under cold running water. In a skillet combine shrimp, lime pilaf, coconut milk and green curry sauce. For a "soupier" dish, use two packages of pilaf. For a "drier" mix, use three. Simmer about 10 minutes until mixture is hot.
Healthy Kid Speedy Quesadillas
1 package (16.5 ounces) whole-grain tortillas
1 package (12 ounces) grilled chicken strips
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach
1 package (12 ounces) Quattro formaggio cheese
1 spritz of spray olive oil
Spray bottom of nonstick skillet with olive oil. Place a whole-grain tortilla in skillet. Spread some Quattro formaggio on tortilla, and top with strips of chicken and fresh spinach. Sprinkle a little more cheese, and top with a second tortilla. Press down with your hand, and cook for a few minutes until cheese has melted. Flip over carefully and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Place on cutting board and cut into eight wedges. Serve with sweet potato fries and fresh fruit.
Eric Kelly, executive chef, ~scape
It's not that Eric Kelly opposes trendy food. He just knows that comfort food — while not always in style or the best for the bod — "is always delicious and fun to make." This recipe of shrimp and grits, he says, is no exception. "This recipe will wow your friends and is super easy to prepare," says Mr. Kelly.
As for the Reuben sliders, they are by far, he says, his customers' favorite appetizer. At the restaurant, he makes the potato pancakes from scratch, but for you, too-busy-to-cook, he has a secret — use the frozen hash browns instead. Also buy the Russian dressing at the grocery store. But when it comes to the corned beef, he admonishes against skimping. "Be sure to use a high-quality corned beef, like Vienna."
Reuben Sliders
8 packaged hash browns (use Lamb Weston, 10 to a pack, available at Trader Joe's)
8 teaspoons Russian dressing
8 ounces sauerkraut, squeezed dry
12 ounces Vienna corned beef, sliced paper-thin
8 slices Swiss cheese
Preheat oven to broil. Heat olive oil in medium skillet, and cook hash browns for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Blot on paper towel to remove excess oil.
Using a spoon, spread a teaspoon of dressing on each hash brown. Top evenly with sauerkraut, corned beef and a half slice of Swiss cheese.
Place under broiler and cook until cheese melts slightly. Serves 8.
Shrimp and Grits
12 jumbo shrimp, raw and peeled
1 pinch kosher salt
1 pinch fresh black pepper
1 pinch Cajun spice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce Worcestershire sauce
1 ounce Frank's hot sauce
4 ounces amber beer
4 ounces butter, diced
8 ounces cheddar grits (recipe follows) Place shrimp on a plate, and season with salt, pepper and Cajun spice. Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Carefully place shrimp in pan, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes; flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and place on a paper towel–lined platter. Degrease pan. Place pan back over heat, and add lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce and beer. Reduce sauce by 85 percent, then whisk in butter. Turn off heat. Add shrimp to sauce and let coat for 1 minute.
Cheddar Grits
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pinch kosher salt
1 pinch fresh black pepper
Bring cream and stock to a simmer. Slowly add grits to simmering liquid, whisking constantly. Lower heat and cook 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese.
To serve: Place 2 ounces of cooked grits in center of platter. Place three shrimp on top of each portion of grits. Using a spoon, drizzle the shrimp with remaining sauce.
Joshua Roland, chef, F15teen
It is possible to cook fast and still make amazing, healthy food, according to chef Joshua Roland. He should know. He designed F15teen's offerings to be scrumptious, with fresh ingredients (Saturday mornings often find him at Soulard Market) prepared with a light, less-is-more approach. "A healthier version of your typical steakhouse," he says. Here, he shares the quickest way to make salmon, a creamless creamed corn and a crisp, quick tomato salad.
Cherry Tomato Salad
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
4 1/2 ounces shallots, peeled and sliced thin
2 teaspoons salt
3 ounces red wine vinegar
2 ounces olive oil
1 small Thai chili, washed and minced
Combine all ingredients and mix well. This should be eaten between 15 minutes and 1 hour of preparing, so mix this and then prepare the salmon and corn.
Creamless Creamed Corn
4 cups canned corn
2 ounces shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon jalapeño, minced with no seeds
Smoked paprika
Blend two cups of raw corn in a blender till smooth. Sweat shallots in butter; add remaining corn kernels, corn juice and salt. Heat mixture till thickened and corn is cooked but tender. Add jalapeño. Garnish with a sprinkle or two of smoked paprika.
Simple Salmon
Four 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin off, bone out
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Heat a skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Salt and pepper salmon. When the skillet starts to smoke, add the salmon. Cook until one side is brown (2 to 3 minutes), then flip fillets and cook other side (2 minutes). Blot on paper towel to remove excess oil.
To serve: Spoon corn onto center of plate. Lay salmon fillet on top, followed with cherry tomato salad. Garnish with fresh basil.
Rebecca Pastor, creator of the blog Becky and the Beanstock
Rebecca Pastor regularly sings the praises of the humble bean. Here she gets back to basics with a chili recipe to take you through several meals: by itself, wrapped burrito-style, over macaroni or brown rice, or as a crowd-pleasing dip. "This chili looks like it has a lot of ingredients, but a well-stocked spice bin is the key to transforming any quick-and-easy dish into something noteworthy."
Easy Bean Chili Sans Carne
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper
1/2 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
1 pound Match ground pork meat alternative
2 tablespoons mild chili seasoning mix
2 teaspoons coriander, ground
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon whole dried chipotles, ground
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 1/2 cups red beans, cooked
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
12 ounces tomato purée
1/2 bottle light-bodied beer, like Corona
1 teaspoon salt
4 shakes of Liquid Smoke
In a large stockpot heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic and bell and jalapeño peppers for 2 minutes. Stir in chili seasoning, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and ground dried chipotles. Cook for 2 minutes longer. Add Match vegetarian pork sausage, and stir well. Cook for 3 minutes more. Add beans, diced tomatoes, tomato purée and beer. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and let cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and Liquid Smoke, and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
One Dish Other Ways
Chili burritos. In a whole-wheat tortilla wrap, combine 1/3 cup chili, 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese and salsa. Wrap into burrito and heat in oven or microwave till cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream, avocado and cilantro for garnish.
Chili dip. For a party, place a block of cream cheese in a baking dish. Cover with chili and top with shredded Monterey jack cheese. Add green onion and fresh tomato slices. Bake at 425 degrees about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browning.
Must-Haves
Eric Kelly's four essential kitchen tools for cooking fast, albeit healthy, meals:
- A sharp and well-balanced chef's knife.
- A cutting board with a large work surface.
- A wok-shaped sauté pan for fast, fresh one-pan prep.
In the Cupboard ... or Refrigerator
Maria Sakellariou: shredded carrots, raisins, nuts and feta cheese. Shredded carrots are a great, quick way to add a layer of flavor and color to stew, salad or omelets. Raisins are a great way to add sweetness without sugar to muffins and make a great snack. Nuts, especially almonds and walnuts, not only add flavor but provide health benefits, too.
Rebecca Pastor: Dried beans. With hundreds of varieties of beans available, they're a great way to add some diversity to your palate, as well as a stellar protein source. To cook dry beans fast:
- Cook beans in big batches, and then freeze them on a shallow tray. Transfer them to a storage container, and you'll have easy-to-thaw portions instead of one big bean brick.
- Pressure-cook them. Generally you can cook any dry bean in 20 minutes in the miracle pot. Also, the fresher the beans, the less time they take to cook.
- Use a crockpot. They can stew all day and be ready to serve after work.
Suggestions From Others Also Too Busy To Cook:
Middle Eastern flatbread. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh tomatoes, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes.
Whole-wheat tortillas. Fill warmed tortillas with hummus, chicken or shredded veggies for lunch, or Greek yogurt and jam, honey and cinnamon, or eggs and cheese for breakfast.
Canned candied yams. They go great with anything salty or smoky: smoked salmon, chicken sausage or a BLT.
Albacore tuna. Tuna melts, tuna salad, tuna casserole ... You get the picture.
Balsamic vinaigrette. Mix with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and feta. Sprinkle over tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves for a caprese. Splash into spaghetti sauce or on top of pizza.
Chicken sausage. The 21st century's answer to knackwurst, these come loaded with everything from apples to peppers and can be served over orzo or rice, or with sides of sauerkraut and applesauce.
