5 One-Serving Meals That Are Perfect For The Single Cook

By Sami Allen   ‧   06/28/2017   ‧   Eat /

@samanthajoallen

If you’re feeling ambitious enough to cook, but you’re not into the idea of having leftovers, the five one-serving meals below are for you. Easy and no-fuss, these recipes will satisfy your craving without being your lunch for the next four days.

1. Shrimp And Grits With Collard Greens And Cherry Tomatoes

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup corn grits
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1 raw collard green leaf, stems removed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 pound shrimp (approximately 8 shrimp), deveined
  • Pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a small saucepan, add water and milk and heat to a boil. Add the grits and salt and stir, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes or until grits have a creamy consistency. Add cheddar cheese and mix until incorporated.

In the meantime, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium sauté pan and add the onion. Cook until translucent, then add the garlic. Cook about five minutes or until your mixture is fragrant, and then add the collard greens and cherry tomatoes. Cook about five minutes more, then set aside in a separate bowl.

In the same sauté pan, heat the remaining olive oil on medium heat, then add shrimp. Add red pepper flakes and cook until shrimp are pink, about five minutes. Toss back in the collard greens and tomato mixture and mix until incorporated.

Spoon grits onto a plate and spoon collard greens, tomatoes and shrimp on top.

2. Three-Bean Salad With Sweet Potatoes

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 can black beans, rinsed
  • 1/2 can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup cooked green beans, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • One sweet potato, cubed
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • 2 pinches of pepper
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet covered in foil, add the sweet potato, then drizzle over 1 Tbsp. olive oil, pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.

In a small sauté pan, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan on medium heat. Add green beans and cook until al dente, about five minutes.

Combine black beans and chickpeas in a bowl. Add cooked green beans, roasted sweet potato, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, smoked paprika and garlic. Toss until incorporated.

3. Chicken And Broccoli Stir Fry

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup quinoa
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • Juice from 1/2 lime
  • 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 cup broccoli, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized florets
  • 1/2 cup carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 chicken breast, sliced into bite-sized pieces

Instructions

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes or until fluffy.

Make the sauce by whisking 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce and honey in a bowl. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 Tbsp. sesame oil to medium heat. Add carrots and cook about five minutes, then add broccoli and cook another five minutes. Add chicken and cook until cooked. Add sauce and cook stir fry another five minutes or until sauce is thick.

4. Rigatoni With Meat Sauce, Zucchini And Mozzarella

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Ingredients

    • 1/4 box rigatoni
    • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 1/4 pound ground beef
    • Small (8 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
    • 2 Tbsp. red wine
    • 2 basil leaves, finely chopped
    • Pinch of salt
    • Pinch of pepper
    • Pinch of red pepper flakes
    • One zucchini, cubed
    • 1/4 cup fresh mozzerella, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil on medium heat. Add ground beef and cook about five minutes, or until brown. In the same pan, add red wine and cook until alcohol is evaporated, about five minutes. Then add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring until incorporated. Add basil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Stir, cover and cook about 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and add rigatoni. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.

In the meantime, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil on medium heat. Add zucchini and cook about seven minutes, or until cooked but still firm.

Toss rigatoni and zucchini in meat sauce and add mozzarella on top.

5. Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup

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Ingredients

    • 16 oz. no-salt chicken bone broth
    • 1/2 chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
    • 2 pinches of salt
    • 2 pinches of pepper
    • 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
    • 1/2 cup carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
    • 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup broccoli, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized florets
    • 1/2 cup (or a handful) spinach
    • 1/2 cup elbow noodles
    • 1 tsp. turmeric
    • 1 tsp. minced garlic
    • Juice from 1/2 lemon

Instructions

In a large soup pot (or large sauce pan), heat bone broth to a boil. Add chicken, salt, pepper, onion, carrots and celery. Cook about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add broccoli, spinach, elbow noodles, turmeric, garlic and lemon and cook another 10 minutes or until elbow noodles are cooked.

 

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