First of all I need to thank you all for the incredible response from my last post. I have read every single comment and email and they have been like a breath of fresh air. I struggled to publish that post but you all have once again proven to be an incredible community that encourages and lifts us up. So thank you. I apologize for not responding to the emails and comments. It continues to be a bit of a difficult season for me and my family but I have seen so much amazing goodness come out of it already. We are covered in grace and are so thankful for your words and continued support.

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Of course much can be said on the beauty of sharing a meal with dear family and friends as laughter mingles with the scents of soft spices drifting through the air. Where wine glasses clink over riveting conversation and dishes linger on the table far after the meal is done. There is also beauty in cooking for one.

Perhaps it is because for me this is a rare occasion – one to be celebrated and remembered. It is a time when my cravings and food adversities (of which there aren’t many) are the only ones to consider. It is a time when the pasta can be covered in little green flecks and I won’t hear the moanings from three little ones each one meticulously trying to pluck the herbs off their pasta.

My meals for one are simple and light, often composed of many small tastes and they are consumed in silence.

This pasta is far too simple for a formal recipe so instead I’ll channel my inner Nigel Slater (I wish) and contain its ingredients and basic method in paragraph form.

First you’ll set a pot of water to boil with enough salt in it that one taste conjures up images of those horrid accidental times of ingesting a bit of sea water. If you didn’t grow up around the ocean – the water should taste salty. Cook enough spaghetti noodles for one. While the noodles boil mince a handful or two of fresh herbs. In this particular batch I used chives, mint, dill, thyme, parsley and purple basil. Whatever you have on hand will do nicely. Add to that a finely minced half of a garlic clove and about a teaspoon or so of finely grated lemon or lime zest. In total you want to have about two tablespoons of this herb mixture.

Toss that with the hot pasta. Over the top you can grate Pecorino or Parmesan or dot the pasta with a bit of Feta or Chevre. Or just leave it as is. On this particular day the sun was shining and the temperature outside didn’t seem quite fitting for a big bowl of hot pasta. So before I tossed the pasta with the herbs I cooled them off with cold water then tossed in the herbs and had a dish that resembled more of a pasta salad.

Warm or cool it is an incredibly simple dish that satisfies, particularly if eaten alone.

For another idea of what I like to eat while dining alone check out this cheese plate I created for Wisconsin Cheese. Also, check out CheeseCupid.com for a great tool on pairing cheese with drinks. Somehow I managed to include chocolate with my cheese. I may have a problem.

*Disclaimer – I was paid to produce the content for Wisconsin Cheese. Words and images are, as always, my own.

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My bags sit empty, the cameras are not packed, and I have yet to secure the final book reading list. But before I head off to the Netherlands for a week I wanted to say a quick hello and goodbye. It didn’t seem right to keep these chickpeas from you any longer and I didn’t want you to worry if this space sits unattended while I’m skating along the canals, wondering quiet towns and tucking into cafes when the chill is no longer endearing.

I can’t say much about the trip now as I really have no idea what to expect. I will say that I am so excited I can hardly think straight. I am traveling with my grandparents and some aunts and uncles to my grandfather’s hometown. This will be the first time I’ve visited the place where my family began and to experience that with my grandparents is incredibly thrilling. I’ll meet many relatives, stock up on chocolate sprinkles (hagelslag), and take a quick detour to Belgium for chocolate, waffles, frites, and beer. I welcome any and all suggestions on what’s not to be missed.

In all my previous travel experiences my blond hair and blue eyes have been a glaring beacon to the fact that I’m not a local. In the Netherlands I am looking forward to feeling right at home. I’m eager to taste the food that raised my grandfather and my great-grandparents and enjoying it all in the presence of family.

For now there are chickpeas. Spicy ones at that. I’m on a quick meal kick as I’ve been frantically crossing things off the to do list and fitting in as many snuggles as the littles will allow in anticipation of this trip. With all the ingredients on hand this meal comes together in minutes but carries with it a hearty, warm spice thanks to harissa. Mine comes from Morocco but you can get your harissa at fine grocery stores or online. It’s a perfect healthy winter dinner but I imagine in the Summer I’ll see it again, chilled,  in my picnic basket.

I’m looking forward to wandering unfamiliar streets and taking more photos than I know what to do with. Until then, I leave you with chickpeas.

Harissa Chickpeas with Spinach

In anticipation of rich foods and unhealthy eating habits while traveling I’ve been stocking up on simple, healthy meals like this one. I imagine I’ll see a nice big bowl of this upon my return. 

The amount of harissa is really personal preference so please feel free to adjust the amount I suggest.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained

1 1/2 teaspoons harissa paste (more is fine too)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh mint

2 cups fresh spinach

Add olive oil to to a medium saute pan, saute garlic until fragrant and golden, about two mintues. Add harissa and cook another minute. Stir in chickpeas and salt then simmer mixture for about 5 minutes – until any liquid has evaporated and chickpeas are tender. Turn off heat and toss in mint and spinach. Stir and let the residual heat wilt the spinach slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve immediately with a hefty scoop of greek yogurt.

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It’s a rare move when I swap out ingredients in order to preserve calories. My philosophy, after years of learning through mistakes, has become quality over quantity. It’s actually become somewhat of a motto for my husband and myself becoming a daily practice in the kitchen and beyond (I find it particularly helpful in the closet as well).

I’d much rather eat a smaller portion of a bittersweet chocolate made liquid by the addition of hot cream and then served with more cream than a large amount of a less flavorful dessert containing ingredients that read “non-fat”. It has been my experience that I walk away from a few bites of something decadent and rich feeling very satisfied and quite okay by the fact that I left a good portion of it untouched or saved for someone else.

But what is really glorious is when you lighten a normally hefty meal without surrender the flavor or overall satisfaction. This salad has done such a marvelous thing.

It’s in these cool, gray months that my body yearns for food to comfort. Ones laden with cream and butter comfort me nicely particularly around the mid-section but there are times when I must resist such urges. With comfort food in mind I was set on a classic caesar. Slightly spicy, salty from a touch of briny anchovy and of course, creamy.

Where I would normally reach for oil and egg yolk to work the ingredients into an emulsion I grabbed greek yogurt – a very popular ingredient in our house as of late. The idea was to just replace some of the oil with the yogurt but when I tasted the mix of lemon, anchovy, garlic, dijon, parmesan, and yogurt I found no need for the oil. What I did find was a near replica of a classic caesar dressing without the addition of any rich oils or fats.

I did however top mine with a few nice slices of seared tenderloin (quality over quantity) and sat down to one of the best lunches I’ve had in quite some time.

A Lighter Caeser

This is a very forgiving recipe. Taste and adjust as you please, I promise I won’t be offended. Just remember that you want the dressing to taste strong as the romaine will tame its flavor. Top with slow-roasted tomatoes, shavings of Parmesan, roasted chicken, or steak for a complete and healthful lunch or dinner.

1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 teaspoons dijon
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
2 Tbl finely grated parmesan

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Carefully combine with fresh, chopped romaine. Serve with shavings of Parmesan.

Keeps in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for one week.

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If you’re like me, chances are it’s 15 minutes until dinner and you are scouring the Internet hoping to find inspiration. And like me, your probably getting distracted with things like Pinterest, Twitter, and three little children who are on the verge of a complete and total breakdown caused by hanger (pronounced: hane-ger – It’s what happens when you mix hunger with anger and it’s a common occurrence around here, although not just relegated to the children).

Stop your surfing and cook with me, dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.

First things first. You’ll need spaghetti, peanut butter (or sesame paste – Tahini – if you have it), soy sauce, rice wine (or a dry white will do), rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and shallot if you have it.

Put a large pot of water over the stove and crank up the heat. Make the water taste of the sea. Seriously, taste it.

While the water is working on a boil add 4 cloves of garlic and a bit of shallot to a food processor. Pulse until well chopped. To this add 3 tbl peanut butter (or Tahini), ⅓ cup soy sauce, 2 tbl rice wine, 1 ½ tbl rice wine vinegar, and 1 ½ tbl sesame oil. Blend this all together.

As soon as your water is boiling add enough spaghetti to feed four.

Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain then stir in the sauce.

Dinner is ready.

If you have carrots, use a vegetable peeler to create fancy carrot ribbons. I tossed my ribbons with a splash or rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame seeds. I also happened to have a few sad looking scallions so I added those as well. Bean sprouts would also be a nice addition as would steamed or roasted broccoli or napa cabbage perhaps. So many choices.

Fifteen minutes and we’ve created a dinner that is sweet, salty with a bit of a bright bite. Serve the kids first then top your portion with a touch of Sriracha(or your favorite hot sauce).

While there is little I love more than to spend hours on one meal, taking care to plan through every detail. Setting the table to a multi-coursed meal that concludes with something sweet and most likely chocolatey. The truth is more often than not dinner goes from in my head to on the table in under thirty minutes. But that doesn’t mean our dinners have to suffer from my lack of planning. We eat well, if just happens quickly.

Quick Garlicky Pasta

inspired by Nigel Slater, Real Fast Food

3 Tbl peanut butter (or Tahini)

⅓ cup soy sauce

2 Tbl rice wine (or dry white wine)

1 Tbl rice wine vinegar

1 ½ Tbl Sesame oil

4 garlic cloves

1 Tbl chopped shallot

Combine the garlic and shallot in the bowl of a food processor. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then stir in the remaining ingredients. Process until well blended.

Toss this sauce with enough pasta for four.

Top with sesame seeds, carrot, bean sprouts, or whatever strikes your fancy.

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