Meals for One You Can Serve for Two

I've been featuring yoga teacher, Cindy Lawrence, this week.

Cindy's two boys have moved out of the house and so as of this year, she's now shopping and cooking for one instead of a family.

The last couple of days I wrote of the challenges she's facing paring down, and the new found joy she's experiencing grocery shopping with only herself in mind.

I left off yesterday with the comment that I'd post a couple of her favorite meals, dishes she'd make for herself and dishes she'd stretch to feed two.

Cindy is big on eggs for breakfast, though more often than not she eats them for brunch after her first, early-morning yoga class. She picked up a dozen, cage-free brown eggs when we were at WFs -- the boxes were 2 for $5 or 1 box for $2.50

Last week I posted a note stating that there is no difference between white and brown eggs bar the color of the breed of chicken from which they come. Prior to researching that post, I was not aware of this.

Anyway, with the eggs Cindy purchased, she made one of her eggy brunch dishes:

Vegetarian Frittata
1) Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork till fluffy.
2) Chop spring onion, and your choice of greens, i.e. spinach, arugula, chard, saute until transparent. Add to beaten eggs.
3) Boil one small sweet potato or a large red potato then mash, add to eggs and greens, stir well and season.
Note: Sometimes potato frittata calls for grated or sliced "raw" potato but I find using either leftover mashed potato or even leftover potato salad, more convenient since the frittata won't take as long to cook if the potato is already cooked.
4) Optional: You could add your choice of grated cheese, and or some cooked turkey or pork bacon to the egg batter.
5) Heat a well oiled skillet or solid fry pan over med heat. Pour egg mixture into skillet, turn heat to low and allow the base and sides to cook -- you'll see the egg begin to set.
6) The frittata will cook all the way through on the stove top if you put a lid on the skillet, or you can put the skillet into the oven and finish it under the grill, which will brown the top nicely.

To Serve: Slice into pieces and plate with either a little side salad, or bacon or breakfast sausage and perhaps a little tomato salsa.

Note: According to the number of people eating the frittata adjust the number of eggs you use. For example, if you've making it for one, use 3 eggs and a pan that's smaller in circumference (if the pan is smaller, the frittata will be thicker).

I made the following dish as an impromptu lunch when Cindy popped over to visit me last weekend. I knew she'd enjoy it, because she was making something similar one Sunday when I dropped by to see her. She successfully stretched it to feed two, and I did the same.

Chinese Veggies with Shrimp
1) Pour a couple tablespoons of oil into a skillet, heat till oil is smoking.
2) While oil is heating, peel and chop about a tablespoon of fresh ginger root, and a couple of shallots. Toss into smoking oil.
3) Quickly add a couple of portions of 365-brand, frozen Chinese Vegetable mix. If you have any other veggies in your fridge, like a bit of red pepper, or a zucchini, add those now.
4) Add a cup (more or less is fine) of 365-brand frozen shrimp or scallops.
5) Stir fry veggies, shrimp / scallops over high heat for about 2 mins.
6) Pour in half cup of water (or chicken stock if you have it), and quickly put lid on skillet, steam for about 10 mins.

To Serve: Spoon into individual bowls as is, or over boiled rice (pic at top). Drizzle with Soy or Tamari, or Braggs, if you wish, or perhaps spoon a little chili sauce or hot sauce on the side.