290 Part III: Simple Recipes to Enjoy Anytime
Preparing Quick and Easy Dishes for Two
Cooking for two can be both harder and easier than cooking just for yourself.
You have to consider the other person’s tastes and remember if he has
allergies, but your options are wider when cooking for two. Most recipes can
be made for two, and when you buy a larger quantity of ingredients, you may
save money.When cooking for two, medium-sized pots and pans work well. Use an 8- to
10-inch skillet and a 2-quart pot. If the pans are too small, the food may
take longer to cook and become chewy. If they’re too big, the food can be
overcooked and dry. As a rule of thumb, you want your protein to have at
least^1 ⁄ 2 inch of space between pieces. When sautéing veggies, your pan should
be no more than^2 ⁄ 3 full to keep food from spilling out.We made the following recipes for two people, but you can make them for
one and then have the leftovers at another meal to save you kitchen time.T Vegetable Soup
There’s nothing like a bowl of fresh homemade vegetable soup. This soup (shown in the
color section) is delicious and packed with vitamins, and it reheats well so you can
make a bigger batch and have leftovers. If you want to increase the protein and calories,
you can add some cooked chicken or beef.Stage: Soft foods
Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 serving (1^1 ⁄ 2 cup each)1 cup vegetable broth(^1) ⁄ 2 cup canned navy beans, drained and rinsed
(^1) ⁄ 4 cup fresh green beans cut in 1-inch pieces
(^1) ⁄ 4 cup thinly sliced fresh carrots
(^1) ⁄ 4 cup finely chopped cabbage
(^1) ⁄ 2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
(^1) ⁄ 4 teaspoon black pepper
(^1) ⁄ 4 teaspoon dried thyme
(^1) ⁄ 4 teaspoon dried basil
In a small pot add all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer
for 25 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 100 (From Fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 570mg; Carbohydrate 20g
(Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 6g; Sugar 3g.