Gals living alone- what to you like to cook for yourself?

[tricky]

I need some tips, I usually end up eating frozen meals, mac & cheese, rice & beans, or some other junk. I cook about once a week and it usually lasts me 2 days depending on what it is. Last time I cooked I baked some frozen salmon I got at TJ's and had salad with it. The week before that I made fajitas with chicken strips and peppers & onions. Sometimes I make spaghetti or penne with marinara or meat sauce.

So what do you do? Do you cook a few times a week? Or do you do something similar to what I do? What do you like to cook for yourself? Do you like to cook a lot of stuff all at once and freeze individual portions?

 

[nunu]

Hmm..I only have time to cook once a week. Mostly i live on frozen food and take aways! Bad i know but i can't help it!

I sometimes like to grill chicken breast and have it with roasted potatoes and vegetables. Sometimes i cook penne pasta with fried tuna mixed in bolognese sauce (yummy). I also have sandwiches (depending on what fillings i have) or baked potatoes. But yeah, frozen food is my companion most of the days when i don't have time to cook and want a quick bite.

 

[enjoybeingagirl]

I like to cook soup ... broccoli cheese or potato are my favorite. They are cheap to make, last a long time, and you can freeze them in individual servings to microwave later.

Now i'm hungry!

 

[frocher]

.........

 

[Krasevayadancer]

I love making stir frys and lettuce wraps (ground meat, veggies and sauce)

 

[Beauty Mark]

Stir fries, pesto with pasta, gorgonzola sauce, curries...

I usually have leftovers for a few meals that I eat that week. I think I make about 3-4 different things a week

 

[nunu]

you girls are making me hungry

 

[trollydolly]

when i lived on my own i mainly lived on pasta, backed potatoes and soup....carb central basically!

 

[melozburngr]

I like to make stuff that can be reheated easily, enchiladas, hamburger pie (sounds awful but is SO good), casseroles, etc.

 

[smellyocheese]

Toss a hearty salad!! i really like doing that. Basically my salad would consist of leafy vegetables, tomatoes, corn or peas (carbs!) with either flaked canned tuna or I just marinate some chicken breast in terriyaki sauce, grill it and cut them up to toss in the salad.

hot salads are fun too. I usually have aubergine, broccoli, tofu, beans, pumpkin all stir fried.

 

[boudoirblonde]

Ok, I dont live alone, but Im the only vegetarian, so I have to make all my own meals.

If I get home late from uni (3 nights a week) then Im usually lazy and pick up chinese/subway/some shitty microwave dinner

But things I love to wip up;
-fettucine alfredo (VERY easy!!)
-nachos - I know not healthy, but quick and YUMMY
-frozen "schnitzels" with mash and veggies
-pasta bakes (so quick, so easy, and they freeze really well!)

And yes, its great to make batches and freeze them. But some things just dont freeze well - eek

 

[coachkitten]

What a great thread! I tend to live on Lean Cuisines so this has been helpful!

 

[Paramnesia]

I always have problems when it comes to cooking for myself, I'm so uninspired and I have no appetite. Though I love baking, if it was up to me I'd be living off cakes, muffins, cookies, slices lol.

I'm actually sitting here now trying to decide what to have for tea.

 

[Beauty Mark]

I struggle to think of what I want, so I often look at sites like allrecipes.com or epicurious.com for ideas.

 

[Paramnesia]

Thanks for that, I soo need inspiration. I ended up cooking chicken, carrot, corn, mushrooms, capsicum and cheese stuffed in a pita pocket and baked. Oh so boring lol.

 

[blazeno.8]

I would usually make salad with homemade dressing which is surprisingly easy to make (especially since I actually use vinaigrette and not dressing). Other than that I cooked meat, beans, pasta, and soup. I usually eat veggies raw. I now have learned the value of oats.

One thing I really learned this year is how to take premade dips and cook with that. That way I don't need to add salt to anything and it spreads out the salt in the product. Try cooking chicken with your favorite salsa and toss in some lime for good measure. Serve it with black beans and rice and if you use a tortilla, you can also fill up on the bread before you eat the entire meal. If you have any left overs, you can put rice or pasta with the tomato sauce and it's good to go!

On a basic note for cooking from scratch, important vegetables for flavoring: celery, (unfortunately) onions, and sometimes garlic can make all the difference in the world.

 

[Temptasia]

I buy frozen veggies that are already cut up. Frozen cauliflower, broccoli, beans, and peas. I prefer fresh carrots. These would go in stir-frys, coconut chicken curry, or just steamed in the microwave.

Chicken thighs/drum sticks with a soya sauce and honey glaze baked in the oven is a easy and yummy choice.

I try to avoid pastas now...because they are brutal for the waistline.

I buy ready to eat bags of salad. I like to pick different salad mixes so it's not always the same boring iceburg lettuce. I love to add left over meat from last night's dinner to the salad. Like meatloaf or grilled chicken.

I love making coconut chicken curry. I portion it out over rice and put into individual food saver containers. In the morning, I just grab and go for my lunch.

 

[Willa]

I usually cook everyday

I make Risotto, pastas, grilled vegetables in the oven (very easy, you cut your favorite ones, with oil, garlic, provence herbs, 40 min at 400c).

Sometimes I buy frozen fish (blue water brand) and I eat rice + steamed veggies with it.

You can also buy the new steam bags to put in the microwave, but I am personnaly not for that because its garbage for no reason, and you can just cook them in a little water also in the microwave.

I also make sure to buy an easy meal like tofu spread with a piece of baguette bread, or some brie cheese...

I cut my lettuce in advance and put it in a bowl, in the fridge. Easy to make with any vinaigrette

just add cheese or some red bell pepper, sundried tomatoes...

Pasta is very versatile.
Here is my favorite one of the moment :

You cook your pastas
Cook or steam brocoli and cauliflower
Add it to the cooked pastas, with garlic, chives, pine nuts, sundried tomatos, paprika, salt and pepper and add parmesan to it. It taste like heaven!

 

[Lucy In The Sky...]

I LOVE to cook!
Soups are always good, I make this one vegetable soup that you could literally probably have like any time during the day as much as you want cause its nothing but vegetables (but adding barley makes it totally yummy). You could always try chicken pasta salad, it's good and there's enough to last a few days (without it getting gross).
Hmm I tend to make a lot of salmon with steamed rice and steamed vegetables
My favorite thing to make (wish I would do it more often, but it takes forever) is chicken with habanero, jalapeno, and bell peppers with mango salsa, brown rice and green beans. It's totally yummy.

My friend gets this magazine called the nest and I totally steal the recipes from there, cause they're really good ones. (she doesn't use em anyway haha) You should look into it, they have some that are real easy if you're pressed for time.

 

[breechan]

Wow great thread! Perhaps you guys could share some of these recipes.

I also live alone and often am frustrated with food. I'm also trying to watch what I eat as I'd like to lose that last 10 lbs. I live in Japan which brings a whole new set of hurdles in terms of ingredients, and freezer space.

I often make: 50% tofu 50% ground meat pan fried burgers

-mash up tofu and ground meat
-add a handful of finely grated cheese
-add a crushed up garlic clove or two
-a dash of steak spice
-a dash of hot sauce
-add a handful of chives or green onion
-add a handul or two of panko or breadcrumbs to get the right consistency.
-fry on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes per side

I then make a white wine reduction sauce by heating white wine with the meat juice, and adding some corn starch to thicken.

With this, I often have a shaved carrot salad.
-shave a carrot with a peeler
-top with a sauce made of 1 part soy sauce, 1 part rice vinegar (mirin), and a pinch of sesame oil. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

For breakfast, I have a new obsession. Instead of butter, or jam on my toast (hello empty calories!) I put some soft mascarpone cheese on top with a pinch of salt. It melts into the toast and is both delicious and calcium rich. It's less calories than if you had butter etc.

What I struggle the most is with veggies. I need to eat more of them for my health and regularity...but I'm just not that into them lol. Does anyone have any suggestions?