Ridiculously Easy 15-Minute Two Course Lunch

A quick tasty healthy meal, and why boys are like pasta water.

Stuffed Red Pepper Tuna Melt Salad

Blue Cheese and Pear “Salad” Pasta

So, speaking of the whole “I don’t have time” to cook or eat well thing.

People have this idea that cooking is this long, drawn out, elaborate process which involves spending hours and hours in the kitchen and dirtying tons of pots which are a pain in the ass to clean up later.  No wonder they don’t do it.

Well guess what? It’s totally not.

I mean, obviously, it can be.  But we’re not striving for Michelin stars on a daily basis here (or at least, I’m not).  Just trying to feed ourselves deliciously, healthily and in a reasonable amount of time.

Occasionally, I pull out all the stops and do the whole elaborate, multi-component meal that does involve lots of hours (sometimes all day).  But usually, I get home, pop open the fridge, and figure out what to do with what I’ve got in 30 minutes or less.  (Oh, god, I just conjured images of Rachel Ray, didn’t I? I’m so sorry.)

UPDATE: Ok, ok, I’m coming around on Rachel.

The “I’m Not Hungry” Lunch

Last night I went to an amazing bartender’s cocktail expo event which resulted in a little bit of overindulgence (I’m not flawless, people) and a really late, really big dinner.  Late for Spain, which is to say around midnight.  So I woke up this morning with no appetite, and as of 3 p.m. still had no desire to eat.

I am, however, pretty vehemently opposed to skipping meals.  It ruins your eating rhythm and makes you abnormally hungry at the wrong times, which can lead to snacking/unhealthy eating.  So I decided to whip up something light, but tasty that would made me feel like I had eaten without that icky bloated sensation you get from eating when you’re not hungry.

The result (as pictured) took literally seven minutes: heat olive oil in pan, slice some onions and zucchini, toss in garlic (skin-on is how I always saute it these days), a little salt and pepper, and voila.  Pop open can of high-quality Spanish tuna in olive oil (ventresca, the fatty part) and that’s it.  Yum!  And it cost less than 2 euros total to prepare.