Mashed Potato Bowl

June 22, 2022

Build a mashed potatoes bowl by adding leftovers you already have on hand. This is a great way to clear out the fridge and use up items on their last legs. Food waste is bad, mkay?

Vegetables

Steamable vegetables like corn, spinach, or broccoli are easiest, whether fresh or frozen. Just pop them into the microwave until desired tenderness is reached.

For fresh vegetables that release a lot of liquid, like onions, mushrooms or bell peppers, you can roast them in the oven or give them some heat on the stovetop, first.

The mashed potatoes themselves can also be microwaved. Add a little bit of liquid (water, milk, or cream) to keep them from drying out too much, if that’s a concern.

Protein

Bulk up your bowl with whatever meat or beans you have on hand, whether that’s chapli kabab, chicken tenders, deli meat, or leftover lentils.

If adding meat, I’d avoid heating it in the microwave, since I hate the taste of microwaved meat. Either heat it separately via another method (stovetop, oven, toaster oven or airfryer), or simply bury it under the piping hot vegetables for a few minutes to warm up.

Toppings

Mix everything up and add gravy or cream sauce to keep things from getting too dry. Other toppings include jams or jellies for a bit of sweetness, chutneys for a chatpata kick, or your favorite hot sauce.

Other suggestions include cheese, fresh herbs, fresh cracked black pepper. Use what you have.

Mains // Meal Ideas // Microwave

american ○ comfort food ○ fusion ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ quick

Dumpling Soup

November 25, 2021

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

Amount	Ingredient
¼ tsp	oil, sesame
½ tsp	garglic chili paste
1 tsp	ginger paste
1 tsp	garlic, minced
1 tsp	Better than Bouillon no-chicken base
1 cup	water
4 pieces	frozen wontons
2 T	carrots, shredded
½	green onion
1	mushroom, crimini, chopped
1½ tsp	hoisin sauce
2 tsp	ponzu sauce

Process

In a small pot, bloom the ginger, garlic, chili paste, and chicken base in oil for 1 minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until dumplings are warmed through and carrots are soft, about 3-5 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 120

Notes

Can substitute 1 cup of vegetable broth or use vegetable base instead of the chicken base + water, I use the no-chicken version since the chicken one isn’t halal
Any flavor of frozen wontons will work
Can add chicken or other protein to it; probably easiest to use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken and just let it warm through with all the other ingredients

Recipe // Soup // Stovetop

asian ○ calories calculated ○ comfort food ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ quick ○ vegetarian

Kichri

November 25, 2021
Both Instant Pot and stovetop instructions are included. I prefer the IP, as it’s faster and more hands-free.

Ingredients

Amount Ingredient
2 cups rice, basmati
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
¼ cup oil
1 T cumin seeds
1¼ tsp salt, to taste
½ tsp black pepper (optional)

Process

Instant Pot
1. Wash the rice and lentils (same bowl is fine), soak for up to 30 minutes (soaking is optional)
2. Place all ingredients in IP, close lid and seal.
```
Pressure: High
Time: 7 minutes
Release: 10 minutes natural
```
1. Fluff rice carefully before serving.
Stovetop
1. Wash rice and lentils together and add to a heavy-bottomed pot along with the listed amount of water and black pepper
2. Boil until 80% done (or until there’s just enough water left for “dam,” which is to finish cooking something via steaming)
3. Add oil and cumin seeds, stir to distribute and set pot to dam/steam
4. Once finished, fluff rice and serve.
Notes
- Stovetop will generally require double the amount of water vs the instant pot method
- Increase oil for a more moist kichri (recipe as listed is slightly dry).
- Pairs really well with achar (spicy pickles packed in oil)
- Salt is the main flavor component, so make sure it’s adequately salted. Start with 1 tsp per the recipe and adjust to your tastes.
Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe

comfort food ○ desi ○ dump and go ○ low effort ○ mom’s recipe ○ pakistani ○ pantry ingredients ○ photo ○ quick ○ rice ○ vegetarian

Amount	Ingredient
2 cups	rice, basmati
2 cups	water
1 cup	red lentils (masoor dal)
¼ cup	oil
1 T	cumin seeds
1¼ tsp	salt, to taste
½ tsp	black pepper (optional)

Light Vegetable Soup

June 5, 2020

Credits

Recipe adapted from Spend with Pennies.

Ingredients

Makes 1 6qt Instant Pot FULL

Amount	Ingredient
1,360g	water
50g	vegetable base^*
160g	onion, small, diced
28oz	tomatoes, diced
225g	cabbage, chopped
350g	broccoli florets
300g	zucchini, sliced
300g	bell peppers, chopped
60g	celery, diced
60g	carrots, diced
28g	tomato paste
1 tsp	garlic
½ tsp	salt
½ tsp	thyme, dried
½ tsp	basil, dried
2	bay leaves
to taste	black pepper

^*I use Better Than Bouillon

Process

add all ingredients to pressure cooker

Pressure: high
Time: 6 minutes
Release: natural

Nutrition

Yields: 3,655g soup

Calories

Total: 650
Per 100g: 18

Notes

this makes a LOT of soup! The instant pot is almost completely full, so if you don’t think you’ll eat that much or can’t freeze the leftovers adequately, half the recipe by halving all the ingredients. Pressure cooking time will remain the same!
adjust salt/seasonings to your preferences
the recipe is pretty forgiving, so use vegetables that you have on hand or leave out what you don’t like

Instant Pot // Recipe // Soup

better than takeout ○ calories calculated ○ comfort food ○ dump and go ○ photo ○ vegetarian

Potato Leek Soup

April 5, 2020

Credits

Recipe adapted from Cooking Carnival.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredient
28g	butter
25g	celery, diced
1	bay leaf
2 tsp	garlic
270g	leeks, greens removed
540g	potatoes, Yukon Gold
3½ cups	water
21g	vegetable base^*
1 tsp	thyme, dried
½ cup	heavy cream
~½ tsp	MSG
½ tsp	salt
to taste	black pepper, fresh cracked

^*I use Better Than Bouillon

Process

chop and wash leeks, set aside

Mode: sauté

melt butter in pressure cooker, add celery, bay leaf, garlic; sauté
peel and rough chop potatoes
add leeks, potatoes, water, vegetable base, thyme into pressure cooker

Pressure: high
Time: 7 minutes
Release: natural release

discard bay leaf, blend using immersion blender until smooth
add heavy cream, MSG, salt and pepper

Nutrition

Yields: 1,974g soup
Calories: 1,216 total, 62 per 100g

Notes

leeks must be washed multiple times and only AFTER cutting to remove all dirt and grit
can substitute stock base and water for 3½ cups vegetable stock

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Instant Pot // Recipe // Soup

better than takeout ○ calories calculated ○ comfort food ○ freezer friendly ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ quick ○ vegetarian

Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 16, 2016
Credits

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Ingredients

amount ingredient
280g flour, all purpose
1 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
170g butter, unsalted, melted
35g molasses^*
200g sugar
1 whole + 1 yolk large eggs, room temp
180g chocolate chips, semi-sweet
^*see notes for brown sugar usage/substitution

Process
1. Large bowl, whisk: flour, baking soda, cornstarch, salt
2. Medium bowl, whisk butter, brown sugar, sugar until no lumps; whisk in egg, then egg yolk. Whisk in vanilla
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mix
4. Fold in chocolate chips
5. Cover + chill for up to 3 days
6. Remove dough from fridge, let sit 10 minutes
```
Preheat oven: 325º F
```
1. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mat
2. Roll dough into balls 2 or 3 tablespoons each, roll taller than wide; ~8 balls per sheet
```
Bake Time: 10 minutes for 2 T cookies; 13 minutes for 3 T cookies
```
1. Allow to cool on silicone mat, 10 minutes
2. Transfer to wire rack to finish cooling
Nutrition

Yields: 16 or 24 cookies

Calories

whole recipe: 4,156
per 3 T cookie: 260
per 2 T cookie: 173 per

Notes

Brown sugar is just regular sugar with molasses added back into it after the refinement process. If you don’t have molasses on hand, you can just use brown sugar instead (135g of it) and reduce the regular sugar down to 100g.

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.
Oven // Recipe // Sweets

american ○ baking ○ better than takeout ○ calories calculated ○ comfort food ○ cookies ○ freezer friendly ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ quick ○ vegetarian

amount	ingredient
280g	flour, all purpose
1 tsp	baking soda
1½ tsp	cornstarch
½ tsp	salt
170g	butter, unsalted, melted
35g	molasses^*
200g	sugar
1 whole + 1 yolk	large eggs, room temp
180g	chocolate chips, semi-sweet

Vegetables

Protein

Toppings

Ingredients

Process

Nutrition

Notes

Ingredients

Process

Instant Pot

Stovetop

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Nutrition

Calories

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Nutrition

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Nutrition

Calories

Notes