Category: Lent
Zero Calorie “Nooodles” with Spicy Peanut Sauce… For One
| August 14, 2011 | Filled under Asian, Cooking For One, Lent, Light, Quick Weeknight Meals, Vegetarian or Vegan |
Shawn got a new job earlier this year. Its great, but his schedule kind of stinks and I’m on my own for dinner a few nights each week. At first it was kind of nice. Those nights give me the chance to make all of my favorites that he doesn’t really like. But it can also get kind of old. Cooking just isn’t as much fun when there’s no one to share the completed meal with, and a lot of nights I end up eating something fast and simple like pasta or eggs.
In an effort to motivate myself to cook real meals even on nights where I’m alone, I’m going to try something new: a “Cooking for One” series here on Healthy. Delicious. featuring the meals that I cook for myself. These pared-down recipes will be super simple, quick to make, and full of the bold flavors that you expect to find in my recipes. Some of the recipes might make enough for leftovers, but none will be more than a single person can eat in a 24 hour period. (Of course, you can always double or triple these recipes if you want to feed a larger group with minimal effort!) For now, I’m planning on dedicating the first Sunday of each month to this series. We’ll see how it goes!
Shaved Asparagus Salad with Bacon & Havarti
| June 6, 2011 | Filled under Breads, Cooking For One, Lent, Light, Quick Weeknight Meals, Salads, Vegetarian or Vegan |
This simple shaved asparagus salad is one of my favorite meals lately – I’ve been making it about once a week and I never seem to get tired of it!
The first time I made this dish, I had actually planned to use the ingredients in a croque madame inspired asparagus tart. However, looking at the delicate spring asparagus, it seemed like a shame to subject them to the long roasting time required by that recipe. I had seen shaved asparagus salads before and figured that I’d give that a try instead. I’m so glad that I did! Shaving the asparagus into thin ribbons and cooking it just long enough to make it tender is the perfect way to highlight asparagus at the peak of its season. Combined with salty bacon, buttery cheese, and a quick vinaigrette makes this some of the best asparagus you’ve ever tasted.
Shaved Asparagus Salad with Bacon & Havarti
Prep time: 10 minutes, Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 Servings
- 4 slices Bacon, thick-sliced Applewood is recommended
- 1 Lb. Asparagus
- 2 ounces Havarti (regular or light), shredded
- 2 Tbs Olive Oil
- 3 Tbs Tarragon or White Wine Vinegar, divided
- 1 Tbs Dijon Mustard
- 2-4 Eggs
- Salt and Pepper
Add the bacon to a large pan set over low-medium heat and cook until crispy. Bring a large, deep skillet full of water to a boil.
While the bacon is coking, use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus into paper-thin ribbons (I get about 6-8 ribbons per stalk). Submerge the asparagus ribbons into the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Reduce heat under the water to bring it down to 190 degrees — the water will steam and may move around a little in the pan, but it won’t quite be to a boil. Add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to the water. Gently crack in the eggs, working in batches if needed to prevent to eggs from crowding the pan. Let the eggs poach for 4 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.
In a small dish, whisk together the olive oil, remaining vinegar, and mustard. Crumble the bacon. Combine the asparagus, bacon, and cheese in a large bowl and coat with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the asparagus salad between two plates and top with the poached eggs.
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