The Weekly 5: 30ish-minute dinners
Miso noodles, polenta cakes, chickpea curry + more
Hi friends!
We flew back into New York last night, after almost two weeks of driving through the Southwest. I’ll write more about the roadtrip in next month’s Baguette Gazette, so stay tuned. (I’m also currently extremely exhausted so apologies for any typos in advance.)
We stayed in seven hotels/Airbnb’s in the span of 10 days, living out of carryons and eating whatever was within reach. I’m definitely going to need a few days to regroup, readjust to my regular schedule, and remember how to cook again.
As lovely as it was not being responsible for dinner prep every night, I still do prefer home cooking to anything else. Restaurant/takeout food is awesome in its own right, but eating it doesn’t “feel” the same. Even when the best ingredients and healthiest cooking techniques are used, the only way I know to describe it is that its “energy” is off.
Maybe because we don’t know who prepared it and with what intentions. Maybe because we didn’t handle the ingredients, or because we missed out on witnessing the evolution of the meal (smelling the sautéed onions, watching the tomato sauce simmer, tasting as we go, etc.).
One of our Airbnb’s had a fully equipped (and extremely cute) kitchen, so we made a quick dinner using what we got at the nearby Trader Joe’s. We shopped very minimally, as we were checking out the next day and would have to leave any leftover ingredients behind. We ended up with stir-fried noodles, roasted broccoli, garlicky bok choy, and peanut sauce. It was a really simple meal we threw together while exhausted and drinking wine, but the food “felt” great.
Taking inspiration from that, this week’s dinner roundup is dedicated to the simple meals I’ll be making to ease back into regular life.
1. Chickpea Spinach Curry
A one-pot, silky curry with coconut milk, lemon, and Indian spices. Bonus: the only chopping you have to do is onions and garlic.
2. Polenta Cakes with Creamy Mushrooms
A TNB reader favorite, this meal takes help from the store in the form of pre-cooked tube polenta (you can get it at Trader Joe’s for just $2).
3. Peanut Tofu Stir-Fry
Cubed tofu with peppers, onions, and creamy peanut sauce. Great alongside rice and/or sautéed greens.
4. Peanut-Miso Noodles
Inspired by a classic Deliciously Ella recipe, these noodles are coated in a creamy miso sauce, along with shiitake mushrooms and edamame. One of my all-time favorite comfort foods.
5. Creamy Tomato Beans
Super savory, creamy cannellini beans - made entirely with pantry staples.
Planning to make one of these? Tell me how it goes in the comments section or tag me with your creation on Instagram.