Living alone sometimes means having eggs for dinner four times a week, and instant noodles on the other days. But it doesn’t take long for one to get sick of eating the same things every time, and it’s also not very healthy. The problem is: most days there isn’t enough time, willpower or ingredients in the fridge for elaborated recipes.
If you are struggling with the lack of inspiration and creativity in the kitchen, here are 4 easy recipes for you to try:
- Moroccan couscous
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This first recipe is great for when you want to cook something fast and without making a mess in the kitchen. You will need a third of a cup of Moroccan couscous – a tiny and spherical yellow grain -, half a spoon of butter, half onion finely chopped and vegetables of your choice, already cooked and also cut in small pieces.
For starters, you should sautee the onions with a drizzle of olive oil, then add a third of a cup of water and let it boil. When the water is boiling, you will add the Moroccan couscous to it and stir for a few seconds. Let it set until all the water is absorbed. After the couscous absorbs the water, you will fluff it with a fork and add the butter while it’s still hot, then add the vegetables of your choice.
It also works well with shredded chicken, raisins and nuts. A great thing about this recipe is that you can eat it hot or cold, and it goes well with pretty much everything.
- Fish rolls
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Whenever you want to eat something that looks amazing, tastes great, and is ready in just a few minutes, this option is a good go-to. You will need two filets of white fish, 100mL of white wine, one garlic clove, one spoon of olive oil, and salt.
First cut the filet in half to make two thinner stripes, then roll them up to look like a snail, and secure it with a toothpick. After that, you should crush the garlic and place it into a wide pot with the fish rolls and the wine. Add water to cover up the fish and finish with a touch of olive oil and salt. Cover the pan and let it cook for around 10 minutes.
This fish works great with Moroccan couscous and boiled or baked vegetables.
- Cream cheese chicken
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This is a good option for days when you don’t want dishes to wash, but still want to cook something nice for dinner. You’ll need chicken breasts, an onion, two garlic cloves, green and red bell pepper, half a tablespoon of paprika, and of course, cream cheese.
You will start by chopping the onion, the garlic and the bell pepper, and cutting the chicken breast in four pieces. Then cook the chicken in olive oil for 3 minutes each side, and add the onion and bell pepper to cook for a few minutes. At last, add garlic and paprika, letting it cook for one minute.
After that, it’s time to deglaze the pan with half a cup of water, let it cook for a couple more minutes and then add the cream cheese, breaking it down to help it melt. Let it cook for five more minutes, stirring occasionally, and it’s ready to serve.
- Brigadeirão
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For dessert, we suggest brigadeirão, which is a recipe inspired by the famous Brazilian brigadeiro, made with sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder. For this amazing pudding-like alternative, you will need three eggs, one can of condensed milk and one of heavy cream, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a tablespoon of butter, three tablespoons of sugar, a cup of cocoa powder and sprinkles to decorate.
Since this recipe is cooked in the microwave, you will need a silicon fluted baking form that is microwave safe, and a blender to mix the ingredients.
To begin with, you should grease the baking form so your brigadeirão doesn’t stick. After that, you will add all the ingredients to the blender, and wait until it’s a uniform mixture. Then pour it into the silicon form and microwave it for six to eight minutes, wait until it cools and turn it out onto a serving plate, finishing with the sprinkles.
Brigadeirão is delicious after refrigerating, but even better if you reheat it for about 30 seconds before eating.
The article above was edited by Juliana Sanches.
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