Being a picky pescatarian is hard, especially having an NYC apartment kitchen. My kitchen can fit two people max. On top of that, the counter space is limited, so making meals can be a hassle. Juggling between preparing food on the stove tops and counters, moving between the pantry and refrigerator, while also having to wash dishes to make room is a tiring project. But living off mac-n-cheese, pasta, and ramen doesn’t exactly make me feel great either. So here are a few (relatively) easy meals I have made this past month:
- Shrimp Tacos (favorite)
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What to Buy: pre-peeled and cooked shrimp (cuts preparation time down significantly), tortillas, cole slaw, pico, beans and corn salsa (I get mine from 55 Fulton St.), mayonnaise, cilantro, lime, cajun, garlic, and chipotle powder
Prep Work:
- Shrimp: dethaw the shrimp under cool water for about 20-30 minutes; when done dethawing season with minced garlic, cajun seasoning, salt, and cilantro; throw some oil on a pan and heat for a second before putting on shrimp, then cook on medium for two minutes (ish) on each side or until pink
- Coleslaw: put coleslaw into a bowl and throw in some minced garlic, mayonnaise (or Greek Yogurt), cilantro, lime juice, and salt
- Chipotle Aioli: put however much mayonnaise into a bowl and add chipotle powder (or smoked paprika and ancho chile powder) until it looks orange
Putting the Taco Together:
- Heat tortilla on stove/microwave/oven (whatever works), add pico, bean and corn salsa mixture, coleslaw, cooked shrimp, chipotle aioli, and cilantro
- Beyond Burger
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What to Buy: any type of veggie burger, bun, coleslaw, mayonnaise, smoked paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and chipotle powder (I feel like veggie burgers are usually already pretty salty, but that’s just my opinion so add salt if you so please)
Prep Work:
- Burger: season with paprika, garlic powder, and pepper, then put on the stove with olive oil for a few minutes (depending on the burger) on each side until it looks done
- Chipotle Aioli: put however much mayonnaise into a bowl and add chipotle powder (or smoked paprika and ancho chile powder) until it looks orange
- Coleslaw: put coleslaw into a bowl and throw in some minced garlic, mayonnaise (or Greek Yogurt), cilantro, lime juice, and salt
Putting it Together: throw it all on a toasted bun
This is easiest to make right after making the shrimp tacos because some of the ingredients are the same (the only reason I discovered this was good was that I had leftovers and I am a broke college student/groceries are expensive)
- Falafel Bowl
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What to Buy: Trader Joe’s Falafel Mixture, rice, quinoa, arugula, tzatziki dip (I use the vegan one from Trader Joe’s), hummus, chickpeas, and red onions
Prep Work:
- Falafel: follow instructions on the side of the box (put the mixture in a bowl with water and let sit for 30-60 minutes); I used an air fryer to cook the falafel for 11 minutes at 350 degrees on top of tin foil, but baking instructions are also on the box
- Rice & Quinoa: I use a rice cooker from Amazon; put one cup of water per washed rice into the cooker for 16-20 minutes and stirred occasionally. Repeat this process with the quinoa but with a half cup of water per one cup of quinoa
Putting it Together:
- Once everything is made, put it all into a bowl and top it off with a dressing of choice (shrug goes well, but is a little too much work for me)
- Shrimp and Fried Rice
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What to Buy: Trader Joe’s Fried Rice Mix, General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce, and pre-peeled and cooked shrimp
Prep Work:
- Shrimp: dethaw the shrimp under cool water for about 20-30 minutes; when done dethawing season with minced garlic, cajun seasoning, salt, and cilantro; throw some oil on a pan and heat for a second before putting on shrimp, then cook on medium for two minutes (ish) on each side on until pink
- Fried Rice: literally just throw it in a pan with a little vegetable oil and cook for about 5 minutes on low heat
Putting it Together: that’s it…just put the shrimp on the rice and add some stir fry sauce or teriyaki sauce
- Zoodles
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What to Buy: zucchini noodles (AKA zoodles), any tomato sauce or other pasta sauce
Putting it together: heat pasta sauce on the stove with olive oil for a few minutes, and add in zoodles for about 3 minutes
Optional: add in proteins or other vegetables like peas
I love making zoodles; they are really easy and very low-carb for those looking for a lighter or gluten-free pasta alternative. The reason I say to put the pasta sauce on the stove and then add in the zoodles is that I like to heat up the zoodles in the sauce so it absorbs the flavor a bit, but not too much that they become soggy.
Each of these recipes are comparatively cheap (rather than going out to dinner) and easy to make. I find that many markets around the city will charge much more for pre-cut veggies or pre-made ingredients (I’m lazy and cut out things if I could buy them for a good price instead), but Trader Joe’s has a lot of healthy, inexpensive, and easy ingredients or pre-made meals. Flea markets are also a great option for getting local fruits, veggies, and other things like jam, honey, dressings, hot sauce, etc. One that I like is the Greenmarket at Union Square on Saturdays.