Pasta and ChEEZE

I've never made anything like this before, and it turned out AMAZING!   I wasn't expecting it to be so delicious, and I didn't write any quantities down.  So, following is my best memory of what I did.  I highly recommend noodles made with lentils.  They taste good, they hold together, their flavour doesn't overwhelm dishes, and they make you feel really full.   I recommend you look for noodles that aren't mixed with rice, as we tend to get enough of that in our diet. 

Ingredients:

• One package of lentil and chickpea noodles (pictured below, purchased at Sobeys)
• A few large handfuls of snap peas
• One medium zucchini, sliced
• One third of a cup of home-made chicken broth
• About a third of a package of Daiya Cheddar Shreds
• Five large cloves of garlic, put through a garlic press
• About three tablespoons of nutritional yeast 

Instructions:

• Get a pot of water boiling, and then add the package of noodles, and stir it regularly while the noodles get soft
• Put the peas and zucchini in a large pan with the chicken broth on a medium-high heat.   Once it heats up, add the garlic.   Don't overcook, you're basically just warming the vegetables up
• Once, the noodles are done, drain them and add them to the large pan with the vegetables, the shreds, and the nutritional yeast.  Stir until the shreds melt and the broth has evaporated
• Add salt and pepper to taste

Chili (Leftovers)

I hesitated for quite some time about buying an Instant Pot.  I try not to fill my kitchen with electric gadgets that end up in landfills.   I seriously considered buying a stainless steel pressure cooker (to replace the aluminum one that was passed down in my family) instead (because it would last forever).   I finally decided it was worth it to combine a rice cooker, slow cooker, and pressure cooker in one device.   I WAS NOT WRONG!    It takes a little bit of work to get into the habit of using it, but then it makes life incredibly easy.  All the convenience of using a pressure cooker without any of the fear of a small explosion in your kitchen!   

For leftovers, I have a small collection of thermoses I choose from to carry them to work.  If I pre-warm the thermos with hot water, my lunch is always piping hot, even if I eat it late. 

For the chili, I used this recipe, with the following modifications: 

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped 
• 3 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water or chicken stock
• 2 15 oz cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions:

• Turn your Instant Pot to Saute. Add the olive oil. Add the meat and cook until browned, breaking up the beef as you stir.
• Add the squash, onion, and garlic, and cook for 3 more minutes or until softened.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper, brown sugar, bay leaves,  and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and beans and stir to combine. Press MANUAL or High Pressure on the instant pot and cook for 15 minutes. Allow the chili to natural release for 10 minutes.

Salmon and Carrot Salad

The neat thing about this meal, besides it being delicious, is that it is FODMAP-friendly.  

The salad was made with: 

• Arugula
• Raw Celery
• Canned salmon, warmed and seasoned
• Dressing made with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, a bit of mustard, salt, and pepper

AND

Carrot Fries!   I used this recipe, with the following modifications:
Ingredients:

• about four large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp dried dill weed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp chili powder

Instructions:

• Drizzle carrots with olive oil; then sprinkle the dill, salt, paprika, and chili powder. Toss & bake in air fryer on fry setting for 15 minutes or until crispy enough for you.