No Mayo Healthy Cole Slaw Recipe for One

I like cabbage, and cole slaw, but most of the recipes are too heavy and have too much mayo. I feel as if I’m eating mayo, rather than cabbage. This no mayo healthy cole slaw recipe is different. It’s healthy and has no mayo at all.

I was at The Second Avenue Deli, which is a restaurant that specializes in food that is definitely not healthy:  fried pierogies, chopped liver, and enormous pastrami and corned beef sandwiches.  But, before you get your main dish, they plop down a big bowl of pickles and another of their “health salad.”  The salad is delicious! And no mayo.

The next day, I found a recipe, which I have adapted. I reduced the servings and made a few substitutions and changes.

Delicious! And it’s easy too.  It’s great as a side dish with a turkey sandwich (or on top of one), or along with a hot dog.  Or, pastrami, of course. Because mayo and pastrami is a shonda (a terrible disgrace, especially in public).




 

Substitutions and Variations for No Mayo Healthy Cole Slaw Recipe

  • Use green cabbage (which is what the original recipe said)
  • Make it with green pepper (again the original recipe)
  • Add some cucumber
  • Try apple cider vinegar
  • Make it Asian with rice vinegar, soy sauce. and sesame oil

More  Cabbage Recipes

 

chinese chicken noodle cabbage soupChinese Chicken Noodle Cabbage Soup for One Person

Aromatic and flavorful with garlic, spicy chili, and a hint of sweetness from honey, this Chinese chicken noodle cabbage soup tastes good and knocks out germs too.

 

creole cabbage and sausageQuick Creole Cabbage and Sausage

Knock out dinner in minutes with this quick recipe.  Spicy, fragrant, and super easy too.

 

stuffed cabbageSmall Batch Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Stuffed cabbage is delicious, but those rolls are too much work. So skip them and layer it instead (like lasagne).

 

Asian chicken salad with cabbageAsian Chicken Salad with Cabbage

Fresh, crispy, and colorful. Just chop, add cooked chicken, and mix it all together with an Asian-inspired dressing.

 




Chicken with Peaches and Ginger

I adapted this chicken with peaches and ginger recipe from The New York Times. It’s a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors and I haven’t tinkered with the ingredients very much.

On the other hand, the preparation and cooking instructions were a problem. The original recipe called for slicing up the chicken thighs into strips, then baking it at high temperature for 20 minutes. I did that the first time I made this and ended up with dry chicken!

The instructions also said to use hard peaches, because unripe peaches are easier to handle and cut up. They probably are, but they’re not as juicy and they don’t taste as nearly as good.

So, I changed the baking time and temperature and swapped hard peaches for ripe ones.

I have used both sherry and brandy for this recipe (though I think the sherry is better). The brandy is sweeter, so it’s a better option if your peaches aren’t as sweet as they should be.  You could also use Cointreau if you have some. I don’t drink enough of any of those to make it worth getting a large bottle, so I get the airline size bottles or at least the smallest bottle I can find.

The revised recipe takes a bit longer, but it’s easy to put together, and doesn’t require a lot of stirring or cutting or steps to make. Just mix up the cut peaches, basil, garlic, brandy, and oil, pour the mixture over the chicken, and throw the whole thing in the oven for an hour.

Make some rice to go with it on the side and maybe some green beans and you’ve got a great, easy dinner.  It’s also easy to scale this up for company.




More Chicken Thigh Recipes for One Person

chicken with tomatoes and olivesChicken with Olives and Tomatoes for One

A Jewish recipe from North Africa (yes really).  A bit more zesty than you might expect, with salty olives, sharp garlic, and a rich tomato sauce.

 

chicken mango stir fryQuick Chicken Mango Stir Fry

An Asian-inspired tangle of bright, crispy veggies with the sweetness of mango. Ready in minutes.

 

Vietnamese baked chicken with limeVietnamese Baked Chicken with Lime

Garlic, ginger, and a dash of chili garlic sauce add heat, softened by the sweet citrusy lime. Mix together a marinade, let it sit, and then bake.

 

crispy lemon chicken thighCrispy Lemon Chicken Thigh Recipe for One

A bit like fried chicken, without any frying.  It’s sweet, crispy, and great either hot or cold.

 




How to Easily Open a Tight Jar

Trying to open a tight jar can be a real pain.  I’ve seen a lot of fancy gadgets and dubious tips for opening tight lids, but there’s an easy way to do this.  And, you don’t need to go out and buy anything either: no neoprene, no appliances.

All you need is something you probably already have in your kitchen: the humble bottle opener.

My grandma taught me to do this long ago, and it works easily every time, no matter how tight the lid.




Easily Open a Tight Jar in Three Easy Steps

First take a bottle opener and slide it under the lid of the jar (see photo below)

open tight jar

 

Then, push down on the handle of the bottle opener, pushing up the pointed end (sort of like the downward motion of a see-saw).  This will break the vacuum seal and loosen the lid.

open tight jar

Once the seal is broken, you should be able to open the jar easily.  If it’s still stuck, turn the jar around and repeat the process on the other side.

open tight har

 

More Kitchen Organization Hacks and Tips

kitchen hack oxo peelerKitchen Organization Hack: Oxo Peeler

Have trouble finding smaller tools in your giant utensil holder? Here’s a way to fix that. It’s easy.

 

small kitchen storageSmall Kitchen Storage Ideas: How to Store Everything You Need to Cook in a Tiny Kitchen

This is my kitchen. It’s tiny. I call it the “one butt” kitchen.  I still need to cook in it, and store everything I need to do that. Here’s how.

 

separate a head of garlic

Easily Break Apart a Head of Garlic

Separating cloves of garlic can be a real pain.  But there’s a trick that lets you do it easily. No special tools needed.

 


soaking beansQuick Soak Bean Method

Ever want to make beans and forget to soak them overnight?  No problem. There’s a faster way to do it that doesn’t take hours.  Just try my quick soak method instead.

 




Pasta alla Norma with Eggplant

Summer is now in full force, and I got some lovely tomatoes and eggplant from the Greenmarket, as well as fresh pasta and fresh mozzarella cheese from the Italian market. Inspiration struck, and I thought I’d put them together to make pasta alla norma (pasta with eggplant) and add a caprese salad.

Caprese salad is simply fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, and basil leaves. It’s an easy summer side dish that requires no cooking at all.

Pasta alla norma is  slightly spicy pasta with fresh eggplant, and tomato sauce, topped with manchego cheese. This is a great meal when you’re in a hurry, as it’s pretty easy to throw together.

And, since we’re only making one serving (and using tomato sauce instead of the original whole tomatoes, the cooking time is cut from nearly an hour to about 25 minutes. If you don’t have tomato sauce, use canned crushed tomatoes and add garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and dried oregano to get the same effect.

The original recipe (from the New York Times) called for lots and lots of olive oil.  I think the term they used was “abundant” olive oil.  I love olive oil, but so does eggplant. It just slurps it up! However, I found that by cooking the eggplant on a low flame, it used a lot less olive than it would otherwise.

If you’re really concerned about the oil, you can drizzle the eggplant with it, and then roast it at 400 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.




 

Caprese Salad

This is so simple, it’s hardly a recipe at all.  Just layer slices of fresh tomato, fresh unsalted mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves.  Top with a generous drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Skip the sat if you get salted mozzarella (unless you prefer salty food).

More Eggplant Recipes

vegetarian eggplant sandwichVegetarian Eggplant Sandwich for One Person

Transform a side dish salad into a full meal in minutes. This sandwich starts with Israeli salad and builds layers of flavor from eggplant, hummus, and an egg.


eggplant parmesan for oneEggplant Parmesan

This was a favorite treat as a child: tender eggplant, gooey cheese, and a rich, flavorful tomato sauce.  And yes, this is one serving!

 

rosemary olive oil broiled eggplantRosemary Olive Oil Broiled Eggplant

Velvety and creamy (but super easy) eggplant infused with olive oil and dusted with rosemary and parmesan cheese.

 

moussaka without bechamelMoussaka Without Bechamel Sauce Recipe

I love moussaka, but the standard recipe is just too much work. This one is easier (no bechamel), but still full of flavor from spicy/warm cinnamon and nutmeg, tender eggplant, ground beef, and tomatoes.




Red Lentil Carrot Soup

It’s getting chilly outside, so that means it’s time to start making soup.  I spotted a bag of red lentils in Trader Joe’s, and just had to have them.  The nice thing about lentils is that they cook fairly quickly.  So, you can have delicious red lentil carrot soup in about an hour, without having to wait for beans to soak.

The lentils do need to be rinsed, but that only takes a minute.

Now that I had my lentils, it was time to find a recipe.  I looked at several red lentil carrot soup recipes, and didn’t like any of them.  Also, reading the reviews it sounded like the ones I did find needed some tweaking.  I ended up combining two different recipes, and adjusting them based on the comments.

While this isn’t one serving, I did cut the original recipes in half because I didn’t want 8 servings of soup (no room in the freezer).  This recipe makes 3-4 servings, depending on whether you have the soup as a main course or a side dish. Adding the rice will make it more filling.

The resulting red lentil carrot soup recipe has cumin for earthiness, a bit of red pepper flakes for heat, plus garam masala and ginger for warm spiciness.

Update: I came across still another recipe, which was for masoor dal (red lentils) as a side dish, and decided that with a bit of tweaking, it would make a wonderful, flavorful soup.  It was, and it was even better than my original recipe. So, I’ve now ditched the curry, and added ginger for warm spiciness and turmeric for color.




More Lentil Soup Recipes

moroccan chicken soupMoroccan Chicken and Lentil Soup

Believe it or not, this is Jewish food (no bagels in sight).  It’s usually made with lamb, but I used chicken, then flavored it with sharp/sweet ginger and turmeric.

 

lentil bean sausage soupLentil Bean Sausage Soup

This lentil soup has both beans and sausage. A hearty meal all by itself.  Perfect for chilly weather.

 

mulligatawny soupMulligatawny Soup Recipe

East meets west in this fusion soup.  Britain added meat and the Tamils brought the heat.

Note this is usually made with red lentils, but rice works too.

ham and lentil soupEasy Ham and Lentil Soup for One Person

Comforting soup in  just a single pot.  All you have to do is chop some veggies, add the ham, and let it simmer while the smell of delicious soup wafts through your home.

 




Compound Butter Cheeseburger

It was National Cheeseburger Day a few weeks ago.  Somehow, I managed to miss it, but celebrating with a compound butter cheeseburger is something you can do any day.  Who needs a holiday?

Compound butter is just a fancy way of saying that you take butter, soften it a bit, and then add other ingredients. Mix them all together and you have compound butter. Once you’ve got that, you add it to your ground beef, form your burger, and start cooking.

There are two good reasons to use compound butters.  The first reason is that it adds extra flavor. And, you can change the flavors by adding different ingredients to the butter (lemon, parsley and garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, a dash of cayenne, hot sauce, whatever you like).

The second reason is that it keeps your burger moist and delicious.  It won’t dry out as much if you overcook it a bit.

It’s pretty easy to do and fun to play with.

I served it on a fresh potato roll, but you can use a standard burger bun or a kaiser roll,  or even an English muffin if you prefer.




Compound Butter Cheeseburger Substitutions and Variations

  • I’ve used garlic, basil, and tarragon in my compound butter, but you can use any herbs you like.
  • Or, you can kick it up a notch with some cayenne or sriracha.
  • Replace the garlic with a few sun dried tomatoes.
  • Make a quick aioli (mayonnaise, garlic, salt, pepper, a splash of olive oil, and a bit of lemon juice), or add crisp bacon.

More Recipes with Ground Beef

white ragu papardelle

White Ragu Pappardelle Pasta for One

A fresh take on the usual pasta sauce, this one has white wine, sausage, and ground beef (not a tomato in sight).

Make it with fresh pasta for a real treat.

 

sloppy joes one person recipeSloppy Joe Recipe for One Person

A classic sandwich given a bit of a new twist. The tomato sauce is updated with sriracha. That elevates the flavor, gives it more kick, and modernizes an old favorite.

 

easy Italian meatballs for oneEasy Italian Meatball Recipe for One

Classic Italian meatballs, in a portion downsized for one person.  Use them in spaghetti, eat them on their own, or add them to soup.

 

easy Italian wedding soupEasy Italian Wedding Soup

Got meatballs? Add them to this soup and have a meal in minutes. You just need a few more ingredients, heat it up, and you’re done.

 




Salmon with Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce

Salmon with Greek yogurt dill sauce is a great combination.  The piquancy of the Greek yogurt complements the rich flavor of the fish beautifully. A pinch of mustard gives it a bit of a bite, without overwhelming the rest of the dish.

The other great thing about this dinner is that it’s quick and easy to make.  Just mix a few simple ingredients for the sauce (which uses ingredients you probably already have, so no need for a special trip to the grocery store), season the salmon, and put the fish in the oven while the sauce flavors combine.

I’ve written the recipe for a toaster oven (since I don’t want to heat up the whole apartment), but you can make this in a standard oven too. Or, if you’re really pressed for time (or very hungry), you can cook it in your microwave.  If you do, once the sauce is made and the fish is seasoned, you can have dinner in 6 minutes.

One of the great things about this salmon with Greek yogurt dill sauce is that it’s a quick meal that looks (and tastes) like you cooked for hours. And, it’s easy to scale this up and serve it when you have company.

If you have the time, do let the sauce sit for a while before you cook everything else.  It really does improve the flavor.

I served the salmon with some jasmine rice (which is my new favorite rice), the rest of the cucumber I used for the sauce (fresh from the farmer’s market), and some beautiful, ripe Jersey tomatoes.

It’s a great summer meal because it’s light, doesn’t require a lot of fussing, and it’s ready in a few minutes. And, since you’re cooking the dish in foil, there’s one less thing to wash when you’re finished (which is always a bonus, as far as I’m concerned).




More Salmon and Fish Recipes

salmon in foil packet with potatoesSalmon in Foil Packet with Potatoes

Zesty citrus, sweet tomatoes, and a bit of mellowed onion create a flavorful and aromatic dinner all in a single package. Plus, the foil keeps the salmon moist.

 

Smoked Salmon Pasta with Tomato Cream Saucesmoked salmon pasta with tomato cream sauce

Pasta with a creamy, velvety tomato sauce that’s elegant enough for company (though you’ll probably want to keep it for yourself). Use smoked salmon or leftover cooked salmon.

fish fillet with yogurt sauceIndian Fish Fillet in Yogurt Sauce

Maybe ten minutes of prep, but plenty of flavor from onion, garam masala, and a creamy yogurt sauce. Just put it together and bake.

 

pan-fried tilapia with lemon butter saucePan-Fried Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce

A touch of mustard and plenty of lemon add zest to this easy fish dinner. Just season and pan fry.

 




Easy Lentils and Rice Recipe

I had a partial bag of lentils leftover from making lamb and lentil soup some months ago, and decided they’d make a good fairly last minute dinner. Unlike beans, lentils don’t have to be soaked, so you can make them quickly.

Lentils and rice go together just as well as beans and rice, plus when you put them together you’ve got a complete protein. My mom always stressed this when I was a kid; it makes me laugh now. It’s a fairly quick, tasty dinner and it’s also pretty budget-friendly.

I looked at several other lentils and rice recipes and didn’t like any of them. Some were too bland and simplistic, while others involved way too much work and some hard-to-find ingredients.

I try to keep my recipes tasty, but not complicated (and with ingredients that are readily available).  So, I did a bit of fudging, combining, and tweaking to get the results I wanted.

 

This lentils and rice recipe is fairly easy to prepare, and features a surprise ingredient you may not expect. It is, admittedly, not going to win awards for looks, but it did taste good!




Lentils and Rice Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • If you have the time, start by caramelizing the onions first; you’ll get a deeper, richer flavor
  • Make it Lebanese with the caramelized onions, a fried egg, and cumin (full recipe)
  • Or, go to Ethiopia with some cardamom, tomatoes, cumin, and red lentils (instead of brown)

More Easy Lentil Recipes

red lentil carrot soup

Red Lentil Carrot Soup

Carrots add sweetness, while the garlic, ginger, and garam masala add warm earthy spice.  For heat, add red pepper flakes (or if you really like spicy food, go for red chili peppers).

Spicyspicy lamb and lentils Lamb and Lentils

Fragrant with cumin and garlic, and just a smidgen of heat from red pepper flakes. This meal is largely pantry and fridge staples, and takes only a few minutes to make.

 

lamb and lentil soupLamb and Lentil Soup Recipe

Exactly one portion of soup. Made with leftover lamb, this is hearty and filling. Great for changeable weather. I used lamb broth (since I had it). Beef broth will work too.

 

Easy Haham and lentil soupm and Lentil Soup for One Person

Ham and lentil is, of course, a classic combination. This is simmered slowly. It’s also got kielbasa for extra salty, smoky, peppery flavor.

 

 




Easy Italian Meatball Recipe for One

I may cook quite a few “exotic” or complicated dishes, but sometimes something simple and comforting and nostalgic really hits the spot.  And when it comes to nostalgia and comfort food, it’s hard to beat an old-fashioned, but easy, Italian meatball recipe.  Just thinking about spaghetti and meatballs makes me smile.

This recipe is easy, quick, and just perfect for one person. Yes, one person.  Just six meatballs.

You can serve your meatballs the classic way, with spaghetti and pasta sauce, but they’re also great for making a fast Italian wedding soup.

If you like, double the recipe and split between the two. If you don’t want the soup right away, just pop the meatballs in the freezer.  Then days, or weeks later you can defrost them and treat yourself to soup in a few minutes.

I’ve kept this recipe simple, and easy, but you can change it to suit your own tastes and preferences.  Check the end of the post for some inspiration.  You can make it spicier, swap the bread crumbs for oatmeal or potato starch (to make it gluten-free), or use turkey instead of beef.  A mixture of pork and beef is good too.




Substitutions and Variations for Easy Italian Meatballs

  • use a mixture of ground beef and pork, instead of just beef
  • add more garlic
  • add oregano
  • if you don’t have breadcrumbs, grind up some oats in a mini-chopper,  use quick-cooking oats, or try potato starch
  • use ground turkey or chicken instead of meat (if you do, I recommend getting the dark meat turkey; it tastes better)
  • add a splash of sriracha

 

Easy Meatball (and Ground Beef) Recipes for One

sloppy joes one person recipeSloppy Joe Recipe for One Person

A bit messy, but worth the extra napkin, this Sloppy Joe recipe is wonderful comfort food.  Heck, a friend saw the recipe and wanted some right away! It may bring back childhood memories, but this is for grownups. It packs a bit of a kick.

easy Italian wedding soupEasy Italian Wedding Soup

Make your meatballs, add some broth, and other standard ingredients, and you have soup. And you don’t have to chop for an hour or wait for it to simmer either.

 

compound butter cheeseburgerCheeseburger with Compound Butter

Turn your burger into a gourmet treat with compound butter. Soften the butter, mix in some herbs, and add that to your ground beef. The beef is moister, more flavorful, and tastes wonderful, with very little effort.

white ragu papardelleWhite Ragu Pappardelle Pasta for One

A delicious change from the usual ragu. There’s not a tomato in sight.  Instead, this dish has ground beef, sausage, white wine, and earthy porcini mushrooms, blended with a touch of cream.




Kitchen Organization Hack: Oxo Peeler

Oxo peeler

I love my Oxo peeler; in fact, it’s one of my favorite kitchen gadgets.

However, it’s black. The trouble with that is that most of the other gadgets are also black (and much taller than the peeler).

To make things worse, my gadget holder is black, or at least mostly black. It’s also quite deep, in order to accommodate tongs and spatulas and other long tools. But, the peeler is relatively short.

I have the other gadgets and tools sorted, and can easily find them, but every time I put the peeler back in the gadget holder it would get swallowed up. When I wanted to use it again, I had a hard time finding it. Not good when you have a small kitchen, not much counter space, and kitchen organization is critical!

After a bit of thought, I figured out the perfect “kitchen organization hack”: nail polish!

I dabbed some red nail polish on the bottom of the peeler. Now, when I put it back in the holder, (bottom-side up) the red is easy to spot in the midst of all those black gadgets.

When the polish wears off, I simply reapply it. Voilà!

More Kitchen Organization Hacks and Cooking Tips

Small Kitchen Storage Ideas: How to Store Everything You Need to Cook in a Tiny Kitchen

open tight jarHow to Easily Open a Tight Jar

Struggling with tight jars? Here’s an easy hack to open them. And you probably don’t have to buy anything to do it.

 

cuisinart stick blender

Top Kitchen GadgetsMy favorite tools for making cooking faster and easier.

 

 

Premium Garlic PeelerEasily Break Apart a Head of Garlic

If you struggle to break a head of garlic, learn this easy way to fix that. Plus a tool for peeling it once you’re done.

 

soaking beansQuick Soak Beans in an Hour

You don’t have to wait all day to get beans ready to cook. Use this tip to get it done in a fraction of the time.