Eating without spending

I think with the busy lives we all lead these days it is increasingly difficult to cook at the end of the day. This may be why one of the largest growing areas of the food business is prepared foods.
That said I am a dedicated “eat at home person” who cooks almost every night for two and even for one. Of course as a professional chef I find it easy to throw together a simple and delicious meal in 20 minutes, but I also teach this skill in cooking classes around the Los Angeles area as well as in private homes.
It is this easy; take a few fresh ingredients, add a few staple items and voila! You will have a meal in less than thirty minutes that is not only fabulous, healthy and mouth watering but worth making even for just one!
I encourage my students to take the extra time (20 minutes) to shop on the way home or if you are really thinking on your feet, shop all at once on the weekend to insure you can enjoy your own home cooked meal.
Now why go to “all that trouble just for me” I am invariably asked by people that I teach and the answer I consistently give them is this; why get take out or eat in a restaurant semi- decent food with god only knows who touching the stuff before it arrives on your plate or in your to-go container and then find not only are you eating too much fat, but the portion is more than likely too large which means you eat it and before you know it you wonder why am I getting a little chunky around the middle. Not to mention the whole health and bacteria issue which I am reluctant to even start to comment on because believe it or not it is serious. So, that said, it is maybe more appealing to eat your own food that you thought, right?
The bare minimum of staples to have on hand are; canned chicken and vegetable broth, pastas, canned tomatoes, rice, beans, tuna, olives, olive oil and a variety of vinegars. Make one stop to pick up a piece of chicken or fish and a vegetable and dinner can be on the table within half an hour of arriving home.
Or you can take a few cooking classes at a local culinary school (there are a number of them in the L.A. area) to learn a few skills and help motivate you to get in the cooking groove.
Here are a couple quick and easy recipes for everyday dinners.

Bulghur and Chick Pea Salad
This recipe serves 8

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup medium bulghur
3 shallots, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tb. lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure
1. Cover the bulghur with 3 cups of boiling water in a medium bowl, cover and let stand for about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer back to the bowl.
2. Combine the shallots with the vinegar, garlic and salt to taste in a small bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and olive oil. Pour over the bulghur and chickpeas. Add parsley, walnuts and salt and pepper. Toss well and taste for seasoning.
3. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

(This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.)

Apricot-Glazed Chicken Breasts
Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 Tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 400F.

2. Place the chicken breasts in a medium bowl.

3. Combine the jam, mustard, ginger, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk. Taste for seasoning.

4. Brush the breasts with the glaze and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 5 minutes. Turn the breasts over brush with the glaze and roast until golden and cooked through about 7 to 8 minutes.

5. Divide the chicken between 4 dinner plates and serve.

(This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.)