3 Easy One-Pot Wonders!

Bit-by-bit every meal in our home is evolving into a one-pot dinner, whether originally intended that way or not. By the time the main dish is underway, I find the motivation to get any sides going has started to slip away, and the thought of additional pots to scrub is usually the final nail in the coffin. Often the ingredients for the intended sides ultimately get unceremoniously strewn into the main dish (better that than watching it all go bad in the fridge!), sometimes successfully, sometimes not so much...

So lately I’ve been deliberately seeking out dishes that are, by design, one pot wonders: dishes that are balanced and complete, tasty enough that consuming an entire plate (and possibly leftovers) won’t feel like forced labor, and that don’t create a sinkful of mess to cope with in the aftermath!

Here are some recent favorites… all are especially well suited to cold weather conditions. Hope they help maximize your time at the dinner table, and minimize your time in the kitchen pre- and post-meal!

One-Pot Dinner Recipes for the Week

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Orzo with Butternut Squash & Bacon

(can be made vegetarian/vegan)

So hearty & tasty with a great combination of textures. We like Agrozimi’s Spelt Orzo in this recipe, as it has a slightly nutty taste and more firm texture that complements the other components well, but any orzo can be used.

Serves: 4 as a main Preparation time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. Pinwheel Butternut Squash Chunks (frozen)

• 3 tbsp butter or olive oIl

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 leeks chopped

• 1 medium clove garlic, crushed

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)

• 1/2 lb Agrozimi Spelt Orzo (or another orzo pasta)

• 1/2 cups white wine

• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 4 oz. Smoking Goose Bacon Bits, or equivalent weight in crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

• 1/2 lemon

• Tabasco sauce (optiona)

• Parmesan grated, to serve

Instructions

1. Add 2 tbsp of the butter/oil to the skillet over a medium-high heat. When hot, add in the butternut squash chunks and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the squash is darkening around the edges and all moisture has evaporated.

2. When the squash is cooked transfer to a bowl and place the skillet back over a medium-high heat. Add the remaining tbsp of butter/oil, the leeks, garlic and thyme sprigs to the skillet with lots of salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes until softened, then add the orzo and stir in the hot skillet for a couple of minutes until smelling toasty.

3. Pour the wine into the skillet and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, about a minute, then start adding the stock, a little at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each addition has been absorbed before adding more. When all the liquid has been added and the orzo is al dente return the roasted squash to the skillet and add a few squeezes of the lemon. Check salt & pepper and adjust if needed; add a dash or 2 of Tabasco, if desired, and top with the bacon. Serve with parmesan sprinkled over top.

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Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Tahini & Herb Sauce

Crispy, chewy, zesty, herby- a combination of everything delicious in an easy, healthy vegetarian/vegan dish! This does require the additional step of blitzing a tahini herb sauce in a chopper or food processor, but still quick & easy. Can be served as-is or rolled up into a wrap.

Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 cups Pinwheel cauliflower florets (frozen)

• 1 10 oz. pouch Your Organics Ready-to-Eat Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  Tahini Sauce

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/3 cup tahini

• 1 cup fresh parsley and cilantro leaves plus more chopped for serving

• 1 scallion, thinly sliced

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 3–4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss the cauliflower and chickpeas into the mixture.

3. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on a sheet pan. Put the chickpeas in the spaces in between the cauliflower. Roast for 25-35 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until the cauliflower is browned at the edges and the chickpeas are crispy.

4. For the herby tahini, mince the garlic clove in the bowl of a food processor. Add the tahini, parsley and cilantro, scallions, lemon juice, salt and water and process until combined and smooth.

5. Drizzle the roasted cauliflower and chickpeas with herby tahini. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and cilantro. Roll up into a wrap, if desired.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Pot

Can be made Gluten-Free if desired.

Not the gloppy casserole found on buffets around the country, this version is creamy and cheesy, but with firm rice and chunks of chicken. Loved by even the skeptics!

Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 30 minutes

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Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil together in a pot over high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until the color changes from pink to white.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add flour or cornstarch and stir for 1 minute.

3. Add half the milk, whisking until incorporated into the flour, then add the rest of the milk and stir.

4. Add broth, rice, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper.

5. Stir, bring to simmer, then cover. Turn down to medium low and cook for 12 minutes.

6. Remove lid – there should still be liquid on the surface. Add the broccoli florets, submerging them in the rice, cover and cook for a further 4-5 minutes until broccoli is just cooked and any extra moisture has evaporated. Taste and adjust salt & pepper, if needed.

7. Stir in half the cheese. Smooth surface, top with remaining cheese. Replace the lid, turn off the heat, and allow the cheese to melt with residual pan heat.

8. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley if desired.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion , finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves , minced

• 1 lb all natural boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

• 2.5 tbsp flour (or cornflour/cornstarch, for a gluten-free version)

• 2 cups milk (any variety)

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 1/4 cups (225g) Jyoti Basmati Supreme or other long grain white rice, uncooked

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• Salt and pepper

• 1 lb. Pinwheel Broccoli Florets, frozen

• 2 cups (200g) shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

• Finely chopped parsley (garnish)

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