Eat Like A "Quarantine Queen" With These 5 Ingredients Or Less Recipes
The Coronavirus Pandemic has impacted every part of our lives. Obviously, it has the bad side to it, but good things are also happening during this down time. For example, we can now spend more quality time with ingredients, good recipes, and our kitchens. But, as you’ve all noticed, going to the grocery store, or having groceries delivered has become a challenge. People are hoarding products so they don’t have to go back to the stores to risk possible exposure to COVID. As a result, getting everything on your shopping list is more of a rare occurrence. Some items might be missing, and some you may have to substitute with similar products. But, we want to help you cook smart, and delicious with the ingredients you are able to get.
Luckily, there are hundreds of recipes swirling around the web right now that require five ingredients or less. Expect decadent flavors, and a quick/easy make! We’ve compiled a list of our faves and hope that your time spent in the kitchen is an escape for you during these trying times. You don’t need to have the skills of an executive chef to make these meals, and the ingredients are affordable. Nothing beats a home-cooked meal!
Blistered Green Beans with Garlic
via Bon Appétit
Ingredients:
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound green beans, trimmed and dry
6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions:
Heat oil in a pan. Then, add the green beans and cook until they’re browned (about 3 minutes). Use tongs to flip the green beans and continue browning for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and then add the garlic, capers and red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is golden. Then, transfer to a plate and serve.
Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce
via Food52
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, cut (or 2 cups canned cut tomatoes)
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a pot and season with salt. Simmer for 45 minutes uncovered until the sauce has thickened. Stir and mash any whole chunks of tomato. Remove the onion halves if you want to use them for another recipe, like Hazan suggests. Toss with pasta and serve.
4-Ingredient Healthy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
via The Seasoned Mom
Ingredients:
2 pounds 12 ounces diced or shredded cooked chicken
1 ½ cups enchilada sauce
1 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
8 six inch tortillas
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. and spray a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Toss the chicken in half of the enchilada sauce and half of the cheese. Then, cover the bottom of the baking dish with four of the tortillas. Place half the chicken mixture in the dish and top with ¼ cup of the remaining sauce. Layer the rest of the chicken on top and bake for 30 minutes with a foil cover. Sprinkle the dish with the remaining cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve with sour cream and your other favorite taco toppings.
Chicken Pesto Pasta
via Budget Bytes
Ingredients:
1 pound pasta
½ cup basil pesto
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups grated mozzarella
Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on its package. Drain and add the chicken, pesto and cheeses to the pot. Combine and serve once the cheese melts.
5-Ingredient Black Bean Chili
via Minimalist Baker
Ingredients:
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
3 medium sweet potatoes, chopped
16 ounces salsa
15 ounces canned black beans
2 cups vegetable stock
Directions:
In a large pot, cook the onions in oil until translucent and season with salt and pepper. Add sweet potato and cook for 3 mins. Then, add the salsa and vegetable stock, along with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then lower to a simmer. Add the black beans and cook for 20 minutes covered. Serve once the chili is thick and the potatoes are soft.
Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl
via EatingWell
Ingredients:
½ cup cooked quinoa
¾ cup shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup roasted root vegetable of choice (sweet potatoes, beets, carrots)
1-2 tablespoons vinaigrette
Directions:
Combine quinoa, chicken and vegetables in a bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette of choice and serve.
5-Ingredient Honey Teriyaki Salmon
via The Endless Meal
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated
1 garlic clove, minced
2 salmon filets
Directions:
Preheat oven to 320°F and line a tray with parchment paper. In a pan, over medium heat, combine honey, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes until it reduces by half. Spoon half of the sauce over the salmon in the baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the salmon crumbles with a fork. Drizzle the rest of the sauce over the salmon and serve.
Hearty Spaghetti with Lentils & Marinara
via Cookie and Kate
Ingredients:
½ cup dry lentils, or 1 ½ cup cooked lentils from a can, drained
1 bay leaf
1 large whole garlic clove
2 cups marinara sauce of choice
8 ounces whole grain pasta
Directions:
Combine lentils, bay leaf and garlic in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the lentils are cooked, about 20-35 minutes. Drain and throw out the bay leaf and garlic clove. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Stir pasta, lentils and marinara together over medium heat. Serve warm, topped with parmesan or basil.
via Cup of Jo
Ingredients:
12 oz dried pasta
2 pints (50–60) cherry tomatoes, stemmed
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Handful of basil leaves, torn, plus more for topping
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F. Place tomatoes, garlic and basil on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with a large pinch of salt and several turns of black pepper, then toss to combine. Bake until the tomatoes are soft and wrinkled, 45—50 minutes, stirring the tomatoes around a few times to ensure even cooking.
While the tomatoes are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente (soft on the outside, but still some bite left on the inside). Place cooked pasta and tomato confit in a large bowl, tossing to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper (I add a couple additional pinches of salt).
To serve, finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped fresh basil.
via the kitchn
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
Salt
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 to 4 cups baby spinach
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
1 cup salsa
Hot sauce or Greek yogurt (optional)
Directions:
Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 375°F. Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on the baking sheets in an even layer, making sure they don't overlap. Coat with cooking spray. Bake until fork-tender, 20 to 22 minutes.
Remove from oven. Transfer the potatoes from one pan to the other, covering as much of the bottom of as possible. (The potatoes shrink slightly when baked, so this ensures that there's a mostly solid layer of potatoes to hold the toppings.)
Sprinkle with salt. Top with the beans, spinach, cheese, and salsa.
Bake until warmed through and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Serve with additional salsa, hot sauce, or Greek yogurt if desired.