We Tapped 3 Foodies for Work-From-Home Meals to Whip Up With Pantry Staples

Photo: Courtesy of RASA

Working from home makes you miss things like chatting about “White Lotus” over lunch with your coworkers. But just because you’re WFH with no one to discuss the finale with doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take that lunch break. Whip up something delicious with these easy recipes made with ingredients you probably already have at home.

We tapped Mia Rigden of RASA, Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones of Food Heaven, and Gaby Dalkin of What’s Gaby Cooking and asked them to share their go-to work-from-home recipes—and it’s safe to say they did not disappoint. From everything-but-the-kitchen-sink soup to not-so-boring pasta, you’ll be eating well this week.

Kitchen Sink Soup

An excellent way to make the most of unused produced that’s sitting in your crisper drawer, this soup, courtesy of Mia Rigden, a nutritionist and the founder of RASA, is nutritious, flavorful, and a perfect way to reset. Make a big batch and freeze leftovers so you’ll always have a healthy meal on hand.

Instructions:

1. Heat coconut oil or ghee in a Dutch oven. 

2. Add onions and garlic, stirring until fragrant, then add vegetables and stir for a minute or two longer.

3. Add broth then enough water to cover the vegetables (about two cups). Let simmer for 20-30 minutes and puree in a high-speed blender (or with a hand blender) until smooth. 

4. Season as desired and serve with a squeeze of lemon, a splash of olive oil, and some sea salt

For a step-by-step tutorial, watch the Ask an Expert Live segment via Create & Cultivate’s Instagram here.

Mia Rigden

Nutritionist and founder of RASA

Turmeric Vegetable Fried Rice

This recipe puts a colorful spin on traditional fried rice with extra anti-inflammatory power! Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones, registered dietitians, certified diabetes educators, and the founders of Food Heaven, bring us this easy and delicious way to make the most of super-spice turmeric!

Instructions:

1. When cooking your brown rice, add 1/2 tablespoon of turmeric to the boiling water, and cook as per package instructions. Set aside once done.

2. In a large pan, heat the sesame oil, and add the onions. Sauté for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.

3. Add in the eggs, and cook for 1-2 minutes.

4. Then add in the mixed vegetables, 2 cups of cooked turmeric rice, and the soy/tamari/aminos.

5. Cook over low heat for 4-5 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat, and mix in the cabbage and sprouts. Add salt, to taste, and top with scallions. Enjoy!

Recipe Note: The vegetables in this recipe are totally flexible and you can use whatever frozen/raw veggies you have stocked in the fridge. 

Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones

Registered dietitians, certified diabetes educators, and founders of Food Heaven

Calabrian Chili Pasta

Pasta, our fave go-to for easy dining, doesn’t have to be boring! Gaby Dalkin is a trained chef, recipe developer, entrepreneur, and the founder of What’s Gaby Cooking, shows us how to spice up the pasta you are probably eating for the millionth day in a row.

Instructions:

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook the Cassarecce according to the package directions. Once al dente, drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water for future use and set aside.

2. In a large sauté pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the lemon zest (saving the lemon juice for later) and sauté for 15 seconds. Add the Calabrian hot pepper paste and stir until everything is evenly incorporated.

3. Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. If you need to add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to thin it out, go ahead. Add the lemon juice and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste.

4. Sprinkle the pecorino over the pasta if desired and toss to coat and serve immediately.

Gaby Dalkin

Founder of What’s Gaby Cooking

This story was originally published on April 13, 2020, and has since been updated.

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