finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • Gluten-Free
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • How-Tos
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me
    • Get In Touch!
    • Recipes Index
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things

Cooking for One: Recipes for the Single Person

Cooking for one person can present a unique set of culinary challenges…you want something delicious, and maybe with leftovers, but not like A WEEK’S worth of leftovers because you’ll get sick of it.  

From my perspective as well, I don’t necessarily want to go through hours of work and a complicated recipe just for myself.  So one-person recipes have to be approached a little differently, and bring a combination of simplicity and flavor.  

These are some of my favorite one-person recipes to get you started…

  • Socca (Chickpea Flatbread) with Roasted Veggies & Goat Cheese
  • 5-Minute Breakfast Tacos
  • Roasted Vegetable & Barley Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing (great leftovers!)
  • Single-Serving Scones
  • Single-Serving Cherry Crisp
  • Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

…or you can browse the archives below!

Easy 30-Minute Mongolian Chicken

January 18, 2021

Ohhhhh man.  I’ve always been a huge Mongolian beef fan when I get Chinese takeout, but I’d never really given any thought to Mongolian chicken. 

But the other night I was really missing my amazing Chinese place back in Atlanta.  I was trying to find something delicious and indulgent but easy, and remembered how much I loved my easy 30-minute Mongolian beef. 

Problem was…I didn’t have any flank steak or similar.  I *did* have chicken thighs though, which honestly were getting close to their use-by date, so I decided to give that a try.

Easy 30-Minute Mongolian Chicken | This take on Americanized-Chinese takeout is sooo good! It's a super simple and flavorful sauce, and comes together in just a few minutes. An easy dinner recipe for any night! #chinese #chicken #easydinner #30minutemeal

AND IT WAS SO GOOD!!!  I could truly have eaten the entire dish in one sitting.  I did make a big side of my honey-balsamic roasted brussels sprouts, so I wasn’t *entirely* being naughty.

I kept it simple and roasted some thin red peppers to go along with it, but you could do broccoli or anything else you prefer.   

Amazing Mongolian Chicken - easy dinner recipeREAD THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Go-To Recipes, Main Dishes

Socca (Chickpea Flatbread) with Roasted Veggies & Goat Cheese

December 30, 2020

Be honest…if I say “chickpea flatbread”, does it give you immediate cravings??  I’m guessing that’s a NO.  But it should.  Socca has been on my radar for several months, but for whatever reason I kept putting off giving it a try. 

Then last week I was starving, needed something super healthy, and had nothing in my fridge…I’d gotten back in town late Christmas Eve so everything was closed.  I had some veggies clinging on for dear life in my fridge and that was it.  So I decided that socca needed to happen immediately.

Simple Socca (Chickpea Flatbread) with Roasted Veggies | Also called farinata, this simple socca only takes a few ingredients, is very easy, versatile, and healthy. It's naturally gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free, packed with protein, and can be topped with whatever you have. Perfect healthy meal any time of day. #gf #glutenfree #soccca #chickpea #healthyrecipe

What is socca?

Socca (called farinata over the border in Italian Liguria) is a traditional Provençal flatbread and street food, somewhere between a pancake and a thick crepe.  It’s crazy simple, made with chickpea flour and water, with a little salt and olive oil for flavor.

It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, and high in protein from the chickpea flour.  Cooked under the broiler, it’s got a charred top and golden, crispy outside, with a soft creamy inside, perfect for topping with whatever your heart desires.  

Personally I love garlicky roasted vegetables and soft, salty cheese, but you can top with eggs, fresh veggies, meat, or anything else, or just slice it up into wedges and eat hot and fresh.

Simple socca chickpea flatbread, topped with roasted vegetables and soft cheese

It’s satisfying, one of those healthy recipes that still feels a little indulgent.  And perhaps most importantly, socca is flexible…as long as you have chickpea flour on hand you can make it, and then just figure out what your refrigerator has to offer for toppings.  

I use a small 5-inch cast iron skillet for a single portion of this socca breakfast skillet. You can double or triple it for a larger pan to feed more people, but it’s so easy and fast to make that I wouldn’t try to use it for leftovers.  It’s definitely best fresh.READ THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks, Bread Recipes, Breakfast Goodies, Cooking for One, Gluten-Free, Main Dishes, Super Healthy

Salmon Potato Hash With Fresh Herbs

August 16, 2020

Some of the best recipes result from trying to use up an ingredient, and that’s definitely the story of this AMAZING salmon and potato hash. 

I’d bought a couple giant salmon filets, but the week kind of got away from me and they were smelling stroooong.  I was trying to figure out what to do, since throwing $20 worth of salmon away did not appeal.  But just eating the filet itself kind of freaked me out.  So I decided to just bake it up and figure it out later.

Easy, Healthy Salmon & Potato Hash with Fresh Herbs | This delicious hash is perfect if you're looking for how to use up leftover salmon, packed full of vegetables and protein, and can be a side dish or main. Amazing leftovers or breakfast for dinner as well. #breakfastfordinner #healthyrecipe #leftovers #salmon #breakfastThen I got a brainwave about a salmon and potato hash, since I also had a bunch of red potatoes to use up.  After looking up a bunch of recipes nothing struck my fancy, so I just made it up. 

And this has become a new fave, a hearty and healthy lunch option that makes great leftovers and is the perfect way to use up leftover salmon.

The recipe is super flexible, so you can add other veggies or adjust the seasonings based on your mood.  Just don’t add anything too wet (like fresh zucchini or squash)…it’s meant to be dry and get kind of caramelized.

You’ll actually notice through this recipe that I alternate between two sets of photos.  I’ve made this a few times, and once I added in some roasted butternut squash that was just sitting around.  Don’t let it confuse you!

I love to top my salmon & potato hash with basted eggs

To really level it up, serve with some fresh salty feta, goat cheese, or capers, or top with poached or basted eggs.  READ THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Breakfast Goodies, Cooking for One, Gluten-Free, Go-To Recipes, Main Dishes, Super Healthy

How To Baste Eggs: Basted Eggs with Caramelized Shredded Brussels Sprouts

August 1, 2020

What are basted eggs, you ask?  Well, friend, prepare to fall in love.  It is a super fast and easy way to cook eggs, but strangely flies under the radar.  It’s somewhere between fried (which I never ate growing up) and poached (which is complicated and challenging).  Basting eggs takes like five minutes total, and you can choose whether the yolks are runny or firm.  So let’s talk how to baste eggs.

And then I’ll share a “recipe”…which isn’t really a recipe so much as a meal combination that I stumbled upon many years ago in the throes of desperation, trying to avoid yet another meal of cereal and wine.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

How to Baste Eggs...and Meal Ideas with Basted Eggs | finding time for cooking

I’ve already shared my love of brussels sprouts, including this delicious, easy caramelized shredded brussels sprouts (and much faster than roasting them in the oven!).  

You can make this breakfast for dinner

So one night, I had a few brussels sprouts sitting in the fridge I knew I could make up, but that wasn’t going to cut it for dinner. So I decided to baste up some eggs for a protein kick. What was great was how the egg yolk (I like mine on the runny side) mixed in with the brussels sprouts.  Think of these brussels sprouts like you would a vegetable hash, a wonderful base for eggs.

READ THE POST

2 Comments CATEGORIES // Breakfast Goodies, Cooking for One, Family Secret Recipes, Go-To Recipes, Super Healthy

Roasted Vegetable Barley Salad With Lemon Tahini Dressing

July 10, 2019

It’s rare that I find a recipe that not only makes amazing leftovers, but makes *enough* of them that it’s worth all the work.  And that I can actually talk myself into still choosing over the cafeteria’s amazing chicken tenders on days 2, 3, 4…

This is one of those recipes.  

Easy roasted vegetable and grain salad with lemon tahini dressing

This grain and roasted vegetable salad is a total recipe unicorn—easy, versatile, and just as good hot, lukewarm, or cold.  It can be meat-y, vegetarian, or vegan.  Basically, YOU DO YOU.

Also, this lemon tahini dressing is sooooo good!  It really pulls everything together, with depth and tanginess but doesn’t just overwhelm you.  Honestly you should put this dressing on everything!

The only downside of this recipe is that actually getting that many vegetables roasted or grilled (and prepping them, honestly) can take a bit of time.

However, what I usually do is pace it over the course of an afternoon, since the veggies don’t need to be piping hot fresh.  And I’ll do a combination of grilling and roasting so I don’t have my oven on forever.  I love to absolutely pack this salad with veggies rather than have it be really grain-heavy, because HEALTH.

lemon tahini dressing really makes the saladREAD THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Gluten-Free, Go-To Recipes, Main Dishes, Super Healthy

Addictive Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Tahini Bark

February 20, 2019

I haven’t been quite this obsessed with something in quite some time.

And of all things it’s a *bark* recipe, which I am historically just “meh” on.  But this delicious blend of rich, bittersweet chocolate and punchy peanut butter chips, lifted up slightly by nutty tahini and a crunch of sea salt, is like amazing not-actually-that-bad-for-you crack.

Addictive Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Tahini Bark | this super easy & totally delicious bark can be made in just a few minutes & is an indulgent but semi-healthy dessert! Naturally gluten-free as well.

The most critical thing in making this amazing is to use a high-quality dark chocolate.  Since the chocolate is the base and the entire carrier of this recipe, using a cheaper and lower quality kind will definitely result in a mediocre product.  That doesn’t mean you need something insanely expensive, just more along the lines of Ghiradelli vs. Hershey’s.  Trust me, it’s worth it!

I love this so much that I’d love to find a way to make it just as yummy, but using a healthier alternative to peanut butter chips.  The actual chemistry of how bark sets isn’t really my area of expertise, so I’m going to do some fiddling and researching to see if this is feasible…as much as I love peanut butter chips, they’re not super great for me and this would be quite a really nice healthy indulgence.

Addictive Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Tahini Bark | finding time for cooking blogREAD THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Desserts, Foods I'm Obsessed With, Gluten-Free

Apricot Balsamic Rosemary Chicken

November 18, 2018

I’ve been accidentally keeping this recipe a secret the last couple months.  I know, I’m sorry…that’s not what friends do. 

It wasn’t not on purpose.  It’s just that life’s been so crazy, and this chicken has been one of the things getting me through.  As the weather has gotten too cold for my normal nightly grilling, I had to try and find something else super easy but still healthy to have regularly.  And once I tried this once, I was totally hooked.

Apricot Balsamic Chicken with Rosemary | A super easy and delicious weeknight dinner recipe that feels fancy. Ready in under 30 minutes, this is perfect cooking for one person or a whole family. | finding time for cooking blog

This apricot balsamic chicken recipe comes courtesy of Joy the Baker (link at the end of this post), and it’s so simple but feels kind of fancy.  The original recipe calls for chicken thighs, and it probably is best because thighs stay more moist and bring more flavor.

But I use chicken breasts sometimes, just because I struggle with the texture of thigh meat and don’t typically have it on hand.  Chicken breasts work just fine, and my biggest tip is to make sure they’re sliced or pounded thin and even, so they cook quickly without drying out (also, try brining them first).  I also swapped out the thyme the original recipe calls for and added rosemary instead, which I think gives it a punchier flavor.

This is the kind of recipe you can actually whip up on a weeknight after a frantic day of work in less than 30 minutes, then sit down with a glass of wine and take a deep breath.

You know you know what I’m talking about.

Apricot Balsamic Rosemary Chicken | finding time for cooking blogREAD THE POST

1 Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Foods I'm Obsessed With, Go-To Recipes, Main Dishes, Super Healthy

Roasted Vegetable & Farro Salad with Creamy Shallot Dressing

August 20, 2018

Ever since I got my grill, it’s been tough pushing myself to try new recipes that don’t require me to just throw things on the grill, because it’s my new favorite thing ever.

But this recipe has been a staple the last few months as I’ve navigated moving, living in a temporary apartment for a couple months (with a terrible kitchen set-up), and then trying to balance the gluttony of travel and meetings with the need to fit into my clothes.  The key is that it’s not just healthy, it’s YUMMY.

Roasted Vegetable & Grain Salad with Creamy Shallot Dressing | finding time for cooking

There’s a fair amount of “dealer’s choice” in this recipe.  It’s incredibly flexible and forgiving…you can substitute different vegetables, use different grains (I use farro, but barley, Israeli couscous, wheatberries, or other similar grains would do), and I’ve even had to substitute dressing ingredients in a pinch.  One time I didn’t have fresh lemons or oranges, so I used a combination of lemon juice & rice wine vinegar to get the tang and acidity, and one time left out the Greek yogurt, and it was still great.

So that’s all to say, I’ll tell you how I’ve done it a few different times, but if the spirit moves you go with your gut.  Grill, roast, and drizzle your way to healthy deliciousness.

Roasted Vegetable & Grain Salad with Creamy Shallot Dressing | finding time for cookingREAD THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Gluten-Free, Main Dishes, Super Healthy

Cheesy Rosemary Sweet Potatoes on the Grill

July 29, 2018

Guuuuuyyyyys.  I know I haven’t posted a non-dessert recipe on here in a while.  That’s mostly because I haven’t been cooking—I’ve been GRILLING.  Ever since I moved in and have been getting settled, I’ve started using my awesome new grill non-stop.  A lot of that has been slapdash marinating or brining and then throwing things on the grill as fast as I can.  Not really “recipes”, per se.  But *this* is the real deal, and I couldn’t wait to share it.

Behold, cheesy rosemary sweet potatoes on the grill.

Cheesy Rosemary Sweet Potatoes on the Grill | finding time for cooking blog

I mean, that’s just ridiculous.  I’ve been experimenting a lot with foil packet veggies (it’s my fave way to do cauliflower on the grill), and this is my favorite find yet.  You can still make these if you don’t have rosemary (or could substitute fresh sage), but the rosemary really elevates it.

Cheesy Rosemary Sweet Potatoes on the Grill | finding time for cooking blog

I *am* working on a bigger post on grilling for first-timers.  I definitely can’t claim to be an expert yet, but I’ve done a lot of experimenting and reading up, with a lot of success, so hope to make the subject feel a little less daunting for other first-timers.  I’ll share my favorite marinades and rubs, different ways to prepare veggies, tips for moist and not overcooked meat, and how to make sure you cook things to a safe temperature.  So stay tuned!

READ THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Foods I'm Obsessed With, Go-To Recipes, Recipe Experimentation, Super Healthy

Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl

September 17, 2017

So…I’ve been chastising myself lately for my diet.  Between crazy work schedules, travel, and being on crutches, I’ve just been a bit too reliant on Uber Eats and definitely lacking in fruits and veggies.  It’s kind of amazing I don’t have scurvy.

Then this morning as I was working I decided to finally get around to watching “What The Health?” on Netflix, which talks through a lot of the things wrong with our diets and how that’s impacting our health, and the medical establishments and lobby groups that are set on keeping it that way.

Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl with Maple Tahini Sauce | Finding Time for Cooking

Its basic conclusion is that we’re meant to eat plant-based diets, and that anything else is unhealthy.  It’s definitely an interesting watch, and while I don’t completely agree that meat is the devil—I grew up on a family-run cow farm, after all, and I also believe that God designed us to eat some meat—I 100% agree that we’ve totally screwed up our food chain in so many ways and that a heavier plant diet is a good thing, and overall it guilted me REAL HARD into really putting on my adult pants today.

Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl with Maple Tahini Sauce | Finding Time for Cooking

So I did some digging on plant-based diets and found some recipes that I want to try to rotate into my everyday routine.  This was the first one I came across that made me go “Hmm!”  The flavor combos are awesome, it’s easy to make, I’m a sucker for a good tahini sauce, and I’m hoping it’ll make an awesome lunch for a couple days this week as well.  For a non-pasta vegetarian meal, I’m totally on board with this one!

READ THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Cooking for One, Gluten-Free, Main Dishes, Recipe Experimentation, Super Healthy

Next Page »
About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Trending Now

  • How To Make Amazing Grilled Pizza...And My Go-To Pizza Dough Recipe
    How To Make Amazing Grilled Pizza...And My Go-To Pizza Dough Recipe
  • Almond Magic Cake
    Almond Magic Cake
  • Norwegian Skillingsboller (Cinnamon Bun Pastries)
    Norwegian Skillingsboller (Cinnamon Bun Pastries)
  • How To Brine Chicken Breasts:  A Secret To Amazing Chicken
    How To Brine Chicken Breasts: A Secret To Amazing Chicken
  • Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Corba)
    Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Corba)
That feeling when you actually see the sun for the That feeling when you actually see the sun for the first time in what feels like weeks... #magnusandbartok
Instagram post 17975382796349437 Instagram post 17975382796349437
Well if I’ve learned anything from my #topnine20 Well if I’ve learned anything from my #topnine2020 it’s that you guys only like pics when I’m in tropical destinations, so I should spend 100% of my time there 😜
I’ve been working to perfect a dark chocolate wa I’ve been working to perfect a dark chocolate waffle recipe, and finally cracked the code today...bittersweet, indulgent, and addictive 😍☕️ #waffles #chocolate #brunchathome
I’d been meaning to try out Samrin Nosrat’s in I’d been meaning to try out Samrin Nosrat’s insane looking Ligurian focaccia ever since watching that first episode of @saltfatacidheat ...and I’m pretty stoked by how it turned out! 😍
Coming back to this cold weather is really making Coming back to this cold weather is really making me miss this view... #latergram #cancunmexico #rivieramaya
I really needed some vitamin sea...beautiful and q I really needed some vitamin sea...beautiful and quiet here 😍☀️
Happy 1st Gotcha Day to the cutest psycho around.. Happy 1st Gotcha Day to the cutest psycho around...who suckered me into thinking he’d be a lap cat, constantly attacks his big bro, plays the longest game of fetch, and makes me yell and laugh constantly. #magnusandbartok
Sabbath morning vibes Sabbath morning vibes
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Roasted Vegetable Barley Salad With Lemon Tahini Dressing

Food Travel Postcard: Lake Tekapo/Mt. Cook/Aoraki, New Zealand

Pastry-Wrapped Chicken Florentine

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Farro Salad with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, & Pepitas

Trending

  • One-Bowl Easy King Cake
  • Easy 30-Minute Mongolian Chicken
  • A Home Baker Trying Out Samin Nosrat’s Ligur…
  • Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
  • Bittersweet & Indulgent Dark Chocolate Waffle…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2021 Finding Time For Cooking