Linguini with Tomato and Clams

This is the ultimate in quick and easy dishes, don't let the anchovy paste scare you, you won't even know it's in there!  Using canned clams makes this quick and easy - but you can easily substitute fresh shellfish too - just brush the shells of fresh clams clean with a vegetable brush under running water - add before reducing sauce to simmer and discard any that don't open!

What's for Dinner? Chicken, Chick Pea and Lentil Curries!

This recipe for chicken curry is makes a great curry base that can be used for a variety of different dishes! Substitute the chicken and chickpeas for beef and peas, paneer (fresh Indian cheese), eggplant, potatoes, vegetables..or even goat or lamb! This recipe will make enough of the curry base for the two dishes, chicken and chickpeas and the spicy lentil dish to follow! However, the recipe is easy to halve if you are only making one of the two dishes! (Please excuse my lack of authenticity).

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This is a very easy soup with few ingredients. Check your local farmers market in the fall for butternut squash or the versitile squash is generally available in most grocery stores nearly all year round!

Top with soup cream, yogurt or tzatziki!

Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin

This is a quick recipe and a different way to serve pork tenderloin.  The loin is butterflied and pounded thin for fast cooking then serves with a sweet and sour sauce.  Serve this over rice or noodles or with added vegetables for a quick and easy meal!

What's For Dinner? Feta and Tomato Orzo, Green Beans and Red Snapper

This whole meal comes together in less than 30 minutes and the orzo is great as leftovers.  If you've never used orzo before, it's a small rice shaped pasta but if you can't find orzo, any small pasta will do!  Salty Feta and Sweet tomato compliment each other well in the pasta - seared snapper and a side of green beans make a complete meal!

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

This is an easy way to jazz up the humble pork chop. The original recipe was a Weight Watchers Recipe that I have adapted to save time (the original recipe called for a 4 hour marinade). Depending on the thickness of your pork chops, this recipe goes straight from the frying pan to the table in about 15 minutes!

Spiced Vegetable Quinoa with Vegetables

Did you know Quinoa, a seudo grain native to South America, is a relative of spinach, beets and the tumbleweed? Its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice, and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods. It is a good source of dietary fiber (7g per serving) and phosphorus and is high inmagnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. (from Wikipedia).

Quinoa is very easy to cook, it takes only 15 minutes which is basically the same amount of time as white rice, with many more health benefits! It's also very versatile, like rice, and can be served hot or cold!

I served this quick and easy spiced quinoa with broiled salmon, but it would do just as well with pretty much anything or even on its own!