Top Tips For Cooking For One
From one solo cook to another
Hi,
Welcome back to Table for One, the newsletter for solo cooks who want to eat well, with ease and variety.
This week I thought I’d share some of my top tips when cooking for one. These are some handy things to keep in your brain (or just in this newsletter if your brain is too full) for when you’re not sure what to do with leftovers, you don’t know how to begin cooking for one consistently, or you need help finding the best kitchen tools to make life in the kitchen that little bit more simple.
Before we dive in, here’s a little roundup of some of the one pot one portion recipes I’ve shared over the last few weeks that you might have missed (thanks for nothing pesky IG algorithm). Actually on that note, I’d really love to know what recipes you particularly want at the moment. Of course, my recipes will remain single-serve (for now and for the considerable foreseeable- I love them and have so many more ideas) but is there anything more specific that you’d like? 20 minute meals? 5 ingredient meals? Date night for one? Let me know and I will happily oblige.
Right sorry- recipes! As I said, these are recipes I’ve shared recently but also a couple of the OG 1P1Ps as I’ve been updating my website and adding some of the oldies to the mix. It reminded me how great some of them are and depending on how long you’ve been here, you may not have seen them.
Just a few to try if you haven’t already! Now to the top tips…the last one is my favourite!
note, this post contains some affiliate links- this doesn’t affect the cost of the item for you, but i may make a commission if you buy anything
1. More things can be frozen than you think
You may have realised by now that I encourage variety in cooking as much as I encourage ease but it doing so you can often be left with half-used ingredients that you don’t know what to do with. One solution to this in recipe pairing or meal planning (see below for more details) but when you can’t, or don’t want to, do this it’s really useful to know which ingredients you can freeze for a later date.
Often leftover ingredients you can freeze:
Coconut Milk: pour into ice cube trays for easy portioning (one cube is usually around 30ml)
Fresh Herbs: again, fresh herbs can be frozen in ice cube trays or freezer bags either in water or in olive oil. Add them to recipes where the herbs will be cooked rather than used fresh as they will wilt slightly when thawed.
Spinach: has anyone ever finished a bag of spinach without some leaves going soggy? Didn’t think so. Save yourself from sad sogginess and blanch*, then freeze your spinach.
Vegetables: on the same note, soooo many vegetables can be frozen! Carrots, green beans, broccoli, corn. Again, blanch then freeze and you’re good to go.
Stock/Bone Broth: if you’re using fresh stock for cooking then freeze in easy portions for future use
Yoghurt: fro-yo anyone? you can freeze yoghurt and enjoy frozen or blitzed into smoothies
Lots of meats, cheeses, breads and grains can also be frozen so it’s good to have in the back of your mind to minimise food waste.
2. One-Pot Cooking
One of the barriers I find when cooking for one, is doing the dishes alone. Even if you have a dishwasher the cleanup of a dinner that took too long and too many dishes is never appealing. One-Pot cooking is such a game changer and can make cooking much enjoyable because you know you don’t have a huge chore to do at the end of your meal
Now that I’ve written a whole book about it I frequently find that so many recipes that use multiple pots or pans could easily be simplified to create less mess.
One of my biggest recommendations would be to buy a pot that can be used both on the stovetop and in the oven. You can find some of my favourite pots here:
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet 20cm/8”
Overmont Cast Iron Skillet- 7.7”/19.5cm
Le Creuset Mini Casserole Dish
3. Smart Ingredients
You know the phrase ‘work smarter not harder’? Well let your pantry do that for you!
Rather than buying every herb, spice or condiment under the sun, focus on filling your cupboards with food products that pack a punch when it comes to flavour. That way you can keep recipes simple, and use these ingredients to spice things up.
These are some of my favourites:
Miso Paste: a fermented soy bean paste that adds SO much depth to a dish.
Harissa: a spiced chilli and herb paste that brings so much flavour.
Gochujang: a Korean red pepper paste that not only brings a bit of heat, but umami depth too.
Herb & Spice Mixes: think Italian herbs, chicken seasoning, fajita mix, cajun etc.
Vinegar: I’d opt for a red or white wine vinegar- acidity really lifts a dish and completes a flavour profile.
Curry Paste: a Thai red or green curry paste is one of my favourite things to have in the fridge, but Indian masala pastes are brilliant too. Add to any meat, fish or veggies for an easy flavour-packed dinner.
Fresh Herbs: even if you only choose one, fresh herbs add so much to any dish and really take things to the next level.
Lemon Juice: similar to vinegar, the acidity of lemon juice rounds off the flavour of a dish and, like fresh herbs, brings vibrance.
I have lots of other suggestions so if you’re interested then let me know and I can do a whole newsletter on these easy wins.
4. Recipe Pairing & Meal Planning
I have to say I’m not a huge fan of meal prepping. There is, of course, a time and a place for it and it can obviously be so handy for busy people, families, shift workers, or those will little time to cook, but day to day I do prefer to cook something fresh every night (enter one pot one portion).
That being said, I do think meal planning can be a great way to relieve some of the mental load of choosing what to eat every day, plus if you choose your recipes wisely you can make recipes with similar ingredients so you save money and minimise food waste.
For example, if you were to make my curried chicken skewers with satay slaw one day, I might consider making my Korean vegetable pancake another day to use up the leftover vegetables. Similar ingredients, different recipes, just as easy as meal prepping!
Now if you’re thinking that this sounds like an extra chore then I understand. It’s not necessarily easy. Which is why I am also offering to do this for you! Every other week I share a full developed meal plan with ingredients in a categorised shopping list, pairings, dietary requirement amendments and tips for leftovers. Meal Plan 1 is available to view for free, and if you like what you see then you can upgrade your subscription for £4 a month.
4. Treat Yourself
To be selfish is to be concerned chiefly with one’s own pleasure.
Quite frankly I think this sounds absolutely marvellous. Not all the time, of course, but when it comes to cooking for one? Sign me up for selfish.
It might not be an everyday possibility but if you can choose to zhuzh up a weeknight with an extra special meal, or buy an ingredient that isn’t normally part of your weekly shop (I bought myself a little wedge of reblochon the other day and let me tell you that felt like a TREAT). Not only is it just lovely to have nice things in your fridge, but it can also inspire a want to try new recipes, or make extra effort in cooking a nice dinner, even if it’s just for you.
That’s all folks! Hope you enjoyed this weeks newsletter and found these tips helpful. See you next week for another meal plan.
BIG LOVE, AND HAPPY COOKING! Eleanor x
*Blanching means cooking for 30 seconds-1 minute in boiling water, then cooling in ice cold water. The vegetables get shocked and retain nutrients and texture.
I love your content. Would be great to see recipes with 5 ingredients or 20 min meals as you suggested. Your meals plans are so etching I look forward to using in the next few weeks. If only I could figure out a good way to print the shopping list!!! I am working my way through your cookbook which I enjoy immensely. Thank you!!!!!