![]() Another super-easy, healthy lunch is pizza for one. It’s the perfect WFH lunch since you couldn’t do this at the office. It takes only minutes to prep, and two minutes to cook. Here are my two favorites, but I’d love to hear about any special mix of toppings that are your favorites! Pizza #1: Kale Pesto Pizza Step One: I start with 1 bag of pizza dough from Publix. And I cut it in half. Step Two: Preheat the oven to 425 F. I use a round pizza baking tray to cook mine, but you could use a pizza stone as well. Step Three - Making the Kale Pesto: I use my small Cuisinart Mini-chop food processor to make the pesto. I fill it to the top, and pack it in a little, with Tuscan kale leaves that I removed from the stems. (You will not use the whole bunch – and you’ll use the other leaves later. ) Tear the leaves into pieces before adding them in. Then add a handful of pecan halves, half of a lemon’s worth of lemon juice, one clove of garlic (minced), a few dashes of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix it a little, then add 1/3 cup of olive oil and continue to blend. Step Four: Roll out the pizza dough thinly, with just a little olive oil on the rolling pin so it doesn’t stick. Then place it on the pizza tray or stone, and brush the outer edge of the crust with some olive oil. Step Five: Top the pizza with a layer of pesto, sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top. Take some of the remaining kale leaves and chop them before mixing with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Make sure the kale is evenly coated, and then place it evenly on the top of the pizza. Step Six: Bake for 10-12 minutes, based on how hot your oven runs. And voila! BTW - I always seem to end up with leftover pesto that I use for lunch the next day. I will toast an English muffin, spread the pesto on top, and sprinkle with feta. Yum! Pizza #2: Brussel Sprouts and Red Onion Pizza with Balsamic Vinegar
Note: This one only takes a few minutes longer than the kale pizza – about 20 minutes max. Step One: I start with the other half of the Publix pizza dough. Roll it out thinly, with just a little olive oil on the rolling pin so it doesn’t stick. Then place it on the pizza tray or stone, and brush the outer edge of the crust with some olive oil. Step Two: Preheat the oven to 425F. Step Three: Take 4 medium to large Brussel sprouts and trim off the stems and pull off the leaves. Place the leaves in a small mixing bowl. Add in 2 tsp of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and mix it up. Then set it to the side. Step Four: Slice four or five thin rounds off of a red onion, and separate the circles. Add them to a small saute pan with 1 Tb spoon of olive oil and cook over medium heat. Add a dash of salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Toss and cook for 10 minutes. Then add ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar, mix and cook until the onions absorb the balsamic. Then set aside. Step Five: Top the dough with the red onions, then some mozzarella cheese, and add the brussels on top and finish with some freshly grated parmesan. Cook for 10 – 12 minutes. Enjoy! ![]() I LOVE a good tuna salad sandwich. I usually only make them on weekends since I don't want to be THAT person who stinks up the break room with the smell of fish. But now that we are working from home I have added it back into the weekly repertoire. And imagine my delight when I read the article in the New York Times Magazine that this recipe for a tuna-salad sandwich is Julia Child Approved. Everyone always wanted to cook something complicated and fancy for Julia when she traveled, so "when she got home, she craved simple food and seized what opportunities she had to enjoy it. Although she knew that visitors often expected something posh, even she, a gracious and energetic host, wasn’t likely to make a fancy lunch, so she cleverly turned the tuna sandwich into her midday signature." Here is the link to the Tuna Salad Sandwich - Julia Child Style. It is pretty easy to pull together. It took me ten minutes tops to make mine for lunch the other day, and the recipe makes enough for two people. Or enough to save for lunch the next day. Remember that for Julia, the important ingredients for this sandwich were the tuna (it had to be packed in oil) and the mayo (she preferred Hellmann’s). And she preferred Bay's english muffins. She loved to add on the onions. And with working from home, you don't have to worry about who your breath may offend in the afternoon. So Enjoy! INGREDIENTS FOR THE TUNA SALAD:
I love shrimp tacos. And this concoction I’ve come up with makes it so easy to enjoy them for lunch.
I buy a bag of the frozen, cooked greenwise shrimp from Publix to keep on hand. I take out 8 shrimp and add them to a small colander and run cool water over them for five minutes to defrost them. While those are defrosting, I set up my taco supplies. It varies every time, but I tend to lean to a mix of some of the following, depending on what I have on hand that week: sliced red cabbage, sliced lettuce, chopped green onions, sliced olives, shredded sharp cheddar, fresh cilantro, crumbled goat cheese, guacamole, and light sour cream. Sometimes I’ll add some black beans if I have some leftover from dinner. I get out a small sauce pan and add a teaspoon of olive oil, and add the defrosted shrimp. Since they are already cooked, at this point could simply be added to a salad. But I like them warm in my tacos. So I add them to the saucepan along with a little salt and pepper and a dash or two of cumin, and some diced onion. I cook it on medium until the shrimp starts to looked cooked with a little brown on the sides. While the shrimp are warming up, I warm two small tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds. Then its simple – just assemble your tacos with the toppings you prefer. The whole thing takes no more than 10 minutes to assemble. |
AuthorKris Delaney is a marketing executive, foodie, travel enthusiast, and book nerd based in Atlanta, GA. Archives
March 2025
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