New to Feeding Yourself? Part 3

By now, you have a few basic meals under your belt.

This week, we introduced more convenient ingredients —eggs or carton egg whites, tofu, canned tuna or chicken, cabbage, spinach, and roasted peppers—so you can make more meals without making cooking much more complicated.

You do not need to make every dish below. Pick the ones that sound useful to you.

Shopping List

Protein

• Eggs or carton egg whites — or both
• Firm tofu
• Canned tuna or chicken — or both

Carton egg whites are especially convenient because they are already separated and ready to pour. For more ideas, see Egg Whites Are a Cheat Code⁠.

Vegetables

• Frozen spinach
• Cabbage
• Fresh bell peppers or jarred roasted bell peppers

Also Pick Up

• Mayonnaise
• Miso
• Peanuts, cashews, or pecans
• Noodles
• Bread

Check Your Pantry First

• Rice
• Balsamic vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Cooking oil
• Salt
• Pepper

A Little Prep Goes a Long Way

You do not need to do all of this at once.

• Cook a batch of rice. Use some for rice bowls and save some for fried rice.
• Make an egg, spinach, and tuna or chicken bake.
• Marinate tofu and bake it when you are ready.
• Roast some cabbage.
• Blend roasted peppers and nuts into a spread.
• Mix up a simple tuna or chicken salad.

What Can You Make?,

Dish	What goes in it	Easy way to make it
Egg + spinach + tuna or chicken bake	Egg or egg whites + spinach + canned tuna or chicken	Bake until set. Serve with rice or bread.
Miso egg toast	Egg + miso mayo + bread	Spread miso mayo on toast and add a fried egg or a piece of egg bake.
Roasted cabbage noodles	Noodles + roasted cabbage + canned tuna or chicken	Toss cooked noodles with roasted cabbage and tuna or chicken. Season with soy sauce, miso, or another sauce you like.
Tuna or chicken salad sandwich	Tuna or chicken salad + bread	Add a little thinly sliced raw cabbage for crunch if you like.
Easy miso noodle soup	Miso + tofu + cabbage + noodles	Cook the noodles and cabbage, add tofu, then stir in miso at the end.
Roasted pepper & nut spread sandwich	Bread + roasted pepper spread	Use the spread by itself for a lighter breakfast or snack.
Roasted pepper spread + egg, tuna, or chicken sandwich	Bread + roasted pepper spread + egg, tuna, or chicken	Add protein when you want a more filling meal.
Cabbage fried rice	Cooked rice + cabbage + egg, egg whites, tuna, or chicken	Cook the cabbage, add cold rice, then whichever protein you have.
Tuna or chicken + roasted pepper rice bowl	Rice + tuna or chicken + roasted pepper spread	Put everything in a bowl. Add raw cabbage if you want some crunch.
Baked tofu + roasted cabbage rice bowl	Rice + baked tofu + roasted cabbage	Add soy sauce, miso, or roasted pepper spread.

A Few Useful Notes

Raw Cabbage Works Fine in a Tuna or Chicken Sandwich

You do not need to make a separate slaw.

Thinly sliced raw cabbage has a mild, slightly sweet, peppery flavor that helps cut through the creaminess of the mayonnaise without overpowering the tuna or chicken.

It also adds crunch.

Keep It Simple

The point is not to prep everything. Make the shortcuts that will actually help you this week.

A few useful things ready to go can make the next meal much easier.

Need the How-To? Beginner Recipes

Open the ones you need. Skip the ones you already know.

▸ Cook a Batch of Rice

Cook rice according to the directions on the package. Different types of rice need different amounts of water and cooking times.

Use some fresh for rice bowls. Cool leftover rice promptly and refrigerate it for fried rice later.

▸ Egg + Spinach + Tuna or Chicken Bake

You’ll need

• 4 large eggs or about 1 cup carton egg whites
• About 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1 small can tuna or chicken, about 5 oz / 140 g, drained
• Pepper
• Salt, if needed
• A little oil for the baking dish

How

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Squeeze as much water as you reasonably can from the spinach.
3. Mix the eggs or egg whites, spinach, and drained tuna or chicken.
4. Season with pepper and a little salt if needed.
5. Pour into a lightly greased small baking dish.
6. Bake until the center is completely set, about 20–30 minutes, depending on the size and depth of the dish.
7. Cut into portions.

Serve with rice or bread.

▸ Marinate + Bake Tofu

Drain firm tofu and cut it into pieces.

Toss with your marinade and let it sit while you prep something else, or refrigerate it for later.

Bake until hot and browned around the edges.

See the previous tofu recipe for the full method.

▸ Roast Cabbage

Cut cabbage into wedges or chunky pieces.

Toss with a little oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until tender with browned edges.

See the previous roasted cabbage recipe for the full method.

▸ Roasted Pepper & Nut Spread

You’ll need

• About 1 cup roasted bell pepper, drained if using jarred
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, cashews, or pecans
• 1–2 tablespoons oil
• A pinch of salt
• Pepper
• 1–2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, optional

How

1. Put the roasted pepper and nuts into a blender or food processor.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil, a pinch of salt, and some pepper.
3. Blend until mostly smooth.
4. If it is too thick, add a little more oil.
5. Taste and add a small splash of balsamic vinegar if you want more acidity.

Use it in sandwiches or spoon some onto a rice bowl.

Which nut? Peanuts are usually the most budget-friendly option. Cashews make the spread especially creamy. Pecans work well too.

▸ Tuna or Chicken Salad

You’ll need

• 1 can tuna or chicken, about 5 oz / 140 g, drained
• 1–2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Pepper
• Salt, if needed

How

1. Drain the tuna or chicken.
2. Put it in a bowl.
3. Add 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and mix.
4. Add more mayonnaise if you want it creamier.
5. Taste before adding salt—the canned tuna or chicken may already be salty.

Use it for sandwiches. Add thinly sliced raw cabbage when you assemble the sandwich if you want some crunch.

▸ Miso Mayo for Egg Toast

You’ll need

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon miso

Mix and taste. Add a little more miso if you want a stronger flavor.

Spread on toast and add a fried egg or a piece of egg bake.