Dead Simple Suppers: Indian Spiced Beans and Spinach

I love the combination of beans and tomatoes. I especially love recipes like this one, where I can have all the ingredients I need just waiting in the cupboard (and freezer) for a day when I’ve forgotten to plan dinner. You can use this as the main dish by adding a bun or some rice to the side – it would also be nice on top of some pasta or couscous. Or you can make it a nutritious side dish instead and serve it with sausage or chicken.

Indian Spiced Beans and Spinach

(adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 3 tsp ground coriander
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1 can of beans rinsed and drained (the original recipe called for chickpeas, I used navy beans)
• salt
• 1 package of chopped frozen spinach

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add chopped onion and cook for a few until slightly browned on the edges.
3. Add the spices, and tomatoes and frozen spinach. Cook until spinach is almost completely thawed. (If using chickpeas you can add them now too as they are more robust than navy beans).
4. Add beans and cook until heated through.

Dead Simple Supper: Salsa Pasta Salad

Now that I have two kids, I’m finding it even more difficult to get a healthy dinner on the table. When I’m sleep deprived, I lack both imagination and enthusiasm in the kitchen. On top of this both my kids are having problems with milk and many of my go to easy meals rely on cheese.To assist me in avoiding takeout and providing my family with nutritious meals without a lot of effort, I’ve decided to blog about some dead simple suppers to help give me inspiration while meal planning or (more likely) while trying to figure out what on earth we’re going to have for supper tonight.

Salsa Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package of macaroni or other whole wheat noodles
• 1/4 of a small precooked ham cubed
• 2 bell peppers (any color) chopped
• 1 cucumber chopped
• handful of frozen peas
• Salsa

“Directions”

1. Cook pasta until al dente and cool under cold water.
2. Put in a large bowl along with vegetables and ham (the peas can go in frozen).
3. Add salsa just to coat and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve cold or room temperature.

If you're feeling more ambitious, try this pasta salad recipe from my friend Heather's blog. It's perfect for the summer when you're looking for something light that doesn't require a lot of cooking.