Easy One Pot Meals

We know that making time for family, work and your basic cooking courses can sometimes take its toll. Juggling all the aspects of a busy life is certainly rewarding, but it can also make planning creative meals a bit stressful.

To help save time – not to mention a big mess – why not try mastering the skills you’ve learned with easy and simple one pot meals? Although the thought may seem a bit boring, there are actually quite a few recipes that are very complex and unique, and you don’t need a lot of fancy cookware to prepare them! If you are busy cleaning the house, playing with your kids, trying to fit in the work out or simply want to relax for a few hours, these recipes are great because they are low-maintenance, hassle-free, healthy and delicious.

Try out a few of these delicious meal ideas the next time you want to wow your family and guests without a lot of fuss:

Mardi Gras Jambalaya

What to get:
1 pound smoked turkey sausage or andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch slices
½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup uncooked long- or whole-grain rice
2 green or red bell peppers (or a mixture of both for color), roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 ¾ cups of chicken broth
1 (28 ounces) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
½ cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder

What to do:
Grab a large soup pot and set it over medium heat. Simply grab all of your ingredients and place them into the pot. Make sure to mix everything well, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Then, reduce to a low heat and simmer until the rice is fully cooked – about 30 to 35 minutes.

Spicy Coconut Chicken Casserole

What to get:
4 whole chicken legs
1 (14.5 ounces) can light coconut milk
1 to 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 cup jasmine rice
2 red bell peppers, de-ribbed and de-seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces green beans, de-stemmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ lemon for serving, sliced into wedges
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

What to do:
Pull out a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot and get the olive oil going over a medium-high temperature. Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper, then work the poultry in two batches, evenly browning all sides. Transfer the legs to a plate and set aside.

Add the curry paste, ½ cup water and coconut milk to the pot and bring to a boil. Add rice and stir. Add the legs and juices from browning in one single layer. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Keep the pot on the burner for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Sprinkle veggies on top of the dish, place the lid on the pot and cook until the peppers and beans are crisp-tender – about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve in bowls with lemon wedges on the side.

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