Taboule Salad Part 2 aka Multipurpose Fusion Meals

What did you make?

The taboule salad (refer to post below) was good but the real meal was being created on the fly. I needed a more substantial and colorful dinner and something for lunch too!

For dinner I added some salad and mixed in a few spoonfuls of the taboule salad. I also had made a garlic vegetable stir-fry (mushrooms, frozen spinach, frozen green beans, and frozen mixed vegetables--- also a chicken tender was chopped in there after I microwaved it so that there was some meat) that I added to the taboule and salad mix.

For lunch the ingredients were largely the same but I added a bit of mozzarella cheese, blue cheese, and some chipotle hummus for extra color, texture, and taste.

How long did it take?

Both the lunch and dinner together took around 40 minutes. I kept adjusting the taboule salad so that took some time. Waiting for the stir-fry to finish also took awhile since my vegetables were mainly frozen.

How did it taste?

So far I've only had the dinner salad but it was a 8. I was too lazy to add more balsamic vinegar but it needed just a little more of a kick.

Taboule Salad Part 1

What did you make?

I followed the recipe on the back of Trader Joe's whole wheat couscous box to make a version of Taboule salad. I used 1/2 cup of boiling water, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1/3 cup lemon juice as the liquid base to 1.25 cups of couscous. I was really surprised by the amount of olive oil called for. I also found that the couscous was not really cooking with just one cup of boiling water.
I modified this recipe by putting this on the stove on low heat. I also added some of the juice from the garbanzo beans to add moisture to this mix. I seasoned the dish with just some salt and pepper and dried oregano. I was also considering adding tuna but I decided to leave it vegetarian with just garbanzo beans and chopped tomatoes.

How long did it take?

This took around 40 minutes only because I was multitasking as I made this. (keep an eye out for Taboule Salad Part 2). I think this dish could be made in 20 minutes if you only boiled enough water for the dish instead of a whole tea kettle's worth.

How did it taste?

I would give this a 7.5. I really like the taste of garbanzo beans in this dish and tomatoes were also nice. In the past I added some white vinegar to this dish and I kind of wish I had done that this time because while my taboule tasted good I think it could have used an extra kick.

Couscous Tomato Chicken Soup

What did you make?

I made a soup base from the rotisserie chicken carcass. Then I sauteed garlic, onions, corn, and kidney beans. After letting the chicken simmer, I added the sauteed vegetables along with the canned tomatoes. I also added couscous to thicken the soup. To turn this into a Mexican chicken soup, you can add crushed tortilla chips instead of couscous.

How long did it take?

This takes around 45 minutes because you want to let the soup simmer. The preparation can be simultaneous because the stock can be simmering as the rest of the ingredients are being prepared.

How did it taste?

I would rate this a 7.5. I usually use tortilla chips which help season this soup. This time something was a little off because of the seasoning.

The Meal Before...Grocery Shopping

What did you make today?

Today I had to whip something up quickly for lunch but some of the usual staples were missing. I boiled some packaged pork and leek dumplings. I also boiled the broccoli before stir-frying it in garlic and scallions. I also drizzled a bit of sesame oil on it for the smell. The most creative dish was the uncooked tofu, shredded carrots, and three-cheese tomato sauce combination.

How long did it take?

It actually took around 30 minutes because I did it different stages and it was not preplanned.

How did it taste? Would you make it again?

There was a lot of variety in this lunch so that made the meal a 7.5. The brocolli was a little saltier than I intended and the dumplings were good though not exceptional. The tofu absorbs any flavor so it was a true fusion dish. Cold tofu is great for the summer months so I'm starting a little early.

Grilled, Microwaved, and Breaded

What did you make?

I made this sandwich in the morning before work for my lunch. I microwaved 2 pieces of breaded chicken tenders and placed them on a slice of whole wheat bread. The other slice of bread had slices of Monterey Jack Cheese, 3 cheese tomato sauce, and some lettuce from a salad mix. Then I used my George Foreman grill as a sandwich press to create my own version of a panini.

How long did it take?

This took around 10 minutes because it took 3 minutes for the chicken tenders in the microwave and another 4 -5 minutes for the ingredients to be added before being put on the grill.

How did it taste? Would you make it again?

It was very good! As you can see I mainly steer away from sandwiches for lunch but I needed something quick and I enjoy sandwiches that have been toasted. I would rate this an 8 and I would make this again if I decide to buy more breaded chicken tenders.

13 minutes!

What did you make?

This was my lunch. I started by sauteeing some green onions and then throwing in some frozen corn, peas, spinach, edaname, and string beans. Meanwhile I also microwaved some chicken tenders. When the vegetables warmed up I tossed in an egg and then finally rice and soy sauce and black pepper. I cut up the chicken tenders and added this to my completed dish. I let it cool on a plate before packing it up for lunch. I was pressed for time so I saw that I started at 8:03am and was done by 8:16am.

How did it taste? Would you make it again?

I would give it an 8. I like how there are a lot of vegetables but the egg and chicken add some oomph to the combination. I would make it again. I enjoy adding eggs to vegetables.

All Purpose Tofu

What did you make?




This was the first version of my lunch. There is a Chinese dish that is usually eaten during summer months that uses black preserved egg , tofu, scallions, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I modified it with hot sauce and some leftover canned tuna. Sadly, no preserved eggs this time.




I added the salad below ! Yes, an apple was part of my lunch too.

How long did it take?

I made it before work so it was a very very quick dish. I think it took 5 minutes. I sliced the tofu, added tuna , hot sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil and pepper.

How did it taste? Would you make it again?

I would give this a 8. It was a very lovely flavor combination for me and it was satisfying to eat something that was soft and still tasty when chilled. I will probably use this as a backup lunch recipe.

Not your ordinary spaghetti!

What did you make?

I am a bit low on meat products and low on time so it is tomato sauce from Trader Joes and canned kidney beans, onions, garlic, peas, and corn all sauteed together in butter. Yes, I should have used olive oil but I wanted to try something a bit different. I also added some feta cheese and hot sauce for some creaminess and spiciness. What makes the dish different and I learned this from my Turkish roommate is adding some yogurt to your spaghetti. It is a refreshing tang and then you can even eat the spaghetti cold.

How long did it take?

The pasta is pretty quick to make especially if you use the angel hair pasta. I think it took 10 minutes and then the prep work for chopping the onions and garlic took 5 minutes and sauteeing it all before combining the ingredients took probably another 20 minutes. 30-35 minutes total.

How does it taste? Would you make it again?

I would give this a 7.5. It is satisfying and the kidney beans in particular make this dish more hearty. There is a goop that the kidney beans come in and it is quite thick and tasty and blends in well with the tomato sauce. The one issue I have with this dish is the tomato sauce I used. I dont really love it and I think it is because I'm not used to the basil. It is a bit strong for my taste

What I made for to Eat Today

This blog is a chance for "ordinary" people to show off their culinary talents as well as culinary disasters.
I've only been bringing my lunch to work for roughly 4 months but my cooking has been evolving as I experiment in the kitchen. I envision a question and answer format for those who would like to submit their own photos of their lunch and other meals they make and the story behind it. The possibilities and potential for fun and cultural exchange are endless. Would a fourth grader's lunch really be that different from a college student's or a senior citizen? Do men and women make different kinds of lunches?

I've started us off with my "jap chae" dish (korean noodles).

Please email
whatimadetoeattoday@gmail.com
and submit photos of your meals and answer the basic questions
1. What did you make?
2. How did you make it?
3. How did it taste? Would you make it again?
4. Additional comments

I will be posting new mela profiles as often as I get submissions!

What did you make for lunch today?
Well, tonight I made a version of the Korean dish "jap chae". I have been eating a lot of Korean food and I enjoyed these clear noodles made from sweet potato flour so I decided it was time to try replicating it.

How long did it take?
I wasn't following the time very closely but it was close to 30minutes. I just needed to boil the noodles for roughly 8-10 minutes until they were tender and while the noodles were boiling I chopped onions and garlic, defrosted ground turkey, and grated some carrots. I stir fried the onions and garlic with some soy sauce before adding mushrooms, spinach, carrots, and the ground turkey. I seasoned it with more soy sauce, sesame oil, and I added maybe a tablespoon of sugar--I just took a few pinches of sugar from the bag. I added soy sauce to the onions while they were sauteing and drizzled sesame oil and soy sauce on the ground turkey after it was defrosted. Once the veggies and meat were cooked I added in the cooked noodles. The dish is done once the noodles have absorbed the flavors and you have finished seasoning it.

How did it taste?
On a scale of 1-10 I'd rate it a solid 8. I went back for thirds so I definitely enjoyed it. I think it could have used a little bit of hot sauce but I forgot to add some of that however I think I have the right flavors with the use of soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. The noodles had the right amount of chewiness and I liked the fragrance of the sesame oil with the soy sauce and sugar.

Do you pack a lunch?

Yes, I'm bringing this dish as the main course for my lunch tomorrow.