5 Simple Recipes for Living Abroad
That your family will love too
Let’s face it – deciding what to cook for dinner is never an easy task. It seems that even when we aren’t in the kitchen cooking, we are thinking about what we are going to make and whether or not we have the ingredients. We’ve all heard the saying, “becoming an adult is just deciding what to make for dinner everyday for the rest of your life”. Now, add living abroad into the equation and you have a whole new set of challenges to tackle. Not only is it a challenge finding the right ingredients, but many of the labels are in different languages! Thank goodness for Google Translate. While I am sure we all have a few spices that we bring with us abroad to create our favorite meals, I wanted to gather a few simple recipes for those evenings when we don’t feel like thinking about what to make. Each recipe was inspired with one simple goal in mind: bringing the comfort of home to your kitchen overseas. Enjoy!
Recipe #1: Creamy Mushroom & Pesto Pasta
This pasta dish is delicious, easy to make, and ready in less than 15 minutes. Perfect for a post-game meal!
What you will need:
12 oz. linguine noodles
8 mushrooms, sliced
6 garlic cloves, diced (or more if you’re a garlic lover like me!)
¼ pesto 2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 ½ cups vegetable broth
Combine ingredients in a frying pan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to prevent sticking, until pasta is al dente and almost all liquid has evaporated (8-9 min). Salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add 1 cup of spinach to this recipe for some extra greens.
Recipe #2: Sweet Potato & Chickpea Curry
This is one of my fiancés favorites. It requires a little more prep time but you could always have the veggies cut beforehand if necessary.
What you will need:
1 tsp olive oil
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 cup spinach, washed
15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
400 ml / 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
1 tbsp. yellow curry paste or 1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos
1 tsp crushed garlic
½ tsp crushed ginger
1 cup water
Heat oil in large sauce pan on medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring until softened (about 2 min). Add garlic and ginger and cook another 30 seconds. Add sweet potato, bell pepper, carrot and chickpeas to the saucepan and cook for 1 min., stirring occasionally. Add coconut milk, curry paste, soy sauce, and water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes, or until sweet potato is fully cooked. Stir spinach through curry until wilted. Serve on it’s own or on top of rice.
Recipe #3: Turkey Chili
I suggest letting this chili simmer in a crockpot or on the stove for a few hours to really let the spices ruminate – and make your home smell so good! You can also leave out the ground turkey and just add 3 cups of vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
What you will need:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 sliced jalapeno (optional)
4 tsp. garlic (or more if it’s cold season!)
1 lb. ground turkey (optional)
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili flakes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup tomato paste
4 cups vegetable broth
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are softened. Add ground turkey and cook until meat is cooked through. Add the chili powder, cumin, chili flakes, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, and tomato paste. Stir until combined. Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, and beans. Cover and bring chili to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, uncover and let simmer for 30 minutes – or however long you want! Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Recipe #4: Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad
For a surprisingly filling & healthy option, try this roasted quinoa salad (one of my personal faves). Feel free to get creative with the veggies – add whatever you like!
What you will need:
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water (or veggie broth)
½ pound broccoli, cut into florets
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale
olive oil, as needed
3 tbsp. feta cheese (optional)
juice from lemon
½ tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. honey
3 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
Preheat oven to 425 F. Place quinoa and water in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer, cover and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and place quinoa in large bowl to cool. Toss broccoli and sweet potato chunks with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast veggies at 425 F for about 20 minutes. Add your kale and chickpeas to the roasting pan. Add a bit more oil, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, and toss. Roast for another 15 minutes. Once your veggies are nice and roasted, remove from oven and combine with quinoa. Crumble feta and add to quinoa and veggie mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, and honey. Gently stir in oil, add salt and pepper and Italian seasoning to taste. Toss dressing over quinoa mixture. Voila!
Recipe #5: Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
I love this recipe for days when I am missing home – there is something about a warm bowl of soup that brings comfort. I hope that you will get this same feeling when recreating this recipe.
What you will need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chopped white onion
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
8 cups chicken broth
7 oz. spaghetti noodles (about 3 cups)
Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, salt and pepper, and chicken stock. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, turn slow cooker to high for 10 minutes and stir in noodles. Return the chicken back to the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
