During the pandemic, everyone is trying to limit shopping trips and eat healthfully. These nutritious meals, developed by Linda Monastra, a chef and graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City, are easily doubled or tripled and can be stored in the freezer for the future.

Poached Eggs in Tomatoes, Peppers, and Spinach

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (28 oz.) low-sodium diced tomatoes
• 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and pour in olive oil. Add onions and bell pepper, and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and salt, and stir to coat vegetables. Add tomatoes with their juices and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add spinach and cook until spinach wilts.

Using a large spoon, make 4 evenly spaced indentations in the tomato mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Cover skillet and cook 8 to 10 minutes for slightly runny yolks, a few minutes longer for firm yolks. If egg whites aren’t cooking all the way through, add some of the tomato liquid to baste the whites until they are firm.

Divide the mixture evenly on four plates and garnish with minced parsley.

Black Bean Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa

Serves 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili or chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 can (28 oz.) low-sodium diced tomatoes
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 3 cups diced sweet potatoes (from about 2-3 small sweet potatoes)
• 1 can (15 oz.) low-sodium black beans, or 1½ cups cooked black beans
• ½ cup frozen corn

Optional toppings:

• diced avocado
• sliced scallions
• chopped fresh cilantro
• low-fat plain yogurt

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently to keep onion from burning.

Add bell pepper, garlic, spices, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine. Continue cooking over medium heat until pepper begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir continuously.

Add canned tomatoes with their juices, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and two cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until sweet potatoes have softened. Add black beans and corn and continue cooking until beans and corn are heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide evenly among bowls and add any toppings. Leftovers can be frozen for future meals.

Whole Wheat Penne with Kale, Red Peppers, and Chickpeas

Serves 4

• 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• ½ cup diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 pound kale, destemmed and roughly chopped (about 2 bunches)
• 1 can low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or ½ cup cooked chickpeas
• zest of 1 lemon

In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, remove 1 cup of pasta cooking water and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, until onions soften and become translucent. Toss in garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper, and cook another minute. Add bell pepper and kale, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, chickpeas, reserved pasta water, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and stir to combine for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat, add lemon zest, and stir to combine.

Baked Potatoes with Vegetables

Serves 4

• 4 medium-sized russet potatoes, rinsed and dried

Suggested toppings:

• 2 cups steamed broccoli florets
• 4 cups roughly chopped leafy greens, sautéed
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 2 cups leftover chili
• ¼ cup low-fat plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Poke each potato with a fork, to allow steam to escape while baking. Place potatoes directly on oven rack and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until potatoes have softened and give slightly when pressed. Remove from oven. Make a slit down the center of the baked potato and add toppings of your choice.

To steam broccoli, place the broccoli in large saucepan, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, cover, and cook over high heat for 3 minutes. Lower heat and cook for an additional 1-3 minutes until broccoli begins to soften and is bright green.

To sauté leafy greens, remove any tough stems and chop leaves roughly. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add greens and stir continuously until they start to wilt, 3 to 5 minutes.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Aquafaba Mayonnaise

Note: Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of beans, so save it when draining and rinsing the chickpeas.

Serves 4

For chickpea salad:

• 1 can (15 oz.) low-sodium chickpeas, drained (reserve liquid) and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons aquafaba mayonnaise (see recipe below) or store-bought low-fat mayonnaise
• 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons diced red onion
• ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
• ¼ cup diced cucumber or celery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 8 pieces of whole grain bread
• 4 large pieces of lettuce or other greens

For aquafaba mayonnaise:

• ¼ cup aquafaba (chickpea water)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¾ cup canola oil

To make mayonnaise, blend all ingredients except canola oil in a food processor or regular blender (or with an immersion blender in a measuring cup or deep bowl) on low while slowly drizzling in the canola oil until the mixture has thickened and emulsified. Texture may be thinner than store-bought mayonnaise, so be sure to blend until all ingredients are emulsified. This homemade mayo keeps for about two weeks in the refrigerator.

To prepare salad, smash chickpeas in a medium bowl until most of them are broken down. Coat chickpeas with mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Add onion, bell pepper, cucumber/celery, salt, black pepper, and parsley; stir to combine. Divide evenly on four pieces of whole grain bread and place lettuce on top of chickpea mixture. Top with remaining bread slices.

Vegetable Stir-fry with Tofu or Chicken over Brown Rice

Serves 4

• 1 cup short- or long-grain brown rice
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 2 teaspoons minced or grated ginger root
• 1 teaspoon chili paste or hot sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 15 oz. firm tofu, drained, or 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into half-moons
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups spinach, thick stems removed
• ¼ cup frozen corn
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced

To cook the rice, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in medium saucepan. Add rice, lower heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat.

To make the sauce, combine soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and chili paste/hot sauce in a small bowl, whisk to combine, then set aside.

Place a wok or large skillet over high heat and add olive oil and tofu or chicken. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally until tofu or chicken is golden, about 10 minutes. Remove tofu or chicken from pan and set aside.

Add carrot, bell pepper, broccoli, and red onion; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, stir, and cook for 2 minutes, then add spinach and corn, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Return tofu or chicken to pan and stir until heated through. Add sauce to coat vegetables and protein. Remove from the heat.

Divide rice evenly in four bowls, and top with stir-fry. Garnish with sliced scallion.

Oatmeal Cups

Makes 12

Note: This recipe can be adapted with any kind of milk and any fruit puree, such as mashed bananas or pumpkin. Any type of nut or seed butter can be substituted for almond butter, or you can grind up almonds in a food processor until it turns into nut butter. The spices also can be substituted, or you can add more cinnamon. This recipe can be also doubled, and some of the oatmeal cups frozen for later use.

• 1½ cups almond milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup unsalted almond butter
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup, almond butter, and applesauce. Add oats, baking powder, spices, and salt, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to combine.

Divide the mixture among the 12 cups in the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden and slightly puffed. Remove from oven and allow to cool about 10 minutes. Gently slide a spatula or knife around edges of cups to loosen and remove them.

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