For the pasta recipe:

• 1 cup of penne pasta
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives (10-15 olives)
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt

Bring water to a boil in a big pot, add pasta and salt. Let boil for about 9 minutes.

While pasta is boiling, pit the kalamata olives. See previous post for pitting tips. Cut up the sun dried tomatoes into little squares.

Drain the pasta and mix all the ingredients together. And if you have any, garnish with basil and feta cheese. It shall be delicious!

Notice that I didn’t have any feta cheese or
basil :(

For the salad you will need:

• 1 red bell pepper
• about 1/3 cup kalamata olives (10-15 olives)
• about 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves

Pit the kalamata olives and cut them in half. To pit them I have two ways to go:

1. Cut of the top of the olive and squeeze out the pit.
2. Smash it with the back side of a knife (or any other big flat tool you have) then squeeze the pit out.

Cut up the sun-dried tomatoes into little squares.

In a small frying pan, melt some butter (or oil) and mince in one of the garlic cloves. Cut up the bell pepper into long inch thick strips and fry on high heat until slightly scorched.

Microwave the other two garlic cloves for about 15-20 seconds, this will make them soft and buttery and mild. Cut them up and mix all the ingredients together.

This meal took me less than 15 minutes to make and less than 5 to eat, that’s how good it was ;)

The pasta: Like with any pasta just boil until desired softness, or crunchiness if you like it crunchy :S

The chicken: While the pasta is boiling, fry up some chicken strips (or a whole breast fillet and later cut up to strips) and add some salt and pepper and a tiny bit of oregano.

The plate: When the pasta is done, drain the water and while its doing that put the chicken in the pot. Pour in some spinach, about a cup, and add a spoonful of pesto. Mix around a little bit and add the pasta, mix around some more and serve. I topped my dish off with some sun dried tomatoes because they match and are delicious.

This meal was just what lunch is supposed to be; good, fast and cheap.

This was day one of trying to make my own food. And I must admit, Im awesome.

I boiled two potatoes for about 20 minutes. Cut them up in a bowl and fried them with basil, garlic, oregano – all in olive oil. Added some avocados, to soften them.

Then I made a Italian-ish sandwich. With basil, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella and some arugula for volume :)

This whole meal cost less than $20 at whole foods and took about 30 minutes to create!