The Easiest One Pan Meal Imaginable

Few people can make healthy food seem extremely fun, but Ellie Krieger has that effect. Through her many books and cooking shows she always gives the impression that you can have your cake, eat it too and somehow find a way to make it as good for you as possible.

But her new book takes it to a new level because not only is she giving recipes that are healthy, but she’s saving you time and energy in the kitchen. Whole in One is all about cooking with one pot and making your life as easy as possible. If you cant do it in one pot there are no cheats her - she has figured out how to make it work.

We had Ellie in the kitchen to chat about the new book and make her herbed lentil skillet with spinach, tomatoes and ricotta. I’m not even going to pretend like I didn’t subsequently make this dish every night for a week - it was the perfect type of dish for real life. It was easy, quick, minimal clean-up and most importantly delicious. So do yourself a favor and watch the video below to see for yourself.

Herbed Lentil Skillet with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Ricotta

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 3/4 teaspoon dried
2 (15.5-ounce) cans lentils, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
6 large fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until they have softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the gar- lic and cook for 30 seconds more. Stir in the thyme, then add the lentils, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, and stir just enough to combine. Add the tomatoes and spinach, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stir- ring occasionally, until warmed through and the vegetables have wilted, 5 minutes.

Make a well in the lentil mixture and dollop 1/4 cup of the ricotta cheese into it. Repeat with the remaining ricotta, creating separate wells. Cover and cook until the cheese is slightly warmed but not melted, 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.