Quick Bite: Easy Tomato Sauce & Ravioli

Sometimes, you're tired. It's Thursday and you're in no mood to cook. Do you order Thai? Pizza? Go to Whole Foods and spend $536 on prepared food by the pound (as I have been known to do)? Well, unless your legs are broken, don't do it! Drop the menus, cook this dish and then throw in your coins for a few Guinness' at the Village Idiot. This recipe is any-monkey-can-make-it easy and if you don't feel like pasta, you can use the sauce for dipping (your sprouted wheat, low-carb bread). I might have eaten half of it while it was simmering because it was just that good.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 can of sliced black olives

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

crumbled herbed feta

salt & pepper to taste

*Pasta of your choice. I used a mushroom and asiago ravioli.

Boil 6 quarts of water and put in the pasta to cook. Meanwhile, over medium heat put the olive oil into a pan and when hot, put in the sliced onions and garlic. When the onions are soft, put in the tomatoes, olives, salt and pepper and heat until simmering. Then, add the basil and let simmer for another 2-3 minutes. When the pasta is ready, drain and serve. Cover it with sauce and crumbled feta. Eat up! And then go drink up!

Quick Bite: Tilapia

Give me $20? I'll go to a restaurant. $50? Restaurant. $100? You get the idea. I love food and with 8 million places to eat in Los Angeles, I'll usually hop on the bicycle and head out in the neighborhood for comida.

Tonight, with the windows wide open and the sun setting late (welcome summer everyone), I chose to cook. This is what I came up with. I pretty much almost licked my plate. You will, too.

Parmesan Tilapia w/ Summer Pasta

Ingredients (Serves 2):

3 fillets (.75 lb) of US farmed tilapia rinsed

3 stalks of celery thinly chopped

1/4 yellow onion thinly chopped

1/4 yellow bell pepper thinly chopped

1/4 bag of Trader Joe's spinach & chive linguine

1 tsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup of parmesan mixed with pepper and dill

dill, salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Boil 3-4 quarts of water. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. When hot, sautee onion, bell pepper, and celery in butter stirring occasionally until softened (about 5 min.). Put vegetable mixture aside on a plate and cover. When water is boiling, throw in linguine and cook for 4-6 minutes until al dente. Meanwhile, put 3 fillets of tilapia in the pan (same as vegetables) on medium heat. Season with salt, pepper and dill. Flip over after about 2-3 minutes. Season other side and heat until cooked about 1-2 minutes. Heat broiler. Remove tilapia from stove and place on baking sheet. Drain pasta. Cover tilapia with parmesan mixture and put in broiler until cheese is melted about 2 minutes. When the tilapia is ready, serve over the pasta then cover with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle parmesan on top and serve (with a glass of wine). Happy eating!