Easy Enough for the Worst Chefs

I am not a cook.

I will be the first to admit I am a terrible cook. The sad thing is, it really doesn't even bother me. I don't cry over a burned meal or sit in sorrow after messing up another recipe. I've just come to terms with the fact that I'm not great at cooking. And as long as I can whip something up that is nutritious and edible, that's fine with me. Now my family, they are wonderful chefs. My mom can make a meal that would bring you to tears, my brother is a master on the grill and can make Ramen noodles taste like they are from a 5 star restaurant, memories of my dad making the best scrambled eggs on Saturday mornings always leaves me disappointed in restaurants' versions of runny ones, and even Jake, a mere 8 years old, can cook. Somehow, I got skipped.

Most women were probably inspired after watching "Julie and Julia" to get in the kitchen and get to work. All the movie did for me was make me hungry, sans the actual desire to make something myself or pull one of my gigantic cookbooks down from the cupboards.

Being pregnant, I've known from the get go that running to Whataburger on a Wednesday night when I'm too lazy to prepare dinner is not an option. I've stuck to my guns about being healthy during this pregnancy and I decided it was time to try a new recipe. I found one off of a pregnancy website, bought the ingredients, and gave it a whole-hearted try. Guess what? It was delicious! And incredibly healthy! Jimmy even smiled and gobbled up 2 or 3 helpings. Because it was such a success for me, I thought I would post the recipe for others to try as well.

Rotini with Chicken and Garden Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 bag whole-wheat rotini or other round pasta shape
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (you can use more or less, depending on your love for cheese)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes, or until light golden and almost cooked through, flipping often. Transfer to plate.
• Add broth to skillet over high heat and bring to a simmer. Add peas and corn and cook 3 minutes, until vegetables soften and some of the liquid has cooked off. Return chicken to skillet and cook 1 minute, or until chickeln and vegetables are cooked completely through.
  
• Drain pasta. In a serving bowl, toss pasta with chicken sauce and add cheese on top.

I made a spinach salad on the side with some Italian dressing and the whole meal was not only delicious, but it was also quite cheap. Enjoy!