Manly Meals

Men's Health's website is simply fantastic. They have a great new gimmick on the site for making quick, simple, healthy meals (Guy Meals Made Easy). You pick a protein, like pork, then a style in which to cook it, "Japanese," for example, a side starch, and its style, oh, let's try "Spicy Sesame Noodles", and a vegetable. We'll go with "Coconut Ginger Zucchini". This is what pops up for each -

Japanese Style Pork Chops

1.5 pounds of pork chops
3 Tbsp any miso paste
1 Tbsp each sesame oil and peanut oil
Black pepper
Chopped walnuts or soy sauce (or both)

1. Start with 1.5 pounds of pork chops.

2. Combine the ingredients for Japanese flavor—3 Tbsp any miso paste, 1 Tbsp each sesame oil, and peanut oil, lots of black pepper—and rub or smear it all over your protein. Let it marinate if you have time.

3. Light up the grill, heat the broiler, or fire up a cast-iron skillet and cook the pork chops on both sides until they're done the way you like it. Use a small, sharp knife to take a peek inside if you're not sure.

4. Sprinkle on chopped walnuts or a drizzle of soy sauce (or both), and serve it hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Spicy Sesame Pasta/Noodles

1 pound of pasta or noodles
1 part sesame oil and 1 parts peanut oil
1 or 2 chopped fresh hot chilies or dried chili flakes
Chopped scallions

1. Start with about a pound of pasta or noodles. Boil them as simply as possible, using nothing more than salt. Undercook pasta a bit so it still has some bite; drain it as needed.

2. Five minutes before you're ready to eat, put the spicy sesame flavor ingredients—1 part sesame oil and 2 parts peanut oil, plus one or two chopped fresh hot chilies or dried chili flakes—into the appropriate size pan with some salt and pepper.

3. Set the pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring once in a while until fragrant; if the mixture is boiling too much, lower the heat.

4. Drizzle the flavorings over the warm noodles, and toss.

5. Add chopped scallions.

6. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and toss again.

Serves 4

Coconut Ginger Zucchini

1 pound of zucchini
Peanut oil
Chopped ginger, garlic, and chilies
Coconut milk
Chopped pistachios, almonds, or peanuts
Chopped cilantro

1. Start with about a pound of zucchini or a combination of vegetables.

2. Slice, chop, or grate them as you like; leave small or thin whole.

3. Put a film of peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Once it’s hot, add chopped ginger, garlic, and chilies. Stir as needed.

5. Add the vegetable(s) and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. If you’re using a combination of vegetables, begin with the ones that will take the longest to cook and build up to those that wilt the fastest.

6. Stir once in a while, searing the vegetables a bit. Adjust the temperature and add oil as needed to keep things moving in the pan.

7. When everything is cooked through, splash in some coconut milk, scraping up any brown bits from the pan.

8. Add chopped pistachios, almonds, or peanuts, and chopped cilantro and toss, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

9. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4