Doing the One-Pot Math

Simple Two-Bean Pasta Salad

Even though most stovetops have four burners, why not do some creative subtraction and just use one?  (Assuming you have a big enough pot.)  Dishes based on starches, grains, and vegetables are prime candidates for honing your math skills:  just figure out how many minutes each item takes to cook and then subtract them from the longest-time-taker to the shortest-time-taker, making a mental note — or a physical one — of when you’ll need to add each item.  The following recipe is an easy and delicious exercise for flexing your math muscles in the kitchen.  (The math-based, one-pot method may seem like a lot of work when you first start doing it, but with a little bit of practice, you’ll be amazed at how much time you save … and how many fewer pots you have to clean!)

Simple Two-Bean Pasta Salad

Note that this recipes has four items that require simmering:  carrots, green beans, pasta, and spinach; cooking times are noted for each item in descending/mathematical order.

(makes enough for 4 servings)

Enough whole-grain pasta of your choice for 4 servings (I used corn spaghetti, which takes 8 minutes to cook)
1 lb. green beans, rinsed and stems snipped off (this will take 5 minutes to cook)
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4″ rounds or chunks (if you like crispy carrots, plan on 1 minute of cooking time; if you’d like them more tender, plan on 3 minutes of cooking time)
2 cups loosely-packed spinach, chopped (this will cook in 1 minute)
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained
Extra-virgin olive oil & white balsamic vinegar for tossing

Get a pot of water boiling. Add pasta and begin the countdown to the next-to-be-cooked item. In my case, the pasta took 8 minutes to cook and the green beans took 5, so I set the timer for 3 minutes.

As soon as your friendly timer beeps, add the beans and set the timer for 4 minutes so that you’ll know when the final minute is at hand. <Beep!> Add the carrots and spinach to cook for the final minute, then quickly pour it all into a colander to drain. (Unless you want tender carrots, in which case do the math accordingly.)

Stir the drained pinto beans and about 2 T. each olive oil and balsamic vinegar into the drained pasta and veggies, then taste to see if you’d like to add more smooth richness (the oil) or piquancy (the vinegar). Salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately. A hard cheese like Parmesan or Manchego would be a nice garnish.

Enjoy!