These "One Pot" Dinners Will Make Your Life Easier
These "One Pot" Dinners Will Make Your Life Easier is a medium Fusion recipe that serves 8. 520 calories per serving. Recipe by LifebyMikeG on YouTube.
Prep: 53 min | Cook: 1 hr 30 min | Total: 2 hrs 43 min
Cost: $75.24 total, $9.40 per serving
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Grainy Mustard (prefer grainy mustard, any mustard works)
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup (pure maple syrup)
- 4 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra‑virgin, divided between glaze and vegetables)
- to taste Salt (kosher or sea salt)
- 1 pound Salmon Fillet (skinless, fresh; yields two servings)
- 1 medium Fennel Bulb (thinly sliced)
- to taste Black Pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 Lemon (cut in half for roasting, plus juice for sauce)
- 0.5 cup Sour Cream (for the zesty cream sauce)
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley (chopped)
- 1 clove Garlic (minced for sauce)
- 1 cup Couscous (instant, dry)
- 2 Eggplant (small‑medium, sliced lengthwise, garlic stuffed, wrapped in foil)
- 2 Garlic Cloves (halved and inserted into eggplant)
- 1 sheet Aluminum Foil (for wrapping eggplant)
- 0.5 head Cauliflower (cut into bite‑size florets)
- 200 grams Halloumi Cheese (firm, sliced to match cauliflower size)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 0.5 can Canned Chickpeas (drained, optional for extra protein)
- 2 tablespoons Tahini
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice (fresh, from a lemon)
- 2 tablespoons Pickled Red Onions (optional garnish)
- 3 Chicken Thighs (bone‑in, skin‑on for flavor)
- 1 Medium Onion (chopped)
- 5 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 1 cup Orzo Pasta (dry)
- 1 lemon Lemon Zest (zested from one lemon)
- 0.75 cup Fresh Lemon Juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1.5 cups Chicken Stock (low‑sodium)
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Dill (chopped for garnish)
- 4 slices Bacon (Canadian style, homemade if possible)
- 0.5 head Nappa Cabbage (roughly chopped)
- 3 stalks Green Onions (sliced, half reserved for garnish)
- 1 cup Fresh Kimchi (ripe, unpasteurized)
- 1 cup Mushrooms (sliced (any variety))
- 1 cup Chicken Stock (leftover from chicken dish)
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Rice Cakes (Tteok) (Korean rice cakes, chewy)
Instructions
Make Maple‑Mustard Glaze
Combine grainy mustard, maple syrup, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl; whisk until smooth.
Time: PT5M
Coat Salmon
Pat the 1‑lb salmon dry, then spread the glaze evenly over the flesh. Set aside while you prep the vegetables.
Time: PT2M
Prepare Fennel
Thinly slice the fennel bulb, place in a bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
Time: PT5M
Preheat Air Fryer
Set the infrared air fryer to 375°F and let it preheat for about 2 minutes.
Time: PT2M
Temperature: 375°F
Arrange Tray
Place the glazed salmon on one side of the air‑fryer tray, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part, and spread the fennel on the other side. Add lemon halves in a corner.
Time: PT3M
Air‑Fry Salmon & Fennel
Cook at 375°F for 13 minutes, then switch to the broil setting for an additional 2 minutes to crisp the salmon surface.
Time: PT15M
Temperature: 375°F
Prepare Couscous
Place 1 cup dry couscous in a mason jar, pour 1 cup boiling water over it, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes until fluffy.
Time: PT10M
Make Zesty Cream Sauce
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, chopped parsley, minced garlic, the juice of the roasted lemon halves, and season with salt and pepper; stir until smooth.
Time: PT5M
Plate Salmon Meal
Spoon couscous onto plates, top with roasted fennel, place the salmon chunk on top, and drizzle with the cream sauce.
Time: PT3M
Prep Eggplant for Roasting
Slice each eggplant lengthwise, insert a halved garlic clove into the slit, and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
Time: PT5M
Season Cauliflower & Halloumi
Toss cauliflower florets and halloumi cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil, turmeric, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
Time: PT5M
Air‑Fry Eggplant
Place foil‑wrapped eggplants in the air fryer at 375°F and cook for 10 minutes.
Time: PT10M
Temperature: 375°F
Add Cauliflower & Halloumi
Open the air fryer, add the seasoned cauliflower and halloumi to the tray, and continue cooking for 13 more minutes at 375°F.
Time: PT13M
Temperature: 375°F
Extract Eggplant Flesh
Remove the foil‑wrapped eggplants, let cool briefly, then scoop out the soft interior, discard the skin, and chop the flesh.
Time: PT5M
Assemble Eggplant Salad
In a bowl combine chopped eggplant flesh, drained chickpeas, chopped parsley, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; mix until a rough dip‑like consistency forms.
Time: PT5M
Plate Eggplant Dish
Spread the eggplant salad on a plate, top with the roasted cauliflower and halloumi, and garnish with pickled red onions if desired.
Time: PT3M
Preheat Oven for Chicken
Set oven to 350°F and allow it to preheat while you sear the chicken.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 350°F
Season & Sear Chicken Thighs
Pat dry the chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper, then sear skin‑side down in the ceramic pan with 2 tbsp olive oil for 6‑7 minutes until golden, flip and sear another 2 minutes.
Time: PT9M
Temperature: medium‑high
Sauté Aromatics
Remove chicken, add chopped onion, minced garlic, and thyme to the same pan; sauté 6‑7 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Time: PT7M
Temperature: medium
Toast Orzo
Stir in 1 cup dry orzo and toast for 2‑3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Time: PT3M
Temperature: medium
Add Liquids & Tomatoes
Pour in the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1.5 cups chicken stock, and halved cherry tomatoes; bring to a gentle bubble.
Time: PT3M
Temperature: medium
Bake Chicken & Orzo
Nestle the partially seared chicken thighs into the orzo mixture, skin side up, and bake uncovered in the 350°F oven for 15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Time: PT15M
Temperature: 350°F
Finish & Garnish
Remove from oven, sprinkle chopped fresh dill over the top, and let rest 2 minutes before serving.
Time: PT2M
Cook Bacon for Kimchi Stew
In a clean pan, fry the bacon slices over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: medium
Add Cabbage & Green Onions
Add sliced nappa cabbage and half of the sliced green onions to the pan; stir‑fry 2 minutes.
Time: PT2M
Temperature: medium
Incorporate Kimchi & Mushrooms
Stir in chopped kimchi and sliced mushrooms; cook another 2 minutes.
Time: PT2M
Temperature: medium
Add Stock, Water & Rice Cakes
Pour in 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup water, and the kimchi juice; bring to a simmer, then add the rice cakes, cover, and simmer 10 minutes until the cakes are soft and the broth thickens.
Time: PT10M
Temperature: medium
Season & Finish
Season the stew with salt to taste, stir in the remaining sliced green onions, and serve hot.
Time: PT2M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
Dietary info: Pescatarian (salmon dish), Vegetarian (cauliflower & halloumi dish), Gluten‑Free options available by substituting couscous and orzo, Low‑Carb option by swapping couscous with cauliflower rice
Allergens: Fish, Dairy, Gluten, Sesame
Last updated: April 7, 2026






