A World-Famous Chef Shares 6 Secrets To Making A Healthy Weeknight Dinner, Stat

Anna Jones has become synonymous with "gorgeous vegetarian food." The Jamie Oliver–mentored chef now writes a popular column in the Guardian and has penned three cookbooks, including the new The Modern Cook's Year (which mbg recently named one of the best healthy cookbooks of the year, calling the 250-recipe tome destined to become "the vegetarian Joy of Cooking").

To be both more economical and more time-savvy, Jones likes to jus up the previous night's dinner on each following night. "The one I make quite often in the winter is sort of squash, chickpea, tomato, leeks, or onions, and I'll stick whatever other veg I have in my fridge, be it carrots, celery, whatever," she says. "I'll spice it with a North African vibe: a bit of preserved lemon, smoked paprika, a bit of cumin."

The first night, she eats the stew as is, with some yogurt on top and flatbread on the side. "The next day maybe I'll make like an herb oil," she says. "I just bash it in a pestle and mortar, or put it in a small food processor with some olive oil and then actually a bit of orange zest or something, and you'll be amazed how much flavor you get from that, how different that soup will taste."

One-pot pastas save time both on the prep and cleanup side, and they're shockingly easy to make—if you get your timing right. "It's all about working backward," Jones explains. "So, check how long your pasta takes to cook. If it takes 8 or 10 minutes, work from there. If the asparagus is going to take 6 minutes, add it 4 minutes in, and so on." The genius of a one-pot pasta is that the starch from the pasta actually creates a silky sauce that tastes like cream, with no dairy necessary. "That's why Italians add a bit of that starchy pasta water to the pan once it's been cooked—because the starch creates that creaminess, so you don't need butter or cream." She's also big on not being too fussy with cooking anything, one-pot pasta included. "If the pasta doesn't feel cooked, add an extra half cup of water and let it cook for another minute," she says. "Or if there's extra water at the end, drain it off and you're good to go."

This pasta is a complete revelation. It's been one of the most popular recipes from my Guardian column, so I wanted to include it here. The sauce is magically made from the pasta water and asparagus as the pasta cooks—all in one pan. No fuss, and a killer bowl of pasta.

The key to this recipe is to measure your water carefully and use the right pan: You need a large, shallow sauté pan or a casserole dish large enough to fit the pasta lying down. A large, deep frying pan or wok would work too. Keep tossing the pasta as it cooks to keep it from sticking, as there is less water than you might be used to. Make sure your pasta is a type that cooks in 8 minutes; any longer will need water and more cooking.

I use sorrel here. It's a bright green, lemony, almost juicy leaf that I love. Be sure to add it if you can get your hands on it. If not, use watercress. The flavor will be more peppery than the sprightly lemon tang of sorrel, but both work beautifully.

Serves 4