“Single girl dinner” is a tongue-in-cheek term used for those times when we’re having a meal by ourselves. When no one’s looking, we’re creative and indulgent and flexible. Recipes become broad strokes instead of intricate instructions. We can turn a can of chicken noodle soup into sopa de ajo. We’re happy with a bowl of cereal. We’re fine ordering a glass of wine with an appetizer at the bar and calling it a night. (Um, we’ve even been known to fry up a big, juicy steak and have it all to ourselves.) Basically, it’s a moment where we can have our cake and eat it, too—with a glass of red wine!
FOUNDER & EDITOR
Name: Jessica Dang
Follow me on Twitter: @singlegirldin
Hometown: Houston, TX
Current location: New York, NY
I’m dying to go to: The English countryside
Day job: Freelance social media manager and writer/blogger
Dream job: I have to admit, I think I really love what I’m doing now. The dream, though, would be having the funds and time to write a book!
On my eating habits, I’d have to say: I love salads as much as I do steaks. My curiosity leads me to interesting discoveries, like testa, Maine sweet shrimp, bone marrow, and shad roe. Sometimes I get caught up in different diets. (Dukan Diet, anybody?)
My go-to single girl dinner: Breakfast food—cereal, fried eggs, fruit salad!
Single girl dinner low point: It’s a toss-up between ducking into a Popeyes and scarfing down a 2-piece meal, or eating Cheeto crumbs straight out of the bag with a spoon. I have seen the dark side.
Single girl dinner high point: Not sure if you’re aware, but I’m the creator of prosciutto-wrapped spaghettini pomodoro with burrata and fresh basil.
What you’ll always find in my kitchen: As long as I have eggs, scallions, and anchovies, I can whip up a meal out of anything. If all else fails, my kitchen is usually stocked with at least two cans of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle and Fage Total 2% in strawberry, blueberry, and peach.
On a Monday night, I’m probably: Finishing up a 3-mile run on the treadmill at Equinox and heading over to Whole Foods to forage for dinner.
My mother taught me: That it’s ok to eat while standing at the kitchen counter.
My motto is: I’ll have to borrow a quote from Diane von Furstenberg: “The key is to go from being an It Girl to becoming a Forever Girl.”
CONTRIBUTORS
Name: Tyann C. Jackson
Follow me on Twitter: @tbaybj
Hometown: Austin, TX/Seoul, S. Korea
Current location: Avenue Bad, NYC
I’m dying to go to: London
Day job: Freelance fashion dudette
Dream job: Film auteur and/or music producer
On my eating habits, I’d have to say: C’est la eat.
My go-to single girl dinner: Canned sardines or just a purple sweet potato
Single girl dinner low point: Anytime I order hungover cheap Chinese… Alone.
Single girl dinner high point: Vietnamese baked fish wraps. A grand meal.
What you’ll always find in my kitchen: Pickles.
On a Monday night, I’m probably: Watching female targeted reality TV with my domestic partner.
My motto is: Candy-coated lip gloss ‘cuz I can, and I will, twist off that lip smack.
Religion: Church of Mariah
Name: Juley Le
Follow me on Twitter: @juleytl
Hometown: Houma/New Orleans, LA
Current location: Nashville, TN
I’m dying to go to: The French countryside
Day job: Software analyst and blogger of Swankheights
Dream job: I aspire to be a hybrid entrepreneur/consultant.
On my eating habits, I’d have to say: I don’t eat healthy; I prefer eating tasty.
My go-to single girl dinner: I love to create deconstructed sandwiches from charcuterie and cheese boards.
Single girl dinner low point: Notorious for eating baguettes with butter for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Single girl dinner high point: Reading while slowly indulging on an arugula salad, truffled mac n’ cheese, and a Tahitian vanilla bean latte at my favorite gelato cafe in New Orleans. All for under $7.
What you’ll always find in my kitchen: A pack of Trader Joe’s frozen croissants, just in case I need to whip up an impromptu breakfast for guests
On a Monday night, I’m probably: Wishing it was the weekend.
My mother taught me: How to roll the perfect egg roll!
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be: Anthony Bourdain because he curses like a sailor when he really likes what he eats!
My motto is: Always justify your fries with a salad.
Name: Carol L.
Follow me on Twitter: @whimsicarol
Hometown: Plano, TX
Current location: Los Angeles, CA
I’m dying to go to: Anywhere tropical with an over-the-water bungalow
Day job: Private equity analyst
Dream job: Food photographer (I was published… Once!)
On my eating habits, I’d have to say: I’m a newish meatless eater (seafood, however, is ok), so I’m currently trying to find tasty meat-free or vegetarian options.
My go-to single girl dinner: Ramen and veggie dumplings (oftentimes together) or mentaiko pasta with runny egg yolk
Single girl dinner low point: Eating Spam out of the can or eating condensed milk out of the can (both shake-head-disapprovingly-worthy)
Single girl dinner high point: Anything that took me two peaceful and therapeutic hours to make and ended up tasting delicious
What you’ll always find in my kitchen: Dashi soup base and crispy fried shallots
On a Monday night, I’m probably: Working out while making an easy dinner (something soupy or in the oven)
Name: Hitha Palepu
Follow me on Twitter: @hithapalepu
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Current location: New York, NY
I’m dying to go to: Morocco, Turkey, Australia, Fiji… The list goes on!
Day job: Vice President of Operations at a startup pharmaceutical company and founder of lifestyle blog Hitha on the Go
Dream job: Host of my own travel show, in addition to my current gigs
On my eating habits, I’d have to say: Extremist - very healthy, very decadent, or very Taco Bell
My go-to single girl dinner: Mexican bowl - shredded chicken, salsa, black beans, cheese atop brown rice or quinoa
Single girl dinner low point: Homemade buttercream frosting
Single girl dinner high point: Pistachio-crusted tilapia, arugula salad with cherry tomatoes and goat cheese
What you’ll always find in my kitchen: Taco Bell sauce packets, Greek yogurt, kale, lemon juice, turkey slices, Dijon mustard, cardamom pods, hummus carrots, BluePrint Cleanse Green juice (it’s easier to drink my greens than eat them)
On a Monday night, I’m probably: Eating plain Greek yogurt with honey or Nutella and watching Gossip Girl.
My mother taught me: How to cook scrambled eggs in the microwaves (a lifesaver when in college!), how to make South Indian coffee and chai, and that cereal is a perfectly acceptable dinner.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be: ”Never deprive, and rarely over-indulge. And always eat a salad.”
