This is my last home-cooked meal before we leave for Italy. Over the next few weeks, I’ll post pictures of what I ate while we were away. Going on vacation is often the death knell of a diet. But this summer we crossed the country and back in seven weeks and I lost over six pounds. I have more modest ambitions this time. I hope I don’t gain weight. I plan on enjoying myself and eating lots of great pasta, seafood and vegetables.

In the meantime, for my last home meal we made pan roasted chicken breasts with mashed rutabagas and tiny green beans. We also made up a packet of chicken gravy and put some mushrooms in it. First, fear not the pressure cooker! It makes cooking hard root vegetables a snap. The pressure cooking booklet says to cook rutabagas for three to five minutes with an immediate cool down. After the pressure regulator starts to rock, I cook them for seven minutes with an immediate cool down. I like to make sure they are easily mashable. After draining, I put them back on the stove over a medium flame and mash them while some of the excess water evaporates. I add a tablespoon of low fat butter substitute. And remember they taste like a starch but they count like a vegetable.

Fear not the pressure cooker

No need to french these little green beans

Pan roasted chicken, haricots verts and mashed rutabagas with chicken-mushroom gravy