the month of pretty much not cooking… a few of my favorite meal hacks

Another fabulous school year wrapped up for the kids. 

The errands have been run. We've stocked up on books. 

Camp gear is laid out and Mabel's Labels have been put to task. 

I've been {humorously/pathetically} trying to re-learn my high school exchange student German in anticipation of a big family adventure. 

The kids are relishing a lack of schedule {and the house is pretty much a complete wreck as I try to settle into summer mode}. 

This month's been hard, as I worked through excruciating physical therapy and navigated anti-inflammatory meds that made me bloat up, feel down and just want to nap. And so began the month-of-not-cooking... 

Who knows if this "month" will extend all summer. But we all need to eat, and I like to feed my family well-- even if I don't feel up to cooking-- so here's a peek into some of my mealtime hacks:

For lunches on the go, I've become a big fan of Green and Tonic's Summer Roll. My older son's favorite is the Burrito Bowl. And I've been known to pick up two Soba Noodle Salads, pair them with a protein and call it dinner. 

I've been keeping at least two tubs of this Eat Well Embrace Life hummus on hand for easy, protein-packed snacks. Good stuff. Our local market, Walter Stewart's, carries a bunch of different kinds and friends out West echoed their love for this stuff, so you should be able to snag a few tubs by you too.

Mrs. Green's Market in New Canaan sells a variety of tamales {handy when you've got both vegetarian and meatatarian kids and want to make one family dinner}. I keep thinking "some day I'll make a bunch of tamales and stock my freezer with them…", but for now, these do the trick. Big hit around here. I recall also seeing tamales at Trader Joe's, but am not sure if that's a seasonal thing, or if they've become a permanent item? Anyone know?

For the few meals I have cooked this month, I've kept it super easy.

Rainy Day Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Zest
Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400. Snap tough ends off asparagus. Place asparagus spears on rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and shake to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes, until spears start to turn golden brown at tips and are fork tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle asparagus with lemon zest and Parmesan while warm. Serve warm or room temp. 

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Stacks

Beefsteak Tomatoes, thickly sliced
Fresh Basil
Mozzarella
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Zest

Stack. Easy. 

And one time I forgot to say, "no" and found myself needing to bring a homemade app to a gathering. After kicking myself, I thought back on what's simple and crowd pleasing for young and old alike. A riff on this one.  You can see I just mixed the pesto into the cheese mixture and topped each one with a half a cherry tomato this go round. Everyone loved them. 

So, from running into a bunch of you around town, I know I'm not the only one who's given up cooking either in the short term or for the summer. Do you have any favorite meals you've been picking up or cobbling together? Come chilly weather, we can all gather in our kitchens again and stock those freezers with goodness. Until then, let's hear your favorite mealtime hacks.

This post contains affiliate links. 

healthy dip idea: black bean hummus

Don't want to derail your new year's healthy habits during upcoming football gatherings? Or maybe you're hosting book club and are looking for a casual crowd-pleasing appetizer that you can quickly whip up between ice hockey chauffeuring and bedtime stories? In my case, I wanted a healthy, protein-packed after school snack that I could have on hand when the kids tumbled off the bus… but since then, this dip has graced Super Bowl spreads and mom's nights out! I recently shared it with shoppers at our local market, to rave reviews.

It requires just a few ingredients: black beans, tahini, garlic, jalapeño (optional), cilantro (you can substitute parsley if you're one who doesn't like cilantro), scallions and fresh lime juice.

Pop all of the ingredients into a food processor, and pulse to desired consistency. You can add water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, to thin the dip to desired consistency, then salt and pepper to desired taste. So easy!

Black Bean Hummus
(makes about 2 cups)

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2-4 cloves garlic
1 jalapeño, seeded (optional)
2 limes, juiced
1 bunch of scallions, white parts only (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tablespoons tahini (sesame paste, usually found by nut butters)
water (to thin, optional)
salt & pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Will keep, in an air-tight container, for several days in the fridge. 

Serve with sliced veggies or pita chips… or both. This is a healthy, crowd-pleasing appetizer-- and nourishing after school snack. Hope your family enjoys it as much as I family does!  -Eila

easy holiday appetizer: red and green antipasto tartlets

What's that? You have guests coming over and you want an easy app to have on hand? Or... you've been asked to bring a little something to the neighbor's holiday soiree? Well, between the cheesy broccoli puffs I shared earlier this week, and now this simple festive app, I've got you covered! Originally shared with the shoppers at Walter Stewart's, our fabulous local market market, this one's a keeper b/c it's so easy, and everyone LOVES it. Plus, so festive, right?

Another bonus: this is a great cooking project that the kids can help make.

Red and Green Antipasto Tartlets

• chive cream cheese
• mini phyllo cups (which are in the frozen section of your market)
• dry salami
• small fresh mozzarella balls
• red and/or green pesto

While you are preheating the oven to 350, pop a little dollop of chive cream cheese in the bottom of each phyllo cup. Then place a thin slice of dry salami on that (the cream cheese will help hold it in place), and gently press a small fresh mozzarella ball into the center. Bake the cups on the middle rack, for about 8-10 minutes, until the phyllo shell is crisp and the cheese is melted. Then place a small dollop of red and/or green pesto on each piece. These may be served warm or room temp. 

The search function here on the blog is still not working well, so here's a link to all of the appetizer posts, and as always, don't hesitate to reach out if there's a recipe you need help locating. I can probably quickly dig up the link for you!!  Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season! - Eila

two new {and super easy easy} Fall apps: potato pancakes topped with truffle mousse and apple-cranberry butter + sausage and apple phyllo cups

I do love a Fall dinner party... but, like many of you, I want to prep the food ahead so I get to relax and enjoy my company. Here are two new app ideas for all of you who may be hosting Fall gatherings, inspired by chillier temps and autumn flavors. Hope you and your friends enjoy them as much as we do!

Potato Pancakes with Truffle Mousse and Cranberry-Apple Chutney

Trader Joe's potato pancakes
Les Trois Petits Cochons Mousse Truffee
Trader Joe's cranberry-apple butter

Heat the potato pancakes according to package (350, 10 minutes on each side), then top with a dollop of truffle mousse and cranberry-apple butter. Serve warm or room temp.

Note: the small frozen potato pancakes were found in the frozen breakfast section (by the waffles, croissants, etc.), the cranberry-apple butter was found by the jams, and the mousse truffee was in the cheese section of our Darien, CT Trader Joe's.

As you all know, I love anything stuffed into phyllo cups. They're versatile, easy to pick up, and they look special. I've filled them with Feta & Figs, I've made them Christmas-y with dollops of sun-dried tomato and pesto, I've brought them to Spring parties filled with pea dip, and I've taken them to Winter gatherings filled with white bean-bacon dip. This past weekend, they were offered up at our neighborhood block party, to rave reviews:

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Phyllo Cups

(makes 48 phyllo cups)

4 packages (48) Athens mini phyllo cups (found in the freezer section of most major supermarkets)
4 chicken sausages* (I like the Hans brand Brat ones)
3 apples (2 for the filling, cored + 1 for topping, 1/2" diced)
1 medium onion
1/4 cup fresh sage
1 8oz block cream cheese

While the phyllo cups are being crisped up in the oven (per package instructions, usually 350 for about 5 minutes or so), combine the four sausage, two apples, one onion and fresh sage in a food processor. Warm the brick of cream cheese in a fry pan until soft. Add the sausage mixture, and warm over medium heat, for about 5-10 minutes, stirring until flavors are combined. Place a dollop of sausage mixture into each phyllo cup and top with a piece of fresh apple. Serve warm or room temp. 

*You could also make this appetizer vegetarian, by filling them with this meatless "sausage" dip.

my favorite Mexican-inspired recipes for Cinco de Mayo (or any day!)

Sunday is.... May 5th!

Cinco de Mayo!

A perfect excuse to make a big batch of enchiladas. (As if you needed one.)

{Insert the sounds of a mariachi band.}

My go to enchilada recipe is here, and it is totally adaptable-- make it with your favorite veggies or meat. Really, whatever you have on hand! 

You can watch me making a batch here in this video.

Make sure to make a BIG batch, because these enchiladas freeze perfectly!

Another great Mexican-inspired option would be my vegetarian tacos. I have heard from many parents, that when their kids have the chance to "make-your-own" they are apt to try a little of this and a little of that. Turning any meal into a fun game of getting as many colors as you can on to your plate is a challenge lots of kids enjoy.

On the appetizer front, my salsa baked goat cheese dip is creamy and decadent tasting. Perfect for a casual weekend gathering, served alongside tortilla chips and veggies.

It's really simple to make, and everyone loves it!

Another easy appetizer idea would be jicama with lime juice and a sprinkling of chili powder. Light and crisp, this is a fresh and healthy option. My kids love jicama, so I set some aside when I am chopping to pop into lunch boxes, have for snack, etc. Not sure of exactly what you're shopping for? I've included a photo of jicama here. Some markets sell it already peeled and chopped, in which case, it would like like a little container of the spears pictured above.

Another favorite jicama recipe is this salad with mango, jicama and a lime vinaigrette. I had forgotten how much I love this salad until I just reposted it. Definitely making this soon.

A great make-ahead option is this jicama, black bean and corn salad. It gets even better after the flavors have melded a day or two. 

And speaking of black beans, these citrus-infused black beans are so, so good!

Leftover beans can easily become this colorful dinner later in the week.

And, last but certainly not least, cilantro-roasted veggies are delicious warm or room temp. 

I "re-purpose" any leftovers in scrambled eggs, frittatas (watch a frittata video here if you'd like), on salads, added to a grain side. 

That's quite a round-up of simple, colorful Mexican-inspired recipes. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend ahead. Let me know what you whip up!

easy entertaining + white bean-bacon dip with rosemary

This post is about an easy app.... but it's also about something else. A few months ago, my husband offhandedly announced that he was in charge of throwing the Y Guide "Squaw's Night" (aka: the annual couples gathering for his father-child group). Seriously? You volunteered?! I can't remember the last time we hosted a dinner party, let alone planned a large social gathering for people, some of whom I don't even know? Add in my nutrition coursework, a renovation project, lots of volunteer work, two kids, and the brewings of a business launch and.... "this is all you," I said. Now, for someone who likes to entertain, staying out of it was no easy feat. But, for the first time (probably ever), I did. And you know what? Everything went just fine. No, better than fine. 

Our house not being an option mid-renovation, he rented out a paddle hut, emailed everyone asking them to bring an appetizer and wine, and picked up a keg, plastic cups and paper goods... and that was it. No fretting about the menu. No renting a coat rack. No scurrying around before the guests arrived. No one noticed that the wine glasses were the size of Solo cups and the cocktail napkins were luncheon size (white no less, no pattern to coordinate with the theme... or maybe he was cleverer than I, seeing as how we all had to park in snow drifts after Nemo had blown through the night before?)...Anyway, the party was perfect, and not because of anything I did. Whenever the need to micromanage or over-plan arises, I must remember this soiree. 

So, I know I promised a bunch of you the appetizer recipe, after teasing you with a photo on the FB page. It's easy and everyone loved it, so I hope you do too... 

White Bean-Bacon-Rosemary Dip

(makes about 3 cups)

two 15 oz can cannelloni (white) beans, drained and rinsed

a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves removed from stem

1 lemon, zested and juiced

6 pieces of bacon, cooked 

3-4 cloves garlic

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper

In a Cuisinart, combine all ingredients and pulse until desired consistency. Serve with veggies, crackers or chips of your choice.

To assemble 36 phyllo cups of dip (pictured above and below):

about 2 cups of dip (save the rest for after school snacks...)

3 packages of Athenos phyllo cups (heated 5 minutes at 350 to crisp them up)

2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves removed

3-4 strips cooked bacon, rough chopped

Place a dollop of dip in each phyllo shell and top with a piece of bacon and a sprig of rosemary. 

my top two Superbowl recipes

I've gotten a couple of requests for my favorite Superbowl vittles. I've said it before, and I'll say it again-- for me it's all about the food, and the ads. So, you must have good food on game day. OK, so what would I whip up?

Chili - who doesn't love a steaming bowl of chili? Put out a toppings bar of shredded cheese, sour cream, Greek yogurt, brown rice, chopped scallions, chopped onion, guacamole, corn relish (Whole Foods sells an excellent prepared one in the produce section), pickled jalapeños, hot sauce, and crumbled bacon and let people customize their bowl!

If I were asked to bring a dip along to a gathering, this Creamy Baked Goat Cheese and Salsa Dip would be my choice, served with carrot and celery spears and pita chips or tortilla chips.

Want to peek at my round-up from last year that includes a super simple baked brie (that everyone loves!) and more? Click here for lots more crowd-friendly Superbowl party ideas. Enjoy!!