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. 

simple spring asparagus with olive oil fried eggs

Spring is finally here in the Northeast, and organic asparagus is popping up in the produce section. 

Pair that with me wrapping up Mark Hyman MD's 10-Day-Detox, making a real effort to eat super healthfully and fill my plate with nourishing whole foods, and you've got my recent favorite: olive oil fried eggs over broiled asparagus. 

The recipe is quick and easy… but not one my children have warmed up to yet. So, on nights when I want this for dinner, I pull one of my homemade freezer meals out for them, like baked taquitos, chili, or power green pesto.

When my husband first saw me making this he announced that "there's no way I am eating all of that asparagus" and "is that all we are having?".

Note that he later proclaimed the meal, "really good" and "more filling than I thought it would be". 

The trick is to get really good eggs. If you have chickens or a farm near you, lucky you. I don't, but I did find Happy Eggs at our local market… and they happened to have a deal where you got 1/2 dozen eggs if you bought some amount of groceries, making dinner almost free! {Except for the exorbitant bag of speciality foods I purchased in order to get the free eggs… this is the sort of logic that drives my husband nuts.}

Anyway, back to our simple springtime recipe. You can absolutely roast/broil the asparagus ahead of time. I did this earlier in the afternoon when I was waiting on the school bus, then I just left it out on the counter {at room temp} so it was good to go when I came home from baseball, tennis and tae kwon do chauffeuring. 

When we got home, I warmed about 1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and fried the eggs until the whites were fully set, and the yolks would still be runny. {You can fry your eggs longer if you don't like the yolks runny. Of course, be mindful if salmonella is of concern to you.}

I served our eggs and asparagus with a side of the pickled red onion that I had leftover from Day 1's dinner from the 10 Day Detox (which was Roasted Salmon with the Onion Relish; that's my amazon affiliate link). If you're not doing the detox and/or don't have any of the relish leftover, you could also serve it with some jarred artichoke tapenade, a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan, some lemon zest, or crumbled cooked bacon. Or you could just serve them as is. If you leave your yolks a little runny they become a decadent sauce over the asparagus. 

Olive Oil Fried Eggs over Asparagus
(serves 2 as an entree)

• 1 1/2 lbs asparagus (usually 1 large bunch)
• olive oil
• 4 eggs
• sea salt and pepper, to taste
• optional accompaniment(s): pickled onions, artichoke tapenade, lemon zest, Parmesan, bacon

Snap the tough bottom end of asparagus spears. Line them up, single layer, on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle asparagus with sea salt and pepper. Broil until asparagus is tender and lightly charred, about 6-8 minutes, shaking tray and/or flipping asparagus at halfway point. Asparagus can be made ahead, and served room temp, or chilled. Divide asparagus between two plates.

In a fry pan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Crack eggs into pan, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and cover for about 2 minutes. Remove lid, and continue to cook eggs until whites are completely set and yolk is set to desired firmness. (For runny yolks, this will be another 2-3 minutes… longer if you want your yolks set too.) Transfer two eggs per plate, placed on top of your asparagus. Drizzle with cooking oil, if you'd like. Serve with pickled onions, or any other choice of accompaniment for extra flavor, or simply enjoy as is.  Enjoy for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. 

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

{leftover} stuffing fritters

A few days after Thanksgiving, I opened the fridge and found: a few cups of leftover stuffing, about one cup of leftover mashed potatoes, another 1/2 cup or so of leftover artichoke dip and three eggs. First reaction: what are we going to have for breakfast?! Then, after another look I realized we had the makings of soon-to-be-named: stuffing fritters.

{Leftover} Stuffing Fritters
(makes 4+ generous servings)

3 cups of leftover stuffing
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes + 1/2 cup leftover artichoke dip*
3 eggs
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil to fry
optional: leftover cranberry sauce or gravy as a topping

Heat fry pan over medium heat. In a mixing bowl, combine stuffing, mashed potatoes and eggs, until blended. Drizzle frypan with olive oil. Drop spoonfuls of batter into olive oil and fry until warmed through and crispy on the outside. Serve warm with leftover cranberry sauce {sweet} or gravy {savory}.

* or you could make them with 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes... or leftover sweet potatoes...

individual onion crunch topped creamy kale gratins

Onion Crunch has been wooing me with their crunchy onions for a while now. Last year, in the middle of our construction project, a large package of samples arrived... and since I opened the box in front of the workmen, I ended up sharing the contents with our {psyched} carpenters, masons, and painters. This year, my kids got to the package first and excitedly wanted to "do the challenge".  OK, so the "challenge" involved adding Onion Crunch to one of our Thanksgiving recipes.

I have a decadent, make-ahead, creamy kale gratin that my family loves. Normally, I just make it as is-- creamy, rich, and comforting... but I was thinking that it might be even better with the addition of some crispy onions?... I was right. It was ahhmazing.

But first, before I share the recipe, you should know that we had to do a taste test. No blindfolds? No problem! Over-sized ski hats will work.

After trying all three, we read the ingredients. One of the other brands had a few ingredients my kids had never heard of... and I have a rule that if you can't pronounce it, you shouldn't eat it. Onion Crunch has four ingredients: onions, palm oil, wheat four and salt.

Onion Crunch was also the tastiest and crunchiest. Now, there's no "health halo" here, Onion Crunch is still a fried item, so something we'd only eat on occasion. But, as a crunchy, yummy addition to baked potatoes {a current favorite of my children}, or something like these creamy kale gratins, Onion Crunch is my pick. And, according to my very rationale 10-year-old, Onion Crunch is his too. {Note that my 6-year-old was too busy inhaling the various samples to add much to the review...} So, on to the recipe!

It's onions and garlic sauteed in butter...

then I add some whole wheat flour...

then heavy cream and whole milk... {remember, I said this was a decadent recipe}

then a lot of frozen, chopped kale...

and the zest of a lemon, some nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste...

then this filling going into small ramekins, or a large casserole or two...

and is topped with Onion Crunch. {Note that you don't have to top it with Onion Crunch. I usually make it without, but now that it's been such a hit, I think I'm going to have to start topping our kale gratin with these frizzled onions!}. The whole recipe took me about 10 minutes to make, and then it baked for 20 minutes. Everyone loved it on tonight's trial run.

Individual Onion Crunch Topped Creamy Kale Gratins
(makes 18 individual ramekins or two 8x8 casseroles)
can be made-ahead and frozen

1 stick of organic butter (8 Tablespoons)
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced (or 6 cubes Dorot frozen garlic cubes)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
40 oz frozen chopped kale (four 10-oz pkgs)
5 oz shredded Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup Onion Crunch (optional)

Preheat oven to 425. Melt the butter in a large pot and saute onion and garlic until onions become translucent. Add the flour and stir until combined. Add cream and milk and stir for a few minutes, until thickened. Turn burner off and add frozen kale, Parmesan, and nutmeg. Stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Scoop kale mixture into individual ramekins, or into two medium casserole dishes. 

If baking now: top each dish with Onion crunch, if you want a crispy, flavorful topping. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and gratin is warmed through. Serve warm.

If freezing and baking later: cover ramekins or casseroles tightly with plastic wrap, then foil. Label and date. Can be frozen for up to 3 months if air-tight. When ready to bake you can thaw the dish(es) in the fridge for 1-2 days, then sprinkle with Onion Crunch (optional) and bake at 425, for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and warmed through. Or, if your dish can go straight from the freezer to the oven, you may put the dish in the oven as it is preheating to 425, then bake the gratin(s) for 30 minutes covered with foil, then uncover, sprinkle with Onion Crunch (optional) and continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes, until golden brown and warmed through.

Hope your family enjoys this decadent side as much as my family does!

make-ahead orange-maple sweet potatoes with coconut oil and cinnamon

This make-ahead sweet potato dish is perfect for Thanksgiving, or as a healthy, rich side dish any chilly Fall/Winter evening. You can enjoy it as is, or top it with crushed and/or candied pecans {or marshmallows!}. And since it's a cinch to make, and can be made several days ahead, it's a keeper for busy families, whether you're hosting the feast or just sitting down to a nourishing family dinner.

To make a large batch (12+ servings), pierce five large sweet potatoes and roast them on a foil-lined baking sheet {for easy clean-up} at 375 degrees, for one hour. If you want a smaller batch, simply halve the amounts.

When they come out of the oven the sweet potatoes will be easy to peel. Combine roasted and peeled sweet potatoes with the zest and juice of two large oranges, 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of allspice, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, a sprinkling of sea salt...

1/4 cup of maple syrup...

and 1/4 cup of coconut oil. {I'm currently looking for healthy ways to add calories/fat to my children's meals, and this side dish was one easy, healthy way to do so.}

Then, using a hand mixer, or potato masher, whip the sweet potatoes to desired consistency.

The prepared sweet potatoes can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge, or can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.

Orange-Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Oil and Cinnamon
(makes 12 servings; can be frozen)

5 large sweet potatoes, pierced with a fork
2 oranges, zested and juiced
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork, then roast them on a foil-lined baking sheet for 1 hour, or until tender. Once cool, peel sweet potatoes. Combine sweet potatoes with remaining ingredients {zest and juice of oranges, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, maple syrup, coconut oil, and sea salt}. Mash/whip to desired consistency using a potato masher or hand-mixer.

To reheat, warm in a 350 oven, covered with foil, for about 30-40 minutes, or until warmed through. {From frozen, either thaw in fridge for 1-2 days, or double the reheating time, so about 1-1.5 hours.} If adding a topping of crushed pecans, candied pecans or marshmallows, uncover, and add topping for the last 10 minutes of reheating. 

Hope your family enjoys these sweet potatoes as much as my family does!