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 clean eating soup: bone broth + trader joe's healthy 8 chopped veggie mix

Wow, after a whirlwind two-week school break, and a lot of restaurant meals {achem… and fruity, frozen drinks}, I am ready to dial things back a bit. Don't get me wrong, I love it when someone else cooks for me. But, about this time each year I start to crave simpler meals. Recipes that take just a few minutes to make. Ones where veggies or some lean protein are the highlight.

Easy is key. And not just because today I don't have time to cook because I am picking one of my children's "airport treat" pack of Trident bubblegum off of an entire load of vacation laundry… don't get me started. Anyway, today I wanted-- and needed-- a quick quick quick and easy lunch. It's still pretty chilly here in CT, so soup sounded good. And in that department, I have a two-ingredient fav...

If you've been following me for a while, you know I am a big fan of bone broth. And, hopefully, you have some of your own kicking around your freezer. You do? Good. Recipe here, if you don't already have it.

Simple Clean Eating Veggie Soup
(makes about 8 cups)

1 quart (or two pints) homemade bone broth  
one 16 oz tub Trader Joe's Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix*

In a soup pot, warm the bone broth and veggies until veggies are desired doneness. I take my broth straight out of the freezer, and it thaws while my veggies are cooking, so the whole process takes about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy warm with some good fat, like a little handful of nuts, for a complete "clean" meal. 

* If you're not near a Trader Joe's you can, of course, make your own 1 lb batch of chopped mixed veggies… but I'm a big fan of having someone else do the chopping for me, in this case. If you want to mimic the above mix, it's a combination of broccoli, carrots, green cabbage, red cabbage, jicama, green bell pepper, celery and radishes.

The red cabbage in that TJ's chopped veggie mix turns your broth a brilliant fushia… be sure to get all that bone broth goodness down the hatch. If no one is looking, it's perfectly appropriate to use a straw….

Stock Your Freezer in a Snap: the "Second Batch" of freezer meals is here! Now with vegetarian and gluten-free options too!!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to publish my second Stock Your Freezer in a Snap instantly downloadable ebook! The "Second Batch" contains a dozen healthful family recipes-- 10 of which are gluten-free. And all are-- of course-- freezer-friendly, so you can feed your family well, even on the busiest of days. You may click below to instantly download the ebook, or read on for more details.

Included in this ebook:

• A dozen new family-friendly recipes that freeze beautifully (enough to inspire, not overwhelm!)
• Done-for-you shopping lists
• Simple, easy-to-follow recipes for any level home cook
• Step-by-step photos to successfully guide you through each recipe
• Packing, freezing and reheating instructions for each recipe (so they are as delicious as the day you made them)
• Reviews and cooking tips from 25 busy moms who served as recipe testers

“You have 4 yes votes in this house on this one. You have a knack for family friendly meals.” – Kathleen K., recipe tester from New Hampshire and mom of two, including, “a 10 yr old boy who loves to eat and try new things and an 8 year old girl who likes to hate it before she tries it and finds anything spicy burns her mouth”

All of the Second Batch recipes are plant-based (perfect for those trying to feed their family more veggies!), and I also share tips on how to add meat to each recipe, if you'd like.

And, by popular demand, 10 of the new recipes are gluten-free! 

Second Batch Recipes

"Bombshells" {Mediterranean Stuffed Shells}

Lentil-Sweet Potato Stew - GF

Spinach and Cheese Strata - GF

Roasted-Carrot Cashew Pesto - GF

Rustic Polenta-"Sausage" Casserole - GF

Loaded Veggie Enchiladas - GF

{Customizable} Calzones

Broccoli-Arugula-Parmesan Pesto - GF

Cheese and Chard Twice-Baked Potatoes - GF

Greek Stuffed Peppers - GF

Black Bean Fiesta Soup - GF

Red Coconut Curry - GF

“I previously had not cooked ahead or frozen many meals. All of the recipes were very easy to make with simple straightforward directions and the photos that accompany are useful. I love how all the recipes can be modified to suit each family’s taste… I am happy to admit that I am no longer afraid of dinner! With the baby and little ones keeping me busy, dinnertime seemed to sneak up on me each day and now I feel a little bit more in control.” – Meghan M., recipe tester from New Canaan, CT and mom of four

The ebook is instantly downloadable… in case you are like me, and patience isn't one of your virtues!

“Thank you so much for solving my evening's dinner dilemma! We served the Roasted Carrot-Cashew Pesto over rigatoni. Outrageously delicious. We each had two helpings…seriously, really good stuff." – Maureen M., recipe tester from New Canaan, CT and foodie mom of a tween daughter

“So easy to follow—even when I am ‘mommy multi-tasking’…I felt like a pro—or like I must be doing something wrong because they were so easy!!... Favorite part was the done-for-me-shopping lists that I could just take with me to the market… Our family favorites were the Lentil Stew, the Cheesy Chard Twice Baked Potatoes and the Curry. I would definitely recommend this to my friends—it’s too easy not to use!!” - Heidi M., recipe tester from Darien, CT and mom of two tween girls

“I'm pretty much obsessed with these {Cheese and Chard Twice Baked Potatoes}. Brilliant, Eila. So excited for those freezer meals!” – Shanae B., recipe tester from Stamford, CT, Fairfield County “Fit4Mom” Instructor, and mom of three young children… with a fourth on the way!

“'Bonus hours!' I will be putting my feet up for a month with all this food ready to go-- it is time to reap the rewards. The kids enjoyed making comments, but we know the biggest comment/compliment is a clean plate. They tried a lot of new food combinations and loved many of them. They helped me cook, too! Your recipes are super easy for the entire family to participate in the cooking.” – Kathleen K., recipe tester from New Hampshire and mom of two

Upon purchase, you will receive a link to instantly download and save the ebook on your computer, tablet… or you can go old-school, like me, and print out a hard copy.

https://sowl.co/6mrpV

Step-by-step photos make even the newest cook feel comfortable in the kitchen.

“So I loved this. I will say I don't usually eat curry. And it's something I always want to eat but never really feel gutsy enough to try. My 18-month-old devoured 2 helpings, my 5 year old said ‘this chicken is SUPER tasty, and the green stuff is good too’, and my 3 year old didn't gag when I bribed him to finish his rice (that had sauce on top). Success! This is definitely a winner over here. And I love that it's also a gluten-free/dairy-free/vegan option…” – Shanae B., recipe tester from Stamford, CT, Fairfield County “Fit4Mom” Instructor, and mom of three young children… with a fourth on the way!

“{The Calzones} were easy to make and customize. Everyone really liked them. Will definitely make again. I loved the idea of pulsing the veggies in the filling!” – Allyson M., recipe tester from New Canaan, CT, mom of two young children who works full-time outside of the home

“This was a huge hit in our house! So great to come home to a full freezer... Super easy to make and right from the freezer to the table on our busiest night!” – Leslie K., recipe tester from Easton, CT and mom of four

“{The enchiladas} are amazing!!!! Everyone loved them…I used spinach, kale, butternut squash purée, orange and yellow peppers, zucchini and swapped the mushrooms for summer squash. Also used the pinto beans in lieu of meat since I'm vegetarian, but sure the family would love with the chicken - may indulge them with a batch of chicken next time . So delicious and love that so many veggies are packed in there at once!” - Patricia M., recipe tester from New Canaan, CT and mom of three

“Delicious! 5 thumbs up (would be 6 but the husband is traveling).” – Patti D., gluten-free recipe tester from Milton, MA, mom of four active children, including one child with celiac disease

“This was SOOOO good. {My oldest daughter}is not home yet, but we are at 4/5 thumbs up, which in my house for something new and bit different is HUGE… this recipe is SO easy and so good. Will definitely be a keeper.” – Rachel S., recipe tester from Milton, MA, part-time physical therapist and mom of three athletic girls

And for more info on the First Batch of family-friendly make-ahead recipes, click here. 

Cheers to nourishing, delicious family meals, even on the busiest of days. And bonus hours all around!!