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!!

gluten-free, nut-free version of my {totally decadent} cinnamon chocolate brownies as a school-safe birthday treat

I promise this is the last TREAT post for a while. I don't know about you, but I am feeling the need to dial it back a little. So, the next few posts will be all about delicious, clean eating ideas that are quick and easy. But not today!! Because today is my older son's 12th birthday, and this calls for a celebration-- and some of my {totally decadent} Cinnamon-Chocolate Brownies. {Which I made nut-free and gluten-free this go round, so they could be brought into his classroom and shared with his middle school friends who have allergies and food intolerances.)

To make them nut-free and gluten-free, follow my same recipe {found here} but use Ghirardelli chocolate {or other chocolate you know is gluten-free, I used this one} and King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose flour.

Mmm, enjoy, either made traditionally or nut-free and gluten-free. Either way, this recipe is a keeper.

And if you happen to see this sweet kid around town today, be sure to wish him a happy birthday!!

snow day baking: banana chocolate oat muffins with almond meal

On a recent snow day,

when the playroom looked like this {by 7am},

I'd made my coconut oil coffee and

snuck into the living room to quietly read. Dinner was made, thanks to a well-stocked freezer. But something nagged at me. I couldn't go a whole day without cooking something…. and, truth be told, I wanted chocolate.

I'm not a big baker, but three ripe bananas winked at me from the kitchen counter. I had some cashew meal in the fridge, along with a few eggs and oats... Perfect, banana-chocolate chip muffins it would be. I improvised a recipe, adding a little of this, a little of that, while asking myself whether baking soda was really necessary? But imagine my dismay when I realize the bag of chocolate chips I thought I saw in the pantry was actually black beans. Dismay doesn't adequately describe my emotions at that moment. 

I blame Captain Holly Short for distracting me. {Artemis Foul reference, for those who aren't listening to the book on CD during drives to and from skiing this winter…} But the bananas were mashed, and the nut-based batter was ready to go. All I needed was chocolate.

I had some high quality, unsweetened cocoa on hand and, after a little more scrounging, I sprinkled the last of my foodie crush Cacao Prieto hot cocoa into the bowl.

And then I popped those bad boys into the oven and 

went back to my fire, as the smell of molten chocolate and baking bananas filled our house.

Oh my.

I ate more than my fair share. I gave some warm muffins to the snow plow guys. I had the kids walk some to a neighbor.

And continued to enjoy them for snacks the next few days.

They were so good that I was a little miffed that I hadn't jotted the recipe down. Who knew if I could recreate them?…

As a ate the last muffin, I decided this recipe was worth figuring out and saving.

The second go round, I made sure to have chocolate, not black beans.

I recreated the batter, while jotting down notes.

Then held my breath...

Actually, I didn't hold my breath. I took deep inhales of sweet goodness

and went back to recipe testing for the Second Edition of Stock Your Freezer in a Snap.

Batch two lacked eggs. Because I forgot to put them in. Apparently this recipe doesn't need egg(s). And now I knew how to make them again. And again. To rave reviews.

Banana-Chocolate-Oat Muffins with Almond Meal
(makes 24 muffins)

3 or 4 large, ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups almond flour or cashew meal
1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
2 cups oats (or gluten-free oats)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
4 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons vanilla
3 Tablespoons dark cocoa
1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with muffin cups. Add all ingredients to mixing bowl and blend using a hand mixer. Divide evenly among muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, or until muffins sprain back when touched. 

This post contains affiliate links, meaning same price of goods to you, but the small commission I earn keeps the blog from turning into "hobby" status.

{heart-shaped} egg-in-hole

It's snow day season in the Northeast! 

Whether the call from school comes in at 5am, or you go to bed knowing you'll have a 'leisurely' morning ahead, we might as well embrace the extra time we have to make breakfast, right?

"Egg in Hole" has become my go-to these past two weeks of {seemingly} endless snow days and delays. Any shape cookie cutter will do, but since it's February, I'm mortifying my boys with lovey dovey hearts.

All you do is cut the center out of piece(s) of bread, and

pop that center piece into the toaster. {You'll be treating the cut-out piece like toast.}

Then the outside crust goes into a buttered fry pan, and you crack an egg into the center.

Use a butter knife to scramble the egg a bit {if your kids are like mine and will avoid the yolk if it's whole…}.

Flip it when the egg starts to set.

My kids love this meal a) because it takes a few extra minutes for me to make, which means a few extra minutes for them to play with their LEGOS and b)

b/c they can pick it up with their hands.

Voila! Egg in Hole. So easy, but seems special. Especially on a snowy morning.