Back to the routine! After a quick trip to San Francisco, it feels good to be home again. Halloween isn’t always my favorite holiday (I know, bah humbug). It’s not the candy and sugar (I can swipe a Twix with the best of ’em), it’s keeping track of three costume-clad kids in the dark. As the kids get older and the plans get more elaborate, it gets even more complicated. At least this year we have a late start the day after school. I look forward to waking up Wednesday morning and having a quiet cup of coffee before getting my troops out the door.
SUNDAY
Truth be told, the original plan was to make these delicious buffalo chicken wings from the New York Times. I was planning to use Frank’s RedHot, white wine vinegar and ghee to make these Whole 30, but instead we’re having burgers on the grill (I’ll have mine on a bed of crunchy iceberg with Primal Kitchen chipotle mayo, dill pickles and avocado). The chicken wings sound like a sure thing though, so they’re getting filed away for another day.
MONDAY
Simple roasted salmon with chermoula. I’ll either make a kale salad or a big pot of soup to serve with this. If your kiddos don’t like salad, try serving this with sweet potato fries or steamed broccoli. My recipe for chermoula (or charmoula) isn’t on my site yet, so here you go:
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 1/2 cups flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 2 cups cilantro leaves
- Grated zest of one lemon and the juice
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Combine the garlic, parsley, cilantro, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse on low to a course puree; don’t process until smooth. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream and blend. Taste and add lemon juice or salt if necessary.
Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up a week.
TUESDAY
Happy Halloween! Our tradition is a big pot of chili on Halloween. I make it early in the day and throw it in the slow cooker to keep warm. After a couple neighborhood parties and trick-or-treating, everyone comes home tired and hungry at the end of the night. It’s the perfect sugar rush antidote. I’m uploading this recipe Monday, so you’ll have it in time for Halloween! If you’re entertaining friends or neighbors tonight, mix up a batch of Pomegranate Sangria to serve your crowd.
WEDNESDAY
Whole chicken in the crock pot with carrots and potatoes. I love the spice mix from the sheetpan chicken thighs we had a few weeks ago; I’m planning to rub the same blend on this whole chicken before it cooks. The last couple hours, add quartered carrots, potatoes and fennel. Here’s the spice blend (slightly different from what’s in the original recipe):
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground onion
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
THURSDAY
Slow Cooker Asian Beef Stew. I just realized this week is heavy on the slow cooker recipes, which is fine with me!
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup organic tamari or coconut aminos (for Whole 30 or soy allergies)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (leave out to make this Whole 30)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha or red chile sauce (check for sugar if you’re on Whole 30)
- 3 pounds cubed grassfed beef stew meat
In the bowl of your crockpot, whisk together the beef broth, tamari, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and sriracha. Add the meat and cook covered, on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
Serving suggestions: serve over short grain Japanese rice or thinly sliced Napa cabbage.
FRIDAY
There’s a big crosstown rival football game for my crew — they’ll be eating a delicious buffet of concession stand goodies. Peace out.
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