It’s a short week, which means a shorter weekly meal plan for some of you. If you can’t quite pull yourself out of the relaxation after the long weekend, just brainstorm three easy meals for mid-week. Friday can either be a pantry meal, like spaghetti and Rao’s marinara, or a big pot of “clean out the crisper”…
Chèvre with Herb and Garlic Olive Oil
Goat cheese is one of those foods that takes me back to living in San Francisco in the late 90s (wow…that makes me sound old!). Cheese makers like Laura Chenel were gaining cult status, and chèvre was front and center thanks to restaurants like Chez Panisse. It would garnish just about everything: soups, simple green salads and pizzas….
Weeknight Dinners: February 12-17, 2017
SUNDAY We had one of our old favorites, spatchcocked chicken with shallots, that cooks in about 35 minutes. Paired with sautéed greens and Serious Eats’ crispy roasted potatoes, it was a winner, winner chicken dinner. MONDAY I’m trying Bon Appetit’s method for oven risotto. Sunday night we used up all our kale (and collards and spinach) in…
Gluten-Free and Nut-Free Granola
This tasty gluten-free and nut-free granola (and egg-free and dairy-free) is super simple to put together. It’s full of flavor and sweetness from vanilla, maple syrup, raw honey and cinnamon. Hemp hearts add protein, and gluten-free oats, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds add fiber and crunch. It’s adaptable — if you can eat nuts, add slivered almonds, walnuts or…
Warm Spiced Olives
Warm Marinated Olives I have a salt tooth. And a sweet tooth. Which is the problem, but we won’t get into that. To satisfy that salt craving, there’s nothing like the briny, pungent and flavorful pop of warm spiced olives. I developed a serious olive habit in college during a semester abroad in Athens, studying…
Weeknight Dinners: February 6-10, 2017
This weekend went by way too fast, and it seems like the whole month of February will be gone in the blink of an eye. This is the time of year that starts to feel like an all-out sprint. Today we made a mad dash for new shoes, lacrosse gear, class party treats and new ingredients for…
Whole30 Pickled Red Onions
Mexican food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, please. I’ll start with huevos rancheros or chilaquiles and then move on to tacos, tacos, tacos. Take a super simple grilled chicken and top it with tangy tomatillo salsa and some pickled red onions, and you’re elevating it a completely different beast. Sure, filling your tortilla with crispy-edged carnitas or a…
Weeknight Dinners: January 30-February 3, 2017
Happy Chinese New Year! To celebrate, we’re starting Monday off with tofu egg roll bowls full of Chinese cabbage, bok choy, red peppers and carrots. Longevity noodles, veggie lo mein or sesame noodles sound tempting, but after a few days at Cal-a-Vie Spa in San Diego I’m planning to stay focused on lean protein and plenty of greens and vegetables. I’m banishing pasta, bread and processed carbs for…
Super Fast Miso Soup
Miso soup: A warm, steamy bowl of liquid umami. I sometimes struggle with what to serve for “meatless Monday,” but this one is a surefire hit with my crew. It also checks the box on almost all special diets: It’s low-fat, low-carb, low-sugar and vegan if you buy a variety of miso paste without bonito (fish…
Weeknight Dinners: January 23-27, 2017
This is going out pretty darn late. I’m surrounded by Tamiflu, Mucinex and cough drop wrappers as I try to get my oldest well and keep everyone else healthy. Hold, please, while I douse my house with Lysol. I haven’t done my typical Monday morning grocery run, but since our pantry is stocked with good-quality…