09/26/2023
Happy Tuesday, loves! Another monday in the books, and another day of cooking for some of my favorite people. I love what I do, and it genuinely fills my heart to fill your bellies, so as long as you keep doin' what you're doin' I'll keep doin' what I'm doin'! That said, I adore your feedback just as much as I adore nourishing you, so please let me know how I can improve this service for you. After all this is all for you!
REMINDERS:
This week is the last for the September subscription. The store for MONDAY, OCTOBER 9th will be open this Thursday 9/28 - Sunday 10/9, giving you a big window of time to get your orders in and a chance to get your October monthly subscription in.
I AM NOT COOKING MONDAY, OCTOBER 2nd as I will be away in Portugal with someone cooking for me!!
I deliver every Monday evening to the Riverhead Target parking lot 5:45 pm.
I offer deliveries from Riverhead to Greenport on Mondays and Tuesdays.
You can also pick up from my home on Tuesdays any time if Mondays don't work for you.
Just the Tip - How to Make these meals "the best you ever had":
Put your meals in your own tupperware when you return home for maximum freshness!
Add a piece of paper towel to "moist" meals like salad.
Eat your salads first!
Try to heat your food stovetop or in the oven vs. the microwave.
Add a drop of moisture like water or EVOO to meals when heating them covered in the oven so they don't dry out.
Remember if you are ordering 3 or 4 meals, it pays to order the "partial" or "full" order vs. buying a la carte.
If you order the salmon salad or any meat meals, always eat them first!
This week's "food for thought":
I know I sound like a broken record, but especially in light of the weather these last few days, SOUP FOR BREAKFAST! If you've got time to heat up your coffee, you've got time to heat up your soup (and coffee doesn't fuel you like breakfast does!).
In this week's "Medded Bliss" salad, believe it or not I could not get my hands on any organic marcona almonds or jicama! So I replaced them with organic pine nuts and Sang Lee's Daikon Radish. In this salad alone you are getting 10 of your 30+ plants per week!
The "Curry Up" bowl can be eaten cold or hot. As with any of my meals, if you can avoid the microwave I always suggest doing so and using the oven or stovetop to reheat your meals. I also mixed a little organic basmati in with your forbidden rice to add some color and one more plant variety!
I would reheat this week's CBR either right on the stovetop in a skillet with water or EVOO or covered in the oven with a bit of water to keep the moisture in.
I've really been on a kick with this "quinoa with a kick". Grains can get super boring, but fancying your grains up with a little bit of fresh herbs, celery crunch and shredded carrots (splash of lemon and cayenne) can be a game changer. While you can totally enjoy this one on its own, I love to put this on top of some greens, add some kraut, a dollop of that greek yogurt, and add some grilled fish or chicken.
It's recipes like this pumpkin bar that make me wish I was you and not me because you're lucky enough to get this nice healthy portion of dessert in your bag while I am over here with any leftovers and limited self control! Ha! But enjoy this one, just some maple syrup, pumpkin, almond flour, and coconut oil, plus some fall spices, this one is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and flavor-FULL!!
Weekly Fun Food Fact
Did you know that black rice got its name because it was once reserved strictly for the Chinese emperor to ensure his good health and longevity? It's true! But now we are lucky enough to be able to get our hands on this beautiful black grain. Black rice is packed with high levels of antioxidants, iron, fiber, and protein and is known to support eye, brain, liver and heart health. Try and find a "medication" that will fix all of those in shot!
Don't forget that spices and herbs are part of your plant diet too! The more you add, the more flavorful and medicinal your meal will be. Want more flavor and nutrition? If you can swing it, spend a little extra and go for the higher quality spices and herbs. Not only is there a huge flavor difference, but you'll also get more bang for your buck when it comes to nutrients. Remember, spend more on food now, less at the doctor later!
Try this:
Did you love the "quinoa with a kick" or are also just bored of your grains? Try that same recipe (chopped herbs, grated carrots, chopped celery, salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne, lemon juice) with any grain - farro, amaranth, millet, etc.
Wanna spread that quinoa salad out for the whole fam. Start with four bowls, add a handful of massaged (lemon, EVOO, salt and pepper) kale (or any greens) to each bowl, sprinkle some quinoa salad on, add a protein of your choice and voila - meal for four! More ideas to add: avocado, pickled veg, sauerkraut, kimchi, etc.
I think some marinated grilled shrimp would be an excellent addition to the curry bowl and also would help to make it a meal for more than one!
Try taking your butternut squash soup and using it as a pasta sauce instead. Add a little real or plant-based ricotta (store bought or homemade) and omg, this is amazing!
See you in a couple of weeks!!
xoxox