12/5/2023
Happy Tuesday, loves! If you've already grabbed your food, I hope you are enjoying. If not, I hope you're excited about what's to come. This week was a fun menu for me to get into in the kitchen. So many of my favorite foods in one menu, it was hard not to gobble it all up before I gave it away. I hope you enjoy eating it as much as I enjoyed preparing it, and of course, that you can taste the love.
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.
"Know What You're Puttin' In Your Mouth (and where it came from)" -
Carrots and potatoes this week are from Indian Neck Farm, here in Peconic.
Roasted sweet potatoes in the salad from Sang Lee Farms.
Beef in the Shepherd's Pie is from Nofo Grass Fed.
This week's "food for thought":
Since I tell you all to start with the salad, I will start with the salad too. The baby spinach I had intended on using for the Pecan Salad didn't arrive in the best shape - wilted and limp. Didn't think you wanted that in your mouth, so I opted for the beautiful, crisp, green and vibrant romaine lettuce for both this salad as well as the side greek salad in the falafel dish. This maple ginger vinaigrette is one of my favorite recipes to keep in the fridge. The best thing about homemade dressings is you can make a big jarful and it stays fresh for a few weeks.
I make (and sell) A LOT of chicken soup, and every once in a while I get sick of the usual recipe, this week's brazilian chicken soup is one of my favorite chicken soup variations. As the mornings get colder, don't forget to warm up your body and soul with soup for breakfast. I think I say it every week, but I won't stop! Warm it up and toss it in your coffee mug for a delicious, comforting, and fueling start to your day.
Falafel has to be one of my all time favorite foods! And while I do love a good fried falafel - I hate wasting all that oil, not to mention it is hard to find falafel fried in a high quality oil at most food establishments. This baked falafel recipe is great. Packed with warming spices, chickpeas and fresh herbs this is a an excellent food to make and freeze for a good plant-based protein add-on. And don't even get me started on the tahini sauce....
I would actually reheat these in the cast iron with a little EVOO and crisp them up a bit, or brush a little EVOO on and air-fry for a couple of minutes.
The lentil shepherds pie is deceivingly filling with all its macro-nutrients hitting the target. Don't be fooled by that small container, this one will leave you feeling satisfied, for sure. I would reheat in the oven in a covered pyrex for best results.
Do you even have your cookies still?
The roasted everything sweet potatoes are a great example of how to take a simple staple, with a small variation for a big bang of a taste. I love these for breakfast or a snack. Reheat right on a baking sheet in the oven, eat cold, or cook stovetop.
Weekly Fun Food Fact
Ladies! This one is for you. Did you ever notice how you seem to crave carbs more towards the end of your cycle? Well, don't feel bad, it's not because your having "bad cravings". Instead, it is actually helpful to include more complex carbs in your diet towards the end of your cycle to keep Progesterone high so that your PMS symptoms are low. Think sweet potatoes and squash. Yum.
Another fun fact - dark chocolate is a superfood! Dark chocolate contains high levels of polyphenols which are hugely important for our bodies. Polyphenols basically help to make a happy environment for your good germs (probiotics) to thrive in. While I am not telling you to go out on an binge on a bunch of chocolate, I am telling you it's safe to satisfy your sweet tooth with high quality organic chocoolate like what I used in the cookies this week. These chocolate chips and cocoa powder are my favorite. Remember to choose products that contain above 70% cocoa!
Try This:
Try replacing one of your favorite store-bought dressings with a home recipe. Here are a few favorites to try: balsamic vinaigrette, honey mustard, and ranch.
Want a little more protein and maybe share the lentil pie with your friend? Add some lentil pasta and eat the shepherd's pie and eat it almost like a bolognese.
Try adding some brown or white rice to the falafel dish. Single plants do not contain complete protein (all of the amino acids) on their own like animal-based products, so when you pair a legum with a grain you form a complete protein! Boom.
Thanks again for another great week!
xoxox