Posts from the ‘Eat’ Category

Breakfast: The New Family Dinner

Fast Company ran a short article last summer that has stuck with me ever since I read it: “The Delicious Case for Replacing Family Dinners with Family Breakfasts.”  The author, Laura Vanderkam, offered a fresh and different perspective on family meals.  Instead of killing ourselves to sit down to dinner as a family (or as a couple or as friends), why not make breakfast the family meal? Read more

I [Heart] Kale

I made a CRAVEWORTHY kale salad last weekend that I’ve been meaning to post here.  I found it on Epicurious.com when I searched “kale brussels sprouts salad” (trying to clean out the fridge), and I can’t wait to make it again.  It was super easy, unique, memorable, and a great accompaniment to our main dish that night, turkey chili.  The kids didn’t like it much (I save their kale for smoothies), but at least they could tell that we did (the bowl was scraped clean). Read more

Grocery Circus

For better or for worse, grocery shopping in our household is a multi-step affair.  After years of planning menus and making lists, we finally have it down to a science.  The Saturday routine involves one parent (we take turns), two munchkins, lots of samples, and (thank goodness) ZERO TRIPS TO SAFEWAY.  Here’s our formula: Read more

Five Ingredients, Five Minutes

The criteria for tonight’s dinner: 1) super fast (10 minutes or less) – kids were ravenous, 2) super tasty – I was hungry too and felt like something civilized, 3) includes something green – self explanatory, 4) ingredients already in the fridge – see criteria #1.  And the winner was…

Fresh Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Parmesan Read more

Falling Leaves + Mushroom Soup

Yesterday marked the official beginning of Fall, a season I experience mostly through nostalgia now that I live in California.  As a child growing up in the Midwest, I was acutely aware of Fall’s crispness.  Our family often continued living in our summer cottage well into the fall, huddling in front of a glowing red space heater as we got dressed to go to school.  We piled on wooly sweaters, raked leaves, and celebrated our progress by jumping into the piles and emerging with heads full of crimson oak leaves.  Read more

Good, Not Harm

After already eating a sugar-laden yogurt and a piece of toast smeared with that totally amazing Justin’s Hazelnut Butter spread (“healthy” Nutella), my son asked if he could have a “treat” (read: sugary something).  “No love,” I replied.  “You have had enough sugar for today.  Sugar isn’t very good for your body.”  “Why isn’t it good for me?” he asked?  I then racked my brain to think about what a 5-yr-old would be able to understand. “It’s just empty calories,” doesn’t really work when someone has no concept of what a calorie is. Read more

Eat Like a Goddess

Maybe it’s the name, maybe it’s the image of a California beauty serving alfalfa sprouts out of a shiny, happy food truck, or maybe it’s just the memorable, craveworthy taste.  Whatever it is, green goddess salad dressing is special.  I recently re-ignited my love affair with this creamy, herby deliciousness. Read more

Open Sesame

The verdict about which oils are healthiest seems to be a moving target.  Coconut oil — better in moderation or a daily staple?  Canola oil — decent choice or heart attack in a bottle?  I can’t keep it straight.  But the good news is that I feel like olive oil and sesame oil are on the DO list more often than they’re on the DON’T list.  I’ve been loving sesame oil lately and thought I’d share a recipe I’ve made twice in two weeks because it’s easy and healthy and SESAME-Y.  It’s an adapted version of a recipe I pulled from The New York Times last month. Read more