Photo: Tofutti Break

Last week I left you with a taste of Canada while I was tasting New Orleans. Now that I’m back, you’re probably expecting a post about beignets (our first food stop was Cafe Du Monde!), gumbo (I enjoyed a version made with duck), boudin (I had some at Green Goddess, a wonderful off-the-beaten-path cafe) or some other delicious NOLA specialty. But, instead, I’ve come back with a Mediterranean-inspired quick dinner idea!

My sister and I had big plans to go shopping and out to dinner one night, but were thwarted by uncooperative children who kept me at the hotel way longer than expected. So, instead, she took me to a favorite local spot for a late dinner, some wine and catch up conversation. She did the ordering—I was just happy to be out with her!—and then out came our appetizer, a deliciously loaded hummus platter.

I didn’t think much of it until I started digging in. Creamy hummus topped with chopped cukes, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta, roasted garlic (chunky whole cloves!) and shredded rotisserie chicken. Served with warm high-quality pita, the dish was hearty enough to be our main meal. And then it came to me—what a wonderful, healthy, QUICK family dinner (for everyone 8+ months). Why hadn’t I thought of this before?!

So there you have it. I come back to you from New Orleans not with a cajun treat, but with a Mediterranean dinner inspiration. Go figure! With beans, animal protein (optional!) and salad all rolled into one, it’s just too good an idea not to pass along to y’all. Have you made something like this before? Think you’ll try it? I’m going to this week. It’s a perfect just-back-from-vacation-there’s-nothing-in-the fridge meal!

Romain lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, feta cheese and, if you’re down, some olives and anchovies. Toss with the simplest red wine vinaigrette and you’ve got the classic Greek salad. But here’s a little secret. Try horiatiki instead (should be offered at any authentic Greek restaurant) and you’ll eat the real deal: a greek salad minus the lettuce. It may seem like a minor edit, but it makes a big difference. It’s like taking out the filler. You’re left with all the good stuff, all the stuff that matters.
In Greece, horiatiki is most often served as a slab of creamy feta over a bed of tomatoes and cukes tossed in red wine vinaigrette, garnished with a sprinkle of dried oregano and a few kalamata olives. Just describing it brings me back to lunch on the beach in Santorini or dinner in a busy tavern in Athens (or Queens, NY!). Tart from vinegar spiked with lemon, peppery from great olive oil, salty from cheese, cool and crunchy from cucumbers, it’s simply the best salad ever. (What? Me, biased?) It’s also easy to make and, served alongside simply broiled fish or with lemony grilled chicken on top, it makes a quick and satisfying meal. I sometimes even add chickpeas. Bonus! Without the ever unpopular raw leafy greens, young ChowBabies get down with this salad, too. Even eat it with their fingers!
Read more …

I haven’t made lentil soup in a long, long time. See, many years back, upon our return from a trip through northern Greece and Turkey, I made a killer red lentil soup that I’d learned to make in a cooking class in Istanbul. It tasted divine. And then wreaked havoc, if you know what I mean. To this day, the ChowPapa and I can’t stop laughing about the red lentil soup aftermath. It was so hard on our systems that we decided we could never do red lentils again. Until…
I recently spotted a recipe on the always inspiring and gorgeous La Tartine Gourmande for white lentil soup with chorizo and a poached egg. Using a fried or poached egg to make soup or salad heartier is a favorite trick of mine, so I was instantly smitten. And white lentils—I’d never cooked them before! I was inspired. But, when I got to my local speciality food shop, all they had were red lentils. The. Dreaded. Red. Lentils. Oh well, we’d have to get over it. I grabbed a bag and never looked back.
Read more …

With the onset of cooler weather and my (second!) ChowBaby’s arrival, I have kicked into bulk cooking mode. Big pots of warm comfort food that can last several meals (or stock my freezer with quickly re-heated dinners) are a welcome lifesaver. Lasagna, soups, beef stew and, of course, chili.
I’ve always wanted to have a go-to chili recipe, but have never found the right one. In fact, I got so tired of trying variations that I gave up on chili for a long time. But I had a hankering the other day after reading a review of The Pioneer Woman’s cookbook that specifically called out her Simple, Perfect Chili. The thing that struck me most was that her recipe did, indeed, look simple. I usually go for complicated “speciality” chili recipes.
Wait a minute!
As I scanned the Pioneer Woman’s short ingredients list, it dawned on me: I had been making chili too complicated!
Read more …

Am I the only one who feels tricky trying to make Halloween healthy? Don’t get me wrong—I’m loathe to feed my ChowBaby packaged candy and heaps of refined sugar confections. At the same time, I’d feel pretty lame offering up most of the “treats” suggested under the “Healthy Halloween” banner. So, when I was asked to write an article for—you guessed it—healthy Halloween treats, I knew I had some serious soul searching to do!
After a lot of thought and consideration using “natural” ingredients like carob (eww!), hiding veggie purees (just for a hot second—you know I wouldn’t actually go there!), and swapping sweet treats for spookily decorated apple slices and carrot sticks, I decided that moderation is the key. (Duh!) So, instead of choosing between (or, if you have older kids, balancing) two extremes, consider my quick and easy, homemade, lower sugar treats that are wholesome but can still satisfy a sweet tooth.
Read more …

Starting off the week sweet and simple. And with a reminder that roasting isn’t just for winter. It’s true that turning on the oven isn’t particularly appealing in August heat, but neither is having to stand by the stove or clean dishes. This quick cooking technique for (even) summer veggies trades in the latter for, yes, turning on your oven.
So preheat that baby to 375 degrees, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up), and sit in the AC while your veggies roast. (Did that make me sounds like a serious eco pirate?!) These string beans are garlicky good, can be fed to even the youngest eaters (6+ mos!), and also serve as a fun finger food for the older kids. Including the kid in you!
Read more …