The last, but not least, recipe in my Make Ahead Brunch series: a Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bundt Cake. This buttery and bright cake, spiked with fresh berries, is perfect for brunch, especially with warmer weather upon us. It can be baked in a regular baking pan, but using a bundt playfully hides a cinnamony crunch at the bottom and allows for a lemon glaze over the top. Because who doesn’t need an extra punch of lemon flavor on a sleepy weekend morning?
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When planning my make-ahead brunch, I was looking for a hearty salad to pair with the Spinach and Cheese Strata. At first I considered something with, well, bacon (I told you I was conflicted about serving a brunch without breakfast meat!), but then I came across this salad. Hold the bacon, add the squash! It may not seem like the most exciting move but, trust me, you can’t get better than deeply caramelized chunks of butternut squash tossed with escarole, apple and high-quality aged cheddar. And then you get the satisfaction of having made a totally satisfying, meat-free brunch.
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We recently had friends over for brunch. They don’t have kids (yet!), so we made a plan for 12:30 pm (a “morning” plan for after noon, imagine that!). That would have normally taken the pressure off of cooking the day-of, except for the fact that we had other friends over the night before, friends for whom I cooked dinner, friends who also have no children and stay up later than we usually do. I needed a plan. A plan that would make back-to-back entertaining possible. Even with two little kids.
And it did. My plan—it worked!
If you ask me, every brunch needs a) coffee, b) savory eggs, c) something sweet and d) something light and healthy to balance out the eggs and sweet. My brunch menu was complete with all of these essential elements and all I had to do the day-of was put eggs in the oven and toss together a salad. THAT’S ALL.
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Photo: Roboppy

I’ve been working hard to eat less meat without substituting pasta and other carb-centric mains. And, because of this, cauliflower has become my best friend. It’s not only delicious and good for you, but also filling. Cauliflower makes a hearty curry and satisfying mash, and generally bulks up a meal while making it healthier, too. But, even so, I’ve never just all out made it the main entree. Didn’t even think of it until I saw “Cauliflower Steak” on the menu at famed farm-centric eatery Blue Hill. If Dan Barber could serve cauliflower as a main (at a pretty penny, I might add!), then I could too. As dinner. As all of dinner.
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I have a confession: I’m not so into soup. I can hear the collective gasp now. Everyone loves soup. Every foodie especially. I’ve heard from several food lovers that a chef’s ability is best assessed from how well he or she can make a soup. So, I know. You all think soup is great. Important, even. But, for me, it’s just alright.
At least that’s what I go around thinking. Until I eat the right soup. Something hearty and flavorful, silky and rich. Then I get it. I’ve been trying to tap into my  occasional  enthusiasm for soup since there are so many healthy, low carb, vegetarian options (if you haven’t been following my non-resolutions, I’m trying to cook foods that fit that bill more often). And so this is part of an attempt to master soup. Or at least develop a livelier appreciation for the good stuff. Along with my recent Red Lentil Soup with Sausage, this recipe has me off to a good start.
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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!
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