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Curry-Spiced Chickpea Burgers with Yogurt Sauce

October 26, 2022 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

This is one of those recipes that use pantry staples as well as fresh ingredients that I almost always have on hand. It’s adapted from an old Martha Stewart recipe from 10 years ago but my version has more flavor, easily swaps grains, and adds healthy tahini to bind it all together. To make it quicker to prepare, I often use precooked grains such as frozen rice or pre-packaged cooked quinoa and rice blend. I prefer the stronger flavor of cilantro, but I’ve also used parsley with success.

In addition to the suggested toppings, I often like to round out the meal with one of my favorite side dishes, Spiced Cauliflower with Dates and Pine Nuts, a simple recipe found on my blog. As delicious as that dish is, quickly steamed broccoli is a fantastic idea, too. Whatever you do, make sure you include the yogurt sauce and have a spicy sauce option such as Sriracha or Gochujang to drizzle.

I hope this healthy, easy to prepare recipe makes its way into your dinner rotation soon.

Cheers,

Christina

Curry-Spiced Chickpea Burgers with Yogurt Sauce

These vegetarian burgers are delicious with the spiced yogurt sauce, a dollop of hummus and a drizzle of Sriracha sauce over a bed of arugula. These can also be a delicious portable meal by stuffing the burger and all the fixings into flatbread or a pita pocket and served at room temperature.

Course Main Course, vegetarian

Keyword curry spiced burger

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain, whole milk Greek yogurt
1 tsp curry powder
1 lime zested, half of the lime juiced
½ tsp kosher salt

Burgers

1½ cup cooked rice, quinoa or blend I like to use precooked Seeds of Change Organic Quinoa & Brown Rice with Garlic
2 15.5 ounce cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup chopped scallions
¼ chopped cilantro
½ cup shredded carrots
1 tbsp minced jalapeño pepper
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp curry powder
kosher salt
olive oil

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the yogurt sauce and set aside while you prepare the burgers.
In a food processor, add garbanzo beans, scallions, cilantro, carrots, jalapeño pepper and tahini and pulse until a chunky mixture forms. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add ⅓ cup of the yogurt sauce, rice or quinoa, curry powder and 1 tsp kosher salt to the mixture and combine.
Using a ⅓ cup, scoop and form burgers. If time allows, chill the burgers for 30 minutes before cooking. It's not necessary but can make it easier to flip while cooking. You can also freeze the burgers at this point. Just thaw when ready to use.
To cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium and coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of olive oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the burgers and cook until each side is lightly golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer burgers to a paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve with yogurt sauce.
Makes about 8-10 burgers

Pumpkin Flax Protein Smoothie

October 18, 2022 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

I love a good fall morning and a cozy beverage, and I absolutely love seasonal ingredients, but pumpkin only being highlighted a few months a year seems like a missed opportunity – especially since canned pumpkin is widely available year-round and a nutritional powerhouse.

All things pumpkin are so profitable for companies like Starbucks and Trader Joe’s that I’m sure they would agree with me that pumpkin should be used year-round. This year, Starbucks brought back the Pumpkin Spice Latte on August 30. August!! Yes, while some were still on summer vacation, tomatoes are overflowing at the farmer’s market and heat waves were in full force, Starbucks was likely making the stores a little extra chilly and pumping out scents of cinnamon, cloves and allspice – all in the name of the Pumpkin Spice season vibe.

Now, let’s not be confused with the pumpkin hype including actual pumpkin in most products. Pumpkin scent or flavor is usually just a combination of spices and sugar – a lot of sugar. If you’ve tried pure canned pumpkin puree you know there’s nothing spiced or sweet about it. Adding pure pumpkin to sweet or savory dishes is such a smart move. By doing this you’re adding a good dose of vitamins A, C and E to support your immune system, fiber to keep you fuller longer, and potassium for heart health.

Don’t get me wrong – my family and I will enjoy pumpkin pancakes, muffins (a delicious harvest muffin recipe with pumpkin coming soon!) and lattes this fall – but they will include real pumpkin puree. And one of my favorite pumpkin dishes this time of the year is actually a savory dish that I learned in culinary school – pumpkin curry. But as a daily smoothie drinker, and as a lover of seasonal ingredients, it seems like a no brainer to add pumpkin to my smoothies during the fall months, but I’m going to go crazy and add pumpkin to my smoothies even when the pumpkin things have been packed up for the season. Join me!

Cheers,

Christina

Pumpkin Flax Protein Smoothie

This creamy, fiber and protein filled smoothie is a fun addition to the smoothie rotation. Pure pumpkin puree is a nutrient-dense, immune boosting ingredient that is begging to be included in your diet year-round.

Course Smoothie

Keyword protein smoothie, pumpkin

Servings 1 serving

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder Be Well By Kelly is my favorite
3 tbsp pure pumpkin puree
2 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp pumpkin spice
¼ tsp cinnamon I like Ceylon cinnamon
½ frozen banana
5-6 ice cubes

Roasted Grass-Fed Meatballs

October 4, 2022 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

Meatballs are a good idea no matter the season. They are quick to make, freezer friendly, and make great leftovers. I keep several pounds of local omega-3 rich grass-fed ground beef in my garage freezer at all times. It’s a staple for weeknight meals including these meatballs as well as quick tacos, skillet meals and salads. It’s my favorite “fast food” and one that keeps my family fed and nourished.

I’ve finally landed on a meatball recipe that I have been playing with for quite awhile and I’m happy to share it with you. It’s a few different recipes and techniques put together that I think make the most flavorful, tender meatballs. A few key components to this recipe that make it work great – sauteing the onion, garlic and seasonings along with toasting the panko produces much more flavor than raw onions, garlic and soaked bread. The addition of ricotta as well as a light hand while mixing makes a light and tender meatball. The addition of an acid as well as umami rich Worcestershire sauce are unique additions that one of our local restaurants uses. Finally, a cooking technique I learned that doesn’t involve getting my stove all messy from browning meatballs in oil – cooking the meatballs in muffin tins. The rendered fat essentially bastes the meatball to keep it from drying out while the top gets nice and browned.

I hope you get a chance to make this recipe – it makes 24 meatballs and can be easily cut in half, but with them being so freezer friendly, save some for later or share some with a friend!

Cheers,

Christina

Toasting the breadcrumbs along with the onions, garlic and spices adds tons of flavor

Spring loaded scoop makes similar sized meatballs that cook evenly

Brush with olive oil to help brown the meatballs

Browned meatballs get a quick bath in warm marinara sauce – my favorite is Rao’s Marinara

Roasted Grass-Fed Meatballs

Meatballs are a great make ahead dish and this is my go-to recipe. Taking a few minutes to saute the onions, garlic and panko makes for a flavorful, well seasoned meatball. Perfect next to a side of pasta and broccoli but equally tasty stuffed into toasted garlic bread with melted mozzarella cheese.

Servings 24 meatballs

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup red onion, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 lbs grass-fed ground beef
¾ cup whole milk ricotta
3 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup minced fresh basil
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
For serving: Chopped parsley, marinara sauce, grated parmigiano reggiano

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat the olive oil in medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add red onions, salt and pepper and saute until tender. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute. Add panko and cook until slightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, ricotta, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, parsley, basil and cheese. Using clean hands, thoroughly mix the ingredients. Add the cooled panko mixture and incorporate all the ingredients – do not overmix.
To cook meatballs, use a spring loaded scoop to form a round a little larger than a golf ball, about 2 ounces. Place in a greased muffin tin and brush with olive oil and bake about 30 minutes. Meatballs are finished when they have an evenly browned surface and the internal temperature has reached about 150°.
To serve: Transfer meatballs to a pan of warm marinara sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Top with parsley and grated parmigiano reggiano.

Recipe Notes

To freeze meatballs: place raw meatballs on a small sheet pan and once frozen, transfer to a zip top freezer bag. Meatballs can be cooked from frozen but will take a little longer.

Chia Seed Pudding

June 11, 2022 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Hi Family and Friends! It’s been a little bit since I’ve posted any recipes and I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying the beginning of summer. The spring was a doozy in my household… busy kids, busy schedules, as well as Covid hitting our house in waves and kinda messing up all kinds of plans. It’s such a strange virus, affecting people so differently – it hit yours truly pretty hard and took me more than a month to feel like myself again. I can happily say I’m feeling 100% again and recently have been able to increase the intensity of my workouts a bit, making up for all that idle time, I suppose. There’s nothing like feeling badly to make you appreciate feeling good!

While I was under the weather, I spent a good amount of time reading. Not surprisingly, I was reading about food. Stanley Tucci’s book Taste: My Life Through Food was given to me by a dear friend and remains one of my most favorite reads in a very long time. I loved reading about his love of food and feeding others and it certainly got me excited about the idea of traveling again! Another good read was David Lebovitz’s The Sweet Life in Paris. I must have been feeling better when I read this book because there are too many dog-eared pages to count all the recipes I’d like to try. Currently, I’m reading Ruth Reichl’s Memoir, Save Me the Plums. It’s a good read so far, but more about the behind the scenes of Gourmet magazine and not nearly as mouth watering as the two previous books I read.

Mostly recently I’ve been working on my upcoming Kids Summer Cooking Camp. I’ve got a small group of local kiddos coming next week for a 4 day cooking camp – each day has a different theme and I’m excited to get in the kitchen teaching again!

The most exciting news is that last week our family returned from celebrating my husband’s 50th birthday on the beautiful island of Kauai. It’s our favorite island by far and we always consider it a treat to go back. As my husband noted, so little changes each time we visit and it’s kind of comforting to find the same ice cream/shave ice and poke shops year after year.

There was one particular dish I had that made me recreate it less than 24 hours after we arrived home. In Poipu Beach there is a coffee hut/breakfast place called Little Fish Coffee. It’s the little yellow building on Poipu Rd. with the looong line the minute it opens. I am not one for long lines, especially in the morning, but it was my husband’s birthday and we needed some good fuel before our hike in Waimea Canyon. Despite the long wait and the high prices, we all enjoyed our breakfast – I loved mine! Iced matcha latte with almond milk and chia seed pudding with fresh mango, kiwi, banana, and homemade granola – delicious.

Chia seeds are one of my top favorite ingredients and I eat them every single day. Chia in a smoothie, sprinkled on toast with almond butter or fairly regularly in a chia seed pudding. I usually just eat the pudding plain but with the fruit, granola and coconut it’s a delicious, satisfying meal that keeps me full for hours and one I’ve enjoyed on the regular since we arrived back home.

We’ve got some adventures planned this summer and I have no doubt the food inspiration will be on overdrive – I hope to share some of those inspired recipes soon!

Cheers,

Christina

Chia Seed Pudding

Chia pudding wears many hats – a satisfying breakfast food, snack or even dessert. It's filling, but in a healthy, feel good kind of way. I often use half almond milk and half full-fat coconut milk for an extra creamy pudding. Inspired by a recent Hawaiian vacation, my favorite toppings include my House Granola, any seasonal fruit and toasted coconut. I like to prepare a few jars at a time and store them in the refrigerator to enjoy all week.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword chia seeds, pudding

Servings 1 serving

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

½ cup almond milk
¼ tsp pure maple syrup
¼ tsp vanilla extract
⅛ tsp sea salt
2 tbsp chia seeds
Toppings- fresh fruit, granola, toasted coconut

Instructions

In a mason jar, add milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Add chia seeds and whisk to combine.
Let sit a minute or two and then whisk again to thoroughly incorporate liquid and chia seeds and to avoid any lumps. Repeat, if needed.
Place a lid on the jar and refrigerate for a few hours and you'll have a delicious, creamy pudding ready for fresh fruit, granola and toasted coconut.

Energy Bites

June 16, 2020 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Summer is in full swing, and that means so is the snacking! These power bites are a great addition to your family’s snacking repertoire – whether you’ve got long days of entertaining the kids at home, teenagers logging in for summer distance learning or are hitting the road to safely shelter out of place this summer.

Recently, I had the opportunity to contribute an article on snacking in the June issue of our sweet, local magazine, Hillsborough Living. The magazine is written for and by Hillsborough residents, and it was an honor to submit articles in the May (fridge foraging- frittatas) and June issues. With so many of us spending so much time at home the past few months and likely more time at home this summer, this month’s article on snacking seemed like a timely submission. I hope you find some helpful tips on the list of snack ideas!

Cheers,

Christina

*Hillsborough Living* magazine, June 2020

Energy Bites

These are a great snack to keep in the refrigerator any time of the year. They are quick to make, portable and a healthy alternative to packaged granola bars and power bars that are often high in sugar and additives. Making a double recipe is not a bad idea- they go fast!

Course Snack

Keyword energy bites

Servings 18 bites

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup ground flaxseed meal
½ cup nut butter such as peanut or almond
¼ cup toasted coconut
2 tbsp chocolate chips
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp chia seeds
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ kosher salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add all ingredients and combine thoroughly. Using a tablespoon, scoop into 18 balls- adding a drizzle more of maple syrup or spoon of nut butter if mixture is too dry to hold together. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.

Mezcal Con Pepino

September 27, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

A few years ago my husband and I were celebrating our anniversary in Cabo San Lucas at the beautiful Resort at Pedregal. Our vacation was at the end of October during Dia de los Muertos- what a beautifully celebrated holiday with heartfelt emotions and incredible food! We were treated to many days of holiday treats during our stay- including fresh oysters, local fruits and drinks by the pool.

One evening there was a special culinary event with impressive displays of food and drink. Among the baskets of dried crispy snacks- nuts, corn and roasted grasshoppers!- there was a tasting station of mezcal. This smoky alcoholic beverage is made by harvesting the core of the agave plant. It is then cooked inside earthenware and distilled in clay pots. My husband and I were somewhat new to mezcal and enjoyed tasting the varieties with a squeeze of lime.

I have to say that ever since that trip, there has been steady experimentation of mezcal cocktails in our house. The cocktail that has become a household favorite is the Mezcal con Pepino- it’s perfectly refreshing, smoky from the mezcal, tart from the fresh lime, a little spicy from the hot pepper and cooling from the muddled cucumber. Also known as the perfect TGIF year round drink. Very recently, my husband kicked up this house favorite by making a rosemary simple syrup and replacing the recipe’s agave syrup with his new herbaceous syrup- what a smart move. Not necessary, but if you’re feeling like kicking this drink up a notch, you’ll be glad you did.

Mezcal con pepino- with muddled orange bell pepper

Oddly enough, if you’ve got all the ingredients to make this delicious cocktail and discover that your kids ate all the cucumbers- I can assure you that you can safely substitute an orange sweet bell pepper. The result is a drink the color of a Hawaiian sunset and just as refreshing as the cucumber!

Cheers!

Christina

Mezcal Con Pepino Cocktail

This refreshing cocktail hits all the notes- sweet, tart, smoky, spicy, crisp. What more could you ask for? The agave nectar can be substituted with plain simple syrup- although a house favorite is an herbaceous rosemary infused syrup.

Cook's note- In a pinch, orange bell pepper was substituted for the cucumber and it was surprisingly delicious with a beautiful orange color!

Course Beverages

Keyword cocktail, mezcal

Servings 2 drinks

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 ounces Mezcal
2 ounces fresh lime juice
.75 ounces agave nectar or simple syrup
2-3 slices cucumber
2-3 slices serrano or jalapeno pepper
Tajin
Sugar

Instructions

Put lime juice on rim of a glass and coat in tajin and sugar.
Muddle the cucumber and serrano into a cocktail shaker.
Add in mezcal, lime juice, agave/syrup.
Fill with ice and shake.
Pour over ice and garnish with lime and additional tajin.

5 Day Post-Vacay Reset- “The Meal Plan”

August 19, 2019 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

Here is the meal plan for a 5 day reset. Any of the dishes with an * will be a recipe on the blog in the coming days. Any dishes with ** already has the recipe posted on the site and can be found in the categories pull down menu or on the recipes menu bar and scrolled to find the blog post with the recipe. I am a few weeks in now and still following the original rules for the most part. I’ve added in organic chicken for more protein as well as matcha green tea in the afternoon. It’s all about moderation- the 80-20 rule works great for me! I hope you enjoy.

Day 1

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with mushroom magic seasoning, cinnamon raisin ezekiel toast with almond butter

Fresh juice- carrot, apple, ginger

Snack– Lara bar

Lunch

Green Salad with Avocado, Garbanzo Beans, Tomato, Slivered Almonds, Apple-Cider Shallot Vinaigrette

Snack- Hummus with snap peas and red bell pepper, plum

Dinner

Grilled Wild Salmon with Lemon Pepper, Dill, Salt, Quinoa Brown Rice Medley, Roasted Broccoli with Olive Oil and Lemon, Glass of Red Wine

Day 2

Breakfast

Smoothie- oat milk, coconut water, Greek yogurt, frozen mango, frozen pineapple, greens blend (chard, spinach, kale), banana, touch of honey

Hard boiled egg

Snack almonds, apple

Lunch

Avocado toast- ezekiel bread, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, aleppo pepper, everything seasoning, lemon juice

Fresh juice- greens blend, apple, celery, cucumber, carrot, parsley, lemon, ginger

Snack– olives

Dinner

*Grilled Southwest Grain Bowl with Roasted Poblano Dressing

Strawberries

Day 3

Breakfast

*Oatmeal (oats, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla, raisins, chia seeds, toasted unsweetened coconut, slivered almonds, fresh berries)

Latte w/ almond milk, touch of honey

Snack– Rx Bar

Lunch– leftover Southwest Grain Bowl w/ Poblano Dressing

Dinner

*Veggie and Greens Frittata

**Melon Salad with Feta, Jalapeno, Mint

Day 4

Breakfast

Leftover frittata

Smoothie (oatmilk, Greek yogurt, mixed berries, banana, mint)

Cold Brew Coffee (unsweetened almond milk, touch of honey)

Snack– almonds

Lunch– Sweet Greens Curry Grain Bowl

Dinner

*Shrimp Taco Salad

*Blistered Shishito Peppers

Day 5

Breakfast

*Overnight Oat Bowls

Cold Brew with unsweetened almond milk, touch of honey

Snack: Smoothie (oatmilk, Greek yogurt, fresh peach, mixed berries, banana, mint, greens)

Lunch- Leftover frittata, apple slices

Dinner

*Roasted Veggie Medley with Jerk Seasoning, Dates and Goat Cheese, Hummus, Cucumber slices, Green salad

Post-vacay 5 day reset- the “rules”

August 18, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago my family and I enjoyed a fantastic family trip to Vancouver and Whistler. Canada is one special place! Besides those friendly Canadians and spectacular nature with beautiful waterways all around, there was lots of delicious seafood and local produce to enjoy. We indulged in all of that. But, we also indulged in all the bread, alcohol, and treats – that’s part of vacation fun!

As much as I love being away with my favorite people, we all enjoy coming home to our space that we love so much, and getting back to routine- whatever that means during the final days of summer!
Before we returned home, my husband and I decided we needed a little reset in our diet. And, as fate would have it, look what landed on my doorstep that I forgot I had pre-ordered months ago!

In our family, we are generally very healthy eaters, eating the majority of food cooked at home and with care to feed ourselves a balanced diet. But, lately I’ve personally had lots of aches and pains, not to mention chronic tennis elbow for over a year (which I’ve now learned isn’t even inflammation and just a damaged tendon in my elbow that needs some repair.) But being 42 years old and waking up achy and not feeling my best despite a pretty balanced diet and lifestyle- anyone in the same boat?! I decided to tackle a few issues to improve my overall health. Nothing extreme, but it was time to make a few tweaks to feel as healthy as possible (new mattress/pillow coming soon, removing a few toxins in our environment, etc.) Three kids who aren’t slowing down anytime soon means mama cannot slow down anytime soon! And for me, extra coffee to get through the day just isn’t an acceptable solution.

Enter our 5 day Post-Vacay Reset… these “rules” are loosely based on an anti-inflammatory/Mediterranean diet with the intent to not only decrease/cut out inflammatory foods but to increase the amount of anti-inflammatory foods in our daily diet. I wrote these rules on our last (rainy!) day of vacation and dragged my family to Costco straight from the airport (yes, I did this) followed by a solid trip the next morning to the local farmer’s market. In the time it took my family to put away the Costco haul, I had a delicious healthy dinner on the table (grilled wild salmon, brown rice + quinoa, and roasted broccoli).

The “Rules”

NO to…

White stuff (four, rice, potatoes)

Meat/poultry

Refined oils and sugars

MINIMAL…

Dairy (only using Greek yogurt as a protein source for smoothies and overnight oats)

Alcohol (glass of red wine)

YES to…

Lots of whole fruits and veggies

Juicing

Eggs

Seafood (mainly wild salmon, wild canned tuna, shrimp)

Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil

Nuts and seeds

Whole grains (oats, farro, brown rice, quinoa)

Touch of…

Honey/Maple syrup

*used organic when possible and available

Don’t you love a plan that has more “yes” instead of “no”? I have to say that after 5 days of an eating reset, my husband and I both felt better. We continue to enjoy this plan as a base for eating most meals, every day. The exception is that life sometimes includes a few treats and that is something we will continue to enjoy. We’ve added back organic chicken a few times a week, allowing for an increase of healthy protein as we ramp up our workouts.

Next post… the meal plan.

Cheers to healthy eating!

Christina

It’s Raining in May- Keep Calm and Roast a Chicken!

May 19, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Perfect job for the cast iron pan

It’s supposed to be sunny and warm outside- it’s mid-May in California after all. The sun is coming, we just have to wait several more days. For now, keep calm and roast a chicken! There is something so satisfying about knowing how to roast a chicken. It’s simple, comforting, and can produce meals for days and broth for weeks. Zuni Cafe’s late Chef Judy Rodgers is credited for this easy technique for Roast Chicken and it’s so easy to replicate at home. All you need to do is plan ahead and make sure to salt that chicken the day before. The old saying goes- you get what you pay for. Buy the very best whole chicken you can afford. It will pay dividends with the meat and the quality of the broth. Some chickens have a nice clean poultry flavor, and some just do not.

Meal #1

This chicken gets a lot of use! Meal #1 includes cut up chicken, roasted veggies and a side salad. Meal #2 takes the chicken off the bone and gets stuffed into chicken tacos with black bean and corn salsa or gets used as the star of a cobb salad. Meal #3 turns into a risotto dish with herbs and mascarpone once you make that homemade broth!

Risotto with Spring Peas, Herbs, and Mascarpone- this was a hit with my family!

Speaking of broth- this is one of the few reasons I own an Instant Pot. I’m not a huge fan, but definitely use it for a few kitchen tasks that would otherwise take constant monitoring or more time than I want to spend. This chicken broth is a great base for many future recipes. In cooking school, I learned the best chicken stock is a neutral stock- one without garlic, ginger or even salt. This way it can be used for a variety of dishes and seasoned appropriately according to the intended dish. In true wannabe Barefoot Contessa style, these quart containers of chicken broth live in my freezer and it makes me happy knowing they are there.

Cheers,

Christina

Simple Make-Ahead Spring Menu

April 19, 2019 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Spring has definitely sprung in Northern California! The temperatures in the Bay area have my kids barefoot and jumping in the chilly pool after school. In the non-food world, Spring to me means baseball season is in full swing, NBA playoffs are underway, it’s light outside until after dinner, and the windows and doors are open from morning till evening. In the food world, it means- local strawberries (with fresh whipped cream), blueberries (eaten straight out of hand), rhubarb (makes a delicious fruit crumble or simple syrup for a mixed drink), and spring onions, green garlic, and asparagus (delicious in a frittata)- all popping up at the farmer’s market.

Over the beautiful spring weekend, we celebrated our daughter’s Confirmation. Because we needed to keep the meal short and sweet in order to get to the church on time, I decided on an easy, make-ahead meal that satisfied adults and kids alike. It needed to be ready when guests arrived, not too messy as we were all in dresses and suits, and not too heavy as we were going to be sitting for the ceremony for nearly 2 hours. The following menu was a hit!

Menu planning and a prep list is key to a relaxed gathering!

I feel instantly better when the table is set or the serving pieces are ready

The more I think about this menu, the more I think it would be a great Easter or Mother’s Day menu, too. And, the bonus is that local salmon season is almost here and I read recently that it is on track for being a prolific season with lower prices than in the past. I’m looking forward to sharing some of my favorite salmon recipes!

Gougeres

Gougeres with Gruyere Cheese- light and airy and addictive

These tasty little French cheese puffs are so easy and an impressive start to the meal with a glass of champagne. They are a bit more impressive looking and seem to have more “puff” when they are piped from a pastry bag, but I can assure you that just scooping them with a small-sized ice cream scoop will work just fine- they taste the same!

Macaroni and Cheese

That delicious crunchy top

Any homemade recipe will do, but in cooking school, we made some pretty tasty versions- one of my favorites was with roasted poblano and scallion. Whatever version or add-ins you include, be sure to: put the macaroni mixture in a buttered casserole dish and top with crunchy panko breadcrumbs that have been toasted in a pan with butter and garlic and then tossed with grated parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees till golden and bubbly. *I made this for the kids but the adults didn’t mind a little pile next to their salad with salmon!

Slow Roasted Salmon

Slow Roasted Citrus Salmon

Alison Roman’s Slow Roasted Citrus Salmon with Herb Salad is the recipe I pretty much went off of. However, I used a sheet pan, half the amount of olive oil, turned up the heat to 400 degrees for the last 5-7 minutes and skipped the herb salad on top. I served it on top of an arugula salad with sliced strawberries, toasted almonds, shaved manchego cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. A perfect light Spring main dish.

Carrot Sheet Cake

There are dozens and dozens of really tasty carrot cake recipes out there. Layered, chock-full of nuts, pineapple, raisins, etc, 3 layers, 5 layers- I love them all! Since we had more kids than adults at our dinner celebration, I thought it best to have a simple single layer carrot cake with nothing else in the batter but warm spices and carrots and a nice thick layer of cream cheese frosting. It was a hit with kids and adults alike and the best part- it’s SUPER simple to make!

My favorite single layer carrot cake comes from America’s Test Kitchen Complete Series Cookbook (pretty much my kitchen bible) and if you have access to this- be sure to try this recipe! I cannot easily share the recipe because it’s in a cookbook and even the digital version requires a paid membership (which I personally think is well worth the money, along with a subscription to NYT food app, but this one from Fine Cooking (my favorite cooking magazine) is pretty close if you leave out the nuts and currents!

Whatever your family celebrates- religiously, culturally or traditionally, I hope you enjoy this beautiful weekend and great food with your friends and family.

Cheers!

Christina