Vegetarian

Happy 2018!

January 7, 2018 by Christina Shoup 2 Comments

Happy 2018 to you all! I truly hope you had a great holiday season filled with family and friends. We sure did! Apparently, I failed to take a closer look at our family calendar because we ended up hosting 5 different holiday gatherings in less than 10 days- lots of work but completely worth it for the laughs and memories made. My hubby is a gracious co-host and an expert dishwasher and I very much enjoy the menu planning and the cooking- we make a great team.

Over the break we visited family in the Santa Barbara area and had a blast. The gratitude toward the firefighters is clear all over town and while several establishments were still doing fire/smoke restoration, the town seems resilient and grateful. We were happy to see our family safely back in their home and very happy to help support the local economy get back on their feet. A few of the tasty meals we had were from: Cava- a Spanish, Mexican restaurant on Coast Village in Montecito with dessert across the street at Here’s the Scoop- gelato with homemade waffle cones; Lama Dog in the Funk Zone- seafood burgers, fish tacos, german pretzels with cheesy beer sauce; and a great breakfast at the Montecito Cafe. Another great place we had a picnic from while wine tasting was Industrial Eats in the town of Buellton. A few of the sandwiches blew our minds.

My favorite- by far- was the hole in the wall taco stand East Beach Tacos. This place is insane! I haven’t stopped thinking of my ahi poke taco in a wonton skin and bahn mi taco. In fact, I could have eaten one of everything on the menu. They even have this super fun item on the kid’s menu called the Beachball- a favorite of my nephew’s and now my daughter’s. It’s a ball of sushi rice about the size of your fist and it’s stuffed with ahi tuna- poke style. Delicious. The super fun part about this taco stand is that it shares the same property with an old school (20 pitches for a token- score!) outdoor batting cage and serves local beers. I cannot even imagine the danger this place would be to our family if we lived nearby. With all the amazing eateries Santa Barbara has to offer- this is the first stop we will make on our next trip. To hold us over in the meantime, I asked (begged) Eric to go in front of the long line of people to take a close picture of the creative and inventive taco menu and will be recreating these in the very near future. My brain is going crazy about this place– after culinary school I might have to open this in the Bay Area! After my coffee/breakfast/lunch cafe, that is. Dreams…

It’s back to reality as we approach kids going back to school this week. I think we are all ready for routine, but I’m going to miss my sleepy kiddos stumbling downstairs with their blankets and settling in on the couch each morning. Back to rushed mornings, making lunches, and busy afternoons. Thankfully, after the first few days it gets easier and we have a few Monday holidays coming up for those sleepy mornings. Since we’ve been home the past few days we’ve been enjoying super simple meals such as: baked sweet potatoes, white beans with pancetta and rosemary; smashed avocado with aleppo pepper, sea salt, lemon and olive oil; shrimp tacos; kale salad; and carrot soup with lemon and ginger.

For the week ahead: I’ve got a few easy weeknight dishes planned. One exception, I’ve got a special dinner planned for Monday night as we will be celebrating Eric’s first day at his new job. I’ll take some time on Monday to make sure we’ve got a good bottle of celebratory wine, and everything for a yummy Italian feast of Eggplant Parmesan and Chicken Saltimbocca. And his favorite dessert, chocolate mousse for dessert. **Lest you get the wrong idea here- a celebratory Monday night dinner at home is no intimate candlelit soiree- it’s just extra special food that are favorites of the one being celebrated and are eaten in stages due to 2 out of 3 kids needing to be driven to and from sports and religion classes. We are just super proud of him and are excited to celebrate his new gig!(Will post recipes for these later this week as none of them are easily available online.)

Carrot Soup with Lemon and Ginger

This soup makes you feel like you’ve been to one of those high-end wellness retreats where they pamper you with delicious healthy meals and take you out on nature walks around their property and serve you spa water with lots of magical ingredients to make you feel like a million bucks. For those of us in real life: make this soup (it literally takes 20 minutes after chopping a few ingredients), take a walk around your neighborhood while listening to your favorite inspirational podcast (my current fav is For the Love of Food series, Jen Hatmaker), and upon your return squeeze some lemon into your glass of water. Done. DIY Wellness retreat in between carpool duties. You’re welcome.

We made this recipe last night exactly as written, in fact, I chopped the ingredients for efficiency and my 8 year old made the rest. Don’t forget the squeeze of lemon at the very end and we skipped the optional sour cream dollop on the top- this soup just doesn’t need it. I only wished I had doubled the recipe- it made exactly enough for our family of 5 to have a bowl with a side of kale salad and garlic toasts. This was a huge hit with my whole family!

Fried Rice

This is such a great recipe that can be easily adapted to what you have in the refrigerator. It’s comforting, quick, and can be healthier if you increase the veggies (I add zucchini and more bell pepper) swap brown rice for the white rice, and use coconut oil for the canola oil. Obviously, you can add chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu for protein. We like ours with a generous amount of Sriracha sauce.

Note: I use my dutch oven pot because it contains all the extra veggies I add but if I had a wok, that would be ideal. Also, do not begin this without having everything prepped and ready to go. We are talking about a super quick dish over high heat that can be ruined with sad overcooked veggies or egg stuck to the bottom of your pan never to be scrubbed off entirely.

Beef Chili with Kidney Beans

This is another one of our go-to chili recipes. It is heavier on the quantity of ground beef (2 lbs) but makes a lot and I take care to use good organic, grass-fed beef. We rarely eat red meat, so when we do, it’s the best quality we can find and afford. This recipe has a good kick and requires my kids to dollop sour cream or Greek yogurt on top, but it’s full of flavor. I add two red bell peppers instead of one, coconut oil instead of the vegetable oil, and add an extra can of beans- white or black. The recipe brilliantly calls for cooking for 1 hr with the lid on and then for 1 hr with the lid off. Do this. The people at America’s Test Kitchen are no joke and they know these things after much trial and error. It makes for a deeply flavored, thick chili and the leftovers are awesome.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

Growing up, these were a staple in our house. I remember running out the house to school with two hot muffins on a napkin. The recipe was included in our family recipe collection that my mom made for my siblings and me and I’ve enjoyed sharing them with my own kids. The batter couldn’t be more simple to make, can be left in the refrigerator for several weeks (don’t be alarmed by the strange tint of green the top layer takes on- it’s fine), and are best scooped and put in the oven the day of- I do mine while packing lunches. My kids enjoy them as a snack and are a respectable stand in for a sandwich when packed with a to-go packet of peanut or almond butter. I swap out the Crisco sticks for butter and add chopped walnuts but skip the raisins- they get a little too mushy for my liking. Alternatively, you can add the raisins when you are scooping so they are more fresh. Enjoy!

Quick blog note: I hope the tag/category feature helps you find recipes more easily. I sure know it helps me! Also, I’m working hard on figuring out a better way to post recipes (an easy recipe card) when it’s not a linked recipe so you can view and print recipes easily. Stay tuned… I have a day job so it is taking me awhile to integrate all of it. 🙂

I hope you have a great week, avoid all those nasty germs out there, and enjoy all that a fresh year has to offer! Thanks for reading ~Christina

When you know better you do better

August 28, 2016 by Christina Shoup 5 Comments

Some farmer’s market love from Eric

Let me first say that I truly appreciate all the feedback since I’ve started this little blog. I have really appreciate our texts, emails, posts, and comments at school to let me know how much you’re enjoying it. It’s been fun for me and I am enjoying it more than I thought. So many of you have been kind enough to share your tips, suggest new recipes, and commiserate about the stress and hassle of getting dinner on the table each evening- thank you!!

For many of us, school and fall sports are well underway. I might have over-planned last week’s meal calendar just a bit. I stuck to the plan, and my family appreciated each meal, but I underestimated how busy and tired I’d be with school and sports starting all in the same week. I planned for one day of leftovers, but what I really needed was either another day of leftovers or something easy from the freezer. Rookie move. This week is looking a little nutty with busy days and several evening meetings. One of my favorite sayings- When you know better you do better! Here’s to an easier week of getting food on the table. And, let’s not forget we’ve got a nice long weekend ahead of us!

Turkey Chili with White Beans

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/turkey-chili-with-white-beans-3090

There are many chili recipes out there, and I’ve made several different kinds myself. Over the years I’ve tried many variations- beans vs. no beans, ground beef vs. cubed, tomato sauce vs. chicken/beef stock/beer, spicy vs. mild, quick and easy vs. simmer all day, etc. This week I am cooking my favorite turkey chili because it’s quick and easy, full of flavor and provides leftovers. It’s always a hit and the recipe is usually requested when I share it with family and friends. I serve it with all the toppings: cilantro, shredded cheese, green onion, avocado, and sour cream. A side of cornbread- Trader Joe’s box(!) or crushed up tortilla chips is yummy, too.

I make it as directed with these exceptions: I substitute the 3 cans of white beans for 1 can of white beans, 1 can of black beans and 1 can of dark red kidney beans. I like the variety but anything works. I also use dark turkey thigh instead of more lean turkey breast- it seems to have more flavor. Finally, I add about a cup of frozen corn in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

*Bonus- the leftovers are even better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to develop.

Frozen Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken

You’ll recall me saying a few weeks ago that once school starts you’ll see “Trader Joe’s frozen something” on my meal calendar more often. Well, this is one of those go-to meals for busy nights. I actually cook 2 packages for our entire family and there’s always a little leftover. I serve it with a side of broccoli and frozen jasmine or brown rice- all from Trader Joe’s. Not the healthiest meal, but it couldn’t be easier and my kids absolutely love this dish.

*Caution- Once I packed a few servings in Tupperware for Sydney and I to eat in the car on the way to a “birds and the bees” class. I figured we needed full tummies for the night we had ahead of us. The darn chicken dish didn’t sit for more than 30 minutes in the Tupperware before it steamed its crunchy outside right off and into a nasty mushy layer making our dinner nearly inedible. Lesson #1- do not make this ahead of time and certainly don’t package it! Lesson #2- if you’re going to take your kid to such a class, treat them to a nice juicy In & Out Burger, fries and shake.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/12/03/recipe-best-pulled-pork-crock-pot/

This is a household favorite and I’m excited to get it back into the rotation. Thankfully, my friend Marina reminded me of this dish and I am happy that she did! It’s a great dish for the crockpot that can cook all morning or afternoon and can sit until you’re ready to shred the pork and add BBQ sauce. We love the pork on Hawaiian rolls with a side of coleslaw (nothing fancy here- bagged shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, and Marie’s coleslaw or poppy seed dressing) and baked beans.

Labor Day Menu

Tomato Pie, Grilled Sausages, Corn Salad, Watermelon Wedges and Butterfinger Pie

I made a very similar menu when we had some friends over this summer and thought it would make a great Labor Day menu as well. Make one or all of these dishes and you won’t be sorry. At first glance, it probably doesn’t look like an easy menu, but each dish only has a few ingredients, very easy to prepare, and is full of summer flavor. Enjoy!

Tomato Pie

I know what you’re thinking… tomato what?! This has been a favorite of mine since childhood. My mom used to make this when we had company over and guests always requested the recipe. Years ago she gave my siblings and me a wonderful Christmas gift- a book of family recipes and this one made the cut. I make it several times each summer and this year is no different. It makes an impressive and delicious dish when you entertain but is simple and comforting enough to make and bring to a friend with a new baby.

Make it easy on yourself and buy pre-made pie dough and unroll it right into a pie dish. Poke a few holes in the dough and cook as instructed before filling your pie shell with the tomatoes and cheese mixture. And, don’t bother peeling the tomatoes, it’s unnecessary!

Right out of the family recipe collection

Strange looking crust but that didn’t affect the taste

Corn Salad

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fresh-corn-salad-recipe.html

This is delicious, super easy, and I make it as directed. Fresh corn is really important here!

As disturbing as this photo seems, it’s a great way to cut corn off the cob and catch it in a bundt or angel food pan.

Butterfinger Pie

This is hardly a recipe but here’s another favorite from my childhood that was included in our family recipe book. My kids nearly died when they were at the grocery store with me and I asked them to go find 6 Butterfinger bars. One of them said, “What is this, Halloween or something?” My candy bar-deprived children declared this the best dessert ever and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need to include it in my very own family recipe book someday.

4 ingredients!

Back from vacation and back on the wagon

August 7, 2016 by Christina Shoup 4 Comments

First, thank you for all the kind words and feedback on the first WORDY post! I promise to never write such a long post. It was no surprise that from your comments, many of us get stuck in the same dinner rotation from week to week and everyone, including me, needs some fresh recipes every now and then.

We are just back from beautiful Lake Tahoe where we did a mix of cooking in (yes, I had a meal plan on a scrap of paper on vacation!) and eating out. As true with all vacations, we indulged on plenty of yummy snacks, meals and treats, not to mention an impressive amount of vodka/mint creations and wine. It’s always nice to be home and back on track with healthy meals and cutting back on those tasty beverages (until Friday, at least).

Below are the recipes for what I have on my meal calendar this week. You’ll notice that there are five recipes. One of the days this week is going to be leftovers and the other day is a date night that I’m quite looking forward to. Thanks Nano for watching the kids! Thankfully, I don’t have a very busy week ahead and happen to have extra time to cook, but on a normal busy school week, you’ll find a few nights utilizing recipes and others that simply say taco bar, egg scramble or “frozen Trader Joe’s something.” Not every week looks like this, but as I said above, I’m home from vacation and happy to be back in the kitchen! Let me know if any of you try any of these recipes. They are all printed out, have been in my binder of favorite recipes for quite awhile (a separate post in the near future) and are all a hit with Eric and kiddos. Thanks for reading and happy planning this week!

Curry Spiced Veggie Burgers

http://www.marthastewart.com/962982/curry-spiced-veggie-burgers

This is a tasty vegetarian recipe that my friend Lisa and I both saw on TV years ago and happen to both have all the ingredients on hand to make. I’m certain we both were sitting on the couch feeding a baby watching cooking shows, something we both used to do a lot of! It is simple to make and I recommend you watch the quick video that is available just above the recipe in the link. I serve it on top of or next to mixed greens dressed with vinaigrette. Nice and light dinner.

* I always double it and put half of the uncooked burgers in the freezer for another day.

Greek Chicken in Pita

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14527/greek-chicken/

This is such a hit in our family that I put it on the meal calendar several times a month and nobody has yet to get sick of it. I use the marinade in the recipe above and use boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 or so) instead of the whole chicken. I marinate the day before or the morning of and it’s the easiest yummiest grilled chicken. After cooking, slice the chicken into bite sized pieces. We either put it in/on warm pita bread or on top of a plate of romaine lettuce dressed with Greek vinaigrette. In either case, we put tomato and sliced cucumber, a dollop of hummus, and a drizzle of Sriracha on top and dive in. SO yummy.

Edited Aug. 10th, 2016: I made this last night and my kids enjoyed it but didn’t go back for seconds. Here’s why: I didn’t make the tzatzki sauce that I have made every single time except last night. No idea why I forgot, but they really missed the yogurt cucumber sauce. Easy to make: greek yogurt, grated or finely diced cucumber, little garlic, lemon zest and juice, dried dill, salt and pepper. Last night I just mixed yogurt and Sriracha and it was yummy too, but the cucumber yogurt sauce is key. ALSO, the marinade above doesn’t call for salt and pepper, but it’s necessary, as well as the zest from the lemon. Makes a much more flavorful marinade. Enjoy!

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-salmon-with-lime-butter-sauce-1222181

Dinner doesn’t get any easier! Grilled salmon is a staple in our house and four out of five people in my family love it and thankfully the other one tolerates it. I put the salmon on some foil (about a pound and a third for two adults and three kids), put a little olive oil, garlic salt and pepper on top and grill as directed. The lime butter is delicious and super simple, but sometimes I cannot handle one more step and skip it all together. I often serve with grilled asparagus and a salad, but this week I’m serving it with roasted sweet potatoes and couscous.

Aromatic Noodles with Lime Peanut Sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/aromatic-noodles-with-lime-peanut-sauce-recipe.html

Not much to say here because I make it as directed. It’s another hit in my family and we’ve been known to put it in a plastic bowl and eat on the way to an evening sport. Classy, right?! I’d just recommend adding the sauce as needed. Depending on the amount of veggies I have, the dish can be too saucy (and makes it harder to eat in the car!) J

Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/barbecued-chinese-chicken-lettuce-wraps-recipe.html

We love these lettuce wraps and one of my kids even requested it for their birthday dinner a few years ago. It’s a Rachael Ray recipe, and she’s known for quick and easy recipes, so give this one a try! I’m sure ground turkey or pork would be tasty as well. A few changes that I make… To make it less messy, I drain some of the chicken liquid after cooking but before I add seasonings, garlic and ginger. I also decrease the mushrooms or omit altogether (kids are not fans), increase the bell pepper, and add shredded carrot and diced zucchini. I add more hoisin sauce and reduced sodium soy sauce as well. I love to top the lettuce wrap with chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts or cashews and Sriracha. My mouth is watering…