Recent Eats! Kitchen Express by Mark Bittman and Raddish Kids

Checking in after another long hiatus of cooking updates (since January)! As per usual, I was burning through cookbooks that didn't wow me or have more than one or two dishes to report back on - though Bittman's book has definitely turned the tide. 

But first I wanted to give a little plug for this awesome subscription service I got for the kids because they have become increasingly interested in getting into the kitchen. I got a few cookbooks geared towards children and we would help each kiddo make a dish of their choosing. This was fine, but they would inevitably pick meals like breaded chicken tenders or mac and cheese, not really broadening any horizons. I started searching for meal kits for kids (I mean, there are about one million options out there for adults) and came across Raddish - extra D not a typo, as in RAD dish! I got a six month subscription and it has been awesome. 

Each month we get a themed meal kit that includes a kitchen tool (pastry cutter, garlic press, silicone tart molds), a patch for their apron (which comes in the first box), dinner table conversation starter cards, and sturdy laminated recipes for a main dish, dessert and some sort of side or extra that fits the menu. 

I wasn't really interested in getting actual ingredients in the boxes, as I am already a weekly meal planner/grocery trip person, so this was perfect - and not terribly expensive. I also love that the menus are somewhat adventurous but still have kid appeal like mango sticky rice with chicken satay, or rainbow taco salad. Plus, there's no hemming and hawing about their choice - they get what they get and we help them make the meal. 

Not having the ingredients shipped also gives us a lot of flexibility. It's been a little busy around here with Spring Break and school sports, so I've saved the most recent delivery and might hold on to the next month's to break out over the summer. And, I do have a referral code which gives me some $$ off my next boxes if you are so inclined - you can use BB9H2W for $10 off a subscription. All this to say, that even if there was no referral code, I'd still be telling y'all about it! 

Okay, as for the rest of our meals, I have been over the moon about Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express. I don't think I've marked this many recipes in a cookbook EVER. Although there are over 400 recipes in there, so... He packs them in by eliminating pictures, long ingredient lists or step-by-step instructions. Just an easy paragraph explanation for each recipe. At first I was a little disappointed, because I usually look through recipe books based on the picture! But, I do cook in a more laid-back way, like the recipes are written. They are all so simple, obviously, but have unique ingredients. I can’t believe I’ve never used a Thai chili before, but I’ve used them twice already in recipes from this cookbook that appealed to me, such as fish with Thai pesto sauce.

And chicken in a basil coconut curry.

We've also used his simple spice rub and sauce for spicy chicken chipotle tacos, which I forgot to snap a picture of before gobbling them up. I look forward to trying at least a dozen more recipes from this book, so good!
I also picked up Milk Street: Tuesday Nights a few weeks ago and so far we've made the Lemongrass Tofu a half dozen times. DELICIOUS. Can't go wrong with America's Test Kitchen/Christopher Kimball.

And, folks inevitably ask about how our kids like these meals. And, I give my inevitable answer: they try it, but get a modified version such as chicken and rice without sauce, or chicken without the chipotle and a quesadilla, or fish sticks and a wee dip of pesto, etc. We might save tofu for a night they're eating pizza, though. Haha! They are coming around slowly but surely thanks to our modeling and their interest in getting involved in cooking!

Skinnytaste One and Done Cookbook (and Recent Eats)

My cookbook posts are few and far between, I know. But I'm rather picky about finding something with fun NEW ideas without being overly fussy. Skinnytaste One and Done by Gina Homolka totally hit that sweet spot! I also must confess that I am always reluctant to get her books because I find the blog name 'Skinnytaste' off putting. I do not want to be skinny. Skinny doesn't equal healthy. However, I understand the naming of blogs can be a tricky business and I hope that in her heart she's just sticking with the moniker for brand recognition at this point. IN ANY EVENT, there are many tantalizing recipes and I flagged at least a half dozen, which is a lot for me. And of the three we've tried, they've been tasty to boot! Like this slow cooker black bean soup.

The chicken Salimbocca with proscuitto, spinach and fresh mozzarella was also a hit. I think I'd throw the pan under the broiler next time to brown the cheese a little on top, though.

And my favorite discovery, Bibimbap bowls with ground beef. Gochujang is also my new favorite condiment.

I'm looking forward to trying even more recipes, and we'll probably do the chicken souvlaki or the sheet pan chicken schnitzel soon.

Another great dish we made recently that I really enjoyed (not from this cookbook) is Magic Garlicky Tofu - an adaptation from an Ottolenghi recipe by Gimme Some Oven. The amount of garlic seems a little scary, but it totally works.

And in the random Trader Joe's category, this is the first year I've tried the Winter Wake Up tea and I've stockpiled a half dozen boxes to get me through until next winter. I'm not usually a tea drinker, but this stuff is delightful. Like a slightly less intense, and more gingery version of Harney and Son's Hot Cinnamon Sunset.

Cook it in Cast Iron by Cook's Country and Recent Eats

In my most recent meal wrap up post, I put out a call for good cookbook suggestions. I feel like most of the ones I've flipped through lately are the same ol' thing and that nothing has come close to the unique options of Healthyish. And, boy, y'all delivered! I have a stack of at least five from the library and we started experimenting with some dishes from Cook It in Cast Iron (thanks to a suggestion from my friend Lauren, who is the friend from this fun book story).

Funny thing, though - we don't actually own a cast iron skillet! I know. We do however have a Le Creuset Dutch oven and I figured that would work fine for the time being. The first dish we tried was Curried Chicken and Rice which was pretty easy and tasty. WIN!

I'm a little wary of one pot pasta dishes. Getting the pasta to water ratio juuuuuust right is kind of a pain and you have to babysit the pot. I did have to do a lot of stirring for this Baked Ziti with Charred Tomatoes, but the water to pasta measurements were perfect and it was quite tasty, if a little sweet. I might add some spicy turkey sausage to balance it out next time. I also kicked it up with fresh mozzarella instead of shredded. 

We're looking forward to trying a few more recipes from this one, perhaps even a DEEP DISH PIZZA. Will report back.

I also whipped up this Ceasar Chicken recipe from The Cookie Rookie and is was really easy and tasty. 

It seemed rather rich, with just Ceasar dressing, sour cream and Parmesan cheese. But it cooked down quite nicely and was perfect with some rice and veggies.

Oh, and last but not least - new favorite Trader Joe's finds:

This is now one of my go-to lunches. Just heat up some olive oil, toss it in the pan, and once it's mostly cooked through, add an egg and you have cauliflower fried rice! And these ABC bars are SO GOOD. 

Something about the almond butter filling gives them a marzipan like taste. They're also pretty low in sugar - the perfect sweet, but not too sweet snack. 

Summer Recipe Roundup

It's been quite awhile since I did any kind of recipe roundup - since JUNE! The cookbooks I've been perusing over the last few months just haven't wowed me like Healthyish. Most of the recipes seem to be ones we already have in a regular rotation or a variation on the same old stuff. Any suggestions are appreciated, please and thank you. 
I did try a smattering of cooking blog recipes, only to have most of them come up short, too. This Veggie Packed Buddha Bowl from Tasty looks so lovely, right?

Alas, it wasn't to my liking. The dressing was too mustard-y and I didn't enjoy the clash of cold uncooked vegetables with warm chicken. Since I do enjoy a good Buddha bowl recipe, I moved on to try these Beef and Broccoli Buddha Bowls from The Kitchn. I love a good miso dressing, but this was a weird tasting combo...

Not bad, but not so great we'd cook it again. 
There was one hit with the whole family, this Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce from Erica Julson was a perfect meal in the summer months, easy, and tasty!

And I have been loving this Curried Tofu Salad from Budget Bytes that has been an easy and filling lunch staple.

We did fair amount of dining out over the summer, especially with our fun family Fridays and road tripping, so I have to give a shout out to the best fish n' chips I've ever had at Front Street Grill in Coupeville.

And the Mac n' Cheese Logs (YES) with spicy ketchup from Aslan Brewery in Bellingham. Drool.

I have a few cookbooks on hold at the library, so hopefully I'll have one worth reviewing soon! 

Healthyish by Lindsay Maitland Hunt (A new favorite cookbook, and recent eats!)

If I make at least one recipe from a cookbook, I consider it a success. So far I've made two dinners and one breakfast from Healthyish and we're still going strong. First up, remember those Trader Joe's Bahn Mi Bowls that I'm addicted to? Well Hunt has a DELICIOUS Bahn Mi dinner recipe!

We used ground chicken in the recipe for Bahn Mi Rice Bowls with Spicy Pork and Sriracha Mayo and it turned out fantastic. Also, I'm not a huge fan of cucumber, so I subbed half with julienned red pepper. Definitely going into regular rotation.
The Brown Rice and Adzuki Bean Bowl was also a success, and I subbed tofu for the beans. I love both of these recipes for the summer because the veggies are no-cook and I always use Trader Joe's microwaveable brown rice, not the stovetop.

Lastly, I tried the 'Why Didn't I Think of That' breakfast bowl with brown rice, almond milk, diced apple, peanut butter, honey and a sprinkling of hemp hearts. 

The flavors are super tasty, but my brain is confused about my savory dinner staple in my breakfast, so I may try the combo with another grain like bulgur.
My dependence on the Trader Joe's microwaveable brown rice factored heavily in our menu planning with this book. It just makes the weekday crazy so much easier! I do plan to try a few more recipes, for sure.
We also tried Pinch of Yum's Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette last month and subbed cherry tomatoes for the strawberries. 

I'd definitely recommend!
And lastly, I had a Starbucks reward to try one of their new Mercato lunch items for 50% off and the Za'atar Chicken Salad was SO GOOD!

There was so much going on in this salad (grains, tzatziki, cauliflower, golden raisins) and it all comes together really well, and I love a tahini dressing. It's a little pricey for Starbucks, around $10, but it's comparable to something I'd get at a sit down restaurant. At the very least it'll be well worth a free reward redemption!

Monthly Meal Wrap Up for April

I checked out a bunch of cookbooks from the library again and this month I made a couple things from Katie Lee's Endless Summer Cookbook. The biggest success were these healthy banana oat muffins!

Who knew that spelt flour bakes so nicely? I'm super glad this recipe gave me the excuse to buy some, and now I'm going to use it instead of whole wheat. We also made her recipe for a creamy chipotle sauce to use in lieu of our usual cilantro lime sauce on fish tacos and is was delicious. 
We also tried this Mexican Lasagna recipe from The Kitchn. It was tasty, but I'd use almost half the suggested noodles next time.

I happened to catch Trisha Yearwood's show on Food Network and decided to try her Pork Medallions recipe which we'd definitely make again! 

I didn't catch what the 'ginger sauce' was or where to find it, so I used Trader Joe's Soyaki for both the Teriyaki and ginger sauce the recipe calls for and it turned out great.
Speaking of Trader Joe's... ZOMG, the cauliflower gnocchi is TO DIE FOR - that is, if you are a fan of gnocchi. 

I do enjoy cauliflower, but if it's not your thing, I'd still try them. They taste like perfect pillowy gnocchi, with the added bonus of more fiber and veggies! As per the advice from the peeps at Trader Joe's List, I just sauteed them from frozen instead of steaming them in water per the package directions and they come out great. I've been heating them up with some sauteed onion, garlic and butternut squash.
And last, but not least, we went on our first Spring Break family vacation in April! Since this focus of this trip was sightseeing and family fun, I didn't delve too deep into foodie mode like our previous trips. However, we did enjoy some fun local eats. On advice from a San Diegan friend, we hit up Mona Lisa Pizza in Little Italy which was so adorable, so reminiscent of little family owned Chicago eateries, and delicious comfort food: chicken Parmesan, stuffed shells, lasagna, garlic bread and of course, the kids (and adults) loved the pizza!

Another recommendation that was a hit for brunch: Breakfast Republic. My kids were over the moon for the pancake trio with choices like cinnamon roll, Oreo cookie and strawberry cheesecake.

I cannot resist eggs Benedict and their mushroom and pesto version with SPINACH HOLLANDAISE was to die for. Plus you can upgrade your potatoes with Brussels sprouts!

At the end of our trip, we decided to take the kids out for a 'fancy' dinner. Since they both eat steak at home, we decided on Ruth's Chris as they actually have a kid size steak on the kid's menu. Although, in the future we'll probably have to order the eleven year old the adult size portion! They were so adorably striving to act like grownups in the 'fancy' restaurant, and the looks on their faces when their virgin daiquiris arrived were priceless. Of course, that's a picture I didn't take! They discovered the allure of virgin drinks at the pool and asked if they could order one at the restaurant. Ruth's Chris has a slightly elevated presentation compared to the pool bar, and I think my kids now have slightly elevated expectations for our next restaurant adventures!

Monthly Meal Wrap Up for August (and some recipes from Dinner: Changing the Game)

This month I picked up Dinner: Changing the Game by New York Times food writer Melissa Clark, and we are definitely adding some recipes to our regular repertoire! The Roasted Sausage and Cauliflower is so simple and yet, unique - especially the yogurt sauce which takes seconds to make. I also loved the easy clean up; we served it with microwave brown rice and just tossed the foil from our sheet pans!

We also enjoyed the Cumin Chicken Meatballs with spicy green sauce. Again, super quick and easy to make with a tasty and unique sauce. This one we also served up with some brown rice and roasted broccoli. It was perfect to eat with the kids, because they really enjoyed the meatballs (they were a little plain on their own) without the jalapeno laden sauce.

This cookbook definitely delivers on it's promise of inventive, UNFUSSY food with great flavor. I hope to try a few more recipes!

As part of the Influenster network, I got a freebie trial of the new Quaker Overnight Oats and, I must say, I was rather impressed.

I've certainly made my own overnight oats, but it seems to take a lot of tinkering to get it juuuuust right with the flavors. These tasted perfectly sweet/but not too sweet and the convenience factor is HUGE. Plus there's no weird preservatives in them - just flavored with straight up sugar and banana flakes! Definitely recommend, especially with coconut milk and strawberries.

August was also a fun month for food and dining out! My husband and I tried a new restaurant for my birthday dinner and it was lovely. Carmines is a new-ish establishment in Bellevue, but opened by the folks behind longtime Seattle favorite Il Terrazzo Carmine. 

The grilled romaine salad with proscuitto and blue cheese dressing was sooooo good, as was my pillowy gnocchi.

My husband's risotto was some of the best I've ever tasted and I don't think I've ever devoured tiramisu so quickly. Highly recommend!

And we did some eating out at Crystal Mountain on our summer road trip. The Summit House was lovely, both the views and the food.

As was the Alpine Inn for dinner, where we learned that neither of us have ever ordered our kids a Shirley Temple or Roy Rogers. We remedied that situation and now they want to order them wherever we go!

I also took them out for their first real sushi experience and they were as adventurous as I expected them to be, which is to say - the most exotic thing consumed was crab. But! I'll take it! Baby steps...

September is all about soccer season and getting back into the swing of things with school. Hopefully we'll have time to experiment with some new recipes...