Sprouted Kitchen
A food journal of approachable, health-focused recipes by award winning food writer Sara Forte.
Less of my friends are having babies and needing deliverable meals these days, but there will always be something happening in life when it feels good to give someone a dinner off. I brought this to my sisters’ family last week, after they’ve had to make a sudden move from the Palisades due to the recent fires, and I thought I’d share it here. Not only is it deliverable, but we are running a soccer schedule lately where I don’t often have time to make dinner at dinner time. I am ubering to all the sports, and I need to come home to dinner mostly made, whether I have time earlier in the day or over the weekend. This soup holds!. We’ve tried a few crockpot things, I love a sheetpan situation with a sauce, or with practice, I now remember to marinate chicken in advance, but a delicious soup like this is my favorite (not the kids per se, but we can only eat so many tacos). You can leave the soup all textured and chunky or blend the vegetables into the broth so it’s smoother (veggie averse kids may prefer this). I have this immersion blender, which has held up great the past 15 years I’ve had it. See instructions. I’ve made it both ways and everything gets eaten. Someone will ask about Instant Pot and I don’t have one so if you know them well, chime in in the comments. As for slow cookers, I think it’d all work in there if you browned the sausage on the side, but I am a brat and I like the vegetables to concentrate more like they can in a pot in shifts as opposed to being just slowly boiled in the slow cooker. I know this is a luxury of working from home, work being making said soup, but figure I’d give it to you straight ;) xo TOMATO SOUP WITH SPICY SAUSAGE + ORZO SERVES 6 If you could entertain your nostalgia and imagine an adult spaghetti O’s, with a rich tomato soup, chunks of browned spicy Italian sausage, some cooked orzo and lots of parm on top, this the soup. It is perfectly deliverable too, should you want to deliver some to a sick friend or new neighbor. Keep things vegetarian by replacing the sausage with another 14 oz. can of drained white beans in its place. If you don’t have white wine open or want it to be open, a splash of any white vinegar here will be a good substitute. To keep it dairy free, just use a vegan butter or skip it. Recipe from Sprouted Kitchen Cooking Club olive oil, as needed 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage 1 small yellow onion, minced 2 stalks celery, minced 1 large carrot, minced 1 small bulb of fennel, minced sea salt fresh ground pepper 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 4 cloves garlic 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning 2 Tbsp. tomato paste splash of white wine 1 28 oz. can crushed, fire roasted tomatoes 1 qt. chicken stock 1 14 oz. can cannellini beans, drained 2 tsp. better than boullion, chicken flavor 2 Tbsp. butter 1 small bundle parsley, chopped 1/3 cup orzo or ditalini pasta parmesan, for serving In a large dutch oven, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil. Squish the sausage out of the casing and brown, breaking it up as well as you can and cook it through. Remove the sausage and set aside. Heat another drizzle of oil and once it’s hot, add the onion, celery, carrot, fennel and a big few pinches of salt and pepper. Saute these vegetables for a good 5 minutes to cook them down and just soften. Add the bell pepper, and saute another 5-10 minutes to soften. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, tomato paste and saute another minute or two. Add a generous splash of white wine to deglaze the bottom. Stir in the roasted tomatoes and stock and put the cover on ajar, cook another 20 minutes. While you wait, start some salted water on to boil to cook the orzo or pasta. Cook al dente and drain the pasta. I know you’re thinking “can’t we just do this in the soup?” but i feel like it changes the texture and drinks up too much moisture. Turn off the heat and stir in the boullion and butter. If you like your soups chunky, you can skip the blending step, if you want it smooth, use an immersion blender to get the soup completely smooth. Add the sausage, parsley, beans and desired amount of the orzo in. Season to taste, add red pepper flakes if you want it spicier. This soup is great made in advance. It’s fine to leave the orzo in there, but it does absorb some of the moisture from the soup, so can also be held separately and added in with the reheat. Finish your bowls with some fresh parmesan.
She told me about what she thinks about her body; that people at her table are talking about getting married. She listens to my feedback about her effort at soccer practice and asks me to speak in a more calm voice (I wasn’t yelling for the record, but I do get passionate when I want to make a point. That point being: please act like you want to be there). He wants me to listen to the fart joke in his audio book or the techno song that he likes, even though it “feels stressful” (it does). He tears up over feeling like everyone at school just argues over football rules everyday and remarks he wants to live with us forever. I get so much from them at bed time, like everyone is ready to unload, and maybe this is a season, and one I’ll miss if it is, but when did they become people? Messy ones who still need to be reminded to put their clothes away 385798410 times, but these complicated feelings over friendship and motivation and little and big questions are pretty remarkable. I am planning some travel for a few book events, and it struck me how much I really love the ages of our kids. It’s so much easier now - they’re more flexible to take along, their thoughts are interesting and funny. I’d want to be both of their friends if I got to go back to elementary school. Curran is turning 10, I’m turning 40, a book that feels like it took forever to make it finally coming out this Spring and in a good way, it feels more like New Years than January did. At a glance, zooming out, asking questions and reorienting perspective. Here we are, and isn’t that just amazing. All those memes about how people hate that bloggers write musings instead of just post recipes. It’s not always for you, dearest recipe searcher, sometimes the writing is just as much the connection as the food is, so you’re going to have to bear with me. Many people I know who connect through making people food, are also writers and thinkers and communicators, so it’s a package deal, folks. It’s pillow talk and pasta over here. Speaking of the cookbook! Most every recipe in there has a photo except for, maybe 4? There are factors that contribute like page count and price etc. so a few final shots just didn’t make it in. Unfortunately, no photo usually means less intrigue and the recipe can get overlooked, so I’m going to highlight one of my favorites here. I love pasta with lots of bits in it and this one is heavy on the bits. My kids will eat this, picking around the extra kale and Cleo won’t actually like it, but they eat it. Either way, I do think you should put this one on your list soon. I also wanted to post a few dates for some cookbook events coming up around the time of publishing. If you live in any of these areas, I would really love to meet you! If more get added, I will include them here as a landing page. April 30th - Kitchen Lingo in Long Beach, CA 6pm May 3rd - Vivienne’s in Portland, OR 5pm May 5th - IG with Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille May 6th - Book Larder in Seattle with Ashley Rodriguez, WA 6:30 pm May 9th - HOM in Dana Point, CA 6pm May 15th - Preorder Incentive Class at 12pm PST with Laura of The First Mess (sign up!) June 22st - Olivia and Daisy in Carmel, CA 1pm PASTA with ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, CHORIZO + WINTER PESTO Serves 4 A dish that has excellent ROI with your cooking time, it is filling and textured and has lots of vegetables. You may end up with more kale pesto than you need for this recipe, but it has lots of other uses, such as with eggs, atop roast potatoes, or as a veggie sandwich spread. We don’t want the fresh sausage-like chorizo in tube form; instead, look for a dry chorizo, typically from Spain, not Mexico, that you will find in a well stocked cheese and deli section. It looks like salami. I do think sucessful dinner prep takes a bit of planning. The pesto can be made a few days in advance to save time. Vegetarian? Replace the chorizo with some chopped, sun dried tomatoes. Printed from Around Our Table by Sara Forte FOR THE WINTER PESTO 2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup pine nuts 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 cup cilantro or parsley 1 packed cup lacinato kale, deribbed and chopped 1 tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese FOR THE CAULIFLOWER 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. dried oregano sea salt and fresh ground pepper 2 oz. dried chorizo, cut in 1” ribbons 1 small bundle lacinato kale, deribbed and cut in ribbons 12 oz. any short pasta half of one lemon grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, for garnish Make the kale pesto. In a food processor, pulse the garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice together. Add the cilantro and/or parsley, chopped kale, salt and pepper, and run it again until well chopped. With the motor going, drizzle in the olive oil and parmesan cheese. Set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 425’. On a rimmed baking sheet, pile the cauliflower, and drizzle it with the olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and roast for 30 minutes until the edges are toasty. To the baking sheet, add the chorizo and kale ribbons, toss everything to coat. If the sheet looks dry, add another drizzle of oil. Roast an additional 3 minutes to warm. Set aside. Cook your pasta according to instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot with a few heaping spoonfuls of the pesto and a giant splash of the pasta water. Stir to mix, we want it generously sauced. Add the contents of the baking sheet, squeeze of fresh lemon and stir again. Add more pesto if you’d like or more pasta water to loosen things up. Serve portions with a generous sprinkling of parmesan, red pepper flakes, a grind of pepper and some fresh parsley.
I always buy a bundle of bananas at the market, only 1 of 4 of us actually snacks on a banana, which leaves lots of moments of overripe bananas that are too ripe for snacking but perfect for baking. 4 of 4 like the baked goods with the bananas. You’re welcome for my elementary math equation proving it is in fact, worth buying the bananas. These are my favorite sorts of treats to make for and with the kids. Everything mashes up in one bowl, they’re easy on the sugar, packs in a lunchbox and they are free of the glutens and dairy so any person that comes over with a dietary preference, has a snack. I know when we’ve made them a dozen times, they are worth sharing here, so hope you have bananas ready to go soon (extra extra brown! don’t bother if they are pretty and yellow!). xo AFTER SCHOOL BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP CHUNKERS Makes 12 Gluten free, dairy free and honestly, you can skip the egg if you need to and I believe they’ll still hold. I’ve been making these when I have dead bananas, but banana bread feels like too much. A tray of these will be gone before the end of the day and they hold up in a lunch box too. Nut allergy folks, all-purpose flour is fine. Replace the almond and coconut flours with 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. They will look different than what is pictured. The flax does help absorb some extra moisture, and you can pick that up and nearly any supermarket these days. Recipe riffed from Joy the Baker 2 overripe, medium bananas (about 1 cup) 1 egg 4 Tbsp. coconut oil or warmed butter 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. cinnamon big pinch of salt 1 cup almond flour 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 2 Tbsp. flax meal 3 Tbsp. coconut flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) Into a mixing bowl, smash up the bananas super well, we don’t want big chunks left. Add in the egg, oil or butter, sugar, vanilla , cinnamon, salt and whisk everything together to mix. Add the almond flour, oats, flax, coconut flour, baking powder and stir again to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 360’ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. I make ours free-formed, not perfect balls 1) because they are tough to get into a ball and 2) I like those craggle edges! We want about 2-3 Tbsp. sized lumps, arranged with 2” of space between (they don’t spread much). Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes until toasty on the edges, but still tender in the center. Remove to cool. Keep the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up for 3 days, and in the fridge any longer than that. Sara Forte 2022-02-22 After School Banana Chocolate Chip Chunkers 15 These are my favorite sorts of treats to make for and with the kids. Everything mashes up in one bowl, they’re easy on the sugar, packs in a lunchbox and they are free of the glutens and dairy so any person that comes over with a dietary preference, has a snack. 2 medium bananas 1 egg 4 Tbsp. olive oil 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup almond flour 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 2 Tbsp. flax meal 3 Tbsp. coconut flour 125 calories9 grams fat1 grams satFat0 grams transFat10 grams carbohydrate5 grams sugar2 grams fiber8 grams netCarbs3 grams protein 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) Into a mixing bowl, smash up the bananas super well, we don’t want big chunks left. Add in the egg, oil or butter, sugar, vanilla , cinnamon, salt and whisk everything together to mix. Add the almond flour, oats, flax, coconut flour, baking powder and stir again to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 360’ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. I make ours free-formed, not perfect balls 1) because they are tough to get into a ball and 2) I like those craggle edges! We want about 2-3 Tbsp. sized lumps, arranged with 2” of space between (they don’t spread much). Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes until toasty on the edges, but still tender in the center. Remove to cool. Keep the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up for 3 days, and in the fridge any longer than that. American Snack snack, chocolate, gluten free, dairy free, kid friendly, lunchbox
She was sitting on the edge of the pool, waiting for her turn at swim lessons and was completely sausaged into her swimsuit. Her longer body stretching the length of the bathing suit so that the chest of it was too low and the straps looked stressed. Beautiful, tender, winter skin against that mustard yellow daisy print. Cleo waves at me, looking like such a… girl. She turned six a few weeks ago and while we are dancing in the kitchen to the Encanto soundtrack and mixing up our “b’s” and “d’s” , our conversations are about friendships at school and what happens when you die. She is both little and big to me. Motherhood is a wild whiplash. Each one of those days, while the bathing suit became too small, felt like nothing, but is also the compilation of so many small moments. I’m having a bit of a time with my own insecurities and watching them find their way at school and with people. My kids growth, tangled up and digested through my own. It’s just like the moms before me said, the challenges never go away, they just change. I see this girl of mine growing, still needing me, but also moving towards my role as support, instead of the lead. Yessss, I know she’s young, but I can see it. A small shift, the ones you can miss if you’re not paying attention. January used to be a month of goals all organized on paper - less sugar and new tennis shoes to get moving but this one felt… observant. Curious. Asking what I want, and what my family needs, as opposed to the more/better mentality that a new year sells you. I want to take a few classes, read books to learn things - parts of history that didn’t stick through school, or Spanish so I can help my kids with homework without so much google translation. We need a vacation that feels different, exciting. I learned from our covid quarantine week that we need more time just playing and hanging, as opposed to schedules and sports and social plans that I naturally tend towards. That includes me, stopping, not wiping down counters when I can afford to sit and compose some legos, or bead for a bit instead. I can feel and see a different season with my kids and while I definitely prefer it to toddlerhood (preach!), it feels like things are moving quickly and I’ll have to stay connected to myself, to see these simple, magical moments with my family. With that said, let me share this casserole that went over really well with my Sprouted Kitchen Cooking Club folks. It’s two pans and veggies that can be swapped and kid friendly because who doesn’t love orzo? I delivered one to a friend who said it stretched for two meals, so keep this in your back pocket for delivery. Anyway. From my tender heart to yours this month, hope you are healthy and well and feeling hopeful about this next year. Cheers. BROCCOLI + MUSHROOM ORZO BAKE // Serves 6 It’s like a mac n cheese-ish pasta bake but with some vegetables in it. My kids like broccoli, but you could get away with whatever your people like in similar volume, and cooked before adding it in. So long as the mushrooms are super small, I can squeeze those by them. Sub in peas or hunks of cooked butternut squash or add in 1/2 lb. of browned Italian sausage if you prefer an animal protein in there. If you’re making this to deliver or freeze, assemble everything through the panko parm topper, and wrap it in foil. Pass along directions to bring it to room temperature before baking. Ingredients 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil or butter 1 small yellow onion - chopped small 8 oz. of mushrooms - wiped clean, super well chopped 3 cloves of garlic - minced sea salt pepper 2/3 cup of white wine 1 pinch of red pepper flakes 2 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves 3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock 1/2 lb. of orzo (about 1 heaping cup) 10 oz. of broccoli florets - steamed & chopped 1/2 cup of heavy cream 1 lemon - zested 4 oz. of grated fontina or Italian cheese blend 1 cup of panko 1/4 cup of parmesean extra virgin olive oil fresh parsley - chopped Directions Grease an 8” pan or 10” oven-proof skillet. Preheat the oven to 400’. In a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium, heat your oil or butter. Add the onion, and sauté a few minutes until tender. Add the mushrooms, garlic, big pinches of salt and pepper and sauté another 5 minutes, until the liquid is released and you get some browning. Stir in the wine and cook another 5 minutes to cook down. Stir in the pepper flakes, thyme, and turn off the heat. In another pot, heat the broth to a gentle boil. Add the orzo and cook for about 7 minutes until just tender. Yes, it will absorb most of the moisture. Transfer the orzo and any residual broth to the pot with the mushrooms. Add the steamed broccoli, cream, lemon zest, cheese and another pinch of salt and pepper. Fold everything to combine. It should be loose. Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Sprinkle the panko and parm on top, and drizzle it with olive oil (it can be refrigerated for a day or frozen at this point. Bring the refrigerated one to room temperature before baking. Cook the frozen one, covered for 25 then uncovered for 20). Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered, until the top is golden brown. Garnish with fresh herbs. Tips Make Ahead The entire casserole can be assembled up to a day in advance and baked just before serving. It can be frozen pre-bake as well. Use It Twice This makes a lot of food, would be a great one to double and gift or freeze for later. Kid Friendly So long as you get your mushrooms and broccoli small, mine loved it! Gluten Free Jovial makes a cassava-based orzo. It can get gummy, but I think it will still work here. It’s possible a long-grain brown rice would work here, too. I would just steam it before assembling, and add two eggs in there if you can to help it hold some shape.
Fa la la la la! It’s baking season and this cake was a hit. Of course we all love cookies, and I have plenty of those on the list. My people love a breakfast sweet, and this has stood in for a simple dinner dessert on occasion as well. I know you all love to have a spread planned for holiday mornings, so hope this works for those of you gluten free folks. We always have sweet rolls, but I may double up this year since everyone liked this cake so much. I’ll say it again, like we do with the lemon loaf or banana bread, toasted for a few minutes for a bit of a crisp edge is lovely. I have made many dense gf baked goods, but I’m starting to figure out the ratios. Eggs are important for strength, going all almond flour turns out pretty dense, so I cut it with superfine brown rice flour like I learned from Aran of Canelle et Vanille. Hugh is the gluten free one in the family, but I have found the kids don’t question a thing when it looks like cookies and cake and sugar. I added some swap suggestions in the headnote. GLUTEN FREE CRANBERRY TEA CAKE Serves 6-8 This could be part of a breakfast spread or a dessert. It is sweet and seasonal but we nibbled at it most in the afternoon with a second (er, third) cup of coffee or tea. It has a good amount of moisture, so it sits well at room temperature for a day or two, then should be kept covered in the fridge. Great served with a dollop of plain yogurt in the morning or sweetened creme fraiche for dessert. Dairy-free option is to replace the buttermilk with non-dairy milk with a squeeze of lemon juice - oat or almond both great, coconut is a bit heavy. You don’t need it gluten free, replace the almond and rice flours with 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour. Not cranberry season? try lemon blueberry or almond raspberry (replace the vanilla with almond extract). Ingredients 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter (vegan butter works great!), room temperature 3/4 cup cane sugar 2 Tbsp. avocado or coconut oil 2 eggs 1/2 cup buttermilk (or non-dairy milk with a squeeze of lemon juice) 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 tsp. vanilla extract zest of one orange 1 cup almond flour 1 cup superfine brown rice flour (I buy this one) 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. sea salt 2 cups (8 oz.) fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped turbinado sugar, for finishing sweetened yogurt, for serving Directions Preheat the oven to 350’ and parchment line and butter a 8-9” cake pan. In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. At least 3 minutes. Add the oil, eggs, buttermilk, maple, vanilla, orange zest and beat again to incorporate. Add the almond and rice flours, baking powder, salt and fold it a few times. Add half the cranberries and fold again. Transfer it to your prepared pan, sprinkle the remaining cranberries over top, swipe it down to an even layer, and sprinkle the top generously with turbinado sugar. Bake on the middle rack for about 50 minutes, until tested in the center and only a few crumbs (no batter!) come out with it. If the top starts to get to brown, cover it with a piece of parchment or foil. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with yogurt or sweetened creme fraiche.
It has been a busy cookbook season! I spent last night reading through the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Cookbook and am revisiting everything I have bookmarked in Aran’s Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple while it is rainy this week and we can work on some baking projects. If you eat gluten free, by need or choice, Aran is your gal. You may know her from her gf sourdough tutorials on instagram. Aran is one of my favorite food people. Most importantly, she is a lovely and generous person. Just as humble and charming as her photos lead you to believe. Her photos are romantic, the recipes are clear and uncomplicated and she offers subs for all sorts of dietary issues. She is the gluten free baking master, and always where I go for reference. The book does call for some specialty flours, but if you cook gluten free and make a few things from her book, they won’t go to waste. My favorites have been the Lemon Curd, Lemon Pound Cake, Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and this toffee! I love how short the list of ingredients is, you may even have everything to make a batch today. Congrats, Aran! CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT TOFFEE Makes one 9x13 pan This makes an excellent gift around the holidays. We kept it in the fridge for when you just need a sweet nibble after a meal. If you are nut free, you can sub in some candied pepitas or some crushed candy canes and cocoa nibs on top. Ingredients: ¾ cup (100 g ) raw hazelnuts 1 cup unsalted butter (or dairy free butter) cut into cubes ¾ cup sugar ½ cup light brown sugar ¼ cup water, room temperature ½ tsp. Kosher salt 2 tsp. Vanilla extract ¼ tsp baking soda 4 ounces 70% chocolate, finely chopped Instructions: Preheat the oven to 325’ and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On a second sheet, spread the hazelnuts and roast for 15-20 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. When they are cool enough to handle, transfer them to a large kitchen towel and rub together to loosen their skins. Once they’re mostly peeled (a bit of skin is ok), transfer them to a food processor and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, stir together the butter, both sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until it registers at 300’, about 15 minutes. The mixture will be dark brown and smell caramelized. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the vanilla, it will splatter. Stir in the baking soda until it is distributed - do not overmix. You want to preserve some of that gas. Pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with the chopped chocolate. The heat of the toffee will melt it. Spread it evenly with a spatula. Distribute the chopped hazelnuts across the top and press down so they stick into the chocolate. Let the toffee cool completely for a few hours, or speed up this process in the fridge. Break the toffee into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a month. ©2021 by Aran Goyoaga. Excerpted from Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple by permission of Sasquatch Books.
Dinner seems so hard sometimes. I cook for SKCC during the day, so we have wonderful lunches, and obviously there are leftovers, but that leaves me not following my own advice as far as having a plan for dinner most nights. Ironic isn’t it? I have plans for lunch, we rotate the same few things for breakfast, but why does everyone eat so often? I have so so many cookbooks, and always turn there when inspiration eludes me. I’ll add a short list here, should you need some new ideas yourself. My family is not vegetarian, but we try to eat vegetarian meals often. The list below (amazon affiliated) includes both omnivorous and vegetarian authors from books (not new!) I’ve been turning to for inspiration lately: Anna Jones (vegetarian, more carb heavy but simple, she has a few great ones!) Green Kitchen Stories (strong vegetarian meals, colorful and present well) Six Seasons (new ideas and combinations, but not fussy. Great side ideas) At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen (a cornerstone, easy to change ingredients by season, very “healthy”) Canelle et Vanille (Aran’s photos are transcendent and romantic and her food is delicious. All GF) Super Natural Everyday (my favorite of Heidi’s, great vegetarian meals and wholesome snack and breakfast ideas) Salt Fat Acid Heat (for when I have lots of ingredients, but no ideas. Not a cookbook per se, but gets my mind going) Mandy’s Gourmet Salads (mostly for me, but they are sturdy salads when I can pull things out easily for the kids) The recipe here is from the beloved Jenny Rosenstrach of Dinner, A Love Story. Her recipes are quintessential family dinner type of cooking. Easy to find ingredients, not overly fussy, likeable for adults and kids. While it may not be what you’d pull out for entertaining or something unique, it is dependable and practical, which is what we all need most nights. I have tried her brothy beans and this dish below and both were hits! Look forward to pulling from this for quick weeknight meals. EGGPLANT + TOFU WITH SWEET HOT CHILI GLAZE // Serves 4 This was so delicious with all that sauce! I put mine in a lettuce wrap to get more greens in, or could see it with some thinly sliced cabbage. Recipe from Weekday Vegetarians By Jenny Rosenstrach (I reduced the amount of oil to personal preference) 1 15 oz. block of extra-firm tofu, pressed, drained and cubed 1/4 cup avocado or olive oil 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 Tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot 1 lb. eggplants, preferably graffiti, cubed salt and pepper, to taste 1/3 cup sweet-hot-chili glaze* 4 cups cooked rice FOR SERVING cilantro, sliced radishes, scallions, toasted cashews Preheat the oven to 425’. Arrange one rack on the top rack and one on the middle. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, toss the tofu cubes with half of both oils, soy sauce, cornstarch. Use a slotted spoon, place the tofu on one of the prepared pans. In the same bowl, add the remaining oil and the eggplant, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place the eggplant on the other sheetpan. Place the tofu on the top rack of the oven and eggplant on the middle rack. Bake until the tofu looks crispy and golden, 20 minutes. Remove the tofu to a shallow serving bowl, move the eggplant to the top rack and continue to roast another 10 minutes until golden. Remove the eggplant and transfer it to the dish with the tofu. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the glaze over the tofu-eggplant mixture and gently toss to coat. Serve over rice with desired garnishes. SWEET HOT CHILI GLAZE 3 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as cholula or Pete’s) 2 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter (or vegan alternative, we love Miyokos) fresh black pepper In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the chili sauce, honey, brown sugar, pinch of salt and simmer until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove the pan from the heat and while the mixture is hot, whisk in the butter to thicken the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
I really wanted to push this as a smash cake idea, but I must tell you that in retesting, it is quite delicate. It is DELICIOUS, but she is not a sturdy, easy to frost cake. I’ll give it to you straight in case you have dreams of a Pinterest-worthy sprinkle dream cake. We’re using banana and maple here, and with the sweetness and tang of the frosting, it all balances to be quite the treat. I tested it with both maple and sugar, the prior resulting in a more damp cake, and certainly less sweet, and the later a bit more traditional (and easier to frost). It gets sweetness from over ripe bananas, and I used Greek yogurt to help “frost” it. Know that Greek yogurt does not hold well at room temperature any longer than an hour, so I would suggest making the cake in advance and assembling it with the yogurt just before serving. Alternatively, if you need it to be sitting out over an hour, or hold stronger for decorating, I would make a half batch of this frosting, and just go easy on the amount. This is so many suggestions! I’m sorry, but there is cake. MAPLE BANANA CAKE WITH YOGURT FROSTING Make one 8” cake I call for quick oats, which may sound annoying and you can use old-fashioned oats with a little pulse in a food processor or blender to break them down a bit. If you want a nicer textured cake, less dense, cake flour in its place here will help. If you do not time your life to have brown bananas in time, canned pumpkin does the trick. A high fat content Greek yogurt is important here. Regular yogurt or anything runny will not work. Egg Free: Make a flax egg by mixing the flaxmeal with a Tbsp. of water until it starts to thicken. The banana helps hold things, this doesn’t work as well with the pumpkin swap. Gluten Free: Use a GF 1:1 flour in place of the whole wheat pastry flour. Ingredients 1/2 cup maple syrup 3/4 cup mashed, overripe bananas (about a medium) 1/3 cup coconut oil, warmed 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 eggs, room temp 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour or cake flour 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats, or pulsed oats (blitzed in a food processor or blender) 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. cinnamon pinch of sea salt YOGURT FROSTING 2 Tbsp. butter, room temp 2 Tbsp. cream cheese, room temp 6 oz. full-fat Greek yogurt 1 cup powdered sugar for a firmer frosting, maple works dash of vanilla extract Directions Preheat the oven to 350’. Grease and parchment line a 8” pan or three, 6-8” cake rounds (this will yield much thicker layers). In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the maple, smashed bananas, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs. Mix well to combine. Add the flour, pulsed oats, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, salt, and give it a few more stirs to just combine. Tip it into the pan and bake for 30 minutes, until cooked in the center. Remove to cool completely. In a mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese until smooth and aerated a bit. Add the yogurt, powdered sugar, vanilla and mix until combined and smooth. This can be done in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days. Chill to firm up it needed. If you’re leaving this as a 8” cake, just frost and enjoy. If making a smash cake, use a round tupperware, jar or larger glass to get 2 to 3 circles from the cake and eat the scraps. Layer the cakes with some frosting between, and then over the sides and top. The cake is easier to work with if it is cold! It does need to be kept in the fridge once frosted!
It used to be easier to write here. I like imagining who I am writing to and I’ve lost some of that here. I thought Instagram was a more effective place to share, but that place changed for me, as well. So, I want to be back here like I used to be. Every week if I can, which may be lofty, but I’m going to try. Writing about life or nothing, and sharing something that I made with you all. Perhaps not always a meal, even just a dressing we liked or something from a cookbook I’m enjoying. Would love to engage with you all. I just feel like there are almost too many ways now, and I need to keep shifting to find what fits. Anyway. Hi. Speaking of you and me and connecting. I am doing a short-ish Zoom demo/class with my Cooking Club folks on Sunday morning at 9am PST. Admittance will be the recipe of a donation to Cajun Navy Relief, or any non-profit involved in the relief efforts in New Orleans. Please email or DM a receipt by Saturday. I would love to have any of you non-members along as well. We’re making some kid-friendly things - zucchini and bean taquitos with some avocado dressing to dip and maybe a nectarine crumble crisp if there is enough time. Quinoa & Sweet Potato Salad w/ Turmeric Tahini Dressing Serves 2 The recipe is tinkered from the Many’s Gourmet Salads cookbook which has some truly excellent ideas for fellow salad lovers. It can take add ins, a swap of olives in for the feta to keep it dairy free, but by all means, double the dressing. It works as a dip and dressing for all sort of things. Have to laugh at home many meals on this site include sweet potatoes and quinoa BUT! Here we are, and it’s so good. You can cook quinoa and lentils together with 2:1 water to lentil and quinoa ratio. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat and cook with the cover ajar for about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool. This does require a wee bit of prep, so if you are a salad person, I suggest doubling it and having the components on hand to make this salad a few times throughout the week. Everything saves well. I’ve added grilled chicken or salmon or toss extra firm squares of tofu in oil and coconut aminos and roasting it at a high heat until golden, about 20 minutes, for a veg friendly topping. However, it doesn’t need any of these add-ins, it is plenty satisfying as is! Recipe adapted from Mandy’s Salads Ingredients 1 large sweet potato - peeled & diced 1 Tbsp. of avocado oil sea salt fresh ground pepper 4 cups of spring mix 2 cups of baby kale 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa 1/2 cup of cooked & drained lentils 2 cups of diced cucumbers 1 cup of cherry tomatoes 1/4 cup of red onion - sliced paper thin 4 oz. of crumbled feta 1/4 cup of torn mint leaves 1/4 cup of chopped parsley 1/2 cup of crispy chickpeas - store-bought or homemade 2 Tbsp. of sesame seeds handful of dill For the turmeric tahini dressing 1/4 cup of tahini 1/4 cup of room temp water 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar 1 lemon - juiced 1 tsp. of turmeric dash of cayenne 1/2 tsp. of curry powder 2 cloves of garlic - grated 1 tsp. of toasted sesame oil 1/3 cup of flat-leaf parsley 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp. of sea salt fresh ground pepper to taste Directions Preheat the oven to 425’ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potato chunks in oil, salt and pepper. Spread them in a single later and roast for 20 minutes until tender. Remove to cool. Combine all the dressing ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. If making this in advance, keep it covered in the fridge. If the dressing is too thick or the tahini seizes, add water in tablespoon increments. Combine all the other ingredients in a giant bowl. Drizzle in the dressing in tablespoon increments, toss until well mixed and it is dressed to your liking. Serve your salad with some sesame seeds and dill to finish.
I love love Trader Joes Zhoug sauce and we use it often, but I’m trying to reduce our single use packaging, and this is way better anyway. I finally have notes down so we can make and gift it on our own. I have written about 3 dozen green sauce-ish recipes here, SK Cooking Club etc. - each a little bit different. This one, heavy on the heat and herbs, and a few warm spices. Because it is so warm, I think of it like a concentrate instead of just straight up (ie. putting a dollop in salad dressing or mashing with avocado). Adding just a pinch of sugar and squeeze of lime to balance it. Zhoug is of Yemenite origin, and usually found on tables in Syria and Israel. It truly boosts anything and will certainly be a go-to summer condiment for salads and flatbread and grilled items. Uses Stir a spoonful into a salad dressing Mix with plain Greek yogurt to make a dip With avocado toast As a protein marinade for any meat, often mixed with some toasted sesame oil and citrus for meat and chicken, or painted on seafood after grilling. Cucumber salad with this, a splash of champagne vinegar, tons of dill, shaved red onion Egg sandwich spread Grilled corn Pasta salad with lots of grilled zucchini, more herbs, baby tomatoes, feta cheese If you make it, leave a comment about how you used it! ZHOUG SAUCE Makes about 10 oz. You can use a bit more oil if you’d like a thinner yet richer sauce, something closer to traditional Italian pesto. The below will be very herb heavy, as I prefer it this way so it can be thinned with citrus for dressings, marinades, smashed with avocado and the like. It will separate a bit which is absolutely fine and expected. The sauce will last for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Getting spicier as it sits so heads up! Riffed from both Ottolenghi and Cookie and Kate Ingredients 4 cloves garlic 3 jalapenos, stemmed, partially seeded and chopped 1 bundle of parsley (1 packed cup) 1 bundle cilantro (1 packed cup) 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. ground coriander dash of cayenne 1/2 tsp. cardamom pinch of sugar 3/4 tsp. sea salt squeeze of lime 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed Directions Put the garlic and jalapenos in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Add the parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cardamom, sugar, salt and lime juice and pulse a few more times. With the motor going, drizzle in the oil, scrapping down the sides to get an even, smooth sauce (still a little chunky tho). Taste for salt and seasonings. You can always add more cayenne if needed but it will get spicier as it ages.
May is a big month for us. It is busy and exciting and expensive because there are a bundle of birthdays (around 10 between our two families!) and Mother’s Day and our school year will be ending and while it has felt like Spring for a while here, May sets it straight. Strawberries and sunshine and bursting gardens and longer light. More so than a new calendar year, in May I feel a pull to write and remember and make goals and take stock of how I am spending my time - to both focus in and cast out a wider net for what could be. A New Years of sorts. I think it’s many of us, but for working moms in a different kind of way, this past year+ felt like so much surviving. That is a generalization, as circumstances vary widely I’m aware, but mothers shouldered a lot of the toughest parts. Quietly, keeping their game face on, but it was a lot. It felt like a day by day of keeping heads above water and constant pivoting. I feel a bit of exhale this season, even though this pandemic is not over over, it is better in our corner of the world, and I’m ready to reclaim some things of my own. I see the holes and my own excuses. The kids and I have this little diddy I do with them when Cur gets super wild with his buddies or I can see Cleo is on the verge of loosing it because she made a mistake on her picture: “Connect to your head (taps head), connect to your heart (taps heart) and slow down (slow hands).” My hope is that it brings them… us, into our own bodies when we can easily disconnect. It has hand motions of course because 5 and 7 years old, but it’s a simple mantra. Pay attention. You are already good. This past year was so wild! Connect to your head, connect to your heart, and slow down. And while you’re at it, springy bowls below because sauce makes everything better :) SPRING BOWLS WITH ALMOND ARUGULA PESTO Serves 4 This may make more pesto than you need, and is great to have on hand for eggs, sandwiches, dipping of any sorts. These bowls are satisfying as is, but can take a poached egg or whatever protein you have to throw on the grill or some rotiserrie chicken. No dairy? You can skip the parmesan in the pesto, no problem. Ingredients 2 cloves garlic 1/3 cup lightly toasted almonds, plus more for bowl garnish 1 jalapeno or serrano, stemmed and seeded to taste 3/4 tsp. sea salt juice from one small lemon, about 4 Tbsp. 4 oz. arugula 2 Tbsp. grated parmesan 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 12 oz. asparagus 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp. everyday/grilling seasoning blend salt and pepper 1 cup cooked lentils 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp. minced shallot handful of minced chives 2 cups cooked quinoa 4 radishes, shaved 2 avocados, quartered Directions To make the pesto, put the garlic, almonds, jalapeno and salt in a food processor and pulse to break them down. Add the lemon juice, arugula, parm and pulse a few more times. With the motor going, drizzle in the olive oil and run until you get the texture you want. I end up adding a small splash of water. Set aside. This can be made in advance and keep for a week or so in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 425’. Snap the ends off the asparagus and then use a peeler to clean up the bottom edges so they are smooth and tapered. It looks fancy, Ina does it, so we’re doing it too but you also don’t have to. Oil and season them and roast for 12 minutes until just tender but not mooshy. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the lentils with the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, shallot and a few pinches of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add fresh chives, stir again. Assemble your bowls with some quinoa, dressed lentils, roasted asparagus and a few shaved radishes for garnish. Nestle in a wedge or two of avocado, puddle of pesto and some toasted almonds over top. Sara Forte 2021-04-27 Spring Bowls w/ Almond Arugula Pesto 4 A fresh and springy vegetarian bowl of goodness. 2 cloves garlic 3/4 tsp. sea salt 4 oz. arugula 2 Tbsp. grated parmesan 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 12 oz. asparagus 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper 1 cup cooked lentils 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. minced shallot handful of minced chives 2 cups cooked quinoa 4 radishes, shaved 2 avocados, quartered 673 calories49 grams fat48 grams carbohydrate18 grams protein PT15M PT15M PT30M Mediterranean Entrée vegetarian, spring, asparagus, mediterranean
“I want you to come watch the movie with us ON the couch, not be in the kitchen!” I’ve been filling out this one-question-a-day journals for moms that I received for Christmas. It records a little thought or memory over the last year, and then starts again, so you can see how your answers change over a few years. One of the recent ones, prompted me to jot notes about what I am learning as a mom, and I found the question so general I was basically annoyed. I am a romantic, and also wildly pragmatic. In the span of a day I can tear up over the depths of love I feel for my kids, and also wish for them to have a mute button. We all have worlds within us; mothering pushing me into the corners of myself I am sometimes proud of or other corners ashamed of, but am I learning? Yes, every single day. Sometimes in the moment and other times after a particular season. But in 2021, my answer in the bullet journal was that I see my kids are wanting me to play with them. They aren’t registering all the service and shuttling and laundry and what it takes to pull off a week, they just want to play WITH me. It’s natural for me to move within lists and tasks and responsibilities and hustling, but playing is something I have to pay attention to. For them and for me. We usually do a family movie on Friday nights and my son (6.5), see quote above, pointed out that I don’t actually watch the movie, I tinker in the kitchen and he wants me in the couch cuddle. Flattered, and found out that I’d rather make granola than watch The Croods :) So from annoyed, to passing on the question to fellow parents, what are you learning? Try not to be annoyed. Maybe circle back to it. I published this recipe over on SKCC a few weeks ago and wanted it to live here. We’re trying to find more family-friendly vegetarian recipes (it’s easy for me to fill up on roasted veggies and big salads, not so much for the kids). This batch lasts us two meals - once with noodles, maybe half zoodles, and the second round on toast or english muffins with cheese melted on top, like a pizza sort of thing? It freezes well and is great to deliver to new parents. CAULIFLOWER BOLOGNESE Serves 6 Ingredients 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil 1 small yellow onion - roughly chopped 3 cloves of garlic sea salt to taste pepper to taste 1 head of cauliflower (about ¾ lb. or 12 oz. riced) 1/2 cup of raw walnuts pieces 1/2 tsp. of Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp. of fennel seeds - crushed 2 Tbsp. of tomato paste 2 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup of red wine (or broth of any sort, and double the vinegar to mimic the wine’s acidity) 28 oz. of canned, crushed tomatoes 1/2 cup of red lentils red pepper flake to taste For serving 12 oz. of pasta or choice, zoodles, etc. parmesan fresh, torn basil Directions In a large Dutch-oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium low heat. In a food processor, pulse the onion and garlic into smaller bits. Add them to the pot with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté to soften, about 3 minutes. Pulse up the cauliflower florets to get a rice-like texture. Add the riced-cauliflower to the pot and sauté to soften, about 5 minutes. Pulse the walnuts in the processor and add those to the pot along with the Italian seasoning, fennel seed, another few generous pinches of salt and pepper, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Sauté until fragrant. Add the red wine, cook about 3 minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes, ½ cup water, lentils, pinch of pepper flakes and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low, put the cover ajar and let it simmer gently for 30-35 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste for seasoning and adjust. Cook your pasta or zoodles according to instructions. Top with cauli Bolognese, grated cheese, fresh basil and enjoy! The Bolognese will keep in the fridge for a week and can be frozen for a few months.
While more rich than our everyday fare, this year needs a Christmas breakfast to top all Christmas breakfasts. We will be making the cinnamon rolls from our Sprouted Kitchen Holidays ebook (gifting half because what better door drop is there). We have made cinnamon rolls the tradition, but everyone is ready for something more substantial after presents. So we’re trying this this year - a bread pudding meets frittata and can be tinkered with all sorts of ways to taste. I’ve now made a mediterranean version with artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes and feta, or a roasted squash and kale take that I made in smaller little ramekins so it felt like a special dinner. If you’re feeding kids? Try getting the vegetables smaller, so they are harder to pick out and the texture sort of blends in. Emmi Gruyere is a great option here because it has a nutty, assertive flavor and also a melty quality to it. Goes so well with mushrooms and the bread makes this a one-dish wonder. We’ve been adding the cheese to the kids grilled cheese sandwiches and into mashed potatoes. Check the store locator for where to find it near you. Thank you for supporting sponsored work on the blog! This post is in partnership with Emmi Roth Cheese, though all words and opinions are my own. Mushroom, Leek and Gruyere Strata Serves 6 This can take so many different combinations! I left it vegetarian, but some browned breakfast sausage or crispy bacon can be stirred in as well with no other changes should you like. Everything can be assembled the night before and left covered in the fridge overnight. Pull it out first thing in the morning while the oven is preheating and you can enjoy your family instead of working in the kitchen Christmas morning. Gluten Free? We have made this successfully with gluten-free sandwich bread! Ingredients 8 oz. fresh bread, cubed (country loaf, French, ciabatta) 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. butter 8 oz. mixed mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 2 small/1 large leek, white and light green parts, cleaned and sliced 4 oz. baby spinach 8 eggs 1 ½ cup whole milk ½ cup cream ½ tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. Fresh ground pepper ½ tsp. Dried oregano 1 Tbsp. hot sauce 1 heaping cup/6 oz. grated Emmi Gruyere, shredded Fresh parsley, for garnish Directions Preheat the oven to 375’. Spread the cubed bread on a baking dish and toast for 10 minutes until golden on the edges and dried out. Heat the oil and butter in a large, oven-proof skillet or cast iron pan (about 12”). Add the mushrooms and leeks, a big pinch of salt and pepper and sauté to soften. About 8 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach, turn off the heat, and let it just wilt and cool down. Stir in the toasted bread. While the vegetables cool down, whisk up your egg mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, dried oregano, hot sauce and whisk really well to combine. We want to get some air in there. Stir in the gruyere. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, pressing the bread pieces down a bit so they get the custard on all parts. Leave it to soak at room temperature for an hour, or covered, overnight in the refrigerator. Turn the oven down to 350’. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, or until you shake the pan and the center is no longer liquid. A little jiggle is ok, it will set as it cools down. Garnish the top with fresh parsley and serve warm. Sara Forte 2020-12-22 Mushroom, Leek & Gruyere Strata 6 A bread-pudding–meets–frittata breakfast. 8 oz. fresh bread 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. butter 8 oz. mixed mushrooms 1 leek 4 oz. baby spinach 8 eggs 1 ½ cup whole milk ½ cup cream ½ tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. Fresh ground pepper ½ tsp. Dried oregano 1 Tbsp. hot sauce 1 cup shredded Gruyere 423 calories26 grams fat27 grams carbohydrate21 grams protein Preheat the oven to 375’. Spread the cubed bread on a baking dish and toast for 10 minutes until golden on the edges and dried out. Heat the oil and butter in a large, oven-proof skillet or cast iron pan (about 12”). Add the mushrooms and leeks, a big pinch of salt and pepper and saute to soften. About 8 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach, turn off the heat, and let it just wilt and cool down. Stir in the toasted bread. While the vegetables cool down, whisk up your egg mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, dried oregano, hot sauce and whisk really well to combine. We want to get some air in there. Stir in the gruyere. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, pressing the bread pieces down a bit so they get the custard on all parts. Leave it to soak at room temperature for an hour, or covered, overnight in the refrigerator. Turn the oven down to 350’. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, or until you shake the pan and the center is no longer liquid. A little jiggle is ok, it will set as it cools down. Garnish the top with fresh parsley and serve warm. American Breakfast Holiday, brunch, breakfast
We made another ebook! Sprouted Kitchen Holidays is a collection of a handful of my favorite recipes from SK Cooking Club, plus a few more, and we made a beautiful online resource for your seasonal table. There are 25 recipes that feel good for celebrating, regardless that this year will be different than any other. Check the link to the shop page for more details and reach out if there are any questions! I am including the recipe for our family tradition of Christmas morning cinnamon rolls here. They have a little bit of baked sweet potato in them to keep them tender, but are by all means decadent. You can start these the day before, and let them sit in the fridge overnight, and the early bird pulls them out while the oven preheats Christmas morning. I’ve also heard they freeze well! Once you cut and load them in your baking dish, cover them with a layer of parchment paper and freeze. The evening before, leave them on the counter at room temperature to thaw and proof, before baking the following morning. We have a post coming up next week for the savory crowd, albeit just as creamy and delicious, before we all take a sharp turn into kale and salads come January. The ebook is available in the shop, and should you need a virtual gift, or want to sync up your menu with someone you cannot be with the holiday, there is a gift option as well. Thank you for your support of all things Sprouted Kitchen, and wishing you wellness into the new year. Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls Serves 8-10 I can often makes swaps for gluten-free baked goods, but not here. I don’t know the science of gluten and yeast. The dairy however, can be replaced with a vegan butter and non-dairy milk of choice. If the sweet potato step here sounds fussy, 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree will do the trick. Heads up! Start these the day before you need to bake them! Ingredients For the dough 1 cup of warm milk (no warmer than 110°) 2 1/2 tsp. of active dry yeast 2 eggs 1/3 cup of unsalted butter - melted 1/3 cup of cooked sweet potatoes flesh 1/2 tsp. of sea salt 1/3 cup of cane sugar 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, divided For the filling 1 cup of light brown sugar 2 Tbsp. of cinnamon 1/3 cup of unsalted butter - room temp 1/2 cup of chopped pecans - optional For the frosting 4 oz. of cream cheese 3 Tbsp. of unsalted butter 1/4 cup of maple syrup 3/4 cup of powdered sugar 1 tsp. of vanilla extract pinch of sea salt Directions Warm the milk (not super hot, just above body temp.). Stir in the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes to dissolve. Into a stand mixer with knead attachment, add the milk mixture, eggs, incorporate them in well. Stir in the butter, potato flesh, salt and sugar to combine. Add 4 1/4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, reserve the last 1/4 cup for rolling them out. Work everything together to combine for a minute, then dump the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by pushing it with the heels of your hands and pulling it back to you on repeat for about 5 minutes. Roll it into a smooth little dough baby, cover it with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles in size. This time of year, since it’s a little chillier, this will take no less than an hour, likely two. Go do something else and just leave it alone. While you’re waiting, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon and butter together. It should look like a thick paste. Roll the dough out into a 1/4” thick rectangle, about 14” in length. No need to bust out a ruler, just guess. Spread the brown sugar butter mixture all across the top. Sprinkle pecan or walnut pieces in there if you like nuts. Starting with the long side, roll the dough down into a log. Cut the log into roughly 3” thick pieces (you can make them smaller or larger to your preference). Arrange them with an inch of space between in one or two greased baking dishes. I don’t need 14 rolls for just my family, so I bake half in a 10” cast iron skillet and put the rest in a second baking dish to gift). (This much can be done a day in advance and leave them covered in the fridge. Whomever wakes up first in the morning, should pull them from the fridge so they can rest and rise for at least one hour before baking. You can also freeze them, and pull them out to the counter when you go to bed the evening prior to wanting to bake them) Cover the rolls loosely with a dish towel and let them rise another hour. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the rolls on the middle rack for 20 minutes. While the rolls bake, whip up your frosting. In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer (or by hand with your strong muscles), mix the cream cheese and butter together until well combined and smooth (about 5 minutes in a stand mixer). Add the maple, powdered sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt and mix again. While the rolls are still warm but not piping hot, spread the frosting across the top and let it drip into the crannies. Enjoy warm! Sara Forte 2020-12-15 Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls 10 Tender cinnamon rolls made with sweet potato. 1 cup of milk 2 1/2 tsp. of active dry yeast 2 eggs 1/3 cup of unsalted butter 1/3 cup of cooked sweet potatoes 1/2 tsp. of sea salt 1/3 cup of cane sugar 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour 1 cup of light brown sugar 2 Tbsp. of cinnamon 1/3 cup of unsalted butter 1/2 cup of chopped pecans 4 oz. of cream cheese 3 Tbsp. of unsalted butter 1/4 cup of maple syrup 3/4 cup of powdered sugar 1 tsp. of vanilla extract 596 calories26 grams fat83 grams carbohydrate10 grams protein American Breakfast breakfast, dessert, holiday
The internet is a hottttt place right now, so I’ll just pretend we’re catching up on the porch, sharing a glass of wine and updating you on the bits and bobs of our little life. Like a Christmas letter in October? Curran is back at school and albeit strange and distanced, he’s so happy. He loves wearing his face shield with the mask as well so he looks extra cautious and also like a stormtrooper and I just love how he marches to his own drum. He’s been in skateboard class, still obsessed with the ocean and his Dad and food in general. Cleo has been tough lately. Lots of big feelings and big reactions and if I don’t get some break from her drama before she is a teenager? Lord help us. She learned the word “shit” from The Chicks new album, which she requests every time we get in the car. I told her it was a really bad word for poop which unfortunately makes it more intriguing for that 4-6 age range. My bad. When she is happy, she has tons of personality, affectionate, a great sense of humor and pays attention to detail and is therefore quite thoughtful. She LOVES Curran, and that bond may be my favorite thing about being a parent. Work is steady-ish. A few speed bumps (actually a really big one) which I’ll tell you more about when I know more. I’m pretty creatively toasted, but I feel grateful to have a job and the schedule we do in the current state of things. We’re trying to turn over a holiday ebook in a few weeks so if we can pull it off, that will be exciting. I love love my new nephew! New babies are so clean and cuddly and seeing my sister and brother-in-law adjust into parenting is both nostalgic and beautiful. I do think it’s a stunning metamorphosis of a person, and tender to watch of people you care for so deeply. I’m reading Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult. Looking for an easy, local-ish place to go for our 10-year wedding anniversary next month. That’s the short of it for now. Lots of things and feelings going on for so many right now. Always in pursuit of good company and real conversation. I hope you are finding slivers of that. This recipe has been popular over on SKCC, so I thought it should live here too. We use a mix of legumes, some bulgur for texture. Your favorite broth or stock, homemade if you’re fancy. I do stir kale in at the end because I like my veggie chili to indeed, be full of vegetables, and I’m sure some real chili conisseurs would consider that a disgrace. It’s 2020! Live your life. Our favorite way to serve this is over extra crispy roasted sweet potato tots. The brand Alexia makes our favorites, speaking from tot fans over here. Or over a baked and split potato in general, makes this meal so filling and easy to prep ahead. As it goes with chili and stews, the toppings are crucial. Don’t skip those! We’re on the tail end of outdoor dinner season in CA and I swear by stews and chilis being an excellent meal to feed to friends. This soup is a favorite. Because I will forever encourage feeding others, pandemic or not, maybe you can pull off a drive-way pumpkin carving next week? Chili for all? That’s on our calendar. Wishing you wellness and warm bowls of something delicious. VEGGIE CHILI Serves 6 I wrote this recipe for SKCC, and it’s been popular. Even the omnivorous folks say they don’t miss the meat because there is enough flavor and texture going on. I’ve been refilling my spice jars with dry spices from Thrive Market (if you use that link, you get a discount on your first order!). They are affordable and fresh. While you’re there and filling up your cart for free shipping, you can buy beans, grains, tomato products etc. and you’ll have pantry staples on hand for this chili at all times. Speaking of omnivores, there has been reported success in adding a pound of ground chicken/turkey/beef to this recipe. Add it to the pot to brown and cook through after the vegetables, and add 2 more cups broth to keep everything hydrated. This will increase the serving yield to 6-8, and if that’s too much, this gifts and freezes well. Ingredients 2 Tbsp. of avocado oil or other neutral oil 1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped 1 jalapeño - seeded & minced 2 large portobello mushrooms - wiped clean & chopped super small sea salt to taste pepper to taste 1 red bell pepper - finely diced 1 yellow bell pepper - finely diced 1 small sweet potato - peeled & diced small 4 cloves of garlic - grated 1 1/2 Tbsp. of chili powder 1 Tbsp. of cumin 2 tsp. of cocoa powder 1 tsp. of smoked paprika 1 Tbsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo - minced small or blended 1/3 cup of brown or green lentils 1/3 cup of bulgur 14 oz. tomato sauce 28 oz. crushed fire-roasted tomatoes 3 cups of vegetable broth 1 cup of beer or brewed coffee 2 tsp. of coconut aminos or soy sauce 1 can of black beans - drained 1 cup of frozen corn kernels 2 cups of chopped kale (optional) Directions Heat a large pot or Dutch-oven over medium heat. Heat the avocado oil. Get chopping, my friend! To the pot, add the onions, jalapeño, mushrooms and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté those down for about 10-15 minutes until water is released and the mushrooms begin to brown. We really want to cook the water off here. Add the bell peppers, sweet potato, garlic and sauté about 5 minutes until the just begin to soften. Add the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, smoked paprika, and chipotle to the pot and sauté them for another minute. Add the lentils, bulgur, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, broth, beer or coffee and coconut aminos. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, uncovered, and let it all cook for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and bulgur are cooked through. Add the black beans, corn, and kale if using, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. More salt? Maybe more coconut aminos. Spicier? Add more chipotle or chili powder. Let it all simmer another 10 minutes to warm through and wilt the greens. Serve your bowls with a generous amount of toppings. Chili will keep for a week in the fridge. Sara Forte 2020-10-22 Veggie Chili 6 Our favorite veggie chili. 2 Tbsp. of avocado oil or other neutral oil 1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped 1 jalapeño - seeded & minced 2 large portobello mushrooms - wiped clean & chopped super small sea salt to taste pepper to taste 1 red bell pepper - finely diced 1 yellow bell pepper - finely diced 1 small sweet potato - peeled & diced small 4 cloves of garlic - grated 1 1/2 Tbsp. of chili powder 1 Tbsp. of cumin 2 tsp. of cocoa powder 1 tsp. of smoked paprika 1 Tbsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo - minced small or blended 1/3 cup of brown or green lentils 1/3 cup of bulgur 14 oz. tomato sauce 28 oz. crushed fire-roasted tomatoes 3 cups of vegetable broth 1 cup of beer or brewed coffee 2 tsp. of coconut aminos or soy sauce 1 can of black beans - drained 1 cup of frozen corn kernels 2 cups of chopped kale (optional) 324 calories7 grams fat 54 grams carbohydrate 14 grams protein american Entrée vegetarian, fall, entertaining, soup
We’re obsessed with this cauliflower. I’ve made it three times in the last week for different people and it reports back as the favorite dish. Every brand of tahini varies in texture. I find the 365 Whole Foods brand to work well here because it’s naturally quite runny. If you need a visual, albeit on super speed, I made a Reel over on Instagram so you can see how easy this is! TAHINI GLAZED ROASTED CAULIFLOWER Serves 4 I’ve served this as a side with some lamb meatballs and quinoa salad, but is is a great side for just about anything. Veg friends, it is filling and textured and honestly if you just want a bowl of this on top of some greens as a meal, that works too. It is best eaten fresh out of the oven, but can be reheated as needed, it will just absorb most of the tahini coat. Fresh herbs forever. Don’t skip the parsley and mint. Ingredients 1 large head of cauliflower 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. champagne or white wine vinegar 1 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. cayenne or aleppo, to taste fresh ground pepper 2 shallots, peeled and cut in wedges 4 dates, pitted and chopped small TAHINI GLAZE 1/4 cup tahini 1 Tbsp. olive oil or sesame oil 1 Tbsp. maple syrup 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 Tbsp. water salt and pepper 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, for garnish 1 bundle of mint, leaves removed and roughly chopped Directions Preheat the oven to 425’. Pull out a large rimmed baking sheet. Cut the florets away from the core, and break them into smallish, 2x2” florets. Drizzle the olive oil, vinegar, coriander, sea salt, cayenne/aleppo and toss everything with your hands to coat. Spread it in an even layer on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Pull it out, turn the heat down to 400’, add the shallots, toss everything around again so the shallots get some oil and seasoning on them, and pop the tray back in to roast for another 20 minutes. While you’re waiting, chop up your dates into small pieces. Stir together the tahini glaze ingredients. It should look pretty thin, like a thicker salad dressing. Adjust with water, oil or lemon to get that consistency. Thickness of tahini varies by brand. Pull the tray out of the oven, and while still hot, add the dates and toss them in. Add the tahini glaze and parsley to the warm pan and toss everything until all the tahini has coated the cauli. Transfer to your serving bowl and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and mint. Look at you go! Sara Forte 2020-09-29 Tahini Glazed Cauliflower 4 A super flavorful roasted cauliflower dish. 1 large head of cauliflower 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. champagne or white wine vinegar 1 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. cayenne or aleppo, to taste fresh ground pepper 2 shallots, peeled and cut in wedges 4 dates, pitted and chopped small 2 Tbsp. tahini 1 Tbsp. olive oil or sesame oil 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 Tbsp. water salt and pepper 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, for garnish 1 bundle of mint, leaves removed and roughly chopped 324 calories20 grams fat37 grams carbohydrate7 grams protein middle eastern Side middle eastern, vegetarian, vegan
For my sister (and maybe my 6-years-ago self, too…) I know you guys are so ready for this. You’ve been ready, the road to get here has been a little twisty and I CANNOT wait to be moms together. Just giddy about it. Let’s start there. We were a few days home from the hospital with Curran, and it had set in that maybe this was going to be harder than I thought. A big transition. My body torn up and my nipples chapped and the gut-wrenching worry that this teensy thing may just stop breathing or any number of tragic things that now feel like cold possibilities. A thoughtful friend mailed a note and I’ll never forget the perfect timing from an experienced mother. I still keep it in Curran’s keepsake journal. The note reminded me that I was capable - that I was made to be this child’s mother amidst the overwhelming exhaustion and newness of it all. Motherhood is such a wild cocktail of elation and… grief maybe? I don’t intend to be dramatic, but your life is never the same. You think about and prepare for this transition for months, sometimes years, and there is no accurate description that will touch on how you feel the second you look at that baby. You rebirth yourself in that moment as well. You’ve known great love, but nothing like this. It fills a corner of your heart you didn’t even know was there. That smell! His skin! Those itsy bitsy toes! Seeing your husband hold his tiny body to his chest. It’s out of body, really. So out of body, that sometimes you feel untethered. The emotions, the physical healing, being responsible for that small life, getting through the day… it’s a lot! You feel so many things in the course of a day. In the course of a moment. It is both the best, most tender job AND so effing hard. All day. Every day. You will second guess your own intuition and also find how to truly trust yourself outside of google and other opinions. There is a lot of chatter about diapers and organic sheets and the best baby wash but there is a quieter murmur about the metamorphosis that occurs as a woman becomes a mother. That metamorphosis seems to be life- long, far as I can tell, as the caring for these little people grows and changes. My experience may be nothing like yours. What worked for me or what I struggled with or when my babies slept or what bottle they liked may not matter at all come your turn. I find that all that unknowing and problem solving and figuring and filtering through noise, is what builds your own confidence as a parent. Pilfering through the shoulds and suggestions, to make choices that work for you and your family. You are his mom and the best person for the job. Believe that this very moment! You have support all around you. I want to pass on to you, just like that well timed note did for me, the affirmation that this role is yours, and you are absolutely capable. You are everything he needs. This mom business is immeasurably valuable work. Let people help. Drink lots of water. Find your pockets of relief. Your body will heal. It will pass. Tomorrow is a new day. Sleep does return. And it’s just like every old lady tells you at the market on your most frustrating of days… it goes so fast. xo Love you so dearly, my sister. Happy to be on this wild ride with you. xo — I heard from many of you looking for a list of recipes to stock up on, or gift, to those in the new baby season. Here are the condensed, top suggestions, in order of most repeated via my instagram question. I will start a series here “Food for New Parents,” per request, so these sorts of recipes are easy to find on the site. I’ll post more recipes in the next few weeks, but visit the bundle page on SKCC for recipes that are easy to reheat or freeze! This is the deliver-friendly bundle. burritos (include frozen ones for easy reheat) fresh cut fruit fresh cut vegetables and dips healthy muffins (see the ones i just posted on ig reels! or these ) fritatta/ frittata muffins (fresh or frozen - notes here or my fave is from our first SK cookbook) lactation cookies (these from How Sweet Eats were mentioned) granola bars (Robyn’s!) date/ energy balls casseroles (Ashley’s Baked Risotto! so good) salad kits and fixings for quick salads and bowls (greens, dressings, grilled/chopped chicken, quinoa, toasted nuts) healthy, light things - “pizza and take out are easy” soups and stews (this lentil soup, this tomato soup or Anna’s Dhal) vegetable enchiladas (duh these goat cheese guys) chili - veg or turkey (this veggie chili, or this beef one) pasta sauces (this bolognese is perfection and I’m intrigued by this cauli version) legume/grain/lunch type salads (the Marakkesh carrots from Bowl + Spoon! Online here) cookies/cookie dough (always Tara’s! add oats and down to 9 minute bake time for a little goo) wine/coconut water CRUNCHY LUNCHY LENTILS Serves 4 This is a salad that can hold its integrity for a few days. I keep it stored in the fridge, and spoon it on top of lettuce with a little more vinaigrette when ready to eat. I’ve also packed it in a tortilla or stirred in some cooked brown rice to make it more filling. It will dry as it sits, so add a drizzle of oil and vinegar if it needs a refresh. Ingredients ¾ cup French/De Puy Lentils 2 Persian cucumbers, seeded 1 apple 1 medium fennel bulb, fronds reserved 1 large shallot 1 small bundle of mint 1 small bundle fresh basil ½ cup walnut pieces For the vinaigrette 1 large clove garlic, grated Juice of one lemon 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp. maple syrup 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp. dried dill ½ tsp. coriander Flaky salt Fresh ground pepper Goat, parmesan or feta cheese, for garnish, optional Directions Rinse your lentils. Put them in a pot with 1 ½ cups of salted water or broth. Bring the liquid up to a simmer, put the cover on ajar and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Fluff the lentils, and set them aside to cool completely. While the lentils cook, get chopping! We want a fine dice on the cucumbers. Core and finely dice both the apple and fennel and mince the shallot. Super small bits! Chop the herbs. In the bottom of your mixing bowl, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and stir to mix. Add the cooled lentils, all your chopped vegetables, walnuts and herbs. Toss to coat. Chill in the fridge for an hour if possible for flavors to marry. Not imperative if you don’t have the time. Serve the lentils over some tender greens with a sprinkle of goat, parm or feta cheese. Sara Forte 2020-09-14 Crunchy Lunchy Lentils 4 A crunchy and fresh, make-ahead vegetarian lunch. ¾ cup French/De Puy Lentils 2 Persian cucumbers, seeded 1 apple 1 medium fennel bulb, fronds reserved 1 large shallot 1 small bundle of mint 1 small bundle fresh basil ½ cup walnut pieces 1 large clove garlic, grated Juice of one lemon 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp. maple syrup 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp. dried dill ½ tsp. coriander Flaky salt Fresh ground pepper Rinse your lentils. Put them in a pot with 1 ½ cups of salted water or broth. Bring the liquid up to a simmer, put the cover on ajar and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Fluff the lentils, and set them aside to cool completely. While the lentils cook, get chopping! We want a fine dice on the cucumbers. Core and finely dice both the apple and fennel and mince the shallot. Chop the herbs. In the bottom of your mixing bowl, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and stir to mix. Add the cooled lentils, all your chopped vegetables, walnuts and herbs. Toss to coat. Chill in the fridge for an hour if possible for flavors to marry. Not imperative if you don’t have the time. Serve the lentils over some tender greens with a sprinkle of goat, parm or feta cheese. mediterranean Entrée vegetarian, make ahead, quick, salad
We planned this trip pre-pandemic. It got rescheduled three times and by the time we were actually going, I didn’t think the four of us needed any more time with each other. The kids had been extra bickery and Cleo had been a bit of a loose cannon and Hugh and I, who run a tight web of work/love/family life all together, all the time, had been feeling like all the margin and space had been sucked out of that web since March. But I also needed out. I needed new. Turns out we all did, and we liked each other more, in a different space. That’s the take away - GET OUT! Here we all are in our first trip together to Yosemite National Park. We stayed at Autocamp - a charming airstream resort of trailers about 45 minutes from the parks entrance. Yes, I did get a trade discount, no, this is not sponsored but I wish it was because I want to go back already. The kids LOVED it. It was perfect for their age and I appreciated the detail that no cars were allowed inside the camp area so they could run free and I didn’t need to worry about that. They were convinced we’d see climbers working their way up the face of El Cap (thank you, Free Solo on Netflix) and I was ready for some scenery that was not within the 15 mile radius of our home. I’ve lived in California my whole life and this was my first visit to Yosemite. Hitting the road and landing somewhere so magical was really something. Sure, there were still meltdowns and miscommunications but it felt like a real break from our day to day. It was obviously breathtaking (these photos!!) but also the shake up that we all needed. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize I shared some photos on instagram of Autocamp, the Airstream trailer glamping place we stayed and many of you asked for a review, so I’ll log a few thoughts here for reference. We have tent camped and car camped but found it immeasurably easier to drive up to an equipped trailer with a pool on the property and mini kitchen set-up. I know this convenience comes at an expense, and especially with young kids (mine 4.5 and 6 at the time), I would absolutely pay for this again so long as I am able. It cut the prep and clean up significantly. We stayed in one of the Accessible Suites which had a nice porch area and more space inside for all four of us. When we go back, would be fun to sync up with a few families and book trailers together. The airstream trailers looked great too, and by the looks of the layout, I would suggest to get one that is up the hill from the lobby, not down. There just seemed to be a little more space and a nicer view from some. It is located in Midpines, where there is not much going on. Do not go without a Yosemite park pass. I mean there is a bus/shuttle but especially with the kids and gear for the day, having the car was important. Food options and markets in Midpines are limited, so if you go planning to do take-out, know that there truly isn’t much and what is there, isn’t great. We didn’t have a pass into the park the first day, and thought we’d find hikes in the area and didn’t find much. We took a drive into Bass Lake, about an hour away, and spent some time at the pool. The drive into the park is beautiful and we didn’t mind it. Listened to this audio book and loved it. You all also asked for my food plan, so you could have easy ideas. I cook all the time, I did not feel obligated to woo my family with impressive camp cuisine. We kept things simple. I’ll link to some of these recipes, but know many come from SK Cooking Club, where recipes and bundles can be purchased a la carte if you are not a monthly subscriber. If anything, I just hope it gives you ideas. Snackies we usually buy from Thrive Market. MENU Coffee + Creamer Dry Pancake Mix (recipe below) Eggs Chicken Sausages Plain yogurt Granola Berries Sandwich things: pesto, turkey, cheese, almond butter, jam String Cheese Chips/Crackers (Siete (ranch!) and Simple Mills are favorites!) Bars Trail Mix Fruit + Pre-cut Veggies Baked Sweet Potatoes with Veggie Chili + avocado Hot Dogs (it is camping after all) and Salad (brought dressing from home) Campground Fajita Bowls (most prepped in advance and reheated) Tequila + Topo Chico + Lime Red Wine Chocolate Covered Things OATY PANCAKE MIX Makes 18 pancakes There are easy dietary swaps here for those that need them. No gluten? Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup for Cup. No dairy? Use almond milk with a small squeeze of lemon juice and coconut oil as replacements. No eggs? They won’t have as much lift, but a small, mashed, overripe banana will help them hold. This makes a lot of pancakes. Leftovers pack well in lunchboxes with a swipe of nut or seed butter, or the dry and wet mixes can be easily halved, so this can cover you for two mornings. For the wet ingredients 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk or non-dairy milk of choice 2 Tbsp. of melted butter or oil - plus more for cooking yogurt (for serving) maple syrup (for serving) mixed berry (for serving) For the dry mix 1 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 cup of quick-cooking oats 3 Tbsp. of ground flaxmeal or bran 1 Tbsp. of chia seeds (optional) 4 Tbsp. of cane sugar 1 tsp. of baking powder 1/2 tsp. of baking soda 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon pinch of grated nutmeg (optional) 1/2 tsp. of sea salt Directions In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients until well combined. Store in a jar or an airtight container until ready to use. When ready to use In a mixing bowl, really whip up your eggs. We want a lot of air up in there to get them fluffy. Add the buttermilk or alternative, oil or butter, and continue to whisk to combine. Add all of the dry mix (if you're halving things, use half the wet ingredients as well) and fold them in just until just combined. Do not overmix! Want to stir in chocolate chips or blueberries? Now is the time. Heat your oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook your pancakes about 2 minutes per side. We serve ours with plain yogurt, berries and a sprinkle or granola for texture! Sara Forte 2020-08-31 Oaty Pancake Mix 16 A quick, make-ahead pancake mix. 1 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 cup of quick-cooking oats 3 Tbsp. of ground flaxmeal 4 Tbsp. of cane sugar 1 tsp. of baking powder 1/2 tsp. of baking soda 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. of sea salt 74 calories0 grams fat0 grams satFat0 grams transFat15 grams carbohydrate3 grams sugar1 grams fiber15 grams netCarbs2 grams protein american Breakfast
There is more to say on this subject, and this will be clunky and too much and not enough but I need to start somewhere, even just for me. I started this blog over 11 years ago as of writing this post, and if I look at my past writing, both the personal parts and how I wrote recipes, I can mark my own growth in both areas. I hope to always stay in motion of learning and listening, even when I disagree, if only so I may better understand my own thoughts and beliefs, and have compassion for all sorts of perspectives. These last few months have woken up so many of us - gosh, I mean that to be interpreted in all sorts of ways. I see how many of our existing systems are still oppressive, even quietly so. I am reading and listening and participating in an Actively Anti-Racist learning group, and understanding more completely that being “nice” has not been enough. I will never understand or have the experience, as a white woman, to speak as an authority on this subject. My privilege has been surrounded by a lot of other privilege, and I have work to do to shift from, as well as within that. I will be the first to admit that up to this point, my advocacy has been quiet and passive, which actually serves nobody. I believe in caring for people and community and inclusion, but the diversity and amplification of black chefs and allyship towards fair farming and food systems has been lacking here. I apologize for ways I have appropriated recipes from other cultures without researching and crediting appropriately first, or have used language that came off as exclusive, as much of the health and wellness themes can give off. What initially felt like drinking from a fire hose, has been met with starting somewhere. We have been going through Brit Barron’s Understanding Racism 101 and if you are looking for a place to start, I would highly recommend her work. My education up to this point has been through podcasts (I loved this recent one from Brene Brown), which is a good base, but gosh there are so many folks to learn from and books to read. I am also currently reading White Fragility, and have I’m Still Here and Between the World and Me in the queue- there are lists all over the interwebs. I bought more books for the kids, such as Sulwe, Little Leaders and Fearless Trailblazers, as we have more experience within the Latino community where we live and there is anti-racist work to be done there as well. I mean none of this to be performative, and gosh, it’s a small start, but I have found these resources because others have shared them with me, so I am putting them here to pass them on. I want complacency to be something I look back on as a point I grew forward from - like the Maya Angelou quote, “once you know better, do better.” I commit to being humble, brave and vulnerable; and in my own self-awareness, be moved towards action to change the conversation. I’m glad you are here and I appreciate educated and compassionate discourse on different subjects. Looking forward to learning and growing and saying the wrong thing sometimes, so that I may learn to do better the next time. To potatoes…because how does one transition well here? The green sauce is one of dozens of sauces we’ve featured over on SKCC. What used to be subscription based, is now open for a la carte purchases, and bundles of favorited recipes based on different themes. You can now purchase bundles for a shot of recipe inspiration without having to commit to a subscription. Make an account on sproutedkitchen.cc and it should be easy to navigate from there. One of the most versatile bundles is the Sauce & Condiment Bundle, where we’ve been storing favorites that really can be used for so many meals. Pictured here is the Green Herb Sauce, a sister favorite, the Green Harissa, made with lemon instead of lime juice, would also be great. The Green Goddess in that group is also excellent with potatoes, just serve it on the side instead of brushing it all over the top. SMASHED POTATOES Serves 4-6 2 lbs. is generous for 4 people, but moderate for 6, so depends what else you’re serving and what kind of eaters you have. I use baby Yuokns, but fingerlings work as well. They’ll need a few minutes less of a preboil as they are typically smaller. If you are not interested in making a green sauce, brushing them with a little bit of oil and vinegar after baking gives them a little more of a glisten for serving. Potatoes like a post bake bath in a little dressing. Why are we mixing oils? Because the smoke point of olive oil is low, but I prefer it’s flavor to the high-heat oils. So we’re mixing them. Ingredients 2 lbs. baby Yukons 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or avocado oil 1 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. dried oregano 2 oz. grated parmesan cheese 1 small bundle Italian parsley, well chopped, for garnish Green Herb Sauce Directions Put the potatoes in a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a gentle boil and leave them on a gentle boil for about 10-15 minutes, or until you can pierce through a medium sized potato with a paring knife. Drain and cool to the touch - at least 15 minutes. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425’. Spread the potatoes out and use the bottom of a heavy jar or glass to push down on the potatoes to smash them. Don’t push down all the way, or you’ll over smash them, you want to push about halfway. If you keep busting through them or this step sounds annoying, simply slice the potatoes in halves and quarters for a more tailored looking tot. Drizzle both oils over the tops, along with the salt, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano. Gently toss the potatoes around to get seasoning and oil on all sides. We want them oiled and seasoned liberally! Add more if needed. A bit of breakage is ok. Roast the potatoes for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Pull them out, heat up to 500’, sprinkle the parm, and pop them back into the oven for another two minutes just to melt the cheese. While the potatoes roast, make your green sauce. Just out of the oven, brush the green sauce all over the potatoes, and sprinkle fresh herbs. Serve warm. Sara Forte 2020-07-01 Smashed Potatoes 6 These crispy roasted potatoes are great as a side or snack. 2 lbs. baby potatoes 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. avocado oil 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. dried oregano 2 oz. grated parmesan cheese 218 calories10 grams fat27 grams carbohydrate7 grams protein 2 lbs. baby potatoes 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. avocado oil 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. dried oregano 2 oz. grated parmesan cheese1 small bundle Italian parsley, well chopped, for garnish American Side snack, side, vegetarian
Phew. I used to use this space as a public journal, like old school blogger days plus a recipe, but I still don’t have words yet. That is ok. Most mornings I wake up in the morning, Hugh brings me coffee so I can check my emails and read the news, which as of late, isn’t a great way to start the day. I do it anyway, and sometimes I just cry. I cry for people who are loosing loved ones and not even getting to say goodbye, for medical professionals who do not have the gear they need - who are also getting sick and have to go to work scared of such risk. I cry about SO many who have lost jobs, who cannot work at home with their kids there full time better yet homeschool them, or those who are uncomfortable at home even on good days, who have had retirements wiped out or are in the midst of chemo or pregnant and scared to death of catching the virus. This is all BIG, and I feel so much in the span of a day, I can’t pin it down to paper. Day at a time. Hour by hour. Check in on your people. Send cards or a text or a funny meme. Drink in the good moments and get outside when things feel like too much a try to wait until 3pm for happy hour. That is how we take the days so far. Most of my work is focused on dinner plans. I always make more than we need, and since my husband and I work from home, we usually eat leftovers for lunches. Due to current circumstances, I’m getting lots of questions from you all about lunch ideas. Everyone is home and everyone is eating allllllll day long! I made this quinoa dish last week and thought I’d put notes here. I’ve written similar things before and it’s super easy, but it doesn’t sound like many of us have the bandwidth or grocery trips to get fussy right now. A week of lunches Eggs Gribiche On asparagus as written, on toast, plain with crackers, smashed between a tender bun etc. Fried Egg Sandwiches Toasted English muffin, fried egg, crispy bacon or not, arugula, avocado sauce Chicken Tender Tacos Hoping you have crispy chicken tenders or fish sticks in your freezer? We have some simple homemade ones in SK Little Sprouts! A swipe of refried beans, hot sauce, and another reason to make the aforementioned avocado sauce! Tortellini with Creamy Spinach Sauce Reheats easily. Add some cooked chicken sausage if you want more protein, or baby tomatoes if your people are into that. Roasted Vegetable Orzo This includes more summery vegetables but I think you could riff with springy things - peas, leeks, asparagus. Heidi’s Quinoa Patties This recipe makes SO many. Halve it or freeze some. You can sub in half cauli rice for the quinoa yield and they still work, or add in some thawed, frozen spinach into the mixture to get in some extra greens. You can eat them plain with a sauce or put them on hawaiian rolls for the kiddos. Beach Day Tuna Salad Packed with herbs and golden raisins and lots of mustard from our first cookbook. Obv I think you should buy our cookbook (which feels vintage at this point) but riffed and revised because I love you: 2 (5-ounce) cans water-packed tuna, drained + ¼ cup golden raisins + 2 celery stalks, tiny dice + 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley + 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard + 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard + 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice + 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or good-quality mayonnaise + generous season of salt and freshly ground pepper Sturdy whole grain crackers, for dipping Goodness Wraps This does sound like a few steps, but make batches of the insides then you can repeat them many times! Also great in bowl form. Snack Plates! Yes, that is an exclamation. Breathe life into what is chopped things on a plate. My kids love things arranged in color coordinated groups and I like to take a meal off. We love the Simple Mills Almond Crackers, (also at costco), hummus or guacamole, thin coins of cucumber and carrots, berries, nuts, raisins, cheese and salami for those who want it. It’s a meal! GREEK QUINOA SALAD WITH OLIVE DRESSING Serves 4-6 *For perfect quinoa, rinse it in a mesh strainer. 1 cup quinoa to 1.5 cups broth or seasoned water. Bring it to a simmer. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Fluff it with a fork. Turn off the heat, leave the cover ajar and let it sit in there for another 10 minutes to finish fluffing, or uncover and cool down completely for the salad below. The dressing is thick from all the olives, but once it’s distributed in the quinoa, it works out. Add a splash more oil and vinegar if you prefer. The whole situation will absorb the dressing as it sits in the fridge. Directions Cook and cool your quinoa. Chop all your vegetables and herbs. Put everything, besides the cheese, in a large mixing bowl. Stir the dressing ingredients together. Pour them over the salad and toss everything to mix. Season to taste. Add the cheese, give it all one more stir. Store the salad in the fridge for up to five days. Serve it over greens, alone, with chicken or fish etc. Ingredients 2 cups cooked quinoa* 2 Persian/1 english cucumbers, seeded, tiny dice 3 Tbsp. minced shallot 1 cup diced tomatoes 1 red bell pepper, cored, tiny dice 1 bundle of mint, chopped 1/2 bundle of parsley, chopped 3 ounces. crumbled feta cheese for the Olive Dressing 2/3 cup olive tapenade or well chopped olives 1 garlic clove, grated 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice dried oregano salt and pepper
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