Prep Ahead

August 17, 2016

Pork Banh Mi

laura.smoak@gmail.com Pork, Prep Ahead, Quick and Easy Mains, Sauce, Veggies 2 Comments

We’re going Vietnamese today! Please don’t let that scare you. I’ve forged the way, now just take my hand as we dive into this bready, meaty, crunchy, spicy, herby situation that is now my lyfe. Banh mi, you guys. Sorry in advance, this post is a little long, but it’s just because I have so much to say on the subject, and I’m determined to bring you all with me into the obsession of pork banh mi sandwiches.

Have you guys heard of Banh Mi? I’m sure you have, and I’m just late to the game #asusual. I first heard about what is now my favorite sandwich obsession while watching a show on Food Network, and immediately knew I would like it. Fast forward a million years (okay, like, 2 years) and Andy and I stumble upon a place in our city that specializes in them.

Face in palm, y’all. HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS PLACE? In our defense it’s in an area of town that we rarely go through, and it’s got a textbook hole-in-the-wall status. No matter what the situation – we found it, and my life changed for the better. It was everything I thought it would be and more. After having that sandwich I couldn’t stop thinking about it and knew I wanted to make it at home, so I did some research.

The first thing I realized is that there’s no rule book for banh mi, but I did find some common themes in that they generally include some sort of marinated meat (or tofu), pickled veggies, sauce and fresh herbs. They also often involve pate, which is that brown spread you see really well in the picture above. See the notes section after the recipe. While it’s a traditional ingredient to use, we found that it’s really not necessary. The taste is fine (unless you don’t like pate – hiiiiii, dad!), but it just doesn’t really add much to the sandwich.

Before I get into discussing my recipe we need to have a little chat – lean in and listen to me closely. There are three parts that have to be made for this recipe, and I don’t want anyone thinking that means it takes a long time. Two of the three parts can/should be prepared a few days in advance, and literally take 5-10 minutes each. Then the day of you’re just cooking the pork and assembling the sandwiches. Do not let the number of steps fool you – this is an EASY recipe.

First step here is a spicy sauce. I knew right away that I would make my sriracha mayo for this. I’ve been making this sauce for years because – surprise! – it tastes exactly like the spicy mayo you get with sushi, and I love it with seafood. A little goes a long way, so that’s how I rationalize eating mayo with seafood…or maybe it makes me feel like I’m sort of eating sushi when I use it? Either way, it’s good, and we generally have some on the ready in our fridge. The good thing about this sauce is that you can make it several days before you have the sandwiches because it lasts in the fridge just like regular mayo (you can also make it the day of, but I find it tastes better when the flavors have had at least several hours to cozy-up).

The second thing I realized was that I would need pickled veggies, so I did some research and found that pickled veggies generally include vinegar, salt and sugar. So I made my own 🙂 My mom seemed impressed, and I was like, “What? Like it’s hard?” These veggies are so good, friends. They provide the perfect crunch and pop of vinegary zing that goes perfectly with the soft bread, spicy mayo and pork. I used my spiralizer to cut the daikon radish, and then just quickly julienned the carrots. Don’t have a sprializer? No problem. I’ve also just julienned the daikon, and it took no time at all. These need to be made at least two days in advance, but can be made up to a week early. (I found the daikon radish at Whole Foods, but if you don’t want to make multiple grocery store runs and can’t find it then just double the amount of carrots to pickle.)

The third part of my banh mi is the pork. This is the star of the sandwich. Even if you don’t make the sandwiches, make this pork with this marinade. It is SO good that it could be served as a main in its own right. I got it into the marinade during naptime at the beach, but it would be fine going a little longer, so get it into the marinade before work on the morning you’re going to make it. Then you’ll just roast it in the oven for 20-25 minutes and dinner is ready!

Okay, I hope I’ve given you the motivation needed to make your own banh mi sandwiches. All you need are three super simple parts made at your convenience, and you have a casual friends over for dinner meal, or weeknight supper with leftovers for days. Either way you’re totally winning.

Ingredients:

2 pork loins (about 2-2.5 lbs total)
Pork marinade:
– ¼ c soy sauce
– 2 tbsp fish sauce
– 4 cloves minced garlic
– 2 tbsp lemongrass paste*
– 2 tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)
Sriracha mayo:
– 1 c mayonnaise
– ¼ c sriracha
– 1 tsp sesame oil
Pickled veggies:
– ½ daikon radish
– 4 carrots
– ¼ c sugar
– 1 tbsp salt
– ½ c rice vinegar (white works, as well)
Soft French bread rolls
Toppings: cilantro, jalapeno, pate (optional)

Directions:

Prepare the pickled veggies (2-5 days in advance): julienne cut the daikon and carrots, and place into a container with a tight fitting lid. Combine the sugar, salt and vinegar and pour over the veggies. Fill the container with water so that the veggies are submerged. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the sriracha mayo (can be made in advance): combine the mayonnaise, sriracha and sesame oil. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Prepare the pork (day of): place the pork loins in a zipper plastic bag. Combine marinade ingredients and pour over the pork, and marinade 4-8 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove pork from the marinade and place in a baking dish. Cook the pork for 20-25 minutes.** Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
While the pork is cooking cut the French rolls and prepare the toppings.
Slice the pork loin in about ¼ inch slices.
Assemble: spread the sriracha mayo on the bread, add preferred amount of pork slices, top with the pickled veggies, cilantro and jalapeno***
Enjoy!

*You can find lemongrass paste in the same section of the produce department where you find the tubes of basil and other fresh herbs.

**We like our pork loin to still have plenty of pink when it’s done – not still bleeding, but pink. If you prefer your pork to be well-done, up the cooking time by five minutes.

***If using pate as a topping, just spread on one side of the bread before topping with the pork.

Notes: the pictures include pate, but we’ve found that it’s really not necessary. In my research, pate always came up as a topping, so we at least tried it. It’s not bad, but for us it just didn’t add anything, and we could barely tell it was there.

More notes: this feeds about 8 people, but if you’re making it for a small group of 2-4, the leftovers are just as good as the fresh meal, so definitely don’t worry about cutting the recipe in half. If you’re like me then you’ll be fine eating them every day for a week!

July 27, 2016

Sausage Lasagna Roll-Ups

laura.smoak@gmail.com Freezer Friendly, Pasta, Prep Ahead 1 Comment

Sausage Lasagna Roll-Ups, guys. Sausage. Lasagna. Roll-Ups.

Lasagna is the perfect homemade comfort food, but make it in a roll-up version and it’s just cute as a dang button.

I know what you’re probably thinking….

Wait. Wait. Waaaait. I thought I was reading Miss Foodie Two Shoes. Where is my quick, summer-friendly, spend your evenings at the pool meal?

These sausage lasagna roll-ups are actually two of those three things. Yes, you need a few minutes to put these roll-ups together, but 1) they can be made over the course of a day or two to split up the time, and 2) these are perfect for dinner on nights spent at the pool (though not necessarily for nights that you actually pack up and eat your dinner at the pool, if you know what I mean) because leftovers for days.

If you’ve been reading for a while, you will know I have a few requirements that generally need to be met when I commit to making a dish that takes longer than 2 seconds:

Can I freeze it?
Does it make a lot?
Does it work well for leftovers?
Can I prep it ahead of time and cook later?
Is it easy to double?
Would it be good to feed a crowd (think potluck or casual night with friends over)?
Would it be good to take to friends with new babies?

I don’t necessarily require that alllll of these conditions be met, but the first three and sort-of the fourth are of utmost importance (working mom probs). Lucky for us this dish passes with flying colors.

I have two friends with new babies (see last week’s post re: super mom that hosted Christmas in July with a three week old), and thought this would be perfect for them. A dish like this gives a new mom options. She can either cook it for dinner right away, or she can put it in the freezer and save for a few weeks down the road when the new baby meals have stopped coming.

These sausage lasagna roll-ups are loaded with (duh) sausage, peppers, onions, ricotta and basil, and are so good that you’ll want to assemble and stock your freezer for the {eventual} fall and winter that will be here soon enough. Hey! Look at it as a mental break from the scorching heat dome that is our current situation. (And – happy side note – we’re probably less than two months away from the return of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, so just let that sink in for a minute.) Make it for your family, or make it for a friend. Either way you have a win/win situation on your hands. Enjoy!

P.S. Next week is beach week for the Peascoe/Smoak/Avent family, so there’s a good chance I will be totally unplugged and will probably have no recipe ready for you. That’s not definite, but just a heads up in case you get through next Wednesday and are stalking my FB page to see if I’ve posted anything because I just might not. Our meals at the beach are always totally on point, tho, so I’m sure I’ll come back with plenty of yumminess to share!

Ingredients:

15 lasagna noodles (the kind you have to boil first)
1 lb Italian sausage (I use mild for this)
1 small yellow onion – diced
1 green bell pepper – diced
¼ tsp oregano
1 ¼ cups ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 egg – beaten
10 basil leaves – chopped
2 cups marinara sauce

Directions:

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water then lay flat on wax or parchment paper to keep from sticking together.
Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until done. Remove to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside. Drain all but one tablespoon of the sausage grease.
To the same skillet add the onion, bell pepper and oregano and sauté until soft – about 5-7 minutes.
In a bowl, combine ricotta, ½ cup mozzarella, ½ cup parmesan, the beaten egg and basil, and stir to combine.
Assembly:
1. Spray a 9×13 baking dish and add ½ cup marinara to the bottom. Spread so there is a thin layer of sauce covering the bottom.
2. Spread 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto each noodle, then top with one spoonful of sausage and one spoonful of the onion/pepper mixture.
3. Gently roll the lasagna, making sure to hold in the ingredients as much as possible.
4. Place each roll seam side down into the baking dish (you’ll have to kind of squish the last row in).
5. Once all rolls are made, cover with the remaining 1 ½ cups marinara sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
If baking immediately: heat oven to 350 degrees. Cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes.
If freezing: cover tightly with foil then wrap in plastic wrap and place into a plastic freezer bag large enough to fit your dish. When ready to cook, heat oven to 400 degrees, remove plastic wrap and place directly in the oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until heated through. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of cook time.

Note: you can cook the sausage and pepper/onion mixture the day before, then just make the ricotta mixture while the noodles cook and assemble once they’re done.

Note 2: if you don’t like peppers and/or onions you can leave them out! This would also be delicious with some chopped mushrooms thrown into the veggie mix IMO.

Note 3: Andy and I both agree that mild sausage is best here. As a general rule of thumb we prefer spicy to not, so for us to say that you might want to trust us 😉

June 22, 2016

Roasted Garlic Hummus

laura.smoak@gmail.com Appetizer, Dips, Prep Ahead, Vegan, Veggies 0 Comments

Happy third day of Summmmmer, y’all!! Today I’m taking you to the core of our summer eating habits that get us through 2/3 of our meals: fresh, simple, no cook, ready to throw on a plate and call it lunch/dinner.

No – we don’t eat roasted garlic hummus per-se for 2/3 of our meals in the summer, but you get the gist of what I’m saying, right? This is just an example of how a summer meal might go.

Grill chicken breasts while playing in the back yard.
Buy and chop the entire produce section.
Put grilled chicken on plates with fresh hummus and crudité (crudité is fancy for chopped veggies <–someone please tell me you get that reference).
Done.

Let’s get a few things out of the way…

This recipe is adapted from a recipe given to me by one of Andy’s great uncles (hiiii, Jack!). His late wife was Syrian, and the base recipe was from her, so I feel pretty good about this being truly authentic. I just tweaked it by roasting the garlic, rather than using raw.

I know I said “no cook.” That’s mostly true, but – yes – to make this you do have to roast garlic first. If you’re feeling particularly lazy you can just substitute with 3-4 cloves of raw garlic. The flavor won’t be as sweet and caramelized-y as with roasted, but it is also very delicious.

Yes, you can buy a popular brand of hummus with roasted garlic, but then you’re not getting it evenly distributed like you are here, and this recipe makes about double what you would buy at the store (for about a third of what you would spend buying two tubs). Also, this fresh, homemade version skips all of the added toxic chemicals in store-bought roasted garlic hummus (<– J/K – I am SOOOOO not that mom – I am NOT seriously saying the added ingredients are toxic). We aren’t above store-bought hummus, but I generally have all of the ingredients on hand to make my own, and you know I love any excuse to use my food processor. 😉

As mentioned, we’re roasting our own garlic here. Don’t be afraid – it’s really easy! Cut the top off, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, roast in oven. Easy peasy! A whole head of garlic sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t that pungent once it’s roasted and soft and golden. We love roasted garlic so much that I don’t think I would mind even doubling the amount in the recipe.

I generally keep things easy and just serve the hummus with pita wedges and crudité, but it’s also great on a Greek salad, or as a sandwich spread. Let me know other ways you enjoy using hummus!

Ingredients:

1 head garlic
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 (15.5 oz) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
4 tbsp tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top off of the garlic and drizzle with the olive oil. Wrap in foil and roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until soft and golden. (Start checking around 40 minutes. The longer you roast the deeper golden it will become.)
Once the garlic cools, remove the cloves from the skin.
Place all ingredients in a food processor. Blend for one minute, then scrape down the sides of the food processor to ensure all ingredients are well mixed. Run the food processor for another five minutes until very smooth and well blended.
Enjoy with crudité and pita wedges!

Notes: as written this hummus is thick. You can thin out to a looser consistency by adding 1-2 tbsp of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.

April 27, 2016

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

laura.smoak@gmail.com Breakfast, Freezer Friendly, Prep Ahead, Veggies 4 Comments

Raise your hand if you love breakfast! Raise your hand if you find yourself with no time to make breakfast on busy weekday mornings! Keep that hand up if you are reallllly not into the whole “overnight oats” movement…well haaay there savory, hot breakfast loving friends!

Andy and I are major lovers of breakfast. More specifically –> savory breakfast. Sure we’ll make waffles or French toast every now and then, but given the choice we’d take a biscuit sandwich over just about anything else ever. While we rarely eat biscuits (why oh why do they have to be loaded with all the fat and calories?!?!?), we love a good savory hash. Saturday morning at the Peascoe house is MADE for hash.

Scrambled eggs + diced potatoes, onions, peppers + black beans + spicy sausage + a liiittle cheese = perfect way to start a Saturday.

While we don’t have time to make the “perfect way to start a Saturday” hash on busy weekday mornings, we can take the time to pull out one of our pre-made breakfast burritos filled with the exact same mixture and eat it on the go because that’s just how we roll.

Y’all these breakfast burritos are so super simple and delicious. The best part is that once made, you have at least 12 days of breakfast ready to go when you need it. The second best part about these breakfast burritos is that they’re completely customizable. Want it vegetarian? Leave out the sausage. Want greens? Wilt some spinach into the eggs as you scramble them. Want to use a whole wheat tortilla? Go for it. Not a fan of veggies in the morning? Leave them out. You do you, my friend.

The third best part about these breakfast burritos is that they’re GREAT to take to friends with new babies. I often have people ask me for ideas on what to take new parents, and these have moved to the top of that list. Dinner is always helpful and VERY appreciated, but I remember having so much dinner stuff that we ran out of fridge space. However, one thing that still sticks out and was extremely helpful was when someone would also bring muffins or some other breakfast food that could be eaten with one hand. There were so many days in those first few weeks after Andy went back to work where I would look at the clock and realize it was 2 p.m. and I hadn’t had a single bite of food all day. Taking these to a new mom means she has 12 hearty breakfasts that she can heat (and reheat and reheat) and eat with one hand while holding her newborn that refuses to be put down <– not exaggerating.

I have to be honest, though, I very rarely actually have them for my breakfast. Here’s the thing. My office has a really reallllly good cafeteria. We have visitors from around the world that spend $$$$ to hang out with us, so they, therefore, expect great food to be part of that experience. Working there means I also get to eat great food…mmmmmm. With that, I prefer to save my calories and eat 1-2 servings of fruit in the morning and then have a heartier lunch. However, while I generally don’t eat heavy breakfasts on weekdays, Andy still does. Bud is 6’5” and stands up to teach all day, so it’s understandable he needs a little more fuel. Most mornings he’ll take time to make a power packed smoothie, but sometimes he just wants the convenience and warmth that comes with popping a frozen burrito in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Basically, I make these all for him and get major points because I know he has a happy belly everyday on the way to work. Happy belly = happy husband = happy wife = happy life. It’s the little things, y’all 🙂

Wow – I realize this post has been all over the place. There was just so much to share about these awesome, simple, flavorful breakfast burritos that I couldn’t NOT share one bit of it with you because you’re like me and want to know alllll the deets and that’s why we get along so well. I’ll finally get to the recipe, so you too can enjoy the happiness that comes with the knowledge that you have a freezer full of delicious breakfast just waiting for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium potatoes (russet or Yukon gold work best) – small dice
1 red bell pepper – small dice
1 medium yellow onion – diced
1 (15 oz) can black beans – drained and rinsed
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper
1 lb sausage
18 eggs
12-14 burrito size flour tortillas*
Sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until they start to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the bell pepper, onion, spices, salt and pepper (to taste), and cook until the potatoes are done. Stir in the black beans, then move the mixture to a bowl to cool.
Wipe out the skillet and return it to the heat. Cook the sausage, then move to another bowl to cool. Drain the fat, leaving 1 tsp behind.
Scramble the eggs, then cook over medium-low heat until done. Transfer to another bowl to cool.
Assembly: lay one tortilla on a piece of plastic wrap. Add a heaping 1/3 cup eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup sausage and 2 tbsp cheese. Roll one side over the filling, then fold in the two ends and finish rolling the burrito. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Once assembled, place into a freezer bag and freeze up to three months.
To heat: remove from the freezer and take off plastic wrap. Wrap in a paper towel and microwave on high for 1.5-2.5 minutes depending on your microwave.

*I don’t always get the same number of burritos out of this (weird, right?). It’s usually in the 12-14 range, and there is generally at least one that ends up being all veggies and eggs.

April 20, 2016

Veggie Power Bowls

laura.smoak@gmail.com Prep Ahead, Veggies 5 Comments

Happy New Year!

After what feels like an eternity, I’m finally back to the blog. As it is that I’m still recovering from such a long break, let’s get the year off by reviving one of the top/healthiest recipes that came out of Miss Foodie Two Shoes in 2016: the Veggie Power Bowl.

You may be wondering about the poached egg on top. Want to learn something? THEY SELL PASTEURIZED EGGS AT THE GROCERY STORE!!! I can deal with the food restrictions that come with pregnancy, but the hardest is not being able to eat runny eggs. I actually googled “is it okay to eat poached eggs while pregnant?” and found a forum that talked about pasteurized eggs. You guys – YOU GUYS!!! – they ARE a thing. They’re expensive, but if you’re in my boat then it’s worth it. I still don’t eat runny eggs more than a time or two a week, but having the option is giving me life as I’m nearing the end of the second trimester.

Original Post below, and I will be back starting next week with all new recipes for 2017!

It’s like this: I heart veggies. Period. The end. Byeeee.

If you’ve been following my little blog since it first started just a few months ago (wheee!), then you know I’m 1) obsessed with cramming in as many veggies as I can, and 2) obsessed with prepping veggies over the weekend for super easy meals during the week. Exhibits A and B:

These veggie power bowls are my absolute perfect idea of a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner (yes I really do eat this for breakfast). Remember how I roast butternut squash and cauliflower every Sunday? I do that 10% for us to have veggies ready for the week, and 90% so I can make this delicious meal while I’m working from home on Mondays.

Any other work from homers out there? I L-O-V-E the days I work from home. Instead of taking breaks to meet friends at the coffee bar, I take breaks to transfer loads of laundry. Instead of chatting for 10 minutes after a meeting, I Swiffer mop the bathrooms and kitchen. I get so much done, and I feel like I’m dominating the whole work-life balance thing. I definitely couldn’t do it full-time because I prefer seeing people in person most of the time, but a day every week or two really helps to take a load off of my night and weekend to-do list. Working from home also means I get to eat these ↓ veggie power bowls, and get an easy four servings of veggies in before I even have to change out of my pajamas. Winning!

Let’s break down these veggie power bowls. First up are the veggies that you’ve pre-roasted the weekend before. Don’t have veggies pre-roasted? No problem, just sauté them together in a frying pan until done. Don’t have butternut squash and/or cauliflower? Also not a problem. The beauty of these bowls is that you can really use any veggies you have on hand (see notes below). Next, you have the leafy greens. In my case it’s generally kale, but spinach works well, too. Last, we have a glorious fried egg on top. Any type of egg works, but I alllllways go for the fried option here. The whites are perfectly set and the yolk is golden and luxuriously runny. The runny yolk coats the veggies as it drips down into the bowl, and bumps up comfort food status to the max. You feel like you’re eating something totally decadent, but it’s really just veggies and protein. Veggie power! Finish off the bowl with a little Sriracha (or a lot – you’re the boss here), and dig in. The easiest and healthiest power meal is ready for your face in less than 10 minutes. Does it get any better?

Recipe is for one bowl. 306 calories (using olive oil)

Ingredients:

¾ cup roasted butternut squash
¾ cup roasted cauliflower
1 (packed) cup kale – leaves torn or chopped
1 tsp olive oil or butter
1 egg
Sriracha (optional)

Directions:

In a small non-stick skillet, reheat the butternut squash and cauliflower. Move to a bowl.
In same pan add kale and a couple tablespoons of water. Season with salt, pepper and (a little) garlic powder, and sauté until desired doneness. (I generally let it go 3-4 minutes so that it’s soft but not totally wilted.) Add kale to the bowl with the squash and cauliflower.
Wipe out skillet with a paper towel, heat the pan over a nice low heat, then add butter or olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
Crack the egg into the skillet and let sit for 1-2 minutes, then cover for another 2-3 minutes to help the whites on top to cook through. Allow to cook as long as you prefer to reach your desired consistency for the yolk. Once done, transfer to your veggie bowl, top with sriracha and enjoy!

Notes: other good veggie options include carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, black beans. If you want carbs, feel free to add rice, quinoa or a slice of crusty bread to sop up the egg yolk.

February 10, 2016

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Bell Pepper Sauce

laura.smoak@gmail.com Prep Ahead, Vegan, Veggies 2 Comments

Sorry, I can’t talk. I can’t stop stuffing my face with anything butternut squashy. As promised last week I said I would give you my go-to roasted butternut squash recipe this week. Well you’re getting that, PLUS a recipe I’ve been crushing on for a while that uses half of it… Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Bell Pepper Sauce. Forgive me. I’ve tried coming up with something better than <- THAT mouthful of a name, but nothing seems right. Please don’t be scared away by such a long name. If anything just remember that roasting = hands off, so yay for easy!

As you may have realized last week, I’m obsessed with roasting veggies. Roasted veggies are just better than pretty much any other means of preparation IMO. Okay, sautéed is also great, but mainly for stir fries. I just can’t get past the mushiness that comes from boiling and steaming – bleh, so roasting it is! My favorite right now is roasted butternut squash. My grocery store sells 2 lb containers of it peeled, seeded and diced, which makes my life 1,000x easier (read: the amount of time I save by not peeling/seeding/dicing is worth the extra $.20/lb I would save buying it whole). Almost every Sunday I roast the entire 2 lbs and use it throughout the week. We’ll throw it into frittatas, have it by itself as a side or use it in a burrito for a meatless night during the week. There are so many other things I do, and you’ll be getting some of those ideas later on. Lately, though, I’ve been using half of it right away for this sauce. Y’all, this sauce is ALL veggies with a little olive oil and seasoning thrown in.

Let me count the ways I love this sauce:

Everything roasts in the oven at the same time – you only need to give yourself about 5-10 minutes of prep, and then go relax while the oven does its roasting magic.
Once roasted and cooled, you throw everything into a food processor or blender and give it a whir, and that’s it – dunzo bunzo.
Very little clean-up! Roast the veggies on parchment paper, so you only have the food processor to clean.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again – ALL VEGGIES…healthy…healthy glow…goddess glow…you get it.
It is SO versatile. It should be obvious by now, but I love lists, so here are the ways I’ve already used it:
- As a dip for raw veggies (or nuggets for kids – just mix with a little ketchup)
- As a spread for sandwiches and wraps (esp on grilled cheese)
- Thin it out with a little cooking liquid and use it as a pasta sauce
- Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Bell Pepper Hummus (recipe coming later)
- I haven’t tried this yet, but it just came to me and now I’m super excited…use as pizza sauce
It freezes really well, though we generally don’t have any trouble finishing it during the week.
The entire batch has just over 850 calories – 861 to be exact. It’s hard to give calories per serving because the number of servings will vary depending on how you use it.
It’s gluten free and vegan.

I’ll stop, so you can decide for yourself. Seriously, you need to get this into your life right now – you can thank me later.

Ingredients:

2 lbs diced butternut squash*
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
3 red bell peppers halved and seeded
2 small shallots
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3-4 tbsp olive oil for roasting the veggies
2 tbsp olive oil for the sauce
1/4 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Prepare veggies for roasting: (Start with the shallots because they need more roasting time.)
- Peel shallots, drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Place foil pack in oven (make sure to position it so oil doesn’t drip out and down).
- Toss** butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Spread onto a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place bell pepper halves skin side up on another lined baking sheet.
- Toss** tomatoes with a little olive oil and put on baking sheet with peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Once the shallots have been roasting for about 15-20 minutes, add the squash to the oven. After 20 more minutes, stir the squash and add the peppers and tomatoes to the oven. Allow everything to roast for another 30 minutes or until soft.
Place bell peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow all of the veggies to cool. Once cooled, peel the skin from the peppers, and place all of the veggies in a food processor or blender (remember to only add half of the butternut squash).
To the food processor add olive oil, salt and pepper (feel free to add some red pepper flakes if you want this spicy). Turn it on, and let everything come together as a thick sauce.
Keep in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

*I recommend roasting the entire amount, so you’ll have half ready for other uses during the week.

**Tip: Use a gallon-size zipper bag to toss the veggies with the oil because it saves having to clean a big bowl, and I’ve found it’s the best way to evenly coat the ingredients. Use the same bag for both the squash and tomatoes.

February 3, 2016

Weekly Veggie Prep and Roasted Cauliflower

laura.smoak@gmail.com Prep Ahead, Vegan, Veggies 7 Comments

I introduced this blog with the idea that Andy and I do a fair amount of food prep on the weekends, so I figure I need to actually dedicate entire posts every so often to show you what I mean by that. The previous recipes on the blog don’t show just how “into” veggies I am, but I reallllly am. As a rough estimate I can confidently say that most days we both get at least 6 servings of veggies and 4 servings of fruit, and that is possible because we prep. I’ll start with our basic veggie prep and roasted cauliflower that we do almost every weekend – and I’ll try to keep myself from getting too wordy.

First thing I should clarify is that we do this on Sunday’s during Anna Ruth’s naptime. I know a lot of people don’t have a guaranteed time they have to be home, so I’m lucky that I can make this a priority. You may not have an hour on the weekends where you can, or even want to, prep, but even 10-15 minutes can make a huge difference during the week.

One thing I always always always do is chop fresh veggies for Andy and me to eat for lunches or snacks during the week. We prepare ten sandwich baggies of veggies that we eat each day. Groundbreaking, I know… I actually started doing this when I was pregnant with AR and had to force myself to eat veggies, and it stuck. These bags usually include red bell pepper strips (5 peppers total), cucumber slices (2 English cucumbers total) and grape tomatoes (8-10 per bag), and I’ll add celery and carrots to Andy’s bags if we have it. I’ll also make a separate bag for AR with just bell pepper strips and cucumber slices that she can snack on while I’m making dinner in the evenings. We’ve got the whole process of rinsing, chopping and bagging down to about 10 minutes, which is time well spent in my book. You guys, this automatically ensures you’re eating about 2 cups of whole, raw veggies every day without giving it much more thought. <– Winning

The other two things I make almost every week are roasted cauliflower and butternut squash. I roast them on Sunday and use them up throughout the week. Next week’s post will include my roasted butternut squash go-to, so I’ll spend some time on cauliflower now. Pic of pre- roasted cauliflower covered in curry powder and turmeric in yo face…

Cauliflower is loaded with nutrients, and has even been linked to cancer prevention (yay, health!). I love it roasted because it takes on an almost nutty flavor. Toss it with some curry powder and turmeric (spices shown to improve brain health), throw it in the oven then give yourself a nice hug for taking such good care of you. Really, roasted cauliflower is great for so many things….

As a side
Added into stir-fry
As a salad topping (surprisingly good)
Added into pasta
Paired with butternut squash, sautéed spinach and an egg for a glorious breakfast bowl
Paired with baked falafel, butternut squash and avocado in a pita pocket

The list could go on.

I generally don’t even add it into our dinner plans for a specific night because I just throw it in whenever I feel like it, and we never end the week with leftovers. It’s especially nice to have when I’m getting Andy’s lunches ready. I usually try to make enough at dinner to send him lunch the next day, but some nights we don’t have quite enough left, so I’ll just add in roasted cauliflower – DONE.

Well, it seems I lied about not giving too many words…I’ll leave you now with my go-to roasted cauliflower recipe. I’d love to hear what you, my lovely readers, do to prepare for the week. I’m always looking for ways to eat healthier and easier!

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Chop the cauliflower into florets, rinse and drain well (dry as much as you can).
Put cauliflower into a gallon-size zipper bag and add oil and spices. Zip bag closed and shake, making sure the ingredients distribute evenly.
Pour cauliflower onto baking sheet* and roast for 30 minutes. Stir and cook an additional 10-15 minutes if you want them to brown a little more.
Eat as is, or store in the fridge for up to a week and use in any of the ways discussed above.

*I line my baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil with cooking spray – clean-up is done!

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