A Meal Plan: A Week's Worth of Clean, Home-Made Meals in Two Shots

I'll admit: turning on an oven or stove top in a small Manhattan kitchen on a sweltering summer night isn't high on the list of 'things to look forward to all day'. But I've learned that, when it comes to eating well, a bit of upfront preparation saves you more time later (and poor decisions made in the haze of starvation). So, on most Sunday nights, I spend about an hour and a half batch-cooking several meals for the first half of the week.

One of the questions I'm most often asked is how I find the time to cook every day (immediately followed by "and can you cook for me?"). The answer is that I don't necessarily 'cook' every day. I cook about 3-4 times a week, but I make sure that I cook enough to constitute several meals that will just need to be re-heated throughout the week. While I'd love the magic of impromptu meal planning most nights - discussing ideas, choosing from ingredients bought that weekend at the farmer's market, and cooking together on a weeknight with a glass of wine in hand - the reality is that most days, our lifestyles just don't allow for that leisure. Batch cooking and a bit of meal-planning ensures that I have multiple home-hooked, nutritious and CLEAN lunches/dinners for the week - with room for spontaneity.

So, I thought I'd show you how I minimize my cooking but plan my meals to cover me throughout the week - leaving some flexibility for spontaneity. The following meal plan may cover up to 2 people, and meals can be swapped around. Each 'batch' can easily be increased to accommodate your and your family's needs. While I don't have first-hand experience raising kids just yet, I suspect that batch cooking could also provide an effective strategy for families with children.

So let's get to it. Here's how I'm planning my meals this week:

Key Batches/Meals:
Sunday night batches:
1) Roasted salmon with green onions and mustard sauce (RS)
2) Kale sautéed with garlic and pecans (KG)
3) Truffled cannelini bean mash (TC): for this , you'll need to soak 1 cup dry beans per two people the night prior, or early that morning.
* Tip: make a large batch of the mustard sauce - double what you'll need for the salmon - and you'll have home-made salad dressing ready to go for the next day or two. Forget the bottled variety at the grocery store

For the salmon: Buy about two large filets wild-caught salmon (don't risk Frankenfish with the farm-raised variety). Each filet will offer two individual servings. I ask for it de-skinned. Bring a large skillet (sprayed with olive oil) to medium heat on your stove top, and add the filet/s of salmon. When it starts to look translucent, break it up loosely with a wooden spatula until you have bite-sized pieces. At this point, add about 3-4 stalks chopped green onions, and about two tablespoons mustard sauce. Go lightly - I like to taste the salmon, so the mustard sauce should be a mild complement, not a heavy sauce. You want to see far more pink than what you do yellow from the mustard. When the salmon is cooked to your liking, take it off the heat.

While the salmon was cooling and set aside, I was working on chopping up a large mound of kale into smaller pieces, and set it aside. I also peeled and chopped about 3 cloves of fresh garlic. I set aside a handful of pecans. After the salmon was placed in containers, refrigerated and my skillet washed (remember, my Manhattan kitchen is PINT SIZED), I got ready for batch no. 2:

For the kale: Heat the skillet to medium heat. Spray about 1 tablespoon (or less) of olive oil. Add kale one handful at a time, and cook until it all starts turning bright green (and wilting - they WILL shrink). Start adding in the chopped garlic and pecans, until both are toasted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat, set aside. Two down, one to go.

For the beans: Take a breather. Clean up the kitchen. And get ready for your final batch. While a large pot with your beans is boiling and cooking, chop about four green onions. To keep more ready for the week (and for your more spontaneous scrambled eggs), chop 4 more stalks and keep in a covered container in our fridge. Follow these instructions for the bean mash, using the green onions. The anchovies are purely optional - it's summer and I crave lighter meals, so I left them out.

Wednesday night batches: 
1) Ground (grass-fed) beef with scallions and salsa verde (GB)
2) Roasted curried cauliflower florets (CC): This is Summer Tomato's recipe - I adapt/play with it and how I season it - so can you
3) Green lentil and green onion salad with cilantro (LC)

Stock Ingredients: These are things I have on hand for snacking, side dishes, or spontaneous meal preparation. Wherever possible, I chose organic. And ideally, source them from a farmer's market run on Saturdays (or Whole Foods):

• Arugula, or other greens
• Avocado
• Tomatoes
• Scallions or green onions
• Cilantro
• Lemons
• Blueberries (summertime only)
• Cherries (summertime only)
• Bananas
• Eggs
• Oats (whole - not the prepared, sweetened variety)
• Unsweetened almond milk
• Dry lentils
• Home-made vinaigrette, refrigerated (whisk olive oil, dijon mustard, white vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate. Beats anything out of a pre-packaged bottle)

The Meal Plan:
1) Monday: 
Lunch: Roasted Salmon + organic baby arugula (or other greens)
Snack: Sautéed Kale with Pecans
Dinner: Organic tomato and half a ripe avocado, chopped and drizzled with olive oil, topped with fresh cilantro. That or Truffled Cannelini bean mash + a side of greens drizzled with the mustard vinaigrette you saved from last night.

2) Tuesday:
Lunch: Roasted Salmon + bed of organic greens
Snack: Sautéed Kale with Pecans (or fruit)
Dinner: Cannelini bean mash + greens, or I'll be spontaneous. Scramble two eggs with fresh chopped scallions, and a side of a tomato drizzled with olive oil and cilantro.
* Tip 1: You can make the tomato salad fresh, or double up the night before and have this ready - though it won't be as 'crisp' and chopping and serving fresh.

3) Wednesday:
Lunch: Truffled Cannelini + bed of organic greens
Snack: Fruit (banana, cherries, blueberries - your pick)
Dinner: Wednesday night, I'll cook the Ground Beef (GB) and the Curried Cauliflower (CC), and the Lentil, Green Onion and Cilantro Salad (LC). I'll have some of the ground beef and cauliflower for dinner, but keep the rest for Thursday and Friday.

4) Thursday:
Lunch: Ground Beef + Curried Cauliflower
Snack: Fruit (banana, cherries, blueberries - your pick)
Dinner: Lentil Cilantro Salad served on a bed of greens. Might whisk up more of my mustard vinaigrette on the spot, Seriously, this will take less than 5 minutes. Keep the leftovers covered for another day (just re-stir or re-whisk).

5) Friday:
Lunch: Lentil Cilantro salad on a bed of greens
Snack: May walk to a store to pick something up - fresh fruit or yogurt
Dinner: Will have dinner out

So, in short: I cooked a few meals in one shot twice during the week, but it'll offer lunch and dinner for several days. I have fresh vegetables on hand to quickly cut up and serve as a salad, and quickly whisk my own home-made mustard vinaigrette to top raw vegetables with (though you can stick to olive oil + vinegar, if that's your thing). I snack on fresh fruit, yogurt or a salad. I bring fresh food to the office (like the bag of greens and fruit) and I keep it in the fridge for immediate access, and even have a small jar of olive oil and my own dijon mustard for dressing. And I allow room for spontaneity. When dinner pops up during the week, great - I'll keep what I had at home for lunch the next day.

One last note: you'll notice that breakfast was left off this list. I truly believe there's no excuse to skip breakfast. If you wake up just 10 minutes earlier, I promise you can get it together to make my crazy quick almond milk and chia seed oatmeal, which takes less than 5 minutes to cook on the stove top. You can even just grab a half avocado + banana, or some other fruits and almond milk, or yogurt and fruit and be done with it - no cooking required. But just get it together and make this meal count - it'll keep you satiated and energized until lunchtime.

Thoughts, questions? Till next time!

- Paloma

Fresh Summer Dining (and Imbibing): Meal Pairing Ideas

Summer is to fresh, light meals what winter is to comfort food. While it instinctively FEELS easier to eat fresh, light and quick-to-prepare meals in the summer - it's also easier to forget that your own kitchen and market-bought produce are part of your routine when you're spending a lot more time out soaking up summer. Alas, guacamole, chips, and two (or three) margaritas aren't exactly what 'fresh seasonal dining' refers to.

While I wouldn't dare suggest you shouldn't enjoy that occasionally (I'll take my guac with a caipirinha, please), I do want to give you some ideas for what you can prepare yourself this summer - in advance or on the spot - to treat yourself and loved ones to the best of the season (without gaining a pound). And in the spirit of kicking back, it will even go well with whatever you're imbibing on:

1) To pair with a mimosa at brunch:

Buy: 

• 1/2 cup quick organic oats
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• Do you know that this almond milk has 50% more calcium than cow's milk? It's also a crazy strong source of Vitamins E and B12, which you need for skin health and for higher energy level, among numerous other benefits
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• These kids are loaded with magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium and fatty acids for slower digestion - and all you need is 1 tbsp 
• 2 tablespoons Just Great Stuff organic peanut butter powder
• I add this for texture, additional protein and more flavor - but it's entirely optional
• Organic blueberries
• For sweetness, texture - optional
• 1 tablespoon acacia honey

Prepare: 

• Add all the ingredients to a small pan and bring to a boil
• Pour into a bowl, top with a tablespoon of honey and blueberries, to taste

Enjoy:

• All this for under 300 calories, a ton of protein from the almond milk and powdered peanut butter, Omega-3 from the chia seeds, half your Vitamin E and B12 daily requirement, several other nutritional benefits - and a delicious, satisfying breakie. 

2) To pair with a good glass of Albariño (or any good glass of wine) at lunch or dinner:

Buy: 

• Dry lentils of any variety (1 cup dry for 2-3 servings)
• I have yet to see a definitive point of view or answer on whether sprouted lentils vs. regular cooked lentils are nutritionally superior. So keep in mind that they're both light in calories but nutritionally dense per cup of cooked lentils (great sources of iron and protein), and go with whatever texture you prefer.
• Olive Oil (1.5 tablespoons)
• Fresh cilantro
• Salt, pepper, lemon to taste

Prepare: 

• Bring a pot of water to boil, cook the beans for about 5-8 minutes, depending on how dense vs. soft you prefer the texture
• Rinse
• Toss with olive oil and chopped cilantro
• Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice to taste

Enjoy:

• Serve it as an accompaniment to salmon, over greens or by itself. And savor with wine.

3) To pair with a cold margarita or caipirinha:

Buy:

• 85% (or higher) lean, grass-fed ground beef (1 lb. for 2-3 servings)
• Organic scallions, or green onions (4 stalks)
• Bottled salsa verde (never canned)
• If you want to make this yourself, hats off! I admit I served mine from a Stonewall Kitchen bottle - of natural ingredients only, not a preservative in sight. If I were having you over for dinner, I would never serve you anything from a can. But if you must, read the label and choose wisely.
• Fresh cilantro ('tis the season)

Prepare:

• Chop 4 stalks of scallions
• Cook the ground beef in a heated pan, breaking it up with a wooden spatula
• You won't need oil - the beef will cook in its own fat as its released, which I like to drain out as I go. But this is up to you.
• Cook until it's of your desired texture and taste - I like mine relatively well done
• Before it's fully cooked, add the chopped scallions and a few tablespoons of salsa verde
• Top with cilantro

Enjoy!

• I eat to avoid inflammation and acidity, so I only pair beef with greens - never rice, bread or starches. But if you have no digestive issues to contend with, feel free to serve on top of rice, in a soft taco shell, or alongside greens, as I do. 
• The mild heat of the salsa verde will pair amazingly with the sweet tartness of the margarita (or cocktail with similar flavor profile)

4) And, for dessert... (with a good glass of port, or whatever you'd like, really)

Buy (per serving):

• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (same one I mentioned above, for the same reasons)
• 1/4 cup vanilla coconut milk (high in Vitamins B12 and D, which you need for energy)
• 1.5 tablespoons chia seeds (for the same reasons I mentioned above: protein, Omega-3 and slower digestion = more energy, babe)
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened, organic grated coconut (for texture)
• 1 tablespoon honey, to taste

Prepare:

• Add all the ingredients (except the grated coconut) to a cup/small bowl and mix
• Top with the grated coconut
• Cover and refrigerate overnight

Enjoy:

• You soak this overnight so that the chia seeds expand; they will be tasteless but provide a tapioca-like texture. And by combining the chia seed with a protein source like almond milk facilitates easier absorption by your body
• This is nutrition disguised as dessert, with just a bit of sweetness from the honey and the natural sweetness of the coconut milk
• A bit of sugar - but a lot of slow-burn energy
• Have it for dessert, as a snack, or with breakfast

Until next time,

- Paloma

Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy (when you're not in front of a computer screen)

So, Miami threw me off course - it's been over two weeks and I haven't made the time to write since. It's summer in Manhattan (and on this hemisphere, for that matter): days stretch longer; I get off the train a few stops earlier just to languish in the warmer air and sunlight. Visits to the grocery store give way to the sunnier, more luscious and seasonal farmer's market. Dinner is had outdoors, or with the balcony door swung open. Malbec is replaced by rose. You get the picture - I'm inclined to spend far less time behind a computer screen and more outdoors. I may not have made time to write until today, but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking or eating right.

Since I assume you want to spend less time behind a computer screen now, aw well, I'm going to focus on visual cooking ideas, instead of the usual copy-based recipes. So here's what I've got for you:

1. Wild-caught salmon grilled with scallions and topped with cilantro, served on a bed of organic mesclun lettuce. 

• These are legit, nutritions greens - lamb's lettuce, arugula varieties, spinach, etc.

1. Sprouted green lentil salad, served with a bit of olive oil, truffle salt and cilantro

• These kids are amazing for you - protein, low-glycemic carbs, and iron

1. The now ubiquitous truffled cannelinni bean mash (with green onions), served on fresh kale

Easy, perfect for summer lunch (or dinner). I'll let you get back to your rose now.

Getting Out of Dodge (Clearing Out the Kitchen) and Skipping the Stove

I'm getting ready to head out of dodge for a week in Miami tomorrow - stay tuned for some food porn of local dishes down there - so I'll keep this post short and visual.

My market run last Saturday (and one more in between) got me through the week deliciously. I wanted to make sure I left nothing fresh in my kitchen that could spoil by the time I return (the tragedy of letting the last batch of ramps go to waste!). So I cooked up those ramps with everything from mushrooms to my cannellini bean salad with anchovies, and even baked them with small sweet potatoes and olive oil. The tomatoes and basil were gone in a few days, and the filets of skate from my Wednesday night fish market run were grilled with quinoa and green garlic pesto for a friend last night - and accompanied by the first of many, many glasses of rose this summer. So the kitchen is now empty of fresh produce, and ready for another run when I'm back from Miami.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a couple of photos from my bounty. So simple you really don't need much of a recipe for these. Which is actually one of the many great aspects of Spring and Summer cooking. With great, fresh produce and simple ingredients, there's not much 'cooking' involved. When it's hot out, the last thing you want is the heat from the stove. And sometimes, cold ingredients like crispy greens, a vine-ripened tomato - or opening a jar of anchovies in olive oil - is all you need. So, behold:

1. Micro sunflower greens with anchovies and lemon-shallot dressing (max 5 ingredients in the dressing: lemon juice, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper)
2. Fresh tomatoes with basil, olive oil, truffle salt and pepper
3. Oyster mushrooms with ramps sautéed in a small spray of olive oil, with truffle salt and pepper. Get yourself this brilliant little tool to control an even distribution and quantity of olive oil.

More to come from Miami next week. Have a great Memorial Day, wherever you are. And thank you to all the servicemen and women out there!

xx,

- Paloma

Preview: Sunday Night Dinner

So, I started out making my truffled cannellini mash for the week, but decided to add a couple of different flavors and texture - some crispiness and savoriness with green onions, and some saltiness with anchovies. What's not photographed is the truffle oil and salt, but this was an experiment in photographing fresh ingredients, as much as it was cooking. Rookie mistake? Yes. But you have to start somewhere.

Them's the Rules: Balanced Meals for Optimal Digestion (and Pesto + Kale Picadillo)

Thanks to my Mom (The Greatest), I learned a couple of years ago that - for many (not all) of us - how we combine our foods can either help our hamper our digestion. Thanks to my mom's discovery of the very informative Sherry Brescia, I learned that I'm one of those that needs to pair foods in select combinations to work with my body's natural digestive process. In other words: I can only eat - say, a protein with greens, but not with bread or pasta. The wrong food combination can be very difficult for my body to digest, leaving me feeling pretty sick - and too much acidity accumulated over time. 

At the expense of grossly oversimplifying Ms. Brescia's philosophy, here's how the guidelines of optimal food pairing loosely break down:

• Protein (beef, pork, poultry, fish) + non-starchy vegetables (think greens) = good
• Non-starchy veggie + starch (or grain) = good
• Starch (or grain) + protein = bad
• Greens, non-starchy vegetables work great with just about anything; safe food
• Dairy by itself = good
• Dairy + pretty much anything else = bad
• Fruit + 0 = good
• Fruit + pretty much anything else = bad

If you're realizing that these equations add up to my inability to eat a hamburger with a bread bun, a grilled cheese sandwich or a slice of pizza with cheese seductively and brazenly oozing over the edges, you'd be correct. But sticking to these guidelines most of the time has made a world of a difference in my digestion and how I feel. So them's the rules I cook and eat by, most of the time. And on that rare occasion I eat a slice of pizza? No big deal. It's all about maintaining a heavier balance of discipline over indulgence.

So, in the spirit of properly balanced meals, here's a favorite recipe that I cooked for a friend last night. I'll call it pesto + kale picadillo - Cuban-style ground beef, but simmered in basil pesto (instead of the traditional tomato, garlic, red pepper + herbed sauce). A couple of notes on why this particular dish is optimized for digestion: the white rice as the bed for the picadillo is absent, and the parmesan for the basil pesto. Instead, lets elevate the mighty kale leaf as our non-starchy green; it's one of the most nutritious around (see below). According to WebMD:

• One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of the minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
• Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

But I digress. Onto this crazy easy protein + non-starchy green recipe:

• Buy: 1/2 lb - 1 lb of ground beef for two people, depending on if you want left-overs for the next day. I chose 85% lean beef, grass-fed and locally raised beef from Jersey - but I saw Food Inc. (and read too many investigative pieces) and am very selective about my food choices based on their source. You decide what's right for you. 
• Also, a large bunch of organic kale, and basil pesto
• For the pesto, you can either make your own (without cheese), or try Meditalia's if you're in a hurry (like I was last night). I like Meditalia's because it's dairy free and non-GMO. If you read the above combinations, you'll remember that I can't combine dairy with most anything else - and I think pesto is equally delicious without the cheese, anyways. Good olive oil, basil and salt? I'm happy.
• Prep: Wash the kale and cut up the leaves by hand, leaving the steam aside. I'd aim to fill a medium bowl with the chopped kale - it will shrink rapidly when cooked.
• Cook: Add the ground beef to a good skillet (I swear by WearEver Pure Living) at medium heat, using a wooden spoon to break down the ground beef into small pieces. You want your beef pieces to look like the size you'd expect in a bowl of chili. Cook until it's pretty well done - I like to see the edges lightly brown. After about 10 minutes, add the kale. Stir it in so that beef covers the pesto. Cook for about 1 minute or two, until the kale shrinks from its original size and crispy texture.
• Dress it up: Add about 3 tablespoons of basil pesto if you're cooking 1 lb of meat. Allow sauce to cook along with the beef and kale at very low heat, stirring the mixture together for about 2 minutes. You're not looking for a soupy consistency here - you want just enough sauce to flavor the beef, not drown it.
• Eat and enjoy: My friend Seth, a beef lover, enjoyed this thoroughly, and wants to repeat himself. I consider this a compliment.

P.S. If you suspect you have any digestive 'issues' - I highly recommend checking out Sherry Brescia's approach. It's rooted in research and extremely easy to follow - no gimmicks, no deprivation, no shakes or juices - just some smart guidelines to work with your body's digestion using REAL, whole and natural foods (ALL of them). That said, as a marketer that believes in the critical importance of creating a strong product/experience first - and a strong brand identity/design immediately thereafter (or in parallel), I wish I could get my hands on Ms. Brescia's brand identity and site design. I beg you to overlook the brochure-wear site structure and non-existing UX - and instead focus on the content. It's dead on.

- P