2012 is definitely a year to remember. From Gangham Style, to the Summer Olympics, Binders of Women, Hurricane Sandy, and the Apocalypse that wasn't. 2012 will definitely be a year of a lot of heartache as we remember those affected by the Newtown tragedy. And 2012 has some personal highlights and lowlights for me as well.

As I reflect back on 2012, I like to remember our five favorite meals we enjoyed as a family:

Pasta with Sausage, Rosemary and Tomatoes

Everyone has a go-to weeknight dish. This is ours. Can be made in 20 minutes flat. And consumed in about two.




This was a new technique for us when it comes to cooking up chicken. The result? The juiciest, tastiest chicken. Ever.




This cookie recipe challenged me as a home cook like no other. Both in terms of technique and taste. This cookie will rock your world.




My first happy accident and Asian-fusion attempt. Soft, fluffy, buttery naan + Vietnamese Pho Ga ingredients = one outstanding sandwich.




Is there anything more simple and crowd-pleasing than chicken and rice? Plus cooking it one pot makes clean-up a breeze.


Whichever way you choose to reflect on the past 12 months, do it with those you love around the dinner table, because food is love. Happy New Year!

So we supposedly had an extra weekend this year to prepare for Christmas since Thanksgiving was earlier than usual. But why is it that I'm still frantically searching for last-minute gift items, baking and wrapping like there's no tomorrow (Mayans calendar #epicfail)?  

(Image credit: America's Test Kitchen)

(image credit: Share our Strength)

“I don’t care about the lesson my teacher has planned today.”
 

“I don’t care if I get sick again.”
  

“I don’t care if I’m having trouble concentrating.”
 

“I don’t care if the other kids think I’m grumpy all the time.”

“I don’t care if I get another poor grade on a test.”

“I care about how many minutes 

until I get to eat a hot meal.”

(image credit: runner.com)

Thanksgiving is like the Super Bowl for foodies. Lots of hype, lots of preparation, and of course, lots of food (but none of the bad commercials).  In typical fashion, I am scrambling to get organized for Thanksgiving as we are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house. As I sat at my kitchen table trying to put together a game plan this weekend, I turned to this post I put together last year: Last Minute Thanksgiving Day Prep.

It's a helpful playbook on how to get ready for the big game day. Move over Belichick ;-)

From our table to yours, wishing you a great Thanksgiving!

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
• ½ lb sugar snaps, strings removed
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced on a diagonal
• 1 jar WORLDFOODS Indochina Cambodian Pineapple Lemon Grass Stir Fry Sauce

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over high heat. Add half the chicken; cook and stirring constantly, until opaque throughout (2-4 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, along with the onion, sugar snaps and carrots. Cook, stirring constantly until onion is tender and golden.
3. Add the jar of stir fry sauce and chicken (and any accumulated juices) back into pan and heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is heated through and slightly thickened.
4. Serve over rice or noodels and enjoy!

I was given WORLDFOOD Sauces to try as part of the Massachusetts WORLDFOODS Fusion Taste Team. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Today is World Food Day - a day Oxfam America is hoping everyone will stop to think about where their food comes from, the impact it has globally, and the small steps everyone can take to make the food system more fair and sustainable. It's about coming together over good food and even better conversation with this discussion guide. It's about making making sure everyone has enough food to eat, always.


Where to start? Learn about Oxfam's GROW method: Save Food, Buy Seasonal, Less Meat, Support Small-Scale Farmers, and Cook Smart. And then have it become second nature.

Be sure to follow Oxfam on Twitter and the Oxfam GROW Pinterest board for recipe ideas, news and events. And get clicky and Like Oxfam on Facebook too.

"Can you remind me to do all this when I am a grown-up mom?"


This post (and my sharing on social media) was inspired by my participation in a compensated program initiated by Women Online/The Mission List to raise awareness about Oxfam America's GROW Method. All commentary and opinions are, of course, my own.

photo credit: Oxfam America

We've been hearing a lot about percentages this year as we lead up to Election Day. The one percentage I don't think we'll hear the candidates discuss is the 18%. Did you know that livestock is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions? And nearly 8% of global human water use goes to grow food for cattle alone. As my boys like to say, "Holy cow!"

I'm not suggesting we start an Occupy Cattle Ranch anytime soon. But if we all made one meatless meal once a week, we can really make an impact on the environment (and on our health and wallets). For example, it takes 6,810 liters of water to produce one 1lb package of ground beef. That's equivalent to my family drinking over 4 1/2 liters of water EVERY DAY for a YEAR!

Less Meat

"Rearing animals for food means a lot more greenhouse gas emissions, more water consumed, and more land required, compared to growing food crops. If we eat a little less meat and a little less dairy we will dramatically reduce the impact of our diets on the environment." 

Some of our favorite meatless meals

Try whipping up a meatless meal at least once a week. We do a Meatless Monday here because all the cool kids are doing it. Here are some of our favorite meatless recipes: Mom's Granola, Monkey Bread French Toast, Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry with Tofu, Bulgur Veggie Burgers with Lime Mayo, Stuffed Tomatoes with Grilled Corn, and Greek Pasta Salad. We are trying to cut back on how much milk we drink too. For example, we have started using soy milk in our cereal. I know this may not be easy, especially with young children that need the protein and vitamins and allergies, so make sure you consult your doctor.

I will be the first one to admit that I can be lazy in the kitchen. I will avoid any recipes that require lots of ingredients (which means lots of shopping - which I hate). A dish that requires multiple cooking techniques? Forget it. I will only make risotto once or twice a year because I can't bear the thought of constant stirring. Well, it just so happens that my laziness efficiency  is actually saving energy and money.

Oxfam GROW Method #4: Cook Smarter

"We rely on precious fossil fuels to cook and heat our food, and these everyday tasks add up to big emissions, as well as big energy bills. Try cooking with as little water as possible, using a flat bottomed pan, covering your pan with a lid and reducing the heat as soon as the water starts to boil - you 'll save energy, water and money!"

1. Change How You Cook
Did you know that by 1) using just enough water to cover your food while cooking on the stove (rather than filling the pan up to the top);  2) Using a flat-bottomed pan and covering with a lid; and 3) reducing the heat as soon as the water starts to boil can reduce up to 70% of the energy you use?

And the next factoid is truly amazing to me: If all urban households in Brazil, India, Philippines, Spain, the UK and the US took these three steps, we would save over 30 million megawatt hours of energy a year. You're picturing Doc from Back to the Future shouting "1.21 gigawatts?! Great Scott!" right about now, huh? Or put in another way, saving 30 million megawatt hours a year is greater than if the same households each planted a seedling and let it grow for ten years. Woah. That's heavy.



2. Change What You Cook
Another way to save energy is to make things that don't require energy, like sandwiches, salads, cold soups or no-bake treats. So those nights when you'll eat a bowl of cereal for dinner because you don't feel like cooking for yourself? Great! Or you can try some of these one-pot or no-cook recipes such as Chicken Pho Naan Sandwich, Shrimp Gazpacho, Baby Bok Choy, Carrot and Apple Slaw,  Peach Plum Salsa, Almond Butter, Cream Cheese and Strawberry Sandwich, or Chicken Sofrito. And be sure to check out Oxfam's pinterest board for more recipe ideas.

Some of my favorite no-cook and one-pot meals

So go ahead - be lazy in the kitchen. Just make sure you put don't leave a mess, because I would NEVER do that (wink, wink).

This post (and my sharing on social media) was inspired by my participation in a compensated program initiated by Women Online/The Mission List to raise awareness about Oxfam America's GROW Method. All commentary and opinions are, of course, my own.

"It's not fair" are three words I hear almost daily from my seven and three year old boys. Whether it's because someone had ruined a favorite toy or someone decided to play by their own rules, my kids have learned early on that life is not always fair.

When it comes to the food system, life for the small-scale food producer in developing countries is truly not fair. Small-scale food producers often will see a large percentage of the food they grow get lost in the process of harvesting, transportation and storage. And for those that are successful in getting their food to markets, they will often be exploited. So what can we do?

"By supporting small-scale food producers you're supporting the 1.5 billion people that live on small farms in the world, and helping protect our ability to produce food in the future through sustainable farming practices. Buying Fair Trade products and brands is a great way of doing this so look out for them when you shop."

1. Try Fair Trade
Look for logos like this to help you identify small-scale food producers embracing sustainable farming practices. You'll also feel good knowing that these producers receive fair prices for their produce, ensuring they have money to buy food for their own families. Check out chocolates, coffee, tea, organic food and sustainably-sourced fish for fair trade certification.

Cassoulet with farmers market veggies

2. Buy Local
Shop at your local farmers market grown by small-scale producers close to home. Then go home and make this killer Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables by Mark Bittman (who is pretty much the original proponent of the GROW method). Made this hearty dish tonight and the boys licked their bowls clean. I might have too.

Here's hoping we can instill empathy in our kids so "it's not fair" is something that together, as the global community, will experience less and less.

This post (and my sharing on social media) was inspired by my participation in a compensated program initiated by Women Online/The Mission List to raise awareness about Oxfam America's GROW Method. All commentary and opinions are, of course, my own.

As I mentioned in my previous post, over the next five days, I will be blogging about each of the five principles of Oxfam's GROW method - simple steps every family can take to live within the planet's ecological boundaries and end hunger. Up next: Seasonal

"We waste lots of energy trying to grow food in the wrong place, at the wrong time of year. Discover what's in season near you and you'll find perfectly delicious fruit and vegetables to eat which aren't using all that energy to reach your plate."

You know that beefsteak tomato you thought of buying because you were craving caprese salad in the dead of winter? Consider this before you buy it: a whole lot of energy and greenhouse gas emissions was used to force tomatoes to grow in winter. And don't forget about the miles and miles that tomato had to travel, which also means more greenhouse gas emissions. And do I even need to mention the inferior taste and texture? You get the point.

1. Grow Your Own
If you can, start your own fruit or vegetable garden. Is there anything better than just-picked garden veggies? Plus it has been a fool-proof way to get my kids to eat their veggies. They grew it. They want to eat it. If you don't have the space to grow a garden, be sure to check out community gardens or join a CSA.

The boy and dad harvesting veggies from the garden last summer

2. Buy What's In Season
Here in New England, we are lucky in that while certain growing seasons are shorter than others, produce is as varied as it is abundant. Almost every meal we make will be based on what's in season and what we can get locally. Besides, it also gives us something to look forward each season. Like this Butternut Squash Soup we make every Fall. Visit www.oxfamamerica.org/growmethod to find out what’s in season near you. Now go make this soup - Butternut squash was only $.69/lb at Russo's the other day!

Butternut Squash Soup with Grilled Cheese. Hello Fall!

Butternut Squash Soup
Inspired by Mill at 2t Restaurant, Tariffville, CT

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 butternut squash (about 1.5-2lbs), peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 sage leaves
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup half and half

“Around a third of the food produced for people's plates ends up lost or wasted between farm and fork. The amount of food thrown away in rich countries is almost the same as that produced in sub-saharan Africa each year.”

Menu planning saves time and food

Use back of crisper veggies for soup

Best Way to Freeze Soup (Image Credit: Southern Living)

One of our all-time favorite dishes at our house is Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup that is equally as complex as it is savory and can almost always keep any cold or chilly day at bay. Pho is made with a magical broth and is served with beef or chicken, rice noodles and various garnishes such as thai basil, bean sprouts, and lime wedges. Oh yeah, and sriracha. Pho and sirarcha were made for each other.

I would try making it at home, but I haven't found the time to make the broth (it takes hours and hours for it to be authentic). So as a riff on the traditional Pho, I wanted to experiment and try making it more portable, a.k.a. a sandwich. There are your typical pho ingredients: bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, tomato, avocado, chicken, hoisin and sirarcha sauces. And then the non-traditional: everything is all wrapped in a tandori naan. The ingredients come together and will remind you of pho. And the naan is perfect wrapper, soft yet sturdy enough to keep everything together without overpowering the other ingredients. It's a small stroke of genius if I do say so myself.

Chicken Pho Sandwich
Makes 4 sandwiches (approximately $7.92 per serving)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package of 365 Everyday Value Tandoori Naan
• 4 tablespoons 365 Everyday Value Organic Hoisin Sauce
• 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded (1 cup)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 scallions, green parts only, sliced into matchsticks
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
• 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil (Thai basil if available)
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 lime, sliced into wedges (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 365 Everyday Value Tandoori Naan according to package directions. Remove naan from oven and lay out in assembly-line fashion.
2. Spread about a tablespoon of 365 Everyday Value Organic Hoisin Sauce in the center of each naan.
3. Add 1/2 tablespoon (or more if desired) of sriracha to hoisin spread on each naan.
4. Divide shredded chicken and place on top of sauces.
5. Divide cilantro and scallions and distribute on top of the chicken.
6. Divide avocado slices among the four sandwiches, placing them on top of the cilantro and scallions.
7. Add one or two tomato slices on top of the cilantro and scallions.
8. Divide basil and place on top of the tomato.
9. Divide bean sprouts and distribute equally among the four sandwiches and place on top of the tomato.
10. Season with salt and pepper and squeeze some lime on top, if desired. Roll sandwiches and wrap with parchment pepper. Serve immediately - no soup spoon required!

I was inspired to come up with this recipe as part of the Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value Cook-off. The winning recipe will win a donation in a blogger's name to a local food-related non-profit.

Dear Son,

Now that you have a family of your own, you no doubt have some challenges with your picky eater. You're wondering, "How can this be? I'm a foodie. My wife is a foodie. We get the best produce teleported to us from our virtual CSA!" I know this will come to a surprise, but you too were a picky eater. Especially when it came to eating your vegetables. We tried serving it raw, baked, sautéed, grilled - you name it. You were just like that silly girl Lola from the classic tale of "I Will Never, Not Ever, Eat a Tomato" by Lauren Childs.

So here's a tip I want to share with you that worked for me and your father. Introduce new ingredients with something you know your kids like to eat. So for you, we added veggies to rice. We also found if we got you to help grow veggies in our garden, you were more open to trying it. I've never seen you gobble up tomatoes faster then when we picked them off the vine from the garden in our backyard.

So put away your cookscreens (or whatever you call those fancy cookbooks of the future) and try this one-pot chicken and rice favorite. You loved it as a kid. I think your kids will like it too.

Love,
Mom



Chicken Sofrito 
Adapted from Food and Wine 

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4-8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large thyme sprigs
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup white rice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust lightly with chili powder. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until well browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme sprigs to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until onion is softened (about 8 minutes). Add the bell pepper, fennel seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder and cook, stirring until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the chopped tomatoes, raise the heat to high and cook until bubbling. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer. Arrange chicken pieces on the rice. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender.
3. Transfer chicken to a plate. Discard thyme sprigs, stir in lemon juice and sprinkle almonds on top. Spoon the rice onto plates, add the chicken and serve. 

1.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and cook until softened and browned at edges, about 3 minutes.
2. Add corn and cook until deep yellow and softened, about 2 minutes
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) and remove from heat
4. Stir in herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Athena Yang of Finance Foodie excited to dig in