Andrew and I have very different ideas of what goes into an ideal bowl of chili. As a veg-curious cook, my concept of this Southwestern staple has always involved beans, often to the exclusion of meat. Andrew’s preferences hew much closer to the meat-heavy Texan-style; beans aren’t necessarily off the table, but also aren’t the star. So, it’s hardly surprising that the last couple recipes I’ve auditioned — a dense, three-bean vegetarian chili and a vegetable-heavy vegan option — were met with a somewhat lukewarm response on his part. So, in the spirit of trying something new (to me, at least), and, yes, making a dinner my boyfriend would be excited to eat, I recently simmered up this three-meat situation sourced from Geoffrey Zakarian’s My Perfect Pantry.
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Make-Ahead
Chocolate Chia Pudding
With chocolate I’m usually an all or nothing kind of girl; I’m not interested unless we’re talking deep-dark bittersweet brown. (These brownie-like flourless chocolate walnut cookies are a favorite for exactly that reason.) And yet I was drawn to this decidedly-mild breakfast treat when flipping through Julie Montagu’s Superfoods: The Flexible Approach to Eating More Superfoods. Here, cacao powder (nope, not the same thing as cocoa powder) is used in concert with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger for a flavor that’s less full-blown-brownie-rich, and more like a cozy cup of Mexican hot chocolate. And despite my usual leanings, I’m digging it pretty hard.
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Roasted Tomato Eggplant Soup
Take a peek into my freezer and alongside the popsicles, frozen fruit, parmesan rinds, shrimp, and sliced bread, you’ll typically find single servings of at least two varieties of homemade soup, ready to be thawed and simmered when hunger strikes. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a soup obsessive — my cookbook collection includes nearly a dozen single-subject titles devoted to it — but I don’t think you have to feel the way I do about bisques and potages to find this a winning dinnertime strategy. Soup freezes wonderfully, is easily defrosted and reheated, and, generally-speaking is a veggie-packed nutritional powerhouse.
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Spicy Chickpea-Tomato Ragout
Why, in the middle of July, am I writing about a dish made with canned tomatoes, just as plump, juicy heirlooms have begun to flood the markets? Don’t get me wrong, I adore a peak-season fresh tomato — this time of year I practically survive on simple tomato salads — but I also find immense value in a killer pantry-based recipe, like this speedy, spicy tomato and chickpea stew. Because, as much as I enjoy grocery shopping, at least grocery shopping of the leisurely sort, sometimes it can feel like a bit of a chore, the last thing I want to do after a busy day of work. (I may be in the business of proselytizing home cooking, but will admit that the work that goes into that — meal planning, grocery shopping, and the like — can occasionally be a bit of a drag.) So when I come up with or discover a new pantry-goods-based recipe, especially one that’s as wholesome, versatile, and tasty as this one is, I tend to get ridiculously excited, giddy even.
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Indian Red Lentil Soup With Spinach
I’d quite happily eat both soup and Indian food every day; combine the two, like with this recipe, and I’m over the moon. Complexly-spiced, this Indian red lentil soup is just the sort of thing I like to fill my fridge (and freezer) with, ready to be reheated for a quick meal when hunger strikes.
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Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
There’s no denying that banana bread is delicious; unfortunately, it’s not exactly the healthiest or most filling way to start the day. If you don’t have a big appetite in the morning, a slice might tide you over until lunch, but I prefer something more substantial (read: more fiber and protein, less sugar and flour). This banana bread baked oatmeal is the answer. Super-ripe mashed bananas and finely-chopped dates mimic banana bread’s sweet, almost-caramel-like, roasted banana flavor, while the half moon slices add visual interest. Toasted walnuts bring nuttiness and crunch, while a combination of whole milk, two types of oats, and an egg make it more satiating. While I’m not ready to give up banana bread as an occasional treat, this satisfies the same cravings all for less than 500 calories a serving.
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Slow-Cooker Black Beans With Quinoa and Sweet Potatoes
Beans and lentils are two of my dietary staples; fiber- and protein-rich, versatile, and inexpensive, there’s not much these humble legumes can’t do. I typically keep a few cans of cannellinis, chickpeas, and black beans in the pantry for quick-fix dinners, like rosemary-garlic chickpea soup and broccoli white bean soup, but most of the time I prefer to cook them myself using a slow-cooker.
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Broccoli White Bean Soup
As someone who spends a lot of time reading, I find it endlessly interesting to see what titles are on the bookshelves of others. Right now, we’re living in my boyfriend Andrew’s dad’s apartment in Manhattan — thanks, Mark! — so I’ve had some time to peruse his collection. Tucked in-between two photography books was a memoir that had long been on my to-read list: Heat by Bill Buford. A former New Yorker editor, Buford tells a fascinating story about leaving behind his position at the magazine to learn the ins and outs of Italian cooking, starting with months spent staging at Mario Batali’s Babbo.
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