We’re in a difficult period, and even though we may not feel up to it at times, we still need to eat well – as does the rest of the family. I know I have little energy to put into “What’s for dinner tonight,” but if I keep it simple, it gives me something to focus on.
At the end of the day, we need to eat to have energy for whatever we are facing. Here are some quick and easy go-to’s that can also give us a warming hug during dinner time.
VEGGIE DRAWER SOUP
A good, warm soup can help soothe us. Taking two to three slow breaths between each spoonful helps our bodies calm down and release some of our anxiety. This is also a great soup to put in a thermos and bring to a soldier or two in your area, to fill them with love and warmth.
What’s great about this soup is that it can be made any day with whatever veggies are in the vegetable crisper drawer. The most important ingredient? Lots of love.
Yields 8-10 servings.
- 2 onions, sliced
- 6-8 cloves of garlic, peeled
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 8-10 cups of vegetables, washed/peeled/cut
- Peppers, carrots, zucchini, celery, sweet potato, leek, cabbage, broccoli, or any other vegetable
- ½ cup of fresh herbs or 2 Tbsp. dry herbs such as parsley, dill, coriander, and/or basil
Sauté the onions and garlic. Peel and chop whatever veggies you have in your vegetable drawer, such as carrots, zucchini, peppers, cabbage, parsley, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, leek, and/or broccoli. Whatever you have will work.
Add in the vegetables, even if only three kinds; add salt, pepper, and a lot of savory spices that you like (turmeric, garlic powder, onion flakes, paprika, ginger...). Add enough water to cover the vegetables, and then put any greens (dill, coriander, or parsley) in the pot. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use dry ones.
Bring to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Remove any greens that have stems before blending as the flavor already is in the soup.
Let cool. Use an immersion blender or food processor with the steel S blade to blend the soup together.
Enjoy. Put the remaining soup in containers to share or freeze.
NOTHING CHICKEN
Yes, you read that right. This recipe calls for one ingredient: chicken.
I’ve had many people doubt that this will taste good, but all were pleasantly surprised by its delicious finger-lickin’ results.
Yields however many pieces of chicken you put in.
- Chicken on the bone with skin (Can be a whole chicken, drumsticks, wings, or thighs)
Preheat the oven on the broil setting to 240C. “Broil” is the oven setting where only the top element is giving heat – it can be with or without the turbo (fan) mode.
Lay the chicken pieces in a pan (metal or aluminum is best, as the heat is too high for a Pyrex/glass dish) in a single layer and not piled on top of each other.
Place in the oven, two or three shelves down from the top (should not be on the highest two shelves). That’s it! The juice from the chicken and the salt from the kashering will give it that rotisserie flavor that we all love.
A whole chicken needs to cook about an hour and a half to an hour, wings need to cook for about 45 minutes, drumsticks and thighs need about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (You can turn the chicken over mid-way if you choose.)
The next step is to enjoy it!
PESTATOES
Potatoes are the biggest comfort food around. They can be soft and mashed, fried and crispy, or baked with both a crispy outside and soft inside. I had the honor of making these potatoes two months ago for a cousin’s sheva brachot. They were a huge hit.
Since pesto is a staple in many homes, using it is an easy way to prepare potatoes for dinner (or a celebration) in a snap.
Yields 4-6 servings.
- 2 kg. round baby potatoes
- 2 Tbsp. pesto
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
Oven method:
Preheat the oven to 190C. Wash and cut the potatoes in half. If you don’t have baby potatoes, you can use regular potatoes cut into chunks. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Put the potatoes in the pan and add the pesto, remaining olive oil, and salt. Mix very well until all the potatoes are coated.
Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until a fork pierces smoothly.
Stovetop method:
Use a large pan, heat up a bit of olive oil, add the rest of the ingredients. Lightly cover and keep on a medium flame. Mix every few minutes to get evenly cooked.
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
Chocolate and peanut butter have been well paired for decades, and they give you that happy feeling with each bite. With only four ingredients, you can have delicious no-bake peanut butter cups for your next comfort craving or after-dinner snack.
Yields 12 peanut butter cups.
Peanut butter layer:
- 1 cup peanut butter (natural or regular)
- 2 cups icing sugar (1½ cups if your peanut butter is already sweetened)
Chocolate layer:
- 250 gr. high-quality chocolate (bar or chips)
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Crumb topping:
- ¼ cup peanut butter batter
- ½ cup icing sugar
To make the batter:
In a bowl, mix the peanut butter and icing sugar until smooth.
Line a muffin or cupcake tin with paper liners and place one heaping spoonful of peanut batter into each cupcake liner, and press the peanut butter down with the back of the spoon. Repeat this until most of the batter is finished. Leave about ¼ cup of batter for the topping. Place the cupcake tray in the fridge.
Pour the oil and chocolate squares/chips into a small pot and place on a very very low heat on the stove. Keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat.
Take your peanut butter cupcake tray out of the fridge and pour one tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each peanut butter cup. Smooth the chocolate on top by tapping the tray on the counter a few times until it spreads evenly.
Take your extra peanut butter mix and add in another ½ cup of icing sugar and mix to make a crumbly texture. Sprinkle a little bit of the peanut butter crumbs on top of the chocolate that is still warm. Place the tray in the fridge and grab one when the chocolate has hardened.
The writer is a kitchen coach, inspiring confidence and creativity in the kitchen. Learn more about workshops and private events at www.inthekitchenwithhenny.com