Cooking in the Time of Coronavirus
The potential to unlock creativity is a powerful, beautiful silver lining to the pandemic. During this time my hope for you is not only to stay healthy, sane and connected, but also creative.
Faced with a seemingly random assortment of grains, beans, frozen and canned vegetables in the house, what the heck do you actually eat?! A “problem” simply solved with a dash of creativity. Here are my go-to recipe templates to keep you well nourished and to flex the right side of your brain. Scroll for veggie fritters, soup and frittata flexible recipes.
Veggie Fritters
Got a fresh root vegetable (potato, sweet potato, beet, turnip, rutabaga, carrot) or winter or summer squash?
Make Veggie Fritters!
Just add... egg (1 per 2-4 portions) + any type of flour + herbs / spices / nuts / seeds
Grate the vegetable(s) of choice. If your vegetable has a high water content, like summer squash or spaghetti squash, place your grated veggies in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with sea salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes to drain its water. Then, squeeze out any excess water with your hands.
Mix in flavoring of choice: herb, spice, chopped nuts or seeds. Don’t forget a pinch of sea salt.
Add egg and just enough flour to bind everything together. Tightly pack patties, squeezing a golf-ball portion of mixture into a patty with your palms.
Heat up a cast-iron pan (ideally, but not required) with just a little coconut oil or ghee and pan fry. Take care not to wiggle the fritters around before a side has crisped up, otherwise it’ll stick to the pan. If it sticks, you’ll just have a stir-fry instead of a fritter and that’s equally delicious.
Serve solo, or over greens. Top with an egg, fish, cheese, salsa or avocado or keep them naked. Enjoy!
Veggie fritter killer combo inspiration:
zucchini / garlic / lemon zest / ( if you’ve got it) parsley
beet / potato / dill / ( if you’ve got it) walnut
carrot / cumin / sesame seed / ( if you’ve got it) green onion / cilantro
SOUP
Got broth (no? how about water?) Make Soup!
Just add... garlic / onion + herbs / spices + veggie of choice + protein (optional)
Saute garlic and/or onion in some olive oil.
Add any ground spices to coat the onion/garlic.
Add your raw veggie and coat that in your flavor medley (if frozen or canned, add veggies later*).
Add broth, sea salt to taste and bring to a simmer for at least 10 minutes or until your veggies are thoroughly cooked.
*Toss in any frozen or canned veggies. Now is also a good time to add a cooked bean, if you’d like.
Optional: blend the soup into a puree or skip this step and keep it chunky.
Salt again to taste.
Consider a dollop of yogurt, a dash of apple cider vinegar or fresh citrus, or fresh herbs to brighten the flavors.
Bulk up your meal by adding a cooked grain or serving with toasted bread.
Soup killer combo inspiration:
For my dairy-free “cream” of tomato soup recipe, plug in the following ingredients to the formula above: garlic / onion / oregano / chili flakes / canned tomatoes / white beans. This is best blended with a touch of honey at the end.
Mark Bittman wrote this fantastic soup resource for the NYT. Some of my favorites:
Curried Cauliflower Soup needs cauliflower / coconut milk / curry powder
Egg Drop Soup needs broth / eggs / soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
FRITTATA
Got eggs? Make Frittata!
Just add… anything! Including any combination of: grains + greens + veggies + herbs / spices + cheese
Preheat oven to 400F.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs (about 2 per potion) and if you have it and you tolerate it, a generous splash of milk or cream. Add a few pinches of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
If using frozen veggies, thaw first.
Heat olive oil in a cast-iron (ideally) over medium heat.
Add veggies to cook, starting with whatever takes the longest to cook and ending with any greens, if you’re using. Ensure remaining ingredients and egg mixture will fit in your skillet. If you’ve gone overboard on veggies, remove some from the skillet and serve as a side dish.
Add spices and any hearty herbs (like thyme or rosemary), if you’re using.
Add a cooked grain, if you’re using.
Pour the egg mixture into the skillet.
Top with the cheese, if you’re using.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the eggs are cooked, about 15 minutes. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, reduce the stovetop heat to low and cover with a lid to continue cooking.
Finish with fresh herbs or fresh greens, if you’re using.
Frittata killer combo inspiration:
potato / leek / spinach / soft cheese
onion / mushroom / thyme / quinoa
broccoli / green onion / cheddar
