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Get Radical and Go Meatless One Night A Week!

Jan 11 by Chef Hollie Greene 2 Comments

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joyfoodlyfood-143

Who doesn’t love being radical? At the top of my New Year’s resolutions list this year was: 1) do not take yourself too seriously in 2016, 2) find more time for play, and 3) eat even MORE veggies and less meat! So when I say get radical, I’m sort of poking fun because if you’ve been following trends over the last decade beginning with when Michael Pollan steared us in the right direction to “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants,” you’ll already know that vegetables have clearly become the delicious center of the plate. What I’m really suggesting in this week’s “Healthy, Not Boring” Tip is to make cooking and eating vegetables more fun for your entire family. There’s no easier way to do this than by going all out “theme” one night a week–Italian night, Tex Mex night, Chinese night–oh YES! Join me this week as we take our Meatless Mondays to a whole new healthy, not boring level with these three fun and delicious meals!

1st-Broccoli pesto final shot 1

What I love about pesto is that it’s a green sauce that requires zero cooking! In my Joyful 12 recipe, Betcha Won’t Believe It’s Broccoli Pesto Pasta, I’m mixing up the standard basil centric recipe with a winter veggie that most kids and adults already love. What’s super fun about this pesto is its neon green color that comes from quickly blanching the broccoli florets and stems in the salty pasta water for a few minutes before they go into the food processor. If you didn’t already know this super cool science trick, it’s the salt in the water that keeps the chlorophyll from leaching out of green veggies that have been blanched! I’ll guarantee this hazelnut, parsley, and broccoli loving sauce will become your family’s favorite Italian meal this winter!

joyfoodlyfood-137

If you’re looking for a taste explosion, you’ve got to make Elena’s Kickin Southwestern Quinoa bowl. I’m addicted. What I love about this dish is that once you make it, you can continue eating it for several days in different ways–one night in a burrito, the next alongside a grilled piece of fish, or as a packed lunch on the go. With Elena’s recipe for a sweet and spicy mango salsa to top off all of this plant based yumminess, you’re guaranteed to return to this recipe as I have time and time again.

8th-Broccoli fried rice add roasted veggies

As I write this post, we are literally making fried rice for dinner! It’s always a variation of my standard Joyful 12 recipe based on whatever veggies I’ve got on hand. What I do though to make a Monday meal just a little more civilized is I do a little prep Sunday night when I’m vegging out to Downton Abbey, i.e., that’s when I cook my brown rice ahead of time. And don’t sweat it if you lean on those frozen veggies in your fried rice. Believe me, you’re going to pack in loads of fiber and flavor with so little effort, you’ll see why I call this my go-to Meatless Monday meal!

Betcha Won’t Believe it’s Broccoli Pesto Pasta
2016-01-06 22:46:20
Serves 4
A Joyful 12 recipe
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. Pasta (fusilli), 12 oz.
  2. Salt, 1 ½ tsp.
Broccoli Pesto
  1. Parmesan cheese (grated), 2/3 cup
  2. Hazelnuts, 1/3 cup
  3. Broccoli, 1 head (medium)
  4. Parsley (fresh), 1 bunch (2 cups measured)
  5. Salt, 1 teaspoon
  6. Black pepper, ¼ teaspoon
  7. Olive oil, 1 cup
  8. Garlic, 1-2 cloves (optional)
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach.
  2. Wash all produce.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (for every 8 cups add 1 ½ teaspoons salt).
  4. Grate Parmesan cheese. Set aside a little extra to sprinkle on top of your final dish.
  5. Cut off the tops of the parsley, trying to get mostly leaves. Don’t worry if you get some stems. They will blend up in the pesto.
  6. For the broccoli: cut off the florets (the flowering clusters at the end of the stem). Also cut most of the stem, just discarding the lower woody part. You can quickly cut off the outer parts of the stem (peel it with your knife) that are harder and chop the more tender inside of the stem into chunks.
Cook
  1. First grind cheese and nuts together in a food processor.
  2. In the salted boiling water, drop broccoli florets and stems. After 2 minutes, remove the broccoli and put directly into your food processor.
  3. Add the parsley, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil and pulse until combined.
  4. Bring the salted water back up to a boil and cook the pasta according to the box instructions.
  5. Drain the noodles.
  6. In a bowl, combine cooked pasta with broccoli pesto and serve with some extra Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Notes
  1. Culinary Note: I often find that children are not as fond of raw garlic in their pesto. For this recipe, we like to gently simmer the garlic in olive oil for about 15 minutes before using.
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Healthy Not Boring, Meatless Monday Tagged With: broccoli, dinner, meatless monday

My 5 Favorite Pantry Meals for the Busy Family

Sep 10 by Chef Hollie Greene 2 Comments

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8-10 veggie pizza cover photo

With the right pantry staples, you can make weeknight dinners a breeze. In my home, it’s not about fancy chef meals during a busy work week, but it’s about creating dishes that are packed with flavor and require very little time. These are my five favorite pantry meals and my chef tips for how to stock your pantry with the staples and fresh organic ingredients needed to make cooking easier.

download JoyFoodly pantry essentials

MONDAY (go meatless!): Late Summer Eggplant and Tomato Pizza

Make Monday your meat free meal with a family favorite, pizza night. It’s late summer, and in our family we’re eating lots of Chinese and fairytale eggplant (hint: these varieties cook fast!) and tomatoes. The key with this pizza recipe is that with our ricotta base, you can really add any sauteed vegetable you love to the topping, more cheese and some fresh herbs. It literally takes 20 minutes to make!

8-10 veggie pizza in body of post

  • Organic vegetables and fresh herbs: eggplant (fairytale or Chinese variety), tomatoes, basil
  • Pantry staples: frozen pizza crust, ricotta cheese, onions
  • Chef tip: saute the eggplant with onion and finish with a glug of balsamic vinegar
  • Variation: on another night, try cumin roasted sweet potato and some fresh arugula on top of your ricotta base and throw in some goat cheese on top!

To make our sweet-n-spicy eggplant and tomato pizza, see the recipe below, and for more inspiration on how to build a pantry pizza, don’t miss our recent post for loads of ideas.

TUESDAY: The Perfect 15 Minute Orange Curry Chicken and Spiced Roasted Veggies

If you talk to my husband, he’ll tell you that we always build our fastest meals around which veggies can we roast and which organic lean protein can we cook quickly! If you’re like me, I’ve eaten one too many sad dried chicken breasts to last me a lifetime. This method, inspired by Jacques Pepin, is sure fire and works every time. Watch my video to see just how easy moist chicken breasts can be!

8-10 Curry chicken and roasted veggies

  • Organic vegetables and fresh herbs: sweet potatoes, broccolini, thyme
  • Pantry staples: curry powder, cumin, aleppo pepper, olive oil, sriracha, mayo
  • Chef tip: roast the veggies on the same pan for faster clean-up and be sure to let your chicken rest for 5 minutes before you slice into it to maintain that moisture!
  • Variation: use the same method to cook the chicken but use lemon, rosemary, and garlic as your seasoning and throw in some canned artichokes while the chicken is cooking. This makes an amazing sauce and complete dish when served over quick cooking polenta.

To make this meal, check out our detailed recipe below.

SM 8-10 quesadilla in progress

WEDNESDAY: Roasted Fall Squash and Mozzarella Quesadillas

It’s hump day, and let’s face it, some weeks it’s all we can do to get through the day! But with my roasted fall squash quesadillas, you’ll be smiling in no time, and for the parents it may just be the excuse you need for a mid-week Margarita. Cheers!

SM 8-10 Quesadilla plated

  • Organic vegetables and fresh herbs: acorn squash, green onions, cilantro
  • Pantry staples: salsa, quesadilla wraps, mozzarella cheese
  • Chef tip: the minute you walk in the door, preheat the oven. It will take 5 minutes to cut open an acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. Get it roasting while you do other things. That will make the assembly so much faster when you’re ready to eat!
  • Variation: use pre-cut butternut squash and boil it for 10-12 minutes, drain, and smash. Add some canned organic black beans for a little extra protein in this veggie quesadilla!

To make our fall squash and mozzarella quesadilla and my amazing avocado sauce, check out our post.

SM 8-10 quiche ingredients 2014-08-12 10.33.44

THURSDAY: Best of Fall Potato and Leek Quiche

This quiche is the ultimate no-brainer. We use our favorite GF frozen pie crust from Whole Foods Market, and each season we change the veggies that go in but keep the egg, cheese, and spice ratios the same. Crack those eggs, crumble that cheese, and do a quick saute and you’re ready to pop this quiche in the oven and forget about having to make dinner for the next 45 minutes. It’s so easy, you could technically put your kiddos in charge of making it (with a little adult supervision of course)!

SM 8-10 quiche slices 2014-08-12 12.30.14

  • Organic vegetables and fresh herbs: leeks, potatoes, and spinach
  • Pantry staples: eggs, garlic salt, cheddar cheese, and frozen pie crust
  • Chef tip: if you don’t have leeks, use onions! This quiche is a great day two morning breakfast or lunch with a quick reheat in the microwave. We like to serve a simple green salad on the side.
  • Variation: substitute bok choy for the spinach and mix it up by adding half cheddar/half feta to the mix and a dash of worcestershire sauce to your veggie saute!

To make our Best of Fall Leek and Potato quiche recipe, check out our detailed recipe below.

SM 8-10 turkey meatball option 1 2013-05-26 12.51.10

FRIDAY: Baked Turkey Meatballs Over Penne with my 15-minute Tomato Sauce

My moist and meaty florentine turkey meatballs are beyond delicious. I created these little gems for a teen class I was teaching in New York years ago. Trust me, the teenaged boys liked them and so does everyone I serve them to! Over the weekend, my husband and I love to take leftovers and make them into day two pita burgers with all kinds of Greek fixings. Make this your Friday night family treat!

Use for 8-10 Greek burger image IMG_2533

  • Organic vegetables and fresh herbs: spinach, parsley, thyme
  • Pantry staples: pureed boxed Italian tomatoes, onion, garlic, dried pasta, ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs
  • Chef tip: add a simple green salad with my homemade vinaigrette to the meal
  • Variation: instead of putting spinach and parsley in your turkey meatballs, go with a spicy Mediterranean vibe and add harissa paste and mint. Grill them like burgers, and serve them on pita bread with cucumbers and feta cheese!

To make my moist and meaty florentine baked turkey meatballs with my simple 15 minute tomato sauce and to see how we love to play with this recipe for a variation of a Greek themed pita burger meal, check out our posts on the joyful blog!

Sweet and Spicy Eggplant Tomato Pizza
2015-08-04 19:11:25
Serves 4
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. Eggplant, Chinese variety, 2 medium
  2. Onion (yellow), 1
  3. Ricotta cheese, 1 cup
  4. Olive oil, 3 TBS (divided)
  5. Salt, 1 1/4 tsp (divided)
  6. Black pepper, ¼ tsp
  7. Garlic powder, 1 tsp
  8. Balsamic vinegar, 2 TBS
  9. Tomatoes, 1-2
  10. Hot chili flakes, 1/2 tsp
  11. Pizza crust (We use Udi’s frozen gluten free crust), 2 crusts in 1 package
  12. Basil (fresh), 1 small bunch
  13. Goat cheese, plain, about ½ cup
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach. Wash all fresh ingredients.
  2. Preheat an oven to 500F. This will ensure a nice crispy crust on your pizza dough.
  3. Cut off the tips of the eggplant. Then cut them into halves and then into a small dice. Note: for Chinese or Japanese varieties of eggplant, you do not need to peel them or salt them before cooking.
  4. Dice the onion.
  5. Season the ricotta with ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper.
Cook
  1. Sauté diced onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium-high heat for about three minutes.
  2. Add the diced eggplant, plus 1 additional tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and the garlic powder. Continue sautéing on medium-high heat for another two minutes.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to the mixture. Scrape up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan with your spoon as the eggplant absorbs the vinegar. This technique is called “deglazing” the pan. Cook another few minutes on low heat.
  4. Spread ricotta onto the pizza crusts.
  5. Top with crumbled goat cheese, then the sautéed eggplant and onion, and lastly slices of tomato and torn basil leaves on top. Sprinkle hot pepper flakes as desired.
  6. Bake at 500F for 10 minutes. You can rotate the pizza midway through cooking. Enjoy served with more fresh basil on top.
Note on substitutions
  1. we recommend you use the smaller Japanese or Chinese eggplant in this dish, as they do not require pre-salting and have a milder, sweeter taste.
How to add protein
  1. this pizza is a perfect meal as is. The ricotta provides protein and it’s very filling. However, if you wanted to add some extra protein, ground turkey or ground pork sautéed with olive oil, salt and pepper, could be a nice extra along with the other toppings.
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/
The Perfect 15 Minute Orange Curry Chicken and Spiced Roasted Veggies
2015-08-04 19:14:16
Serves 4
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Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. Organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4
  2. Sweet potatoes, 2
  3. Broccolini, 1 bunch (or 2-3 stalks/person)
  4. Olive oil, as needed
  5. Salt, as needed
  6. Curry Powder, ½ tsp
  7. Cumin, ½ tsp
  8. Orange, 1
  9. Fresh thyme, 1 bunch
  10. Aleppo pepper, ½ tsp
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach. Wash all fresh ingredients.
  2. Preheat oven to 425F.
  3. Take your chicken breasts out of the refrigerator and set aside while you get your other ingredients prepped.
  4. On both sides: dry off raw chicken breasts with paper towels, sprinkle with a pinch of salt (about ¼ teaspoon each) and curry powder and drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto both sides of chicken.
  5. Juice the orange.
  6. Cut sweet potatoes into french fry slices (with the skin on). Lightly drizzle with olive oil, salt and cumin powder and place on the cookie sheet you’ll use to roast them.
  7. If broccolini is bigger, you can cut each stalk in half. If it’s on the small and skinny side, just toss them with a good drizzle of olive oil in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and aleppo pepper and place on the cookie sheet you’ll use to roast them.
Cook
  1. Put the vegetables into the oven to roast at 425F for 15 minutes. You may want to cook the broccolini just a little short of 15 minutes (around 12 minutes), but the french fries will need the full 15 minutes. While the vegetables are roasting, we’ll sear our chicken breasts.
  2. Get out an aluminum sauté pan and turn your flame on medium high heat (no oil in pan).
  3. Place the chicken breasts down (rounded side down) in hot pan. If you wiggle them a little when you put them in the pan, they will keep it from sticking. Do NOT touch it for 3 minutes.
  4. Flip chicken over in pan; turn heat on low; add juice of the orange and place thyme branches on top of chicken; cover with lid and set timer for 12 minutes to cook on low.
  5. When the 12-minute timer buzzes, take off the lid, remove chicken and let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting or serving.
  6. While the chicken is resting, don’t waste the delicious juices that have gathered in the pan into the orange juice. Turn the heat on high and let that sauce reduce down by about ½. Now you have the perfect pan sauce to drizzle on top of your chicken!
  7. Serve your perfectly moist chicken with your delicious roasted vegetables. We love to make a sriracha mayonnaise dipping sauce for our sweet potato fries!
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/
Best of Fall Leek and Potato Quiche
2015-09-08 20:36:21
Serves 4
Note on substitutions: If you don’t have cheddar, use swiss, jack, or gruyere cheese. If you don’t want to use a pie crust, you can also pour this into a pyrex dish and bake at the same rate and it will be delicious! This is a great dinner or breakfast. Next day, just reheat a piece in the microwave.
Save Recipe
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Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 min
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 min
Ingredients
  1. pie crust (gluten free), 1
  2. leeks, 2 medium
  3. olive oil, 3 TBS (divided)
  4. potato (Yukon Gold), 1 large
  5. spinach, 2 cups
  6. salt, 1 tsp
  7. cheddar cheese (white, sharp), 7-8 oz
  8. eggs, 6
  9. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp
  10. black pepper, 1/4 tsp
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach.
  2. Wash all produce. Be sure to clean leeks thoroughly to remove dirt. The best way to do this is to first cut and set aside the dark green tops, then cut from the root up through the length of the leek and under a stream of running water, peel back the layers with your fingers and let the water wash out the dirt.
  3. Preheat oven to 350F.
  4. Remove pie crust from freezer. Let come to room temperature.
  5. Cut leeks into thin half moon slices.
  6. Cut the potato into quarters, then slice into thin pieces.
  7. Grate the cheddar cheese. Set aside.
  8. In a mixing bowl, crack and beat eggs. Stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, and grated cheese.
Cook
  1. In a preheated skillet, saute potatoes in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 7 minutes over medium high heat.
  2. Add the leeks and spinach, plus 1 more tablespoon olive oil, and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until spinach has wilted and leeks have softened.
  3. Let this mixture cool slightly.
  4. In a bowl, mix the egg and cheese mixture with the cooked veggies.
  5. Transfer to the pie crust.
  6. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes at 350F.
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Enthusiastic Eater, Joyful Updates Tagged With: broccoli, dinner, eggplant, fall, greens, leeks, onions, potatos, squash, summer, tomato

Hey, I’m Chef Hollie!

Here at JoyFoodly we help families joyfully eat more fruits and veggies each season. I am passionate about helping parents feel good about the food they feed their kids.

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The information on this website is designed for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use the information found on this website to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare providers (such as a pediatric dietitian) with any questions regarding a medical condition, nutritional issue or any eating/feeding problem.