What's Cookin
Recipes to kick the Postmates habit
Hello and Happy New Year!
Unlike Larry David, I like saying Happy New Year for way too long. The freshness and optimism is exciting! I like to set goals, but nothing too hardcore. I don’t really believe in putting even more pressure on ourselves. However, this year, I do have a tough challenge for myself. No Postmates for the month of January! Yep, we’re going Postmates Sober. Hopefully this will crack the habit of ordering out by default on a near daily basis. Convenience is king, but I want to be more conscious for my body and my wallet. I know a lot of us want to ‘be healthy’ this year and cooking more is a great place to start. I’m trying to set myself up for success and get some menus and recipe ideas ready so I don’t panic and get hangry. There’s something so satisfying and meditative about getting your supplies, putting on some music, setting up your mise-en-place and making yourself a meal - made just how you like it! So below are some of my go-to dishes I like to make at home plus my typical grocery list. Because the key to cooking more is having food in the house!
BREAKFAST:
Currently, I’m in a greek yogurt, granola and berries phase coming off of a breakfast taco phase. I make those with scrambled eggs, spinach, avocado, salsa of your choice, and Tehachapi Grain Project tortillas which really take it to the next level. TBH, sometimes I don’t eat breakfast and settle for a morning tea, but I really try to because it helps me avoid becoming a monster by lunchtime.
LUNCH:
Lentil Salad with Radicchio, Cauliflower and Caramelized Onions: Whipped this one up a couple years ago and it’s such a good one to have in the arsenal! The leftovers are endlessly customizable - just add a fried egg or avocado or the protein of your choice!
Frittata: Our weekend brunch special takes on a new role as a quick weekday lunch! Make ahead of time to have on hand. Use whatever veg you like, but my favorite is potato, onions, chard, cherry tomatoes and fontina. I’ve linked my buddy Nik’s video because it helped me step up my frittata game big time.
Fried rice bowl: I’m one of those people who could live on rice. Day old rice is best for this dish. I usually sauté some veg/greens with some onion, garlic, ginger and while that’s cooking, I whisk together a couple eggs in a bowl. I then add the rice to the eggs and mix well and season with salt and pepper. Once the veggies are heated, I make a lil space in the center of the pan and pour the eggs/rice. I stir and let that cook a bit before combining with all the veggies and add a lil dash of soy - Cabi’s Umami Dashi Soy is my fave. Top with avocado, pickles, spicy garlic crisps and fresh herbs!
Soup: I survive on chicken soup from Erewhon. It’s easy to heat up during the day and I am a certified soup freak, so I’m happy to eat this day after day after day. I jazz it up with a squeeze of lemon, dill, cilantro and my beloved Bunkus Bagus sambal goreng. Of course, you can easily make your own brothy delights such as these:
’s Soup with all the Greens, Sophie Dalah’s Lentil Soup with carrot pickle, or the cabbage soup recipe by yours truly below!DINNER:
One Pot Chicken and Rice with Caramelized Lemon and Olives: WOW @grossypelosi knocked it out of the park with this one! I made this the other night and it blew my mind! Absolutely delicious and so flavorful! It was my first time cooking chicken (I didn’t eat meat for over 15 years) and I can’t wait to make this for friends soon. ENJOY!
Donabe with Salmon, daikon and garlic butter miso sauce: Another nourishing and cozy dream recipe from Mrs Donabe. Just be sure to season your salmon with salt as recommended in the recipe! I serve with a healthy sprinkle of shichimi togarashi which is so good and spicy. YUM! If you don’t have a donabe, this works well in a dutch oven too!
Squash, Red Lentil and Coconut Curry: This stew from Hemsley + Hemsley is probably the recipe I’ve made the most in my life! I used to cook this constantly when I lived in NY and I still love it. Really comforting and warming, perfect for winter nights! Also this recipe makes quite a large serving, so it’s good for a group or lunch the next day! Serve with a wedge of lime and plenty of cilantro! Heaven!
Sheet Pan Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Radicchio and Halloumi: I love this recipe from Peter Som - preorder his new cookbook Family Style for more winners! This comes together really easily all on a sheet pan and the flavor combinations are divine! Bitter radicchio, sweet potatoes, salty halloumi! I usually forgo the chickpeas and balsamic drizzle in favor of a tahini dressing.
Cabbage soup: If you are a passionate cabbage lover like me, try whipping this up! Modify as you like: Sautée onions and garlic, then add half a head of chopped cabbage, then add chopped parsley and a dash of curry powder, then pour in some broth of your choice and a can of rinsed chickpeas. Bring it all to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and cook for about 15-20 mins. At the end, add a dash or two of champagne vinegar, trust! Serve topped with dill, lemon, olive oil and a dollop of Sunny’s tahini and with a side of toasted crusty bread - if you’re in LA and you can get your hands on a fresh loaf from
, lucky you!Roast Veg platter: I’m always happy to throw some veggies in the oven. I used this recipe over thanksgiving to help with cooking times/temps, but you can just take it as some suggestions. I usually do cabbage, beets, sweet potatoes, broccoli (coated in a gochujang sauce). You can add a protein of your choice, or stay veggie! Make extra for your lunch the next day. I usually serve with some kind of tahini dressing.
If I have food in the house, I know I can whip up something quicker than the 40-65 minutes estimated by Postmates! I am always fascinated by other people’s fridges and pantry’s, so I thought I’d share my typical grocery list in case it sparks any ingredient inspiration! I also love the concept of the book Chef’s Fridges where some of the finest cooks in the world reveal what they eat at home.
-lemons
-greens: rainbow chard, kale, spinach
-sweet potatoes
-sunny’s tahini
-whole milk (A2)
-eggs
-parmesan
-halloumi
-aromatics: shallots, garlic, onions
-can of coconut milk
-rice
-herbs: cilantro, dill, parsley
-a head of green cabbage
-yogurt
-berries
Thanks as always for being here! Feels exciting to kick off a new year together. Let me know if you too will be forgoing your food delivery app for the month and if you have any favorite recipes to share. Also, if you want to get serious,
has a great newsletter all about meal prepping and healthy menus. Check her out. I’m soaking up the last weekend before real life starts again on Monday. We’ve been watching so many movies, adding Conclave to the list I love! A political thriller set in a Vatican cafeteria?! You had me at Cardinal red. I’ll be back next week with more of my fave spots in NYC.Til then!
xx Michèle
I am eating that lentil salad now! Thank you for suggesting the recipe. I love black lentils in salads and unfortunately discovered that they were black mung beans, which I do not like. (As Creed famously said on The Office, they’re nutritious but smell like death.) I salvaged them with Trader Joe’s cooked lentils, and it’s a great recipe.
This was helpful!!! Definitely added a few of these recipes to my list for the week.