Go-To Meal # 4---Eggplant "Parmesan"

So did you know that parmesan cheese is actually NOT vegetarian? Ya, turns out it isnt. So I guess this should be called Eggplant in the Parmesan Style. There are some vegetarian options out there if you want a similar type of cheese, only without the enzyme that comes from cow stomach. So consider yourself educated, parmesan cheese = not vegetarian. I nixed it in favor of nutritional yeast, which I think is a nice replacement. 

I can't post this recipe without giving a shout out to everyone's favorite female guest blogger, Celia from http://eatscreamcry.blogspot.com/. She whipped this up one weekend senior year of college while we were all living together.  Although my recipe differs from her, it would not have come to be without her divine influence! This dish is incredibly versatile, it can be made in advance and be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for a few weeks. It is also a nice dish to prepare for a friend who has too much going on in life to make dinner (new baby, sick family member etc.), just give them a jar of sauce and your favorite pound of dry pasta and it is one less thing they have to worry about for a night.

Go-To Meal #3--- Penne with Tomatoes, Arugula and Goat Cheese

Ah California, let me count the ways I love you. Number one has to be the sheer number of farmers' markets scattered throughout LA. Pick a day and chances are there is a farmers' market close by that you can go explore. We have a great farmers' market close by in Encino every Sunday morning, one on the way home from work on Wednesdays, and one right next to work Friday afternoons. Last week another one started up on Saturday mornings...walking distance from the condo. Dangerous. I don't want to lecture you on buying local, but aside from helping save the planet, it is also cheaper. Also every farmers' market has a unicorn that grants wishes.

A few words on goat cheese. Delicious? Yes. Does it kind of gross me out when I think of where it comes from? Yes. Why?  Probably because one of my neighbors growing up had goats that started bleating at 5AM.  Perhaps it's because bleating goats sound strangely similar to crying babies. It also could have something to do with having their rectangular pupils staring at me while I waited for the bus every morning...surely I don't know, I'm just guessing.  What I do know is that I can't think about where the cheese comes from when I eat it. I try to focus on the deliciousness instead. There is a great goat cheese seller at our farmers' market, and it is unbelievably fresh...something like the goats are milked on Monday and made into cheese to be sold on Saturday.  You can literally taste the crying babies..it's that fresh.

So when it comes to delicious, easy, and cheap...this recipe takes the proverbial cake. The majority of the ingredients can be picked up at a the farmers market, it takes about 15 minutes to make, and is great hot or cold!

Go-to meal #2---Chickpea Chickn'

So this isn't chicken. It doesn't look like chicken and it certainly doesn't taste like chicken.  However there really isn't anything else to call it, so I call it chickn'. I could call it a chickpea cashew patty but that sounds strange, even if it is exactly that. So this recipe may seem a little involved, but it yields a decent amount of protein patties...and it's so easy to double it is kind of a crime if you don't. I have an 11 cup food processor, so it doesn't have quite enough room to double it at once...but since the food processor is already dirty, I just do a quick second batch. If you do this on a lazy sunday afternoon you'll have enough to feed four people for four nights! It freezes perfectly and defrosts in only about 1 hour.  

Also I forgot to mention that it is kind of amazing for you? Chick-peas are high in zinc, folic acid, protein and fiber.  Its also got the nutritional yeast going on and the miso. Cashews, like all nuts are high in fat, but it's unsaturated fat. You also eat less than a handful of nuts per patty!


The other great thing about this chickn' is that you can use it in so many ways. I have a good shot that Jordan took of a chickn' parmesan I made the other night, so I had to include it. I've also used it as a chickn' picatta style dish, and yes I used capers...I've also come around to liking those. Anyway it's a go-to.

Go-to meal #1---Black Bean Tacos with Homemade Guacamole

So the only way I can conceivably cook healthy meals 4-5 times a week is by having a couple go-to meals that I rotate in and out of my weekly menu. They are all favorites of the crew, affordable, and healthy.

Go-to meal #1 is Black Bean Tacos with Homemade Guacamole and is a permanent menu item, and is usually served on Mondays. The first day back to work after the weekend can be such a downer, the last thing I want to do is come home and cook something complicated...if it fails it just seems more devastating than any other day of the week. I like this recipe because its impossible to mess up, its cheap, and insanely affordable. It also gives me the excuse to make guacamole once a week, and I can't help but think about how great it is to live in Southern California. If you aren't as lucky you can omit, or just buy one avocado and mash it up with some lime!