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BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!

August 2, 2017 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Six years ago, I was struggling with the path my life had taken. I had two very small children, I had left my career working with trauma survivors, and I was doing erratic consulting work that bored me to death. I knew I needed a change and so I wrote an email to my closest friends and former colleagues and asked them a question: “If you could see me doing anything, what would it be?” I encouraged them to be creative, to be crazy, to think outside of the box. Every single person responded, and everyone said the same thing: something with food! As soon as I saw the word food, I knew I had found my answer.

Within the year, I completed a training program to become a health coach and launched The Balanced Kitchen. I had found my true calling! I was able to share my belief that cooking could be a simple, easy, healthy, and delicious part of life. I got to help people who really wanted to eat a healthier diet and cook for themselves and their families, but didn’t know where to begin. In short, I had the best job ever!

Today, I am sharing the latest development in this wonderful, challenging, exciting journey. I am SO excited to announce that I have become the new CEO (and owner) of The Six O’Clock Scramble!

 

What’s The Scramble?

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, The Six O’Clock Scramble, founded and run by the amazing Aviva Goldfarb, is an online meal planning service committed to helping busy people get quick, easy, and delicious meals on the table every night. Aviva and I share the same philosophy: making dinner should be a low stress and enjoyable experience and that family dinners are one of the most rewarding and important opportunities to connect with and nourish the people we love and ourselves!

The Scramble will give me a platform to encourage even more people to get back into the kitchen, to experiment with new tastes and cooking techniques, and to feed their friends and families healthy, delicious meals that are simple to prepare.

 

But What About The Balanced Kitchen?

Some of you may be asking, what will happen to The Balanced Kitchen, to the recipes found here, and to my weekly musings on food, feeding kids, feeding ourselves, and life balance? The answer is twofold: my recipes will stay archived here on The Balanced Kitchen, but my new recipes and posts will all be on The Scramble.

I invite you to join me at The Scramble to continue getting inspiration and ideas for feeding yourself and your family well. In an effort to make that as simple for you as possible, I will be merging my list with The Scramble’s. What this means is that you will continue to receive emails from me from time to time with recipes, cooking ideas, and lots of other opportunities to experiment with cooking and eating, just from The Scramble rather than from The Balanced Kitchen.

 

Join The Scramble Family!

Finally (and perhaps most importantly), as an enticement and in celebration of this big change, I am offering a Friends & Family discount if you’d like to join The Scramble’s meal planning service. I love and believe in this service because it helps to make cooking that much easier and more accessible. So, if getting a meal plan delivered to your inbox or phone each week sounds appealing, if a generated-for-you shopping list sounds amazing, if access to a database of over 1,000 carefully curated recipes sounds wonderful, then join us! (And if you aren’t sure we have a 2 week free trial, so there’s no risk!)

Thank you for your support of The Balanced Kitchen over these past years. I have loved carving out my space in the food and cooking conversation. I have loved working with you as clients, meeting you at workshops, and sharing ideas with you online. I look forward to our relationship growing over at The Scramble! Sign up for a free trial now (and use the code FANDF17 to get 25% off all memberships now through August 16th).

Happy Cooking, Happy Eating, and Happy Scrambling!

Filed Under: Baked Goods, Breakfast, Cooking Basics, Cooking with Kids, Culture of Food, Dessert, Dinner, Drinks, Family Dinner, Feeding Kids, Freezer Cooking, Healthy Eating, Life Balance, Lunch, Lunch Box Food, Money, Picky Eaters, Quick Dinners, Sides, Slow Cooker, Snacks, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized Tagged With: changes, meal planning, opportunities, six o'clock scramble, transitions

Recipe Roundup: May and Early June Edition

June 8, 2017 By Jessica Braider 2 Comments

Recipe Roundup: May and Early June Edition

This morning I heard a story on NPR about this guy who realized that he was living a very comfortable, happy life but that one day he realized that his whole life was being lived in a bubble, so he decided that he was going to break out of the bubble by attending randomly selected, open to the public events in his city. It was an inspiring story about breaking out of your comfort zone and trying new things. He talked about how uncomfortable it could be at moments and how there were times when he was tempted to turn around and walk away, but he didn’t, and the outcomes were wonderful. As I listened to his story, I couldn’t help but challenge myself to think carefully about ways in which I do and do not venture outside of my own bubble. In some ways I am an adventurous person, but in others I’m not, and I hope that hearing this story will push me to start exploring some other worlds, even ones that are close by.

If taking a step outside of your comfort zone sometimes involves cooking, then I’ve got some great recipes for you in this Recipe Roundup! The first two recipes in the Roundup came about because one of my clients gave me some homemade goat milk paneer (Indian cheese) and since Saag Paneer is one of my all-time favorite dishes, I jumped at the chance to make it for the first time, so an Indian dinner was in the cards. The waffle recipe is a game changer if you are a fan of waffles that are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. And the Southwestern Spinach and Black Bean Dip is likely to become a go-to in our house. Are you ready to step out of your bubble and try a new recipe?

Image courtesy of Food Network

Saag Paneer: Spinach with Indian Cheese after poking around online for a while I settled on this recipe because it seemed to be the most manageable. Instead of using frozen spinach I used spinach from my farm share, I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and I skipped the chili pepper in the hopes that my boys would be more open to eating it. Other than those modifications, I followed the recipe closely and the outcome was AMAZING. I could have eaten it for a week straight. My boys still weren’t convinced, but did eat the little bit that they each had on their plate, and my husband loved it almost as much as I did.

Make again? Absolutely and soon!!

Image courtesy of Food.com

Potato Curry with Peas and Carrots I made this to accompany the Saag Paneer because I was confident that my boys would enjoy it, and I was right. I found the directions on this recipe to be a little vague for my taste, but I have made enough curries that I could figure it out. It did take longer than I had anticipated, but the flavors were fantastic and it was relatively simple to make.

Make again? Yes. But I’ll probably type up my own directions to follow. Maybe I’ll post that recipe sometime soon…

 

 

Image courtesy of Inspired Taste

Best Homemade Waffle Recipe I stumbled upon this recipe last weekend as I was trying to find a waffle recipe that only required one egg. The secret ingredient in this recipe is cornstarch and I have to say that I am a convert! I made this recipe using spelt flour instead of all purpose flour, to add some whole grain heft, and they were still light and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. All four of us LOVED these waffles. Two quick notes: 1) the batter is much runnier than any other waffle batter I have ever made and seemed to require more batter per waffle, so be prepared and 2) I will never make a single batch of this recipe again. Even for my family of four, this recipe was barely enough for breakfast and I guarantee you will want leftovers for the freezer.

Make again? Yes! This is going to be my new go-to waffle recipe!

Southwestern Spinach Black Bean Dip I made this to take as a side dish to a taco night at a friend’s house. Instead of canned corn I used frozen and I added a bunch more spice, but other than that I followed the recipe. It was delicious, filling, and packed with spinach. It also makes a TON! We gorged on it and there was still a lot leftover, which I then mixed with some leftover chicken to make a variation on my baked chimichangas, which were the biggest hit of the week in my house.

Make again? Definitely and definitely will turn the leftovers into baked chimichangas again, too!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dinner, Family Dinner, Feeding Kids, Freezer Cooking, Healthy Eating, Sides, Snacks, Uncategorized Tagged With: curries, dips, Indian, mexican, recipe roundup, vegetarian, waffles

My Favorite Summer Picnic Recipes

May 25, 2017 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

My Favorite Summer Picnic Recipes

This morning, as I was driving home after dropping my kids off at school, I heard an interview with Samin Nosrat who just wrote a book called Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat*, which I am SUPER excited to read (just got it for my birthday, woo hoo!). In the interview she was recounting a memory from her childhood in San Diego of coming out of the ocean after hours of swimming, ravenous and then greeted by her mother’s perfect beach snack—cucumbers and feta wrapped in lavash bread with frozen grapes or watermelon slices on the side. As I listened to her recount this wonderful, summer memory, I was myself taken back to my own favorite beach meal memories from childhood. How amazing those sandwiches my parents made tasted, even with the sand mixed in, how sweet and juicy the fruit seemed to be, and also how those meals shared over a towel on the sand always felt so special.

So in honor of Memorial Day Weekend and the official start of summer, I thought I would share some of my favorite summer picnic foods:

Flexible Granola Bar

Simple Grain Salad

Savory Zucchini-Corn Muffins

Simple Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Medley Sandwiches

Smoke Salmon Frittata

Roasted Summer Vegetable Dip

*This page contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product through these links, your cost will be the same but I will receive a small commission to help with operating costs of this blog. I only link to products I personally use, trust, and love. Thanks for your support!

Filed Under: Healthy Eating, Lunch, Lunch Box Food, Sides, Uncategorized Tagged With: Easy, healthy, lunch, picnic, recipes, snacks, summer, Vegetables

Strawberry-Rhubarb-Mint Fizz

May 21, 2017 By Jessica Braider 1 Comment

Strawberry-Rhubarb-Mint Fizz

This month’s Recipe Redux challenge is pushing me out of my comfort zone! We were encouraged to come up with a cocktail/mocktail recipe for May celebrations. While I’m super comfortable combining and experimenting with flavors in a dish, doing so in a cocktail is totally uncharted territory for me.

I decided that I wanted my cocktail to be seasonal and fun and since some members of my family, myself included, have been soaking up as much rhubarb as possible while this seasonal treat is around, I figured it was a natural starting point. I am a big, big fan of sparkling wine and when it comes to celebrating, I will always choose bubbles. So with those two parameters in mind, I set out to create something simple and fun.

This Strawberry-Rhubarb-Mint Fizz is so, SO much fun. It is fizzy and bright, and since the main ingredient is an infused simple syrup, you can make it into a cocktail or a mocktail (my boys have been loving their strawberry-rhubarb soda!). If you have never made a simple syrup before, it is called a simple syrup because it is just that: simple. All you are doing is dissolving sugar in some water, and in this case, some other flavors. The other thing that is great about simple syrup is that it will last for a long time in the fridge, so don’t worry about having to use it all up in one go (or make a huge punch, which would definitely make you the life of the party!).

Oh, and a fun little perk: after you strain your simple syrup you will be left with a sort of fruit puree. Don’t throw it out! If possible, pull out the mint leaves, and then use it as a topping for pancakes, French toast, waffles, yogurt, oatmeal, etc.

So really today you are getting three recipes for the price of one! A simple syrup, a cocktail, and a fruit puree recipe. Cha-ching! I hope that these recipes will bring much happiness and laughter to your celebrations this season!

Strawberry-Rhubarb-Mint Fizz
 
Save Print
Prep time
1 min
Cook time
25 mins
Total time
26 mins
 
Author: Jessica Braider
Recipe type: Drinks
Ingredients
  • For Simple Syrup:
  • ¾ cup chopped rhubarb
  • ¾ cup whole strawberries (fresh or frozen)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup water
  • 8 large mint leaves
  • For Fizz:
  • 4 oz dry sparkling white wine
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry-rhubarb-mint simple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
Instructions
  1. For Simple Syrup: Place all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is totally collapsed. Pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer, or a regular strainer lined with a cheesecloth, and gather the syrup into a bowl or jar. Put it into the refrigerator to chill, then put the fruit puree into a sealed container and save for breakfast!
  2. For Fizz: Pour the sparkling wine into your champagne flute, add the simple syrup, and brandy, if using, and then give it a very gentle stir to combine. Celebrate!
3.5.3226

recipe-redux-linky-logo

Filed Under: Drinks, Uncategorized Tagged With: cocktail, drinks, mint, mocktail, rhubarb, strawberry

Recipe Roundup: March Edition

March 30, 2017 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

Recipe Roundup: March Edition

I’m back with another edition of The Recipe Roundup! This month’s recipes were super successful, so I am excited to share several quick, easy, and tasty recipes to add to your rotation!

…

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Filed Under: Dinner, Family Dinner, Feeding Kids, Healthy Eating, Lunch Box Food, Quick Dinners, Slow Cooker, Uncategorized Tagged With: chicken, Easy, greek, healthy, lamb, noodles, pita, pizza, recipe roundup, slow cooker

The Recipe Roundup: What I made, what worked, what didn’t

March 2, 2017 By Jessica Braider 4 Comments

The Recipe Roundup: What I made, what worked, what didn’t

As you likely know, more than anything my goal with my business and this blog is to help make cooking accessible. So today I am starting a new feature on the blog that I will offer periodically called: The Recipe Roundup.

With this series I want to give you an honest account of what worked in my kitchen and what didn’t. I’ll share ways that I simplified recipes, ways I adjusted them, how easy or hard I thought they were, and, most importantly, how they turned out. My hope is that this series will show some of the practical tricks you can use to simplify and modify recipes but that it will also exemplify how flexible, creative, and fun cooking can be, even when things don’t turn out as planned…

So without further ado, here’s my first installment of The Recipe Roundup…

Read More »

Filed Under: Cooking Basics, Dinner, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized Tagged With: cooking, Easy, healthy, recipe review, recipe roundup

2016 Round-Up: Best Recipes and Posts to Inspire and Feed You

December 29, 2016 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

2016 Round-Up: Best Recipes and Posts to Inspire and Feed You

2016-wrap-up

The end of year is often a great time to take stock of what we have learned and how we have grown and changed. This year has been a big one for The Balanced Kitchen and I am so grateful to all of you for joining me on this journey to make cooking simple and delicious! In an effort to inspire you to get 2017 off to a delicious and happy start, I wanted to share with you the most popular posts and recipes this year. Enjoy and Happy New Year! Here’s to a joyful, delicious, and healthy 2017!…

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Filed Under: Cooking Basics, Culture of Food, Dinner, Family Dinner, Feeding Kids, Healthy Eating, Life Balance, Lunch Box Food, Picky Eaters, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

2016 Holiday Gift Guide

December 1, 2016 By Jessica Braider 2 Comments

2016 Holiday Gift Guide

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As you know, my goal is to help to make cooking more approachable, manageable, and, hopefully, enjoyable. I want to help to make cooking a natural and stress-free part of your daily life. So when I put my holiday gift guide together each year I am not thinking about the coolest gadgets or the hottest new cooking tool, instead I want to help you find the best, hopefully affordable, kitchen supplies that will help to turn your kitchen into a place you enjoy, a place where you want to spend at least a little time, a place where delicious things are made. So this year I am sharing the tools that I couldn’t live without, tools that have made my cooking life happier and more productive. So add these ideas to your own wishlist or get them for someone you love and then enjoy delicious meals for years to come!…

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Filed Under: Cooking Basics, Uncategorized Tagged With: cooking, cooking tools, gifts, holiday, home cooking

3 Simple Steps to Take Now to Prepare for the Holiday Season

October 27, 2016 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

3 Simple Steps to Take Now to Prepare for the Holiday Season

We are on the edge of the holiday abyss. That time of year when there is so much happening and so much to do that we can easily lose track of our own self-care. Ironically, it is the time of year when we most need to be feeding ourselves well in order to fight off colds, flus, and other nasty bugs and yet we often find ourselves grabbing take out an extra time (or two or three or five) a week or falling back on convenience foods that we know don’t make us feel that great but are easy and comforting when we are feeling stressed. Yup, we are on the edge of that time. Ugh.

In years past I have shared recipes (like this, this, this, and this) and tricks (like these and these) that can help to boost ourselves up at these stressful times, but this time around I want to get super practical, people. I want to share with you what I decided was going to be the most helpful for me and it isn’t sexy or glitzy, but I am pretty darn sure that it is going to save my butt in the weeks to come… I am organizing and stocking up….

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Filed Under: Freezer Cooking, Life Balance, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized Tagged With: holiday, pantry, self care, staples

Roasted Summer Vegetable Dip

September 8, 2016 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

Roasted Summer Vegetable Dip

We came home this week from our extended trip to Colorado to an overwhelming amount of produce to take care of. So in addition to getting the kids back into the swing of things at school and getting back into my normal rhythms, I have been trying to preserve lots of summer fruits and vegetables. To use up tomatoes, peppers, and other summer vegetables I usually go with a huge vat of skillet tomato sauce and then freeze the extra for the winter, but this year I wanted to try some else as well: roasted summer vegetable dip.

When I was a teenager one of my favorite meals was ratatouille. My mom would make it every summer and I would be in heaven for days (it gets better over time as the flavors continue to mix with each other). One summer we had some friends coming over for dinner and wanted to come up with a quick appetizer. We ended up pureeing leftover ratatouille, spreading it on thin slices of French bread, and toasting it with some fresh mozzarella on top. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

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This recipe is a simplified version of that same deliciousness, because honestly when you are overwhelmed by the amount of produce threatening to go bad on your counter, or by general life craziness, who has time to stand over the stove keeping an eye on the ratatouille? With this recipe you jut roughly chop, throw it in the oven, and puree when everything is cooked. Pretty easy!…

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Filed Under: Dinner, Freezer Cooking, Healthy Eating, Sides, Uncategorized Tagged With: dip, Easy, eggplant, freezer, healthy, onion, sauce, tomato, zucchini

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Jessica Braider

Hi! I'm Jessica. I love delicious food that is simple and easy. As a busy mom, I am always on the lookout for ways to make life easier and tastier! Read More…

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