10-Minute Flounder Bake & The 10-Day Cooking Challenge

July 30, 2015 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

Up until very recently one of the things that made me the most nervous in the kitchen was fish. I was terrified of messing it up. It felt so fragile and finicky. I was terrified that I would undercook it and I was terrified that I would overcook it. And, if I am being completely honest, there are certain fish that still scare me a little. But as I have experimented and tried different things out I have learned a couple of things:

Simple seasoning works well! Complicated marinades can be great but are not necessary. If you’ve got salt, pepper, and some lemon. You’re good to go.
The broiler or a hot oven is your friend. Quick, high heat cooking works really well for fish because it doesn’t dry it out.

The recipe I am sharing with you today is a great example of both of those rules. Just a little seasoning and a super quick, hot heat and dinner is ready! This recipe is so easy and so quick that it is perfect for those evenings when you get home late and aren’t sure what to do for dinner. Other than having the ingredients on hand, it requires no pre-planning, since you can cook the fish from frozen, yes frozen! And anyone can make it! Really!…

Savory Zucchini Corn Muffins

July 16, 2015 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

Zucchini and all summer squash are at their peak right now. They are everywhere. The farmer’s markets and farm share baskets are full of them and they are on super sale in the grocery stores. Given their abundance I have been on the search for new and different ways to cook with them. I’ve sautéed, roasted, and grilled them. I’ve added them to sauces, casseroles, and sweet breakfast muffins. But this week I decided to try something different: a savory muffin. And boy am I glad I did!

These muffins are simple, flexible, and delicious. They are wonderful as a side dish with a cold summer soup, like gazpacho (here is a great, super simple recipe), or with a big salad. They’d be wonderful with a light chili made in the crock pot, so your house doesn’t get too hot. And they’d make a great addition to a barbeque or picnic….

Roasted Broccoli

July 2, 2015 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

One of the foods that I recommend most often to clients is roasted vegetables. For the busy cook, they are great because they are easy to make, very forgiving in terms of cooking time, and can be made in bulk and then used throughout the week in various dishes.

I also love them for how versatile they are. You can use them on their own as a side dish or include them in a huge variety of dishes including omelets, pastas, grain salads, pizzas, quesadillas, wraps, grilled cheese/paninis, stir fries. And you can flavor them in various ways–salt and pepper, indian spices, chili powder, parmesan, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and bread crumbs are just a few of our favorite ways to have them….

Slow Cooker Spring Vegetable Minestrone

April 30, 2015 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days longer, getting around to making dinner is getting tougher and tougher. The pull to stay outside, to be out and about is just so strong. So I have been making a lot of dinners that can either be cooked very quickly, 5-20 minutes, on the stove or in the pressure cooker (my latest toy), or I have made one-pot dishes that can be prepared in the slow cooker.

So this week I want to share a new favorite in our house, a minestrone that takes advantage of the spring vegetables that are abundant at this time of year. I love this recipe because it is so quick to throw together, can withstand extra time in the slow cooker if needed, is chock-full of vegetables, and tastes like spring. My kids love it because it is cheesy, colorful, has noodles, and they can pick and choose their favorite veggies as they make their way through their meal….

Spinach Pesto and the Power of Preparing Foods in New Ways

April 2, 2015 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

I am currently co-teaching a cooking class to a group of 6-9 year olds. Our goals have been helping all of the kids to gain confidence in the kitchen, introducing them to new healthy foods, and exploring new foods and food preparations.

Over the course of the past weeks we have been working with them to be open to trying new foods, even if the foods being offered are ones that they would normally be resistant to eating. We have done this in a few ways….

Condiments: The Gateway Drug of Foods

March 31, 2014 By Jessica Braider Leave a Comment

I’ve been reading a ton recently on different approaches to feeding our kids. There are so many theories out there about the best ways to introduce new foods, the best ways to encourage kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, and the best ways to help selective/picky eaters to overcome their challenges with foods. It can be a bit overwhelming if you are struggling and looking for answers. So I want to share one trick that I have used time and time again with my kids that has helped. Now, this is not a cure all, but it might be a little something to add to your toolbox, no matter what issue you are dealing with. The trick is: condiments.

Now when we think condiments our minds immediately go to ketchup, mayo, and mustard, which are fine, although should probably be used sparingly due to added sugars, etc., but what I’m talking about here is condiments in the wider sense. I mean the oils, vinegars, grated cheeses, spices, pickles, and sauces. These are things that I often have on the table at dinner so that my kids can make their meal their own. This allows them to gain some control over what they are eating, it can make it fun, and it can help them to mask some of the flavors they might not be crazy about.

When I offer these, I try as much as possible to truly let them have the control and do it themselves. This gives them a sense of independence and excitement about making their food. I do have to confess, though, that when it comes to salt I often have a hand hovering over to swoop it out of the way when it gets to be too much.

Here are some ways that they have used condiments in recent meals:

Parmesan cheese on almost anything—roasted or sautéed vegetables, pastas, meat, etc.
Paprika on vegetables, risottos, stews, soups
Soy sauce (extra) on stir fry
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar on salads, veggies, potatoes, and meat.
Oregano on pastas and pizzas
Cinnamon on yogurt, waffles, and pancakes
Salt and pepper on almost anything.

So next time your little one starts to dig in his or her heels about the food on the table, before you get to the tension, deal making, begging, pleading, cajoling, and insisting, try light-heartedly offering some toppings to experiment with.

The Balanced Kitchen

Time for food. Time for Life.