Author: anonymousphenomenalwoman

French Onion Soup is one of the coziest comfort foods and every year around this time I just can’t get enough of it.

Caramelizing the onions is key to getting a rich flavor but requires patience. My breville food processor slices the onions so quickly that it compensates fairly for the time lingering near the stove to occasionally stir and make sure the onions brown but don’t burn.

This favorite recipe is, of course, by genius Pamela Salzman. It’s simple, not a massive dump of butter, but does not at all compromise the flavor.

I wanted to make a special birthday brunch for my boy that was NOT donuts or pancakes or ordinary waffles. Something different and surprising. With apples in season, I thought a Dutch baby would do the trick. Added whipped cream and birthday confetti sprinkles to guarantee the kids would love it!

Starring homemade pickled jalapeños and radishes.

And she lived happily ever after.

No fancy recipe here, just my favorite method for making beets. For years, I only boiled, then slipped their skins off under cold running water. What a fool I’ve been! Roasting in parchment paper makes the skins so sweet they’re edible. Bonus nutrition points. Leave the “tails” on, too, and they’ll crisp up like a chip.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub eat beet with a bit of olive oil and place on one half of a large sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 3 tablespoons of water (for 6 beets) and roll and crimp the edges of the paper to form a pocket. Make sure no liquid can escape. Roast for 45-90 mins depending on the size and quantity of beets. (6 large will take 90mins. 3 small at 40min.)

The salty/sweet skins on these bad boys were so good, not all made it to their intended destination – beet tacos on the menu later this week!

Finding a recipe that’s clean, quick, easy, nourishing, hearty and can be made in one bowl and one pan is pretty miraculous. It also just so happens that I always seem to have these ingredients on hand. And when it’s this delicious, it becomes a weekly menu rotation.

I’ve enjoyed this healthy take on an Indian samosa for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

These sticky, sweet and spicy beans may not be what you’d think of when you’re looking for a snack. But, I’ve polished off a plate like this twice in the last two weeks just because I was craving them.

This recipe is so simple I had it down without looking at the recipe by the 3rd time, and it’s well worth buying the cookbook.

How have I never tried this before?

Cantaloupe meets blender. Pure love. End of story.

Have you tried this trendy healthy ice cream recipe yet?

It’s just puréed frozen bananas in a vitamix, but I’ve been having fun experimenting with flavors.

Tonight was mint chocolate chip. I can’t believe I happened to have some peppermint extract leftover from a time I made homemade thin mints (which was years ago, but now that I’m remembering how amazing they were, will make and post those soon!) I also had some liquid chlorophyll supplement (yeah, I dunno either!) for that shamrock shake green color. Threw in some dark chocolate chunks after blending and then back into the freezer until after dinner for dessert!

Not gonna lie- I may have underestimated the potency of the peppermint extract. I added quite a bit more than the 1/8 teaspoon this recipe called for! I thought it was fantastic but the kids found it a little “spicy!” Second attempt will be better than the real deal.

Eggplant is underrated. Divisive. A bitter veg not everyone has the taste for. But there’s one simple technique that changes everything: Wash. Slice. Layout on paper towels and cover with salt. Let it sit. Flip and repeat. No bitterness or spongey consistency. You’re welcome. Now this more intensive and time consuming process:

How good? The kids loved it and I’m not ashamed to say I ate the leftovers cold.

I’m sure this is a very Americanized version of the traditional recipe, but the meaning of the word Okonomi translates to “how you like” or “what you like” (yaki = cooked) so let’s just enjoy…

This is one of those meals I get a little obsessed/addicted to. I can’t say the kids share my love but a big batch keeps in the fridge and reheats well!

Have you tried? How do you like yours?