Vegan BBQ Sloppy Joes (with Creamy Coleslaw)
Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, which means one of my FAVORITE food seasons is here! I’m a July baby, which means I was put on this earth for burgers, corn on the cob, peaches, pasta salad, BBQ chicken, and vanilla cones. I’ll just be here absolutely blissed out until October, when it all becomes pumpkin-flavored (and then I’ll still be blissed out).
Something else I love about summer food is that nobody cares if you look like a hot mess eating it – in fact, the messier the better. Barbecue sauce all over your fingers is the ultimate sign of happiness. Ice cream dripping down your arm is adorable. Corn in your teeth is the essence of beauty. Summer is (literally) dripping with nostalgia. Unfortunately, a lot of summer food (and barbecue food, specifically) isn’t inherently plant-based. I myself am not vegan, but I do strive to eat sustainably – and I believe strongly that plant-based eating should not be a barrier to delicious, nostalgic food. This recipe is an answer to that.
Charred Broccoli Hot Honey Pizza (on Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Crust)
Before we begin, I would like to make a statement about cauliflower. *Puts on glasses and pulls out clipboard*
I genuinely love cauliflower. I love the way I feel when I eat lots of veggies, and cauliflower is a versatile option for getting my veggies in. It’s a great blank canvas, and a great addition to things! I present as evidence: frozen cauliflower is shockingly good in smoothies. A well-made cauliflower mash can hold its own as a super delicious side dish. Also, have you ever had really good buffalo cauliflower? Damn.
However, I’d like to preface this post about cauliflower crust pizza by saying that I reject the idea that it’s a “better option” than regular pizza crust. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’ve had this kind of mentality around foods and recipes in the past. But, I’ve been doing a LOT of soul searching in recent years re: diet culture mentality, and with that has come the realization that placing a “moral hierarchy” around food isn’t helpful for anyone. If you can eat plain ol’ pizza crust and you’re in the mood for that, do you! If someone placed a wood-fired pizza in front of me right now, I certainly wouldn’t say no.
That having been said, I am genuinely, unironically a big fan of Trader Joe’s Frozen Cauliflower Crust. I think it’s delicious, period – especially if prepared properly. As a bonus, it’s easy to store for a long time and easy to whip up, making it great for a quick 30-minute meal after a long day of rehearsing or teaching. In this particular recipe, the toppings on this pizza are SO special, and pair really well with the crust. If you’re not a cauli crust person, use something else! Make this with your favorite pizza dough or gluten-free pizza crust and all will be well, I promise.
Autumn Waldorf Chicken Salad (AKA “Falldorf” Chicken Salad)
Excuse me, but I have a bone to pick with time. It’s moving too fast.
After over eighteen months of this global panini, it suddenly feels like the world is holding down the accelerator to get back to “normal” while still figuring out how to drive. Meanwhile, I’m the dad in the passenger seat slamming on imaginary brakes.
I want to get back to living a normal life just as much as the next person, but a tiny part of me doesn’t feel ready. First of all, if I’m being *real* honest and vulnerable, I’m still getting over the heartbreak of watching live music vanish in front of my eyes last March. On the other hand, despite the sadness, I enjoyed being forced to slow down. I have loved not having to live out of a suitcase, getting to actually have weekends, and suddenly having all the time in the world to plan and cook delicious meals. Also, I’ve finally gotten to pursue my dream of turning this blog into a business. NBFD!!!!!
I’m truly not complaining (I’m grateful to have stuff going on), but when your personal and professional schedules suddenly go from zero to sixty, it can be a little scary. But, since there’s not much I can do to slow this transition (it was going to happen eventually!) all I can do is control how I respond.
Naturally, I am responding with food.
Rainbow Cookie Macaroons (Kosher for Passover)
Ok, so… For my own conscience, I should probably come clean about something right off the bat.
*DEEP INHALE* Ihaven’tkeptkosherforPassoversincebeforemyBatMitzvahwhichwasin2005. THERE, I ADMITTED IT. *catches breath*
I’M SORRY!!! I may have a biblical name, but by all accounts, I am as Jew-ISH as they come. That said though, I am very devoted to the traditions I grew up with, with food being very high at the top of that list (duh).
On Passover – as is true for a lot of Jewish holidays – we celebrate our people’s freedom and perseverance by recalling bad stuff that happened to them and then eating a giant meal. First, we sit around a seder table for *hours* nibbling raw horseradish, salty parsley, dry unleavened bread, and hockey pucks made of fish. THEN, after we feel sufficiently grateful (or maybe just hangry?), we stuff our face with delicious brisket and matzo ball soup.
As a whole though, Passover food is underrated in my opinion (gefilte fish notwithstanding 🤢).
Charoset? Low key slaps. Why don’t we eat it all year?
Manischewitz? IYKYK. (P.S. Have you ever seen someone try Manischewitz for the first time? It’s hilarious.)
Matzo? Pretty bland by itself, but a great vehicle for pretty much anything. Also, matzo farfel is superior to most other hot cereals. Don’t @ me.
AND, those chocolate covered jelly rings?!? Everyone hates them but me. The more the merrier, I say!
(All this, and yet I can’t give up pasta for 8 freakin’ days… But it’s what it is.)
My Favorite Shepherd’s Pie
Happy Pi(e) Day! Since I’ve never been great at math, I’m all about celebrating 3/14 with something I AM great at: (edible) pies. While I am known for going all out with my lattice-top pies, I tend to reserve that 4-hour undertaking for the night before Thanksgiving. That’s why today, I figured I’d celebrate with a pie of a different, lower-maintenance breed – My Favorite Shepherd’s Pie!
Before we dive in though, I just want to take this moment to share a piping hot take with you – I think using “The Best” as a superlative for recipes is annoying. THERE, I SAID IT. Before you come for me, I’m not saying there aren’t reasons for it (like, SEO… or the recipe actually being very good). I’m just saying, if you search online for a recipe that is “the best” of its kind, you will undoubtedly be met with a confusing flood of results. How are we supposed to know who’s telling the truth?
Case in point: When you Google “best banana bread,” SO many results come up that the first related search Google suggests is “best banana bread in the world.” I’m not joking. THE PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE SATISFIED IF WE GO ON LIKE THIS.
So instead, I’m going with “My Favorite .”
Who can get mad at that? Even if I was the only person in the world who felt that way, I wouldn’t be wrong.
I also can’t in good conscience profess that this shepherd’s pie is “the best” – because it’s not trying to be. The recipe is non-traditional, so I can’t and don’t want to compare it to any other. It’s just really good – so good that I have found myself making it over and over and over again this year. The filling is juicy and savory, the potato topping is a little bit sweet, a little bit creamy, and a LOT fluffy. Did I mention it reheats well and there are ways to make it ahead?
If you try it, I am sure you will love it. But even if you don’t, the good news is I didn’t claim it was the best, so I DID NOT LIE TO YOU. 😇
