We got fed

Date: October 7

Recipe: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/one-pot-creamy-broccoli-orzo-dish/

Modifications: I think I followed the instructions pretty closely here.

Time to table: 30-45 minutes or so

Servings: I can’t remember how much leftover we had, but it certainly served us all for dinner.

Erin: Like

Ben: Like

Kids: All really enjoyed

Notes: This was nothing fancy but pasta + cheese + veggies is a win in our house. I really hate handling raw chicken too much so I think if I made this again I’d cook the chicken separately in the instant pot and mix in at the end.

Date: October 23

Recipe: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/vegetarian-cajun-chow-mein/

Modifications: Used angel hair pasta because I couldn’t find chow mein noodles. Didn’t have oyster sauce so I used red chili sauce instead (not at all the same thing I realize but it tasted good)

Time to table: 30-45 minutes or so

Servings: 2-3 adults

Erin: Like

Ben: Like

Kids: Didn’t even bother giving them this one

Notes: Ben was skeptical but he really liked this one. This was excellent and I wish it made more so we had leftovers!

Date: September 2

Recipe: https://pinchofyum.com/roasted-cauliflower-burrito-bowls

Modifications: Didn’t really follow the recipe exactly, but the idea is a great one! We had:

Roasted Cauliflower tossed in taco seasoning, Rice, Black beans/corn mixed and sauteed, chopped lettuce, green onions, sour cream, cheese, avocado, salsa

Time to table: 30 minutes or so

Servings: As written I’m sure it’d be around 4-5 adults

Erin: Love

Ben: Like

Kids: Like (they’d strongly prefer meat to the roasted cauliflower but they don’t hate it so that’s a win)

Notes: This was the veggie forward meal we needed after the last 12 days of State Fair/end of summer excess

Date: July 11, 2019

Recipe: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/peachy-chipotle-chicken-tortilla-avocado-rice-salad-fried-halloumi/#bo-recipe

Modifications: Did not use halloumi cheese, it was $$$$, used feta instead (did not fry it either), used quinoa for the rice. I added some massaged kale in addition to the greens because I had it available. Topped with pumpkin seeds and fried tortilla strips, and fresh basil.

Time to table: Once again, forever. I even had the quinoa pre-cooked!

Servings: I think as written it’d probably be 4-5 adults – I kind of loosely doubled and had 8 women and we had a few lunches worth of leftovers.

Erin: Love

Notes: Like the last salad, this really is awesome but it takes awhile to prepare. Certainly more satisfying in the end though!

Date: July 7, 2019

Recipe: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/southwest-mango-kale-quinoa-chopped-salad/#bo-recipe

Modifications: Used pumpkin seeds in the dressing instead of sunflower seeds. I only used one bunch of kale because the one I had was huge. Used frozen corn.

Time to table: A million years. Am I the slowest cook ever? It’s possible. The link said 20 minutes which is a JOKE – it took me about an hour, but I did cook the quinoa (but then continued chopping while it cooked), and then I also fried the tortilla strips but really – 20 minutes?! No.

Servings: 4 adults

Erin: Like+

Ben: Like

Kids: Tolerated the modified version I made for them.

Modified kid version – more quinoa, black beans, red pepper, corn, kale chopped up more than in ours, and avocado kind of mashed up and mixed in instead of left in chunks. Used cheddar cheese in theirs. Omitted the mango (for some reason none of them like it), jalapeno,and didn’t use much of the dressing

Notes: Very hearty and filling salad although there are 50 component parts so it does take quite awhile to prepare.