Meal Inspiration // December 27 - Jan 2

Huevos Rotos, Apple + Arugula Salad, Snacking Platter, Chicken Provencal, Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens, and a Fancy Drink for New Years!

Hello! Welcome to the very first “meal inspiration” email for Family Scripts. The newsletter with the activity ideas, parenting pep talk, etc. will come in tomorrow 😊

This isn’t a full 21-meal plan because most people need more flexibility than that, but hopefully it’s adequate inspiration for you to make some simple meals from scratch this week that everyone will enjoy. Most recipes are easily adaptable for plant-based and low-carb diets.

We don’t typically give measurements because it’s very empowering to learn to cook quickly and use the ingredients that you have. You can honor the taste preferences of your family by adjusting ingredient and spice proportions to what they like best. But if you need more details, usually there’s a recipe link that you can click on that will take you to another site.

Also, we always try to consolidate ingredients so you have minimal food waste and a lower grocery bill. The shopping list is at the bottom.

Oh, and please reply to this email and let us know how we can do this better! Enjoy!

Breakfast

Huevos Rotos

This satisfying meal adapted from Ali Slagle’s recipe in NYT Cooking should be a great quick breakfast. This recipe is vegetarian, but if you want to add some protein, chorizo would work great.

1. In a cup, pour water and olive oil with a 3:1 ratio. (For example, 1 cup of water for 1/3 c of oil for two pounds of potatoes.) Add smoked paprika and red pepper flakes for some heat as well as salt and pepper.

2. Put plenty of new potatoes (the small ones with thin skins) into a large skillet, pour the oil mixture over them, and bring to a boil.

3. Cover the skillet and cook on high until potatoes are tender, only about 7 to 10 minutes. Then uncover and turn the heat to low.

4. Arrange the potatoes so they’re all in an even layer, then add finely chopped onion and garlic and cook about 4-6 more minutes.

5. Stir the potatoes and add more oil if they’re sticking. Make space for some eggs and crack them into each. Cover and cook until the eggs are done to your taste. If your kids hate runny eggs, you can always scramble them a little.

6. Serve with lemon wedges.

Lunch

Apple and Pecan Arugula Salad

Combine arugula, thinly sliced apples, thinly sliced red onion, dried cranberries, and some candied pecans (optional.)
For the dressing, combine juice from 1 large lemon (about 3 Tbsp), 1 Tbsp maple syrup, a pinch of salt and pepper, and 3 Tbsp olive oil.

Recipe adapted from The Minimalist Baker.

Dinners

Snacking Platter

This is perfect for New Year’s Eve or a laidback evening of Christmas break. Use whatever you have, but make sure there’s lots of color.
It helps to make a little “river” of cheese or nuts that can sort of be like a divider from wet foods and dry foods. And because it looks cool.
Pressing pieces of salami onto the rim of a glass in layers and then turning it upside down will make an impressive rose that will add instant beauty to your board.
Little cups of jam or salsa are nice touches, too. you can take a sturdy Dixie cup and cut off the top part of the rim so you can avoid washing a bunch of tiny dishes.

Roasted Chicken Provençal

The family’s impatience levels are going to be at a maximum as you all smell this meal for the long hour while it bake. It’s worth it.
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge them in flour and shake off excess flour.
3. Swirl oil in a large roasting pan or cookie sheet, and add fresh garlic, sliced lemon, shallots (optional), and any vegetables you want to cook. Cut them all up to be about the same size so they cook at the same time. You want to be able to arrange them in a single layer, though. (Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, etc. do particularly well here.)
4. Season generously with more salt, pepper, lemon juice, and an “herbes de provence” seasoning blend. Try to find one that has lavender in it. The Trader Joe’s blend is excellent. Local spices are best if you can get them; we like Alchemy Spice Co. Mix everything together with your hands so it’s all well-seasoned and slightly oiled. (Remember that the chicken will render a lot of fat to cook the vegetables.)
5. Pour in some dry vermouth. Or you can use a mixture of vinegar/chicken broth/lemon juice that you think will taste good. (Don’t overdo the vinegar.)
6. Bake for 25 minutes, stir, then another 25 minutes or so. Garnish with fresh herbs if you have them.
7. Enjoy this delicious feast of a meal. We’ve made this many times and there have never been leftovers of the chicken.

Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

This meal is a New Year’s tradition that apparently has roots in both Jewish and West African traditions that came together in the American south. (This article goes in-depth about its history!)
We adapted this recipe from The Minimalist Baker; stovetop and canned-bean options are on their site. But here’s a chance to use the shiny new Instant Pot you might’ve gotten for Christmas 😉

1. Turn on the “Saute” setting and add olive oil and diced sweet onion. Cook for about 5 minutes.

2. Add diced bell pepper (optional) and minced garlic and saute for another minute.

3. Add 1 1/4 c dry black-eyed peas (no need to soak) and 4 c chicken broth. Season with bay leaves (optional), smoked paprika, cayenne, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), salt and pepper, and liquid smoke if you have it. You could also add a ham hock or some cooked bacon. Stir together.

4. Chop collard greens or kale or spinach into bite-sized pieces and place on top. Press “Pressure Cook” and cook on high for 20 minutes. Allow to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes.

5. Remove bay leaves, stir, and check the flavors. Add anything you need until it’s just right.

6. Though this meal is good on its own, it goes well with rice, a baked potato, or cornbread. Enjoy!

Treat

Kid-Friendly “Champagne”

Combine sparkling grape juice and frozen grapes for a fancy drink to ring in the new year. Serving it in a fancy glass like a champagne flute makes a big difference; you can often find them at Dollar Tree or in thrift stores.

Exercise

This 20-minute cardio is nuts. Even if you can’t get through the whole thing, your heart will be pumping immediately and it’s worth a few of your minutes.
Here’s a 12-minute yoga flow that will give you some really deep stretches and build strength.

Story Prompt

Tell a story or draw a picture about someone who gets to travel through time once a year, every year, at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

You can have your kids do this when you need them to be busy, or you can tell a story while you’re sitting around the table…or both :) Send us some stories and pictures your family comes up with!

Grocery List

Below is a visual list that you can save to your phone.

Or, if you prefer simple text to copy-and-paste somewhere, here’s that:

Eggs
Cheeses for a snacking platter
Extra-virgin olive oil
Maple syrup
Nuts + crackers for a snacking platter
Dry vermouth
Dry black-eyed peas
Chicken broth
Soy sauce or coconut aminos
Sparkling grape juice
New potatoes (small, thin-skinned)
Onions
Garlic
Lemons
Arugula
Apples
Vegetables for roasting (carrots, green beans, etc.)
Collard greens
Grapes
Chicken thighs
Ham hock or bacon
Smoked paprika
Red pepper flakes
Herbes de provence
Cayenne
Optional for huevos rotos: chorizo
Optional for salad: red onion, dried cranberries, candied pecans
Optional for snacking platter: salami, jam, salsa, veggies, hummus

Please send us pictures of the meals you made! May your kitchen produce many wonderful things to nourish bodies and delight palettes this week!