Down Home Cooking

I adore feta cheese – it’s salty, it’s tangy, and it adds a creamy freshness to anything you crumble it over. But that’s where my relationship with feta usually ends – crumbling. I rarely use it in any other way. But not today! This time I thought I’d try something a bit different, and I made roasted feta! I served it over these simple but tasty quinoa bowls, with roasted veggies and an easy pesto dressing. A beautiful, healthy Mediterranean-inspired dinner.

Healthy dinner bowls

A so-called ‘dinner bowl’ is one of my favourite ways to make a healthy dinner. Here’s my general formula:

– start with some kind of carby base – quinoa, rice, couscous, that kind of thing. Sometimes I’ll use roast potatoes, or even mash, if I want a particularly comfort-foody dinner bowl.

– then think about your protein – it can be anything you like. Mix it right through – beans or lentils, tofu, edamame, a meat substitute, nuts, grated cheese – or top your bowls with a ‘feature’ like a fried egg, or this roasted feta.

– next, the all important veggies! I usually just use whatever needs using up in the fridge – or, you can think along a specific theme (Mediterranean veg, that kind of thing).

– and finally, some kind of sauce or dressing. This time I used an easy homemade pesto to stick with the Mediterranean theme, but just choose whatever you think will go best with your ingredients. An Asian-style soy dressing, spicy hot sauce, even a drizzle of vegetarian gravy!

This formula never fails to make a balanced dinner with plenty of yummy bits – just serve it all in a bowl, and dig in.

Make life easy!

I am lazy. Boiling rice, roasting veg, frying tofu… that’s too much prep for me (and too much washing up!). So I always try to make my dinner bowls as straightforward as I can by using the same cooking method for each ingredient.

So if I’m frying my veg in a pan, I’ll throw in some tofu to cook in the same pan.
If I’m boiling some broccoli or rice, I’ll also add some edamame to cook right there with it.

And since I was roasting the veggies for these quinoa bowls, it made sense to make roasted feta too!

Roasted feta cheese

To make this roasted feta, all you need to do is cut the cheese into slabs and pop it right on top of your part-roasted veggies, then return it to the oven for another 20 minutes or so.

Roasted cheese might sound a little unusual, but let me tell you – roasted feta is amazing! It keeps its shape when it cooks, but becomes somehow a little softer and a little firmer at the same time (?! I can’t decide. Just make it). The edges crisp up beautifully, and the tangy flavour mellows a little, making a really nice feature for these quinoa bowls.

Pop it on top of the roasted vegetable quinoa, with plenty of the fresh homemade pesto, and dinner is served! Roasted feta and quinoa bowls – ready!

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/2 of the recipe (one bowlful).

Here’s another healthy vegetarian dinner bowl – my vegan burrito bowls, with quinoa and roasted chickpeas:

My new favorite zucchini cake recipe! This simple, made from scratch, Zucchini Spice Cake is loaded with spices and topped with a sweet cream cheese icing. Applesauce and zucchini make this easy snack cake extra moist and totally delicious. No butter or oil! Love zucchini as much as I do? Make sure to try out this Lemon Zucchini Cake and this Chocolate Zucchini Cake.

Sign up to get my new recipes in your inbox! Follow me on Facebook  and Instagram!

This recipe is sponsored by Almond Breeze.

Zucchini Spice Cake

Y’all know I love my zucchini recipes. I grow zucchini every summer and coming up with new recipes to use that zucchini in is one of my favorite summer activities. Over the years I’ve shared so many amazing zucchini cake recipes, each one a personal favorite of mine.

Today, I think I’ve outdone myself. I took inspiration from my Nana’s to-die for carrot cake and ended up with an incredibly delicious and moist zucchini cake with enough spices to make your mouth go WOW. No oil. No butter. Applesauce does it all and trust me, you won’t miss the oil one bit.

As you well know, it takes a seriously special occasion to get me to make a layered cake and this past week was not one of them lol! I went with a snack cake made in a 9-inch baking dish which perfectly served our sweet tooth while still allowing me to use up some of that zucchini.

I added some toasted walnuts and coconut to the mix because, well, I love them and they pair so beautifully with zucchini. If you are not a fan of one or the other (or both!) you can leave them out, no problem.

I used Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla almondmilk to get the perfect texture in this zucchini spice cake. Using almondmilk instead of water in this cake recipe really adds a lot of delicious flavor and since I keep several cartons on hand for smoothies, it’s an easy option. I used the unsweetened vanilla because I was planning on icing the cake but if you’re not, the regular vanilla would be a good option as well. In fact, the Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend would be PERFECT here too! Almond Breeze Almondmilk is available in both refrigerated and shelf stable so you can keep it on hand in the pantry.

One thing I have failed to mention is the crazy delicious aroma wafting from your oven as this cake is baking. You guys. It was so hard to wait for this baby to cool down… If I hadn’t already set out the cream cheese and butter to soften, I think I would have waited about 30 minutes and just sprinkled the cake with powdered sugar – yum!

That being said, I opted for a quick cream cheese icing to give the zucchini cake a little added sweetness. The icing is super simple: cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and enough Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla almondmilk to get the perfect consistency. Start with a couple tablespoons and add more as needed.

Tips for the Best Zucchini Spice Cake

• Grate the zucchini onto a towel. Wrap up the zucchini and squeeze out all the excess liquid. Make sure you reeeeally squeeze that zucchini – use those muscles! You want as much moisture out as possible before baking.
• I added coconut and toasted walnuts for additional flavor and texture. One or both can be left out of this recipe should you desire. You can also substitute a different nut for the walnuts – pecans would be excellent!
• Line your pan with parchment paper. I like to remove my cake from the pan to slice it. The parchment not only helps the cake bake more evenly, but it also allows for easy removal from the pan.
• This cake is lovely straight from the oven and can be served as is or with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. I opted for a quick cream cheese icing to give it some added sweetness and a pop of color. It also creates a yummy place for the toasted walnuts to stick to.
• My Nana used to top her carrot cake with a sprinkle of chopped, toasted nuts and I love the added texture it gives this cake. It’s easy to do but can also be skipped if you’re in a hurry or don’t like nuts.

I sure hope you give this zucchini spice cake a try!

How To Make Zucchini Cake

More zucchini recipes for my zucchini lovers �

Arguably one of the most popular zucchini recipes I’ve ever shared and with good reason. This Zucchini Quiche is incredibly easy to make and loaded with awesomeness – i.e. bacon AND zucchini. Come get ya some!

This is the bread I make when I want to feel good about myself as a parent. Zucchini, carrots and apples all make their way into this quick bread that doubles as dessert in a pinch. Icing optional.

People doubt this recipe…until they make. Lemon and zucchini make an amazing combination and this zucchini cake recipe proves it. One slice is never enough for this lemon-lover.

For all breakfast recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
Sign up to get emails when I post new recipes!
For even more great ideas follow me on Facebook – Pinterest – Instagram – Twitter – Bloglovin’.

Have a great day!

Guys, I’m so excited for today’s post, because my Foodtography School team and I have been working on something major, and it’s pretty epic!

We’ve come out with something to strengthen your food photography game, like, immediately. Introducing: 5 Custom Lightroom Food Photography Presets!

I’ve always felt strongly that Composition is 51% of a photo, and Editing is 49%. Meaning, how you edit is nearly as important as how you compose a photo.

But editing can be difficult, especially for people just starting out in the food photography world. It’s hard to train your eye to see subtleties, let alone know what you should even be looking for.

So to help you in your food photography journey, I’ve created a bundle of 5 customized Food Photography Presets good for a variety of styles of food photos. Below you’ll find a description of each preset, as well as information on how to upload your presets into Lightroom.

When you’re ready to purchase your food photography presets bundle, click here to go to our payment portal. The cost of the 5 presets is $50. Once you successfully purchase, you’ll get a confirmation email with a downloadable attachment!

Last, a few things to note:

1. With each of these presets, you will still need to play with your white balance. White balance varies dramatically based on the setting in which we are shooting, so I’ve left the white balance un-touched in all of these presets.
2. Exposure will need to be adjusted slightly, based on how you tend to shoot. For example, if you overexpose your photos, you might find these presets too bright. Simply bringing down your exposure should fix this issue.

for the bright and bold type:

This preset creates a light, bright, and contrasty edit. Your photos will have richer colors, bright and blown out highlights, and a lot of clarity. This preset works best on photos with yellows, greens, and blues, and does not work as well with reds and purples.

for the softy:

This preset is defined by a light but muted feel, with soft highlights, milky blacks, and a slight magenta hue. Though this preset lacks tonal contrast, it makes up for it with bold, cooler reds and violet-hued blues. This preset works well with lighter photographs and cooler tones. It does not work as well with darker photographs.

for the drama queen:

This preset makes for a bold food photograph. It creates beautiful separation between lights and blacks, with very deep shadows and soft highlights. Whites are clean and desaturated, and greens pop. It’s great for all colors in the spectrum.

for the golden child:

This food photography preset makes for rich, golden photographs. It creates bright white whites, dark blacks, and muted midtones. This preset is fantastic for reds and oranges, and does not work as well on lighter photos.

for the cool kid:

This preset is excellent for lighter food photography, while still packing a punch. It de-brightens oranges, reds, and blues, and saturates yellows and purples. It is phenomenal for photos with cooler, blue tones, or lighter backgrounds in general.

How to download your Food Photography Presets

OK so first of all, get your presets here.

if you’ve never imported Lightroom presets, you can watch this youtube video here. In addition, here’s how to download and import presets into Lightroom for Mac and PC-

FOR MAC

1. Download your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets folder from your confirmation email.
2. Open Lightroom
3. Go to: Lightroom > Preferences
4. In the Preference popup, go to the “Presets” tab
5. Within the “Presets” tab, under location, click on “Show Lightroom Presets Folder”
6. A folder called “Lightroom” should pop up in your Finder. Double click on it.
7. Within the “Lightroom” folder, find and click on the “Develop Presets” folder
8. Drag your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets into the “Develop Presets” folder
9. Restart Lightroom

FOR PC

1. Download your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets folder from your confirmation email.
2. Open Lightroom
3. Go to: Edit > Preferences > Presets
4. In the Preference popup, go to the “Presets” tab
5. Within the “Presets” tab, under location, click on “Show Lightroom Presets Folder”
6. A folder called “Lightroom” should pop up in your Finder. Double click on it.
7. Within the “Lightroom” folder, find and click on the “Develop Presets” folder
8. Drag your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets into the “Develop Presets” folder
9. Restart Lightroom

Guys, I’m so excited for today’s post, because my Foodtography School team and I have been working on something major, and it’s pretty epic!

We’ve come out with something to strengthen your food photography game, like, immediately. Introducing: 5 Custom Lightroom Food Photography Presets!

I’ve always felt strongly that Composition is 51% of a photo, and Editing is 49%. Meaning, how you edit is nearly as important as how you compose a photo.

But editing can be difficult, especially for people just starting out in the food photography world. It’s hard to train your eye to see subtleties, let alone know what you should even be looking for.

So to help you in your food photography journey, I’ve created a bundle of 5 customized Food Photography Presets good for a variety of styles of food photos. Below you’ll find a description of each preset, as well as information on how to upload your presets into Lightroom.

When you’re ready to purchase your food photography presets bundle, click here to go to our payment portal. The cost of the 5 presets is $50. Once you successfully purchase, you’ll get a confirmation email with a downloadable attachment!

Last, a few things to note:

1. With each of these presets, you will still need to play with your white balance. White balance varies dramatically based on the setting in which we are shooting, so I’ve left the white balance un-touched in all of these presets.
2. Exposure will need to be adjusted slightly, based on how you tend to shoot. For example, if you overexpose your photos, you might find these presets too bright. Simply bringing down your exposure should fix this issue.

for the bright and bold type:

This preset creates a light, bright, and contrasty edit. Your photos will have richer colors, bright and blown out highlights, and a lot of clarity. This preset works best on photos with yellows, greens, and blues, and does not work as well with reds and purples.

for the softy:

This preset is defined by a light but muted feel, with soft highlights, milky blacks, and a slight magenta hue. Though this preset lacks tonal contrast, it makes up for it with bold, cooler reds and violet-hued blues. This preset works well with lighter photographs and cooler tones. It does not work as well with darker photographs.

for the drama queen:

This preset makes for a bold food photograph. It creates beautiful separation between lights and blacks, with very deep shadows and soft highlights. Whites are clean and desaturated, and greens pop. It’s great for all colors in the spectrum.

for the golden child:

This food photography preset makes for rich, golden photographs. It creates bright white whites, dark blacks, and muted midtones. This preset is fantastic for reds and oranges, and does not work as well on lighter photos.

for the cool kid:

This preset is excellent for lighter food photography, while still packing a punch. It de-brightens oranges, reds, and blues, and saturates yellows and purples. It is phenomenal for photos with cooler, blue tones, or lighter backgrounds in general.

How to download your Food Photography Presets

OK so first of all, get your presets here.

if you’ve never imported Lightroom presets, you can watch this youtube video here. In addition, here’s how to download and import presets into Lightroom for Mac and PC-

FOR MAC

1. Download your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets folder from your confirmation email.
2. Open Lightroom
3. Go to: Lightroom > Preferences
4. In the Preference popup, go to the “Presets” tab
5. Within the “Presets” tab, under location, click on “Show Lightroom Presets Folder”
6. A folder called “Lightroom” should pop up in your Finder. Double click on it.
7. Within the “Lightroom” folder, find and click on the “Develop Presets” folder
8. Drag your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets into the “Develop Presets” folder
9. Restart Lightroom

FOR PC

1. Download your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets folder from your confirmation email.
2. Open Lightroom
3. Go to: Edit > Preferences > Presets
4. In the Preference popup, go to the “Presets” tab
5. Within the “Presets” tab, under location, click on “Show Lightroom Presets Folder”
6. A folder called “Lightroom” should pop up in your Finder. Double click on it.
7. Within the “Lightroom” folder, find and click on the “Develop Presets” folder
8. Drag your Broma Custom Lightroom Presets into the “Develop Presets” folder
9. Restart Lightroom

Imagine you knew exactly what you'd be eating for every single meal every single day of the week. Now, will that fantasy into existence by making a habit of meal planning! It's the answer to life's most frequent questions — especially "What's for dinner?"

Here at Kitchn, we will be the first to admit that meal planning isn't a cake walk — but it's also not a completely unattainable ideal reserved for a certain echelon of hyper-organized home cooks. Anyone can meal plan. Yes, even you.

The real mystery isn't how to meal plan, though. It's how to stick with it. We asked home cooks in various stages of their meal planning journeys how they started, and how they stick with it. Here are their best tips.

1. Start small to avoid burnout.

My meal planning journey is long and meandering. I first started trying out meal planning when I went back to work full time after the birth of my daughter — almost seven years ago now. I went too hard too fast at first and burnt out quickly, especially since I was trying to prep and plan for separate feeding supplies for a 3-month-old. About a year of trial and error helped me find a reasonable cadence for our family, which at the time meant just three planned meals a week plus a few shortcut Miracle Meals as needed. Six years and another kid later, I plan for a whole week at a time, including breakfasts and lunches for everyone.

—Meghan Splawn, Associate Food Editor, @stirandscribble

2. Make meal prep fun.

I'm a happier, healthier, and more relaxed person when I enter the week with breakfast and lunch prepped and ready. There are weekends when life gets in the way, but I stick with it most Sundays by enlisting my roommate's help, turning on good music, and trying new recipes I'm excited about.

—Grace Elkus, Senior Food Editor, @graceelkus

3. Make a spreadsheet.

I created a Google doc that my husband and I share. We both drop in the dinners that we plan to have for the week and if there's a recipe associated with it, we'll drop in the link so it's easy to grab. It makes for a lot less of "What are we having for dinner tonight?" Also, it's useful for me with all of my recipe testing, so I can clearly see the nights I am testing and not testing.

—Sheela Prakash, Assistant Food Editor, @sheelafiorenzo

4. Consider your budget.

Earlier this year I decided to tackle my budget, and I found that the biggest way I could save money was by cooking (surprise, surprise). I had tried to meal plan on and off for the last few years, but really setting a budget goal every month is what finally kept me motivated. I've planned every week this year so far. I also found that the only way I don't get overwhelmed by meal planning and prep is by embracing leftovers. I usually plan on two easy breakfast options, two healthy lunch options throughout the week, and two to three dinner ideas. Most of these things (besides breakfast — I still haven't cracked that code yet) can be made in advance. I make the more complicated meals on Sunday night, and then try for easier options for weeknight cooking. I rely heavily on hearty soups, smoothies, and grain salads with lots of vegetables.

—Ariel Knutson, News and Culture Editor, @arielknutson

5. Set a big fitness goal.

I started meal planning (and prepping) a couple of years ago when I was training for an Ironman triathlon. Since I had little to no time to cook on weeknights and mornings were more rushed than ever, it was purely out of necessity to ensure I ate well enough to fuel my training. It took a little trial and error to find what worked best for my family, but I got into a good rhythm and it was easy to stick with even after the race was over. When I meal plan and prep, my week feels so much more organized, I spend a lot less on food, I waste less, and I probably make better food choices overall.

—Kelli Foster, Associate Food Editor, @kellimfoster

6. Shop in season (and consider meal kits).

Meal planning is a game changer for me — especially during the week. I start by going to the farmers market on Sundays and buying whatever is in season. I'll make a big sheet pan of roasted vegetables, steamed brown rice, and roast chicken to use throughout the week. Tuesday through Thursday night we have One Potato boxes [Ed. Note: meal kits], which truly save my life, and then use whatever leftovers we have for dinner Friday night. Saturday night is our one big night as a family.

—Catherine McCord, Founder of Weelicious and One Potato, @weelicious

7. Sync your calendar with your grocery list.

I think I've always been a meal planner in some sense because I like to know what's coming, but it was after having a kid and going back to work that it really needed to happen because I had limited time to do grocery shopping and cook. Also, I cooked all day for work and sometimes didn't want to go too elaborate for dinner. My meal planning evolved slowly with Google sheets. I look at the family calendar and note which evenings we won't be home or there's swim class that limits cooking time. I put that on the meal plan first, then I see if there are things in the freezer or fridge to use up and prioritize planning around that. My grocery shopping list is on the same doc, so once meals are planned, I add things right to the list. I also try to note which days I have to start defrosting or prepping things (like soaking beans or chopping veggies). One tip that I have is to try to do a little prep or chopping after dinner for the next day if the cutting board and knife are still out. I'm usually tired, but it only takes a minute or two and cleanup is the same, plus starting the next day's meal is faster.

—Christine Gallary, Food Editor-at-Large, @cgallary

8. Start by prepping instead of planning.

Meal planning used to be really tough for me. I'd get overwhelmed choosing recipes and often wound up wasting food or leaving ingredients languishing in the pantry. Things changed when I had kids and started stocking my fridge, freezer, and pantry with staples I could make into dinner without really making a plan. Now I plan my meals by making sure I have three to four proteins, a few varieties of fresh or frozen vegetables, a choice of grains or pasta, fruit, and a well-stocked spice rack each week. This strategy puts me firmly into meal-prepper territory rather than meal-planner — but it works for how I shop and how life works around here!

—Patty Catalano, Kitchn Contributor, @forkandswoon

9. Expect the unexpected.

I started meal planning after growing tired of that frustrating what-do-you-want-to-eat conversation that almost always ended with breakfast for dinner. I only plan three or four meals, though, because I've learned that stuff almost always comes up (read: I get a craving for Chinese food) and this ensures that we don't waste anything.

—Lisa Freedman, Lifestyle Director, @itsmelisabeth

10. Try micro meal planning.

I started micro meal planning a little while ago when I realized that I was spending too much money going to Whole Foods every day. You see, I live in walking distance to my local store, and I love the ritual of going over there and picking out what I want to eat that night based on my mood. But that's not practical — from a time or budget perspective! So to compromise, I map out what I'm going to eat for the next two to three days, and shop for those meals. That way I don't get to Friday and dread the meal I planned back on Monday. This has been sustainable for me because it's not too big of a commitment!"

—Lauren Kodiak, Managing Editor, @laurenkodiak

As the new year approaches it’s always useful to take some time to slow down and reflect on the year. It’s also a useful time to gear up and set intentions for the new year and in this post we are going to do all of that!

Reflecting on 2018

If you’ve read my 2016 year in review and my 2017 year in review, you may remember they were both jam-packed years filled with milestones like a cookbook release,  marriage, personal growth, and much more. Let’s look at 2018, shall we?

2018 was quite a year. I learned so much about myself personally, about how I can better help all of you, and so much more!

• We have a team! We have Kelli (get to know Kelli below) and newly we have Gabby (our expert nutritionist who you’ll get to know in 2019)! We also have Nicki (our Pinterest expert and manager), Brita (who makes our amazing videos) and Laurie (our Facebook manager)! LCK runs smoothly because of each of these ladies.
• We shared 3 new posts every week!
• We shared 1-2 new cooking videos every single week!
• I got personal here.
• We started an LCK Book Club!
• I grew my Beautycounter business and have an amazing team of 40+ women changing the beauty industry!!! It’s one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever had, which says a lot because being a teacher was SO rewarding, and my day-in-day-out job of helping you live a healthy and happy life is BEYOND rewarding. I am so grateful I get to do this every day and I do not take for granted. Want to learn more about this opportunity? Email me! [email protected]!
• I started seeing a therapist and it was the best decision I could have made. More on this in 2019!
• We connected with so many different brands who are creating amazing and delicious products.
• I traveled to a lot of places! Italy, Missouri, Charleston, Atlanta, Maine, Texas, Arizona, many New York trips, Aruba, and more.

Top 10 Posts This Year:

1. Lettuce Wrap Sandwiches
2. Everything Bagel Cauliflower Rolls
3. Paleo Chicken and Broccoli
4. Instant Pot Lemon Vegetable Risotto
5. Italian Style Spaghetti Squash Bake
6. Keto Buffalo Chicken Tenders
7. Sausage Peppers and Onions
8. 3 Ingredient Breakfast Skillet
9. Fluffy Paleo Pancakes
10. Easy Blueberry Jam

Our Favorite Recipes of 2018:

1. The BEST Taco Meat
2. Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
3. Hot and Sour Soup
4. The BEST Gluten-Free Birthday Cakes – Vanilla & Chocolate
5. Cookie Truffles
6. 30 Smoothie Freezer Packs
7. Homemade Pop Tarts
8. Easy Meringue Cookies
9. Cauliflower Parmesan
10. Sheet pan Marinated Steak Tips & Veggies

Meet Kelli:

You might already know Kelli if you are in our Private Facebook Group, or if you follow me Instagram and Instagram stories, but let’s meet her, because she is a huge part of the LCK team and you will just absolutely love her so much! Kelli has been working here for over a year, and she has not only become a huge asset and part of LCK, but also a dear friend.

Kelli’s Title:  Kelli is our Food Editor and newly works on Brand Relations. She heads up our recipe development in collaboration with me which includes cooking, testing, tasting, researching, and so much more. In addition, Kelli also helps with writing, editing, overseeing projects, and planning out content and strategy here at LCK. Man, she wears a lot of hats here! What’s amazing about this is Kelli’s background: she is a trained baker and chef, has a degree in marketing and political communication, a love for helping others, and a real vision for the growth and future of our brand. And that’s the short version! Kelli resides in Boston with her husband John and two children, Lilia (5) and Joaquin (3).

Meet Kelli:

Hello everyone!

I started at Lexi’s Clean Kitchen last fall as a seasoned cook and baker but was very new to the gluten-free, dairy-free and refined-sugar free world. I had joined the team in a very part-time capacity while I took a break for the winter season from my pie business.  After a few months working alongside Lexi in the kitchen, after suffering severe symptoms for quite a while, I was diagnosed with multiple food allergies that would change the course of my life and professional career. While on a personal level these food allergies were devastating to accept (and I’ve only just now started to talk publicly about it), it was just so serendipitous that I was working at a job that already accommodated the swaps I needed to make in my own personal life and accordingly I already had those tools I needed in my back pocket to implement those changes thanks to unending support and teaching by Lexi.

Since then I’ve really fallen in love with developing the best possible recipes for our readers and exploring what it means to help out in all the different capacities that I am able to here at Lexi’s Clean Kitchen. I love developing, cooking and tasting recipes alongside Lexi in the kitchen and look forward to all the exciting growth that is to come here at this site over the next year!

I also love getting to know you all more in our private facebook group and look forward to continuing to grow with you all!

Wishing you all a health-filled happy New Year!

What to Expect in 2019:

2019 is going to be an amazing year over here! We are going to have some MAJOR (awesome) growth that we know you all will love, more recipes, more lifestyle content, sharing more about our lives that will he helpful for you, more nutrition based content, and so much more. A new and improved website, new branding (hint hint), new team members, and some things we cannot yet reveal! Stay tuned, we are so excited for you to see what we’ve been working on!

Personally: I want to read more, meditate daily, say no when it’s not a hell yes, say yes when it’s exciting even if it’s out of my comfort zone, get organized, commit to exercising 4x week, take time for myself, and shut off at night! What are your goals for 2019?

Connect with us!

• Not following us online yet?
• Join our email list and get our awesome weekly newsletter
• Take our Reader Survey so we can better serve YOU in 2019!

Do you reflect on the previous year and set goals and intentions for the new? I’d love to hear some of yours!

[Illustrations: Vivian Kong]

Editor's Note: Want this kitchen cleaning checklist in a handy printable format? Want to fully flex your neat-freak muscle by laminating the printout, or—even better—framing it so you can reference it every time you're washing up? Click here for the PDF version.

Cleaning up should be an easy task for any functioning adult. But my observations combined with my keen reasoning skills lead me to conclude the world is short on functioning adults. I've moved into apartments with stovetops entombed in an armor of burnt-on carbon, cabinets sticky with years of vaporized grease, and microwave interiors splattered with the spits and pops of 500 dinners. The kitchen of my current home was originally littered with enough roach carcasses to stage a convincing tableau of the battlefields of Gettysburg. I had everything in that kitchen ripped out and replaced.

So let's talk kitchen cleaning. Or maybe let's not talk too much. I'm just gonna give you a checklist to help you remember what needs to be tended to. I don't think it's worth addressing the macro stuff. Hopefully you've already invested in some basic kitchen storage and organizational essentials. Yes, you should wash your dishes and take out that rotting bag of trash. Anyone who can't get that stuff done has bigger problems. Where the trouble really hides is in the smaller nooks and crevices or those layers of hard-to-see grime that one can ignore for months or years until every surface is compromised.

The list below (available here as a PDF) is organized by frequency. Some of the tasks should, ideally, happen after every cooking session. Some once or twice a week, and others more sporadically than that (but they should happen eventually!). Exactly how often you make your way through these tasks largely depends on how often you cook at home and what kind of foods you cook. If you're deep frying a couple times per week, your cleaning schedule is going to be more intense than someone who dines out or makes a lot of no-cook salads.

• Clean grease from stove hood/filter: Grease will glaze all the surfaces above your stovetop after sautéing almost anything in oil or searing meats. Ignore it at your own peril. In just days or weeks that vaporized grease will grow sticky as it polymerizes and as dust collects on it. Eventually you will be unable to get it off, even after unloading cans of oven cleaner on it. Stay on top of it, and your hood/vent/microwave will remain as good a new.
• Fully wipe down stovetop, burner knobs, oven door handle, etc.: Drips, splatter, and grease will find their way all over your stovetop, onto the control knobs, and down the front of your range. Clean it all off while it's easy, because just like the vaporized grease that sticks to your above-stove vents, it will be a lot more stubborn later on.
• Wash countertops and floor: My wife, Kate, wants to punch me every time I say it, but even a crumb of food is a meal for vermin.
• Clean sink, drain filter, faucet, garbage disposal: After you've washed your dishes (because you have washed your dishes, right?), it's time to clean the sink of any food bits and gunk. Garbage disposals should be run to prevent food from stagnating down there, too (if anything goes in that shouldn't, deal with it following the manufacturer's instructions).
• Wipe down appliances: Countertop appliances need to be cleaned and not just the obviously dirty parts. Food processor, blender, and stand mixer motor housings all need some TLC. I also have a particular pet peeve about electric multi-cookers (like the Instant Pot) and rice cookers. Dirty water collects in drainage channels on those things and it needs to be cleaned up. Well, that, or you could just change the name of yours to the Instant Fungus.

• Clean your coffee grinder, coffee machine: Coffee grinders generate a ton of dusty coffee grounds mess, and coffee machines get nasty fast, especially when wet grounds are left to rot overnight.
• Clean interior of microwave: How often do people clean the turntable plate in their microwave but never stop to wipe down the walls and ceiling in there? Too often.
• Wipe grease off anything that sits out (especially close to the stove): I keep a crock of cooking utensils near my range. Some of the tools are in heavy rotation and others are not. I try to spot-check them from time to time as well as anything else that sits out near the range. Anything that seems grimy or greasy gets a proper cleaning.
• Clean crumb tray in toaster: I once had a roommate who moved in with his own toaster. The toaster, meanwhile, came with its own roach infestation, because he'd never cleaned out the crumbs in the damned thing. I made him throw it out. So, yeah, you probably want to deal with that.
• Clean drip tray of grill and/or griddle: These trays get nasty fast. That's not so awful on an outdoor piece of equipment, but it's terrible on anything designed for indoor use. Don't forget to check them as needed.
• Wash cabinets and backsplashes: Grease and splatter will eventually find its way onto every surface in a kitchen, and that includes the cabinetry and backsplashes. You don't have to wash those surfaces daily, but you do want to do it often enough that they don't reach a point of no return. If nothing else motivates you, think of your guests and how harshly they'll judge you for having grimy cabinets and food-spattered walls.
• Check your cast iron for stickiness: Cast iron should be properly seasoned, but that, by definition, means it should not be sticky with old grease. Good seasoning on cast iron is oil that's fully polymerized, so that it's literally bone-dry. If your cast iron is getting sticky, it's time to give it a good wash, and then tend to its seasoning.

• Clean gap between stove and counter: One of the underbellies of the kitchen is that tiny crack on either side of the oven where it meets the counter. Drips and spills seep down into them; salt and other small particles clog them with grit, and almost no ones bothers to clean any of it out. But you should. I often slide a cake tester or sheet of paper into the crevice to clear out any particles, and then occasionally pull the oven out to see what's really going on down in there. The answer is rarely "nothing," which is why you should do that from time to time, too.
• Clean oven interior and glass window: Here's what you do want coated in a thin veneer of polymerized oil: your cast iron cookware. Know what you don't? Your oven interior. But that's what happens when fat sizzles and splatters as roasts brown and vegetables sear. A dirty oven can become a smoky oven, and it's also just plain annoying to try to peer through a clouded oven window. If you can remember to give the glass frequent washings, you won't have to resort to oven cleaner or the oven's aggressive self-cleaning cycle too often, but eventually you'll want to whip out those big guns to truly clean up the accumulated mess.
• Clean drawers of crumbs and debris: One of the cooking transgressions that sends my hand careening toward my head is when I witness someone prep food on the countertop directly above an open drawer. Even if their hands are dirty, is it that hard to push the drawer closed with their hip? The weird thing is that even when you're conscientious about keeping drawers closed, crumbs still manage to find their way in. A periodic vacuuming is a good idea, no matter what your drawer habits are.
• Discard old spices and condiments: Spices only last so long, especially ones that come preground. Go through your spice cabinet at least a couple of times a year and get rid of the old stuff. Ditto for condiments. Many, like ketchup and mustard, have near indefinite shelf lives, but anything that's been lingering in the pantry or fridge for an unreasonable (or, worse, unknown) amount of time may be better off in the trash. This is a good time to wipe up any spice dust or condiment spills that have collected as well.
• Dust hard-to-reach areas: My countertop has several permanent fixtures. There's the compost pail, the utensils crock, and the salt-and-pepper tray, for instance. Most days I just clean around them. Sometimes I need to remind myself to move them and clean under them as well. And now I've reminded you to do it, too. This is also true of other easy-to-neglect areas, like the top of the fridge, open shelving, etc.
• Clean dishwasher and refrigerator gaskets: The inside of a well-functioning dishwasher should remain pretty dang clean all on its own (you should still check from time to time, though). But the gasket that seals the door can get pretty grimy. Anyone who's spent some time around an old refrigerator knows it's just as true for that appliance. Run a rag around these parts to keep them clean and working well. If they're really old and beat up, consider replacing them.
• Clean refrigerator shelves and bins: Refrigerators have a way of encouraging our worst cleaning practices, primarily because they stay cold, so messes can linger without getting unbearably funky. Don't let negligence get the best of you! Take those produce bins out, get rid of the dried herbs that litter them, and toss out that rotting bag of celery. Then wash and dry them well. The shelves in your refrigerator should get similar attention.

• Dust refrigerator coil: Your refrigerator only cools itself as well as the coils on its back allow, and the dustier they grow, the more difficult it is for them to shed heat. It's a drag, but every once in a while, it's worth getting back there to suck up the dust and, if you have pets, hair that are getting in the way of efficient cooling.
• Dust and degrease vents: Look up. No, higher. If there's a vent on your ceiling, or anything else way up high that might be accumulating grease and dust, it probably needs your attention from time to time.
• Clean and organize under-sink area: I recently let the cabinet under my sink at home get a little unruly. Unfortunately, all that clutter hid a leaking drain pipe. I only realized it once the water had run under the cabinetry and seeped out onto the floor. I managed to get it cleaned up, dry, and repaired before any real damage was done, but had I been a little more on top of the under-sink clutter, I probably could have caught the problem even earlier. I got lucky, but it's a good reminder that doing a little due diligence below deck is always better than having a downstairs neighbor alert you to the problem—along with a bill to fix their ceiling.
• Defrost freezer: If your freezer looks like the inside of Superman's Fortress of Solitude, it's time to defrost it, which will improve its efficiency and also just clear out all that built-up frost. Follow your refrigerator's instructions on how best to do it.
• Deep cleaning/declutter: Beyond all of the above, sometimes you just need to set your sights on a neglected cabinet, pantry, or other storage area and do a deep clean. That gives you a chance to throw out stuff you no longer need, reorganize, and otherwise get on top of the clutter.

• All-Purpose Cleaner: I got into the habit of using Windex to clean almost everything in the kitchen back in my restaurant days. It’s good for way more than glass—Windex can clean stainless steel and enameled appliances, cabinetry, and more, doing an impressive job of cutting through crud and grease.
• Eco-Friendly All-Purpose Cleaner: I lean on Windex, but its crazy blue color sometimes gets me thinking I should be a little more careful about the chemicals I’m spraying all over my kitchen and getting on my skin daily. That’s why I also keep a spray bottle of a 1:1 ratio of water to distilled white vinegar. I don’t love the smell it leaves behind (it just doesn’t say "clean" to me), but at least I know it’s not something I need to worry about.
• Heavy-Duty Cleaner: For stainless steel pots and pans, sinks, and other heavy-duty jobs that require some scouring, Bar Keepers Friend is the way to go. I’ve found it also works great on some countertops like Caesarstone, which can get scuff marks. Just make sure to do a test patch in a small corner on any material to see if they’re compatible.
• Oven Cleaner: Easy-Off is just aerosolized lye, and it melts away burnt-on grease and polymerized fat. You can use it to clean your oven, obviously, but it can also be used to strip a badly maintained cast iron skillet back down to its bare metal before reseasoning. Wear gloves and protective clothing though, because this stuff will melt off your skin, too.
• Sanitizer: I’ve really fallen for Bleach Crystals—a product that's just bleach in a dehydrated crystal form. The container is small and light, but it translates into what would be a large and heavy volume of bleach. Even better, it doesn’t degrade over time like liquid bleach does, so even if you don’t use it often, it’ll still be just as potent as the day you bought it. What do I use it for? Sanitizing cutting boards between uses if I’m concerned about cross-contamination, keeping kitchen towels from getting mildewy, and turning yellowed ceramics bright white again (well, that last one I mostly just intend to do, but maybe haven’t gotten around to it recently). It's also handy for bathroom cleaning and laundry purposes.
• Dishwasher Detergent: I’m a sucker for the big-name brands here, like Cascade and Finish. I just want whatever magic they pack into their detergent, so that my dishes come out sparkling clean, streak-free, and all that other stuff years of television ads have convinced me matters.
• Dish Soap: I try to be a little more “green” for hand-washing, since any basic dish soap seems to do the job just fine as far as I can tell. I opt for dye- and fragrance-free products like Seventh Generation that claim to be better for the Earth.
• Sponges: I like double-sided sponges for cleaning dishes and surfaces. Scotch Brite's non-scratch scrub sponges tackle grime without doing damage to your surfaces. Remember that as soon as your sponges grow mildewy or straight-up gross, it's time to either boil them in a pot of water to kill whatever's growing in them, or replace them with new ones.

This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

Today’s Whole30®-friendly recipe is great for meal-prep: Asian Meatballs!

This East-West fusion-inspired take on classic Sunday meatballs is a hit with our entire family. These savory balls of meat and minced vegetables are a cinch to prepare, and each bite is bursting with umami from the mushrooms, fish sauce, and tomato paste. (What can I say? This mommy knows umami.)

Wanna watch a replay of me cooking these live from my home kitchen on Facebook (recorded on 9/5/18)?Here’s the video:

Make a double batch, and you’ll have a fantastically versatile emergency protein that you can use throughout the week to accompany big salads, zoodles, or simple cauliflower “rice.” Or just pop a few meatballs into a container and bring ‘em to work as a handy snack.

Before we get down to brass tacks, I should probably explain what “umami” is all about – and why I’m such a big fan of umami boosters like Paleo-friendly fish sauce, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

Until the late 1800s, the conventional wisdom was that there were only four fundamental tastes: Sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. But then Auguste Escoffier came along. Escoffier, the author of Le Guide Culinaire and one of the greatest chefs of his time, began serving up dishes that tasted like nothing anyone had experienced before. His secret ingredient was a stock made of veal that he invented. Foods cooked with Escoffier’s veal stock tasted more robust, complex, and satisfying – but the veal stock itself wasn’t sweet, salty, sour, or bitter. Escoffier had actually stumbled upon the fifth taste: Umami.

In Japanese, “umami” means “deliciousness,” and describes a robust, savory, mouth-filling quality to food. Why did Japan get the naming rights? Because although Escoffier was wowing rich European diners with his umami-packed dishes, no one could put their finger on this fifth taste until a chemist at the University of Tokyo named Kikunae Ikeda did some detective work. For generations, Japanese cooks had used a seaweed stock called dashi to imbue their food with a unique richness. Intrigued by this effect, Ikeda did some digging, and finally uncovered the source of this wonderful flavor: A chemical compound called glutamate and ribonucleotides like inosinate and guanylate.

Glutamate occurs naturally in most savory foods, including animals and vegetables. But we don’t sense the wonderfully mouth-filling umami flavor until the organic matter starts to break down (through ripening, cooking, aging, or fermentation), and the glutamic acid is converted into the salt form, L-glutamate. When that happens, the umami kicks in. Mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, anchovies, and bacon are all rich in L-glutamate, making them crazy-good flavor enhancers. When something tastes insanely awesome in a way that’s not sweet, salty, sour, or bitter, you’re experiencing umami.

Umami is the reason I’m such a huge fan of fish sauce (called nước mắm in Vietnamese). It’s a staple ingredient in a number of Southeast Asian cultures. Anchovies and salt are allowed to ferment in wooden barrels and then slowly pressed to produce the intense, savory liquid. Yes, it sounds a little gross, but I love fish sauce. Just a splash of the stuff can lend a deep umami quality to all your dishes – not just the Asian ones.

Unfortunately, most of the fish sauce found in supermarkets and Asian grocery stores are full of additives: Hydrolyzed wheat protein, sugar, MSG, chemical preservatives – you name it. But many years ago, my super-chef sister pointed me in the direction of Red Boat Fish Sauce – made with just black anchovies and salt, and I immediately fell in love. I’ve been spreading the gospel of Red Boat Fish Sauce ever since, and it’s now become one of the most potent and popular flavor weapons in Paleo kitchens everywhere. It’s even Whole30 approved!

My Asian Meatballs recipe is a great example of the power of umami.

Makes 36 meatballs

Ingredients:

Equipment:

Here’s what you do:

Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or foil, and preheat the oven to 375°F. In the meantime, finely mince the mushrooms, shallot, sweet potato, and cilantro.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, fish sauce, tomato paste, and the minced veggies and herbs. Sprinkle on Magic Mushroom Powder (or kosher salt) and pepper. If you’re unsure of how much seasoning to use, start with ½ teaspoon Magic Mushroom Powder (or kosher salt) and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper.

Thoroughly combine the ingredients but don’t overwork the meat.

To check if your seasoning is correct, form and fry a mini patty. Chow it down and adjust the meatball mixture for additional salt and pepper if needed.

Scoop out uniform balls with a medium disher (1½ tablespoons) and roll out three dozen meatballs. Each meatball should be about 1½ inches in diameter. (If you’re not using parchment paper, brush the foil or baking sheet with the melted fat before you place the meatballs on top.)

Divide the meatballs onto the two lined baking sheets. Bake each tray of meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the tray at the midpoint to ensure even cooking.

Plate and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze the cooked meatballs for up to 6 months. Simply freeze them in a single layer and then place the solid orbs in a freezer bag or sealed container.

You’ll be glad on Monday that you did some cooking on Sunday!

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!

PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Chipotle's chorizo features a blend of pork and white-meat chicken seasoned with paprika, cumin, and chipotle peppers, and seared on the grill.

It was first introduced to the menu in the summer of 2016 and discontinued in the fall of 2017 to make room for queso.

As with the rest of the protein options on the menu, you can order chorizo in a burrito, taco, burrito bowl, and/or salad.

Photo via Chipotle.

What better way to end 2018 than with the best desserts! We are ending the year with something sweet.

We have cake, cookies, and a cake/ice cream combo. All are easy to make and will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Lemon Sheet Cake – My daughter and I are huge lemon fans. This cake is simple and enough to feed a large group.

Cowboy Cookies – This is the recipe that my father-in-law is famous for.  This is the recipe but for some reason, they always taste even better when he makes them.

Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes – Cake and Ice cream come together in these tasty cupcakes. They are made using a cake mix and store bought ice cream. They make look fancy but are easy to put together.