Cauliflower Parmesan

Swap the meat and heavy breading with cauliflower and a crunchy, salty panko topping, and you have a hearty, satisfying pescatarian dish that’s quick, easy, and pleases everyone in the family. #meandthemoose #cauliflowerparmesan #lightercomfortfood #comfortfood #sheetpandinner #dinnerrecipes

This recipe replaces meat with cauliflower steaks and uses some crispy, briny, magical breadcrumbs to add a crunch that mimics breading without any dredging or frying necessary!

Take me to the recipe!

Swap the meat and heavy breading with cauliflower and a crunchy, salty panko topping, and you have a hearty, satisfying pescatarian dish that’s quick, easy, and pleases everyone in the family. #meandthemoose #cauliflowerparmesan #lightercomfortfood #comfortfood #sheetpandinner #dinnerrecipes

I put on real clothes for the first time post-pandemic and postpartum for a wedding last weekend and it felt…strange. Like, I’ve completely lost track of the parameters of my body. I ordered a couple of dresses that were all either wildly too big or wildly too small. Have clothes changed a lot in the past 23 months? Or do I need to add body dysmorpia to the list of fun things I have to deal with now???

Anyway, I need to get a grip on a lot of things. Firstly, clothes. Secondly, time. The pandemic made time seem both short and interminable. But one nice benefit to having my husband working from home for the past year was that I could hand him a baby monitor while Z napped or leave him with a barely moving infant while he worked so I could handle the 5-year-old. Now that Z is a one-toddler wrecking crew and Ethan will head back to the office soon, I have to account for the whereabouts of two children who are doing activities in the real world again. Ugh.

Well, this cauliflower parmesan sheet pan dinner solves both problems. Well, not SOLVES necessarily, but definitely fits the bill for a fast, light meal that everyone likes.

Swap the meat and heavy breading with cauliflower and a crunchy, salty panko topping, and you have a hearty, satisfying pescatarian dish that’s quick, easy, and pleases everyone in the family. #meandthemoose #cauliflowerparmesan #lightercomfortfood #comfortfood #sheetpandinner #dinnerrecipes

A couple of notes:

• This recipe leaves a lot of wiggle room for more sauce, cheese, and breadcrumb topping to suit your tastes.

• I use cauliflower here, but you could certainly use meat or any other vegetable you like topped with sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, and magical breadcrumbs.

• I find this meal really filling for something sans meat, but my husband always asks for a sausage or some leftovers from another meal to go with it, so use this guy as a side or a main as you see fit.

• I barely salt the cauliflower. Usually, it needs a lot of seasoning, but since the breadcrumbs are so salty, I don’t want to overdo it. You can always add, but you can’t subtract.

• The cooking time will depending on how thinly you slice the cauliflower. Check it after 10 minutes and stop roasting when the stems are just fork tender.

Swap the meat and heavy breading with cauliflower and a crunchy, salty panko topping, and you have a hearty, satisfying pescatarian dish that’s quick, easy, and pleases everyone in the family. #meandthemoose #cauliflowerparmesan #lightercomfortfood #comfortfood #sheetpandinner #dinnerrecipes

Cauliflower Parmesan

Time: About 30 minutes, all active
Yield: 2-3 mains or 4-5 sides

1 very large or 2 medium heads of cauliflower, stems intact
¼ cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
1½ -2 cup tomato sauce (plus extra for dipping)
1½ cup shredded mozzarella 
¼ cup shredded or grated parmesan 
1 cup Magical breadcrumbs (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 425. 

Remove the leaves at the bottom of the cauliflower, but leave the stem intact. Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch thick slices and spread on a baking sheet. Some may break into florets and that’s okay! 

Spray or brush on half of the olive oil. Flip the cauliflower and spray or brush the other sides. Season one side of the cauliflower with a pinch of salt. 

Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the stems of the cauliflower are fork tender. Start checking around 10 minutes.

While the cauliflower roasts, make the breadcrumbs (recipe below) 

When cauliflower is fork tender, remove it from the oven and turn on the broiler.

While the broiler is heating, top the cauli steaks with 1 cup of the sauce and all of the mozzarella. 

Broil until the cheese is golden brown, about 2 minutes. 

Top with the parmesan and magical breadcrumbs to taste.

Magical breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
2 whole anchovy filets (or 4 split filets depending on how your anchovies are canned)*
1 heaping cup panko
2 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 Tbsp) 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-low flame. Add the anchovies and cook, breaking them up with a wooden spoon or spatula until they’re completely dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the panko and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. If the breadcrumbs start to darken, turn the flame down.

Add the garlic and stir well. Let the mixture cook, untouched for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom of the breadcrumbs start to turn golden. Turn off the flame and mix the breadcrumbs. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before using. 

If saving for later, let the breadcrumbs cool completely and then store, covered loosely, in the fridge for up to 4 days.

SPD: Gnocchi, sausage, and fridge leftovers

Truly clean out your fridge or freezer with this sheet pan dinner that combines textures and flavors to make something much greater than the sum of its ingredients.

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Around the new year, we decided to work on minimizing our food waste because, as any parent of young children can tell you, kids don’t give A SHIT about wasting food. Without resorting to the whole “there are starving children in the world, so you will eat this broccoli” threat that just leads to power struggles, we’re trying to be creative about getting M to eat whatever we make. Especially now that groceries are a little harder to come by (but not that hard, really).

I’ve seen millions of recipes about roasting gnocchi and for some reason, I’ve resisted. Though I feel like gnocchi should really appeal to M, the soft kind leaves him cold. When they’re roasted, however, they get crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, so they’re closer to tater tots or french fries than soft pasta. Let me tell you: Anything french fry-related appeals to my child.

We also included sausages (these are chorizo) because sausage is almost always eaten around here. You could also use hot dogs if that’s something your children will actually eat. Desperate times, people. Desperate times.

I can also confirm that this sheet pan dinner can be made with one hand while holding a baby.

A couple of notes:

• When I started making this sheet pan dinner, I was trying to mimic the flavors of a Portuguese sausage and kale soup, so I used chorizo, Lacinto kale, potato gnocchi, and sundried tomatoes, but as I said above, you can use any kind of sausage that you like, including hot dogs.

• You can also use any veggies in this sheet pan. I initially used just kale, which gets nice and crispy, but ended up using a combination of kale and broccoli or kale and something else that was about to go bad. I like the crispy kale, but for a meal, I feel like you need more textures. But really, use what you have on hand.

• I finish this dish with oil packed sundried tomatoes, but if you only have the dried ones, reconstitute them in boiling water for a few minutes before adding to the sheet pan. I would NOT recommend throwing any fresh tomatoes onto the sheet pan because the water that comes out of the fresh tomatoes will steam the veggies and gnocchi and prevent them from crisping.

SPD: Gnocchi, sausage, and fridge leftovers

Yield: 4 grown up servings
Time: 30-35 minutes, (5 minutes active time, 25-30 minutes waiting time)

2-3 cups roughly chopped kale, broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, etc (defrosted first, if frozen)
1 package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 lb precooked sausage, cut into large chunks (defrosted, if previously frozen)
¼ cup sundried tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 450.

Toss the gnocchi and roughly chopped veggies with olive oil and salt. Add the sausage.

Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the veggies are roasted and the gnocchi are golden and crispy.

Remove from the heat and top with sundried tomatoes.

Serve immediately.

Baked gigante beans with feta and tomatoes

Anyone out there who might think that a “meatless” meal wouldn’t satisfy them, hasn’t had giant white beans for dinner. This meal is full of fiber, protein, and delicious sweetness from the roasted tomatoes.

Straight to the recipe, please!

Gigante beans, lima beans, large white beans, whatever you want to call them, these beans make a meal in a way that other legumes don’t always cut it for me.

I’ve only ever seen these beans in dry form, so while I’m averse to most extra work in the kitchen, I don’t see a way around cooking them yourself if you want to use these big guys.

Which leads us to the age old question: Do you really need to soak dried beans? Some will insist that you do. I say, LAZY COOKS UNITE! I have a preschooler and don’t always have that much foresight.

But here’s one caveat: Sans soaking, the simmering times vary WILDLY for these beans. One batch I made from Brand A were ready after about 90 minutes.. Brand B took almost twice as long. And while everyone advises “look for fresh beans,” if you could seriously show me a bag of beans with an expiration date on it, I would give you a million dollars.

So, here are some handy tutorials that you can peruse and decide if you’re team soak or team no soak:

• NY Times Cooking

• Serious Eats

• Bon Appetite

If I was the meal prepping type I’d suggest making a whole bag of these beans one weekend and freezing them for easy weeknight meals. Because once you cook the beans, this meal could not be easier or faster.

Roasting makes the tomatoes syrupy sweet, the cheese just a little soft and gooey, and the bean skins crispy in a way that is completely satisfying.

A few notes:

• I salt the bean cooking water and then don’t add any more salt until serving the beans. They soak up the sodium during cooking, so it’s very easy to over salt this dish. Also, feta is a salt bomb, so we’ve found that the end product needs no extra seasoning.

• I’ve billed this as a meatless meal, but it could also serve as a side or appetizer just as easily.

• Do NOT skip the lemon zest in the end. The citrus brightens up the beans and adds a layer of flavor without which, the beans could taste a bit flat.

• I prefer to use a combo of both dried and fresh oregano, but use what you have on hand.

Baked feta with gigante beans and tomatoes

Active time: about 20 minutes, on and off
Total time: 90-150 for the beans, 25-30 for the main dish
Yield: 4 dinner servings,

For the beans:
1½ cups dried giant white beans, rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
1-2 cups water (as needed)
½ tsp sea salt
1-2 bay leaves
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled, but left whole

Yield: 3 heaping cups of cooked beans

Combine the beans, stock, salt, bay leaf, and garlic cloves in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce flame to low and simmer, covered, for anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours (90-150 minutes), stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy and soft, but not falling apart and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Check the beans after 60 minutes and then every 15-30 minutes after that (depending on how your beans are progressing) until the beans are tender throughout. Add more liquid if the water boils off before the beans are fully cooked.

 Drain any remaining liquid from the beans and remove the bay leaves.

For the main dish:
1/2 cup olive oil, divided  
½ tsp Aleppo pepper (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano (or a combination of both dried for cooking and fresh for topping)
½ tsp smoked paprika
2-3 cups cherry tomatoes, whole (about 8-12 oz)
Small block Feta cheese (8 oz)
½ tsp lemon zest (zest of one small lemon)

Preheat oven to 400.

In a bowl or the pot you used to simmer the beans, add 1/4 cup of olive oil, Aleppo pepper, oregano, paprika, and tomatoes to the beans and mix well.

In a 9x13 baking pan (or whatever size you have), spread out the bean and tomato mixture. Clear a hole in the middle and add the feta.

Cook for 20-23 minutes, until the feta is soft and the tomatoes have released their juices AND those juices have become a little syrupy.  

Remove from the heat and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, lemon zest, fresh oregano (if using), and sprinkling of flaky sea salt (if needed).

Sheet pan dinner: White fish with potatoes and fennel

This sheet pan dinner is ready in about 45 minutes (start to finish) and combines mild base flavors with all kinds of dynamic toppings so you can please even the pickiest palate.

Jump to the recipe!

Well hello anxiety, my old friend!

Question for the caregivers out there: Are you able to separate your own happiness from that of your kids? It’s a tough question because if your child is having a hard time in any area of his/her/their life, it can feel weird to say that you’re happy anyway. It’s also hard to actually be happy anyway. But at the same time, it’s a lot of pressure for a kid to have that much impact on their caregiver’s well-being.

We’ve had a couple of good weeks recently. You know the ones: You suddenly realize that the littles are more agreeable, they actually eat the food that you cook, and they can entertain themselves with toys that they already own!

We were on one of those streaks when M suddenly had a really tough week last week. I felt myself getting more and more anxious about it. Then I tried talking to him about a specific situation at school and he wouldn’t tell me because, he said, “I don’t want to make you mad and sad.” CRY FACE EMOJI.

I realized that my sensitive butterfly could tell that I was getting upset about his tough times and that it was stressing him out.

On the one hand, it’s good for kids, especially in these self-centered toddler and preschool years, to know that their actions and words impact others. I mean, it’s our job to teach them about consequences. But it’s also not a kid’s job to make sure that their parents are happy. So how do you balance your kids’ “stuff” with your own? Do you feel happy even when your kids are having a rough time?

I have no answers. Just putting this out into the universe in the hopes that someone smarter than me has some guidance.

When I feel anxious, as I have this week, I gravitate towards the “easier” food —the quick ones that pack a salty or sweet punch— which always make me feel worse. So instead, I made this sheet pan dinner and it has done the trick. Every flavor is represented here: Creamy, tangy feta; briny, salty olives; sweet, piquant roasted red peppers; and crunchy, sour pickled onions. Throw on some aromatic fresh oregano and garlic butter and this simple fish, potato, and fennel dinner is all dressed up in a more interesting package.

The various components cook at different rates, which is the only slightly tricky part of this meal. But good news: You can prep the next step while the earlier one is cooking.

Sheet pan dinner: White fish with potatoes and fennel

Time: About 40-45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

½ lb small potatoes, halved or quartered
2 large bulbs of fennel, white part only, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
½-1 tsp salt, divided  
Black pepper, to taste
4 white fish fillets, about 6 oz each, fresh or frozen
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced  

Toppings (all are optional!):
½ cup green or black olives, pitted and chopped
2-3 oz feta, crumbled
Fresh oregano
Quick pickled red onions (See recipe below)
Roasted red peppers, sliced
Lemon wedges
Flatbreads, Naan, or Pita

1. Preheat the oven to 425.

2. Prep the potatoes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 5 minutes.

3. While the potatoes roast, slice the fennel into 1/8th inch slices. Add the fennel to the roasting pan and toss with the other 1 Tbsp of oil and another large pinch of salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the fennel starts to brown and the potatoes are fork tender.

4. While the fennel roasts, wrap your fish in parchment packets. Cut a piece of parchment 2-3x as large as your fish filet. Place the filet in the middle and bring the two longer ends together and fold down. Fold up the remaining sides.

5. Add the fish on top of the veggies and cook until it flakes easily. This will take slightly longer if you’re cooking the fish from frozen. (If using thawed, check the fish after 10 minutes; if using frozen, check after 15-18 minutes. Open up one parchment packet and try to flake the fish with a fork. If it comes apart easily, it’s done.)

6. While the veggies and fish are roasting, prep your toppings. Set aside until ready to eat.

7. Mince the garlic. Combine with 2 Tbsp of butter and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds or until the butter is just liquid. Add a pinch of salt and stir. Set aside.

8. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and carefully open the parchment packets. Discard the paper and the water that’s collected in the packets while the fish cooked.

9. Top the fish fillets with the garlic butter.

10. Top the sheet pan with any of the toppings you choose.

Quick pickled red onions
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/8 inch slices
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine the onions with the pickling ingredients in a large container and shake a few times. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or up to 1 week.

Sheet pan dinner: Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans

Sheet pan dinner: Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans | Me & The Moose. This quick dinner is healthy, satisfying, and full of flavor. Supermarket shortcuts make it even easier. #meandthemoose #sheetpandinner #quickdinner #healthydinner #healthyrecipes #easyrecipes #salmon

This sheet pan dinner is as delicious as it is easy and the clean up is a snap. If any of your resolutions involve more cooking, this is one you should add to the list!

Take me to the recipe!

Sheet pan dinner: Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans | Me & The Moose. This quick dinner is healthy, satisfying, and full of flavor. Supermarket shortcuts make it even easier. #meandthemoose #sheetpandinner #quickdinner #healthydinner #healthyrecipes #easyrecipes #salmon

Happy new year, all! Thanks for reading and cooking along with me this year. I hope you’ll stick around for 2019 too!

Are you all making resolutions this year?

There’s much talk about whether or not resolutions are a good move. I’ve historically used my resolutions as a way to punish myself for everything I think is wrong with me. And that feels like a negative way to start the year, no?

So, instead of resolving to eat “healthier,” I’m going to just make delicious food that emphasizes both deliciousness and nourishment. Staaarting….now!

Sheet pan dinner: Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans | Me & The Moose. This quick dinner is healthy, satisfying, and full of flavor. Supermarket shortcuts make it even easier. #meandthemoose #sheetpandinner #quickdinner #healthydinner #healthyrecipes #easyrecipes #salmon

Sheet pan dinner: Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans | Me & The Moose. This quick dinner is healthy, satisfying, and full of flavor. Supermarket shortcuts make it even easier. #meandthemoose #sheetpandinner #quickdinner #healthydinner #healthyrecipes #easyrecipes #salmon

This sheet pan dinner is fast, easy, and requires minimal prep. You can also make it even simpler by using some store-prepped ingredients. I use pre-cooked lentils that are available at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and other grocery stores in the refrigerated aisle.

I also opt for haricots vert over of straight green beans because you don’t have to trim the ends. Haricot vert are just a thinner and smaller variety of green beans. They can be more expensive, but if time is the priority, it may be worth the extra $1 or $2.

A couple of notes:

• If using frozen salmon, thaw it before cooking. If cooking from frozen, the fish releases a lot of water, which affects the final texture of the vegetables and lentils.

• Make sure you separate the sauce into two different bowls to reserve some for after the fish has cooked. You don’t want to dip your spoon or brush into the whole batch of sauce once you’ve touched the raw fish.

Sheet pan dinner: Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans | Me & The Moose. This quick dinner is healthy, satisfying, and full of flavor. Supermarket shortcuts make it even easier. #meandthemoose #sheetpandinner #quickdinner #healthydinner #healthyrecipes #easyrecipes #salmon

Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans

Time: About 25- 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1.5-2 lbs salmon (about 4 medium fillets)
1 lb haricot vert or green beans (if using green beans, trim the edges)
1 cup cooked lentils
2 very large shallots (or 3-4 smaller ones), cut into 1/4 inch slices
2-3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for the sheet pan underneath the salmon
2 large pinches kosher salt
Mustard sauce (recipe below)

Mustard sauce
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp grainy mustard
Zest of 1 medium lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice (from ½ a lemon, reserve the leftover juice)
1 tsp coriander
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425.

On a large rimmed sheet pan (about 13x18), mix together the green beans, sliced shallots, and cooked lentils. Toss with olive oil and salt and push to the sides of the pan.

Roast for about 7 minutes and remove from the oven.

While the veggies cook, make the mustard sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredient. I use a garlic press to really mince the garlic, but if cutting by hand, mince finely. Put half of the sauce into a separate bowl for later.

Once you remove the veggies from the oven, add some more olive oil to the center of the pan.

Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the middle of the pan so that the skin is directly on the pan or foil.

Cover the flesh side of the fish fillets with about half of the mustard mixture and spread evenly. Reserve the rest of the mixture for later.

Roast the fish and veggies for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reads 145 on a thermometer.

Serve immediately.