How frozen vegetables changed my life
And morning bread pudding with mascarpone
HI, WELCOME TO THE THIRD EDITION OF ✨Needs More Acid - The Newsletter⚡️
I took an extra week hiatus from here last month with the busyness of Thanksgiving. I missed you!
As a person who experiences depression and anxiety, everyday things can sometimes get overwhelming. Small tasks like folding laundry, sending a text you meant to send two days ago, washing a sheet pan, walking the dog, and unloading the dishwasher, let alone cooking vegetables, can feel burdensome. Yes, even for someone who loves to cook!
Incorporating frozen vegetables into my routine in the last six months has made a big difference. I’ve been able to more readily add a cup of broccoli here or a tablespoon of peas and spinach there into stir frys, pastas, and random plates of throw-it-all-together meals. There’s a relief in knowing that I can open a bag of frozen rainbow cauliflower, microwave it for three minutes in my Anyday Bowl, season it with anything from Yuzu Furikake to Za’atar to Smoked Paprika, and broil it on high for 5 minutes to crisp it up. Even easier: I often remove veggies from the microwave 30 seconds to a minute before they’re done and toss them into a pan with whatever is already cooking: likely whole wheat pasta with a spritz of avocado oil and a tablespoon of pesto. I might even do just zucchini noodles with a squeeze of lime, a dollop of labneh, and a little salt and pepper.
I’m not sure if my Dad is rolling in his yet-to-be-dispersed box of ashes or not, but I know that one thing is true: I didn’t grow up understanding and fully appreciating the convenience, versatility, and accessibility of frozen vegetables. This new habit is an exploration in appreciation and challenging myself to be creative and resourceful. Now, don’t get me started on the crushing anxiety of the acute awareness that your fresh vegetables are expiring by the hour in your fridge’s crisper.
What’s in my fridge
Not a whole lot! I’ve been on the go for the better part of the last two weeks. Keepin’ it real simple with staples: frozen broccoli, fat free greek yogurt, jarred tuna, whole wheat pasta, bananas, frozen fruit, and Garden of Life Collagen.
From the market: Two hunks - one for me, one for my friends + family - of this year’s “Best in Show” Goat cheese (no, really) from Shepherd’s Whey Creamery, more pears for my pear and cheese toasts (they were such a hit at Friendsgiving I forgot to take a picture), and purple daikons and apples for labneh za’atar dip and a cheese plate.
What I’m eating
Home cooking:
Squash Stuffing I tested out on friends during our pre-Thanksgiving soiree. All you need to recreate this on your own with your favorite winter squash (I used Butternut) is to follow a basic bread stuffing recipe and use Alison Roman’s technique of beating an egg into the broth before adding it to the stuffing. That, plus so much sage. More than you think you need. Remember, it’s Sage SZN™️.
Swiss Chard with Cheesy Herb Breadcrumbs (recipe coming to ze blog soon!)
Tofu marinated with daikon, soy sauce, ume plum vinegar, fish sauce, and garlic chili crisp
Pumpkin Banana Overnight Oats with greek yogurt, canned pumpkin, vanilla extract, Garden of Life prebiotic (to get things moving 👀 💩) and a pinch of salt.
Simple marinated cannelini beans that I prepped the night before bringing them to work. I thought of it originally as something I would serve alongside my Friendsgiving cheese plate, but we were lucky enough to already have Way Too Much Food At This Party™️ once things got rolling. Here’s the “recipe”:
2 TBSP White Vinegar
1 TBSP jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 can of cannelini beans, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Eating Out:
Really good Khao Soi in Davis Square. I fell in love with this dish for the first time while spending a few days in Chiang Mai. Northern Thai food is less widely available in the states, but if you have access you ought to have it once a week. DC friends: some of the best I’ve had of this dish can be found in Falls Church, Virginia at Kao Sarn Thai in Eden Center. NYC friends: run, don’t walk to Corthaiyou in Ditmas Park to try it out.
My favorite Blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich, eaten with my friend and her 91 year old Grandma oceanside, in New Smyrna Beach.
A night out with friends at St. Vincent Wine in Park View. I’m fawning over this spot’s graceful ease and fun menu. We sat on couches and gabbed over a table in the middle, which felt like we were in one of our living rooms?
CHIKO, but make it post-booster shot lunch
What’s on my mind
LATKES! I haven’t done a proper Hanukkah celebration yet (I’m kind of a bad Jew and remember, no amount of guilt can deny that latkes are delicious all 365 days a year), but I got a latke teaser this weekend at my friend’s holiday brunch in Baltimore: she made NYT Butternut Squash and Sage Latkes by Martha Rose Shulman. A great way to sneak more veggies into any fried food-centric party. And, I’ve been daydreaming about Irene Yoo’s Kimchi Scallion Latkes.
Did I mention holiday brunch? By far and away one of the best things we had was an overnight french toast soaked in mascarpone also known as a Morning Bread Pudding on the NYT. Just add blueberries to the batter or any other fruit that pleases you.
A few of my favorite things on my Hanukkah and Christmas Wish List:
Catbird’s Holy Cannoli Charm (thanks Abigail!)
A memoir about food, loss, and identity by one of my favorite music artists, Michelle Zauner/Japanese Breakfast: Crying in H Mart
A hot milk drink machine because I am truly the worst!
While we’re at it, here are a few other kitchen-savvy tools you could add to your holiday wish list:
I cherish the Chinese Cleaver my Dad gave me and the one I watched him cook with for years. It’s versatile, precise, sharpens up well, and is relatively easy to handle despite its intimidating appearance. Specifically, you want a high carbon stainless steel knife - I’m using my Dad’s 20+ year old Dexter Russell and it’s still good as new.
A really good set of measuring spoons, measuring cups, and some big ass stainless steel tongs.
I’m curious: do you have any hot tips or creative ideas on using frozen veggies? What holds you back if you feel like you’re not doing it enough? I love Liz Moody’s make-ahead burritos, which is kind of like a double frozen veggie entendre. Just reply to this email to let me know.
As a last thought: a friendly reminder that the holidays can bring up a wide array of emotions, so check in with your people this season with kindness. A great way to approach someone experiencing grief is asking “how are you today?”. A little explainer here.
Catch the next newsletter to hear more about recipes I’m working on, places I’m eating, and big food thoughts I’m thinking. And, don't forget to share it with your internet friends!