Archives | Grownup Kitchen

Chicken and Mushrooms over Rice: Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Sep 9, 2025 | Chicken, Featured Vegetable Meals, Northern European, Recent Recipes, Recipes

It’s time for some old-fashioned comfort food. When I was a kid, this dish was fairly common in my middle-class home. My mother made it with chicken thighs and used cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup to make the sauce. Every bite was a salt bomb bonanza and we loved it! However, we’ll skip the salty canned soups tonight and make our own yogurt-based white sauce. We’ll also substitute plant-based Chick’n Strips for chicken thighs. Browned mushrooms will anchor the mushroom sauce. This version is still packed with flavor but has a fraction of the fat and salt.

Beet Salad, Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Sep 8, 2025 | Dinner Salads, Featured Vegetable Meals, Recent Recipes, Recipes

Tonight we’ll feature the miraculous beet, While they’re at the peak of the season. For additional texture, we’ll surround them with an ensemble of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, tree-ripened apple, plant-based tenders and toasted walnuts.

Beets, a root vegetable food source, originated in the Mediterranean and dates back to prehistoric times. High in antioxidants, beets were often used for medicinal purposes, but by the 18th century they became a popular food item.

If you haven’t already roasted beets, roast some during the day today.
*A note of caution, beet juice has been used as a natural dye (even a hair dye) for centuries, so be sure to wear latex gloves as you handle the cooked beets.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with “Cream” Sauce: Monday, September 8, 2025

Sep 7, 2025 | Italian, Pasta, Recent Recipes, Recipes

Here’s another twist on serving Ravioli using a light “cream” sauce. Butternut squash ravioli and marinated beans are bathed in a delicate yogurt-based “cream” sauce with a touch of lemon and nutmeg. The ravioli are nested over dressed arugula leaves and topped with browned crimini mushrooms and Parmesan.

Falafel with Tabbouleh and Grilled Vegetables: Sunday, September 7, 2025

Sep 6, 2025 | beans/lentils, Middle Eastern, Recent Recipes, Recipes

Cucumbers are still in season, and that makes me think of Tzatziki Sauce. And tatziki sauce makes me think of the Middle Eastern street food, falafel. So I’m thinking it’s time to make some of both. It’s like having fried chicken, only better! What a great meal to share with dinner guests! Mix the falafel ingredients early in the day as the flafel dough needs to chill for 2 hours before cooking.

 You will need to have soaked 2-1/2 C. dry chickpeas (garbanzo beans) overnight to make this meal today. (Canned beans don’t work here…too much moisture.)

It’s Saturday, September 6th. We can already take a look at mid-September!

Sep 5, 2025 | Recipes

It’s Saturday, September 6th

We’re back into Fall schedules!

Menus and shopping lists for September 7 – 12 and 14- 19

Another great week of dining awaits. It’s time to make some plans and go grocery shopping.

* A special cooking note: Soak 2-1/2 C. dried garbanzo beans in 8 quarts of water overnight tonight. You’re making falafel tomorrow!

Open-faced Chili Burgers: Friday, September 5, 2025

Sep 4, 2025 | Comfort Food, Ground Meat, Recipes, Soups

Tonight, you’ll serve a refreshing meal utilizing leftover veggie chili. All hail! Behold the open-faced Chili Burger!   “Open-faced” is just a nice way to enjoy any sandwich that might be too difficult to pick up. In this case, the sandwich is impossible to pick up so you’ll welcome a knife and fork.
It’s actually an old-fashioned way of serving a sandwich. The French call this stylish sandwich a tartine and often serve it for breakfast. This is not breakfast, however!

Add a crisp green salad to the mix, and you’ve got a refreshing meal.