Recipes For Busy Families-Part I

Between working, homework and extracurricular activities, life can become a bit BUSY! No matter how busy we get, our babies still have to eat! With that being said, I thought it would be good to share some recipes that are not only healthy but also delicious! The best thing about these recipes is that most of them don’t take up a lot of time, as many of us are lacking in that department. I hope these simple recipes can allow you a little more freedom to do other things besides cook, while also adding new dishes to your cookbook!

BREAKFAST RECIPE

Blueberries and Fig Oatmeal

4 Servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1⁄2 cups almond milk

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

8 figs, quartered

2 tablespoons of honey

4 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons walnuts chopped

4 tablespoons blueberries

Cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:

Pour almond milk and oats in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and pour the mixture in 4 small serving bowls.

In a small non-stick pan, add honey and figs. Fry them for 3 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

Top oatmeal with fried figs, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and blueberries and drizzle with maple syrup.

Additional tips

• You can add some creamed coconut for more flavor.
• Add more chopped nuts like pecans, almonds, or pistachios if you like the crunchy texture.

LUNCH RECIPE

Pasta with Rocket Salad Pesto

4 Servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

11 oz. pasta (Mezze Penne, Sedani, etc.)

1 1⁄2 cup rocket salad

1 garlic clove

1⁄2 cup pine nuts

1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. 

Wash and dry rocket salad. Place the salad in a high-speed blender with a garlic clove and Parmigiano cheese. Blend for 5 seconds and add half of the olive oil. Blend for 25 seconds, then add the rest of olive oil and blend until you get a creamy pesto. Season with black pepper to taste.

Drain the pasta and put it in a serving bowl. Season with pesto and toss to coat.

Serve and enjoy.

Additional tips

• Drain the pasta when “al-dente” which means cooked, but still firm to the bite.
• I recommended short pasta like penne, but you can use any other type of pasta.
• Original pesto is Pesto Genovese made with basil, but there are so many variants – zucchini, baby spinach, lamb’s lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes pesto and many more.
• Replace pine nuts with walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
• You can always experiment with different ingredients to find your perfect combination. Try adding figs into pesto, as it will make it delicious.

DINNER RECIPES

Tuna Meatballs

20 meatballs

Preparation time: 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

9 oz. tuna in oil

2 eggs

1⁄2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated

7 oz. ricotta cheese

1 oz. anchovies in oil

25 capers

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon parsley chopped

Black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 392°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the eggs. In a medium bowl add all the ingredients and mix well until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. 

 Grease your hands with oil and form small balls. Pass each tuna ball in breadcrumbs and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let them cool.

Serve and enjoy.

Additional info

• You can also fry tuna meatballs, but this version is definitely healthier.
• Serve tuna meatballs with fresh leafy greens or potato salad.
• You can serve them also as an appetizer with homemade Greek yogurt dressing. 
• Use fresh herbs in the recipe if you like to add more flavor.

Cold Veal With Tuna Sauce

4-6 Servings

Preparation time: 25 minutes 

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1.7 lb. veal meat

1 celery stalk, dice

1 carrot, peel and dice

1 red onion cut in half

2 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

1 cup white wine

1.5 l water

A pinch of salt and pepper

2 eggs

5 oz. tuna in oil 

4 Anchovies in oil

1 tablespoon capers

5 black olives pitted

1 tablespoon chives chopped 

Instructions:

In a large pot place veal meat, celery carrot, onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, water, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 45 to 50 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare hard-boiled eggs, peel them, and cut them in 4 parts.

Drain the meat and let it cool.

Take the vegetables out of the pot and place them in a high-speed blender (remove bay leaves). Add in hard-boiled eggs, drained tuna, anchovies, capers, and olives. Pour in two ladles of meat broth and blend until you get a smooth, creamy, and thick sauce. 

Slice the meat with a sharp chef’s knife in very thin slices. Arrange the slices on a serving plate and pour tuna sauce over them. 

Serve and enjoy.

 Additional info

• Do not throw away the remaining meat broth. Refrigerate or freeze it and you can use it for preparing or serving other dishes like risotto or ravioli.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices.

Until next time Kuties! 

Keon