May meal plan #3

Crispy tofu with peanut sauce, smash burgers, & monogrammed (!) pot pies

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Katie here! It was Mother’s Day in the U.S. last week, and it really had me thinking. I was bombarded on social media by picture-perfect anecdotes of loving mothers, built-in best friends, and partners in crime for life. That’s not the kind of relationship I have with my mom, and while there’s no need to get into details, it’s worth saying that it’s painful. And even more so since becoming a mom myself—sort of like someone’s ripped the rug out from under me—the exact rug where I had neatly tucked away all sorts of emotions and memories I was hoping not to have to deal with again.

I’m hyper-aware of every step I make as a mother, and I have a feeling I’m not alone in this. I have all the same worries we probably all do: Am I doing this right? Will we have a good relationship as they grow up? What if I mess up?

I’m not perfect, that’s for sure (and yes, at this point my therapist would very gently remind me that nobody is), so I know I am, indeed, going to mess up. And if I strive for perfection and fail, then what? I’m terrified of doing it wrong and unequivocally messing the whole thing up.

But here’s where I find my comfort: I lose my patience and temper, yes, but I know how to apologize. I squeeze them tight, tell them that I missed them while they were at school, ask them about their favorite part of their day, take joy in pulling out the waffle maker because it’s their favorite weekend breakfast. I see my flaws, and I’m working on them. I see their flaws, and I love them anyway. In my heart of hearts, I know nothing will ever change that. My kids are my greatest joy, my best teachers. There is no world in which they won’t feel that, and that has to count for something.

So one week late, happy Mother’s Day out there to those of us mother warriors — loving fiercely and showing up for our kids, and especially to those of us who are there in a way our mothers couldn’t be. -Katie

Cookies from Start Here, Katie’s favorite granola, said granola in a breakfast bowl, Clara eating (spicy-ish) black bean quesadillas, and spicy beef gochujang bowls!

This is our honest feedback on what worked (or more likely, didn’t) from last week’s meal plan.

Little victories

• Katie: Sohla’s recipe for taco party black beans went DOWN in my house. Not only did they make for incredibly fast weekday lunches (taco salad! quesadillas!), but my kids (especially my youngest, Noe) smashed them tucked into quesadillas for dinner. I still can’t believe they ate onions (tough sell for my little ones) and chipotle.

• Meredith: I really impressed (and maybe slightly annoyed) my butcher this week by requesting sausage without the casing. He asked what I was making and I told him about the orcchiette with broccoli and sausage, which to me is such a typical Italian-American dish, but he had never heard of it. He said he wants the recipe! I was proud of myself for asking for something out of the ordinary and saving myself the work of taking off the casing at home. It was delicious, by the way.

• Katie: Last Saturday, instead of running from swim class to social events like we normally do, we took a day off. We came home, and we rested. We had lunch together (this soup was a hit with everyone!), and when Clara declared she loved asparagus, I couldn’t help but smile—she’s really loving trying new food at the moment, which is an unexpected but very welcome turn.

• Meredith: The grilled beef and mushroom bowls were delicious but very spicy. Definitely an adult dinner.

Humbling moments

• Katie: When friends ask me how they can become better cooks, I remind them to read the whole recipe before beginning! Well, guess what I didn’t do before cooking from Sohla’s Start Here? Yep, didn’t read the recipe through. And then, as I was reading it, I took various creative liberties (didn’t measure pasta or the cheese, also didn’t save enough pasta water, also used angel hair, etc). Guess what, friends? Follow the recipe😂

• Katie: Can anyone else relate to putting a pot of soaked beans to boil on the stove and forgetting about said pot of beans? I can still smell the burnt mess if I close my eyes!

• Meredith: I didn’t execute very well on my meal plan this week. I spent most of Wednesday doing life admin, which did not include shopping for food. Side note: Navigating immigration paperwork for two countries—with languages and cultures I know intimately—is not easy. I cannot imagine how people without my privilege do it. ANYWAY, life was life-ing and I ordered Five Guys for dinner 🤷🏼‍♀️

• Katie: I’m right with Meredith this week. I didn’t stick to our plan either, and instead of setting up various dredging stations for this chicken, I asked my husband to just grill up the chicken and call it a day.

This week’s game plan: I’m always trying to prep as much food as I can when my kids are in bed to make our days run smoother, and this week is no exception. I’ll prep the bean salad over the weekend to make for an easy Monday, I’ll do the sauce for the tofu the night before, too, and I’ll definitely prep the chili oil before Friday as well. Everything else is simple enough to pull together.

Monday: Taverna salad (via NYT Cooking) with homemade flatbread
Tuesday: Crispy tofu with peanut sauce (via Bon Appetit)
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Smash burgers (via Once Upon a Chef) and oven fries
Friday: Çılbır (poached eggs over labne with chili oil) (via Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly)
Other: I hope this is my week to make doughnuts! I’ve seriously been dreaming about them for weeks now. Recipe to be determined, but I LOVED reading through Nicola’s take on them!

This week’s game plan: This week I want low-effort, high-reward. I want to cook a few times, but eat well all week long. I’m thinking big batches of proteins and veggies that I can turn into other things throughout the week.

Monday: Roast chicken (via NYT Cooking) with little potatoes and broccoli
Tuesday: Mini monogrammed pot pies with leftover chicken and homemade broth (via Dinner A Love Story)
Wednesday: The black beans that Katie made last week! Probably in quesadillas. (via Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly)
Thursday: Tzatziki chickpea salad (via NYT Cooking)
Friday: Ordering in or eating out.
Other: I am going to make a Dutch baby pancake this weekend, and maybe finally get around to making these muffins.

• Meredith: I really enjoyed reading this article on feeding kids. Such a good resource for family recipe inspiration!

• Katie: A deep dive into Le Creuset and its journey over the years. And now I desperately believe in and want to find one used! (Meredith: Another thing to add to my late night Vinted searches!)

• Meredith: Quick check-in on my mental health. This week I drank lots of water, ate good mood foods, and got outside for a few runs. I went to bed earlier and Lola slept a bit better… things are looking up. Thank you to everyone who reached out, especially those who are in a similar rut. You’re not alone <3 (Katie: Big hugs!)

• Katie: This is the third or fourth time I’m seeing people talk about this cookbook, and I am so intrigued. I loved this sentiment so much because it’s just so true: “Because the more you cook from a book, the more it begins to feel like a conversation.”