Recipes for when "I'll just eat whatever's in the fridge" isn't an option
My Tupperware cabinet is working overtime this week.
Hello, chefs.
I got a wild hair this week and decided to start going into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’m still in the growing pains phase; I’m used to working in an extremely controlled environment (my home office) where pretty much the only distractions that could interrupt my work are within my control. Working in an office around other people where impromptu conversations abound decreases my heads-down focus time by about 95%.
But! It also speeds up my work cycles. Sounds weird, but hear me out. Instead of grinding on a project for a whole day, then scheduling a teammate so we can review and discuss, then often scrapping the project and starting again, I can just spend five minutes aligning in person and be on my way.
Being around my team in person also increases the likelihood that I’ll get some of the “juice” I need to stay flowing at work, which is positive feedback. On our podcast last week, my friend Maria and I talked about how we avoid burnout. For me, it requires that I identify the thing that gives me “juice” and proactively seek it out, which can get really tough if I let myself get too blocked up. Thus, office days. You can listen to the full episode here:
This same concept popped up in my book du jour, The Well-Lived Life, written by 102-year-old doctor Gladys McGarey. Dr. McGarey talks about this concept of life being in motion—even (maybe especially) when it doesn’t feel like it—and when we’re feeling stuck or blocked, there’s always some kind of trickle around the dam. It can take a bit of effort to find it, but if we focus on it, that trickle can become powerful enough to clear the blockage.
All that to say: if you’re feeling stuck, try something new. Not novel. But hell, this lady is writing books at 102, she’s got to be doing something right.
Naturally, this means that my usual lunchtime raid of the fridge needs to be replaced by something packable. I used to be the Crowned Princess of Office Lunches, so I’m learning how to do that again (at least twice a week). My strategy is a mix of prepping foods specifically for the purpose of office lunches, and choosing dinners that I know will yield plenty of leftovers that don’t stink when reheated. I’m sharing two of my current favorites today.
-Faith
Everything Salad
I loooooove this salad because it feels briny and special and is extremely satisfying, PLUS it keeps in your fridge all week (and then some). AND!!! It’s super cost effective. You can make individual containers if you’re planning to eat it all week on the go, or just make one big Tupperware full and spoon some out every day into a fresh salad.
To prep the salad mix:
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can chopped artichoke hearts, drained
1 can sliced green olives, drained
Chopped crunchy vegetables of your choice: ones that will keep well all week are red onions, celery, radish, but you can get creative here. Avoid cucumbers or other high water content veggies.
When you’re adding to containers, add in the order above (chickpeas first, fresh veg last). Your canned veg will continue to drain a bit in the container, so keeping the fresh veg on top will keep them from getting soggy.
To assemble (and dressing!):
Assemble this right before you want to eat it. In a bowl, whisk a drizzle of olive oil, either the juice of 1/2 lemon or a drizzle of red wine vinegar, a small spoonful of dijon, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. Add a good amount of parmesan. Chop up some lettuce of your choice and add to the bowl along with a spoonful of your salad mix.
Chicken and Dumplings
Alison Roman really went off on this one. I made it up to step 3ish, added some matzo balls, and called it chicken soup this weekend, but the full recipe is quite literally the definition of *chef’s kiss.* This is a great one to make for company (who tf doesn’t like chicken soup with doughy bits in it?!) and keeps really well in the fridge all week if you a) want leftovers or b) are cooking a meal to bring to someone.
For the chicken:
2 lbs bone in, skin on chicken thighs
2 tbsp oil (veg or olive)
Chopped vegetables: 1 onion, 4 celery stalks, 6 carrots, 2 leeks
Fresh thyme sprigs
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
Salt n pepper
For the dumplings:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/12 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tbsp melted butter
Fresh, chopped parsley and chives
Salt n pepper
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large dutch oven over med-high and add your oil. Add chicken and sear until golden and crispy, about 10 minutes per side. It should render some fat. Transfer chicken to a plate and pull out 3 tbsp of the fat that accumulated in the pan; keep in a small bowl, you’ll need it later.
Add onions, celery, and half of the carrots to the pot with the remaining fat. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium until vegetables soften a bit, then add the chicken, thyme springs, and 8 cups of water. Simmer about 40 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock (FAM, BE SURE THERE IS A BOWL UNDER THE STRAINER! YOU WANT THE LIQUID, NOT THE SOLIDS!). You should have about 5 cups.
Heat the fat you saved along with 1 tbsp butter in your dutch oven. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour until smooth and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken stock until no lumps remain and bring to a boil. Add leaks and remaining carrots, season with salt and pepper, and lower to a simmer.
Shred your chicken, removing the skin and bones. Add back to the pot and cook it all for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your dumplings: whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, salt and pepper, then add your buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Stir just until combined. Using a spoon, drop generous spoonfuls of the dough into the simmering pot. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 20 minutes until cooked and puffy.
When you serve, sprinkle with parsley and chives.