Santa Rosa chef shares quick, healthy ideas for back-to-school meals
Jennifer Emory grew up on a small farm in Susanville where her family grew their own fruits and vegetables and raised their own chickens and cows.
“My mom was able to stay home and cook dinner every night,” Emory said. “That was a huge blessing.”
Although she does not yet have children of her own, the Santa Rosa personal chef has plenty of sympathy for working parents who sandwich fresh family meals between the demands of soccer practice, homework and early morning alarm clocks.
As children head back to school this month, Emory shares some recipes from her food truck catering company, Foodie Farmhouse, which serves global comfort food with a twist. All are easy to prepare, perfect for repurposing and easy on the family budget.
Of course, they also showcase the healthy bounty of fall, from zucchini and butternut squash to herbs and tomatoes, along with fiber-filled foods like garbanzo and black beans.
“My cooking style is fresh, clean and full of flavor, yet nutritionally conscious,” Emory said. “I like to use whole foods.” One of her favorite kid-friendly dishes is a simple cherry tomato pasta sauce served over zucchini noodles, topped with chicken medallions and a fresh pesto.
“The pesto can be made from your favorite herbs,” she said. “I like basil, arugula and cilantro, blended with garlic, juice and olive oil.”
For the pasta dish, she slices a chicken breast vertically into thin, manageable pieces, then cooks the slices in a pan. Then she uses the same pan to make the cherry tomato sauce, saving time on clean-up.
The pesto sauce, which may last a few days in the fridge, can later be used to add flavor to a dip, a wrap or a sandwich. She also suggests pouring it over sautéed vegetables.
“Something like pesto helps clear a pathway for kids who may not like vegetables,” she said.
For the zucchini noodles, home cooks can either use a spiralizer, a mandoline slicer or a grater to create the faux spaghetti.
“People do not realize that it’s not pasta,” she said. “And you don’t even have to cook it.”
For another simple but savory dinner, Emory suggests a butternut squash soup made with Asian aromatics like ginger and thickened with coconut milk and shredded coconut. Later in the week, you could use the leftovers as a sauce for fish, such as halibut.
“It’s so creamy and delicious,” she said of the soup. “It’s even good chilled.”
If your kids do not like spicy food, leave out the chiles and serve some hot sauce on the side.
“It’s important to be delicate with kids,” she said. “You should allow them to taste things in small doses, because their palates are so sensitive.”
With this Asian-inspired squash soup, Emory would serve a rainbow slaw made from small bites of apples, cucumbers, radishes, celery, carrots and cabbage, topped with a citrusy dressing of orange juice, mint and extra virgin olive oil.
“You can gather whatever you have in your fridge, then run it through the spiralizer or grater,” she said.
“The texture is great for the kids, because the pieces are nice and small.”
When she was growing up, Emory’s mom made a Mexican casserole called enchilada pie that was layered like a lasagna. Emory still makes it, but for busy families suggests using canned organic black and pinot beans, blended with vegetables and meat for the filling.
To keep the casserole healthy, Emory sprinkles the top with cheese rather than adding it throughout. Rather than frying the tortillas first, she overlaps them on the bottom and pours the sauce over them.
“This recipe gets rid of all the oil, and it holds and freezes well,” she said. “It’s almost more fun to eat than regular enchiladas, and it’s so easy for Mom.”
For lunches and after-school snacks, try making a roasted red bell pepper hummus using ready-made roasted peppers out of the jar. It can be used in a wrap or on a sandwich, or served as a dip with some healthy vegetables.
Another fun idea is to make a batch of pickles, using your favorite refrigerator pickle recipe and the fall bounty of bell peppers, radishes, carrots, cucumbers and cauliflower.
“For kids, it’s a nice way to get fresh veggies on the side of a sandwich,” she said. “They last for a really long time.”
Chicken Medallions with Pesto Sauce over Zucchini “Pasta” with Simple Tomato Sauce
Makes 4 servings for kids (or 2 servings for adults)
1 chicken breast, sliced into 1/2-inch medallions
1/2 cup avocado oil
4 cups young zucchini, grated or spiralized
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
1/2 cup red onion, medium dice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
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