Weeknight Rescue // January 2020 // Week 4

Happy weekend, friends. This week is packed with so many favorites, I don’t know where to start. If you’ve never made my Dark Chocolate Superfood Bark and have a bit of a sweet tooth, give it a whirl!

VIETNAMESE PORK LETTUCE WRAPS

These lettuce cups are like fresh-tasting Vietnamese-style tacos with a killer ginger lime dressing to finish. Since they’re pretty light on the appetite, you might want to get some carbs on the table, such as steamed brown basmati rice or a favorite Asian noodle tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sliced scallion.

FISH SLIDERS

This is what I call speed-scratch cooking. These little sliders rely on store-bought breaded fish fillets that get dressed up with a yogurt caper dressing and a pile of shredded cabbage. The result is pretty darn delicious. Keep it simple and serve with a plate of crunchy crudite and/or little roasted potatoes (425 degree oven, olive oil, salt, pepper..you get the idea).

SLOW COOKER POT ROAST

pot roast in a white dish with carrots and potatoes

To me, pot roast is the very definition of cold weather cooking. It’s hearty and soul satisfying. I found the slow cooker does a terrific job with pot roast, but you can also roast it in the oven (instructions for that are in the recipe headnote).

CREAMY CARROT MAC AND CHEESE

Creamy carrots blend seamlessly into this mac and cheese thanks to their mild sweetness and the fact that they’re the same color as Cheddar cheese. Lately I’ve been loving roasting kale tossed with olive at about 400 degrees, then dousing it with balsamic vinegar.

COCONUT LIME CHICKPEA STEW

This is everything you want in a cozy stew: filling, flavorful, and nourishing. It also happens to be vegan. The chick peas do double duty in this dish by serving as its foundation as well as a crispy topping to scatter on at the very finish.

DARK CHOCOLATE SUPERFOOD BARK

I swiped this idea from my mom for a chocolate fix that is a nourishing treat. It’s a blend of dark chocolate, cashew butter, dried fruit, and seeds that you stir together and snap into bite-size pieces. Tuck them into lunch boxes or enjoy with your afternoon tea. Be sure to store in the fridge!

HOMEMADE BUCKWHEAT GRANOLA

A gluten-free granola that is low sugar and high flavor. You can tinker with the nuts and dried fruits, using whatever you have on hand. Make a batch to enjoy over yogurt or under milk for breakfast and snacks all week long.

SHOPPING LIST // WEEK 4

Vietnamese-Style Lettuce Wraps with Ginger Lime Dressing
1/2 cup lime juice (4 to 5 limes)
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or other favorite hot sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 pound pork tenderloin
1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 English cucumber
1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts
1/3 bunch fresh cilantro
1 large head butter lettuce or Romaine lettuce

Fish Sliders with Creamy Caper Dressing
16 ounces breaded frozen fish fillets
1/3 cup non-fat Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons capers
2 teaspoons pickle relish
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
8 slider buns (or 4 hamburger buns)
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
Pickled jalapeños (optional)

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Vegetables
One 2 1/2 pound grass-fed chuck roast
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 large yellow onion
1 cup red wine
4 cloves garlic
1 cup beef broth
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 pound small, waxy potatoes (red skin, white or Yukon Gold)
4 large carrots
6 large sprigs fresh thyme

Creamy Carrot Mac and Cheese
1 pound carrots
12 ounces penne pasta (~4 cups dried)
1 1/4 cup low-fat milk
5 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese (~2 cups coarsely grated)
2 tablespoons fresh chives

Coconut Lime Chick Pea Stew

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
2 large cloves garlic
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger
1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use 1/4 teaspoon if you want it spicy)
Two 15-ounce cans chick peas
Two 13.5-ounce cans organic light coconut milk
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bunch kale
2 tablespoons lime juice
To garnish: 3/4 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup torn mint leaves, 1 cup crispy/crunchy salted chick peas

Dark Chocolate Superfood Bark
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup cashew butter (or other favorite nut or seed butter)
1/3 cup roasted cashews (or other favorite nuts)
1/3 cup raisins, dried cherries, or dried cranberries
3 tablespoons roasted, salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
1 heaping tablespoon hemp seeds
Flaky salt such as Maldon (optional)

Homemade Buckwheat Granola
1 1/2 cups buckwheat (uncooked buckwheat groats)
1 cup slivered almonds (or other chopped nuts)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup raisins