I adapted this recipe from “Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow”, a staple in my quest for healthy and delicious eating. Musicians are essentially athletes, and should treat their bodies accordingly. I love this recipe paired with Greek yogurt for a post-performance snack that won’t cause sleep problems. At Christmas, I make up a few batches to give out as gifts to friends and colleagues, or for hostess gifts. Substitute in pepitas for the nuts if needed, and use gluten free oats if desired.
Makes about 5 cups
Ingredients
3 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. chopped nuts or seeds of choice
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. dried fruit of choice, chopped if larger types like apricots
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Mix together all ingredients except fruit until well-combined.
Spread on baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once after 20 minutes. Granola should be lightly browned. Cool completely before breaking into clusters. Mix in the fruit.
This recipe is a bit of an endeavor, but I double it and put one batch of enchiladas in the freezer for a time when I require comfort food but it is impossible to cook. The sauce is beautifully tangy, and the poblanos add a delightful smokiness to the cheesy goodness.
Not at all connected to enchiladas, my sous chef, Curtis, and I listened to the soundtrack from La vita è bella, as my husband prepared to give a guest lecture on the music for a high school film class.
Serves 12. Or half the quantities if you don’t want to save a second dinner.
Ingredients:
8 poblano peppers
4 cans (11 oz. ) tomatillos, drained
3 onions, chopped fine
1 bunch cilantro
2/3 c. vegetable stock
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. vegetable oil or other neutral oil
3 Tbsp. chopped garlic
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper
2 cans black beans, rinsed
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 c. Mexican cheese blend, shredded
24-28 6-inch corn tortillas
Roast the poblanos: Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler and heat broiler. Place peppers on aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes, flip with tongs and broil for another 10 minutes, until the skins are black. Place peppers in a bowl and cover to steam for about 5 minutes. Once cool, remove skins, stems, and seeds, then chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Set oven to 400 degrees and adjust oven rack to the middle.
Make the sauce: Process the tomatillos, half of the onion, half of the cilantro, broth, cream, 2 Tbsp oil, half of the garlic, lime juice, sugar, and 2 tsp. salt in a large capacity food processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the filling: Mash half of the beans with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Heat 2 Tbsp. of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add the remaining onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and spices, and cook until fragrant (30 seconds). Stir in the poblanos, mashed beans, the remaining whole beans and cook until warmed through. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, add 2 cups cheese, 1 cup tomatillo sauce, and remaining cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Prepare the tortillas: Brush each tortilla on both sides with oil, stack tortillas and wrap in a damp dish towel and place on a plate in the microwave. Microwave for 1 minute.
Assemble the enchiladas: Spread 1/2 c. tomatillo sauce in the bottom of each of two 13*9 inch baking dishes. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 c. filling, roll, and place, seam side down, in baking dish, arranging them in two columns across the width of the dish. Pour remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the center of the enchiladas. Cover dish tightly with oiled aluminum foil. Bake until enchiladas are heated through, about 25 minutes.
If saving one pan for later: Cover the enchiladas tightly first with plastic wrap (so that the wrap touches the top of the cheese and sauce), then with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator over-night, preheat oven, remove foil and plastic. Cover with oiled foil, and bake until heated through, 25 minutes.
I made this recipe yesterday as an unusual ender for a Swedish meatball dinner to celebrate the beginning of Christmas season. Rather than something heavy, it seemed right to summon memories of summer. My family was in a mood for greatness, so we listened to a compilation of Luciano Pavorotti while all cooking together and enjoying dinner.
This recipe is adapted from a version in The Quick Recipe, published by Cook’s Illustrated, and a workhorse from my days as a mother of four young boys in need of calories. I love that it uses frozen blueberries, available year-round in our northern climate, and a modest amount of sugar. I substitute any type of citrus for lemon zest and juice, and use regular milk plus plain yogurt instead of buttermilk. It takes less than 60 minutes start to finish and requires very little special equipment.
Blueberries are incredibly nutritious, and especially good for brain function and as part of an anti-inflammatory diet.
Serves 8
Blueberry Filling
6 c. frozen blueberries (wild, if possible)
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. grated citrus zest
1 Tbsp. citrus juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Biscuits
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour, or flour of choice
2 Tbsp cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar plus 2 tsp. for topping the biscuits
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/3 c. milk of choice
2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Prepare oven by adjusting rack to lower middle position, and heating to 425 degrees.
Make the filling: Place the berries in a 9 1/2 inch glass pie plate or similar sized square microwave-safe baking dish. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Drain the berries in a colander, saving the juices in a bowl. Return berries to the baking dish. Add sugar and zest to the berries. Measure out 3/4 c. of reserved juice. Whisk in the lemon and cornstarch to the reserved juice. Add to the berries, cover with plastic wrap, cut a few vents in the wrap, and microwave on high for 5 minutes, stirring once.
Make the biscuits: While berries are in the microwave, whisk together the dry ingredients, reserving 2 tsp. of sugar for topping the biscuits. Whisk together the melted butter, milk, yogurt, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir with a rubber spatula until no dry patches remain.
Assemble: Remove the berries from the microwave and discard plastic wrap. Divide the biscuit dough evenly into 8 rough portions. Place on top of the berry mixture, arranging them so they do not touch. Sprinkle with reserved sugar. Place the baking pan on a rimmed baking sheet to guard against bubbling over. Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the berries are bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown. Cool for about 20 minutes on a wire rack before serving.
We plated our’s with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. For breakfast this morning, it held up nicely with a dollop of plain yogurt.
Fueling the day of music making with a great breakfast seems like a no brainer, yet we have all ignored this obvious fact, either succumbing to sugar bombs like doughnuts and cereal, or skipping breakfast altogether. Give your body some complex carbohydrates, protein, and nutrients like vitamin C and magnesium to help make the most of the morning.
My favorite quick and easy breakfast is a mix of oatmeal with nutritional goodies like nuts, dried fruits, and seeds. I add goodies like chocolate or matcha for their energizing properties. Keep a container of this mix handy for those times when you need to excuse-proof your morning fueling session.
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds or other chopped nuts
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (chop larger pieces)
1/2 cup sesame seeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Place all the ingredients in a zip-loc bag or large jar. Shake to distribute.
To serve, measure out 1/2 cup of the mix into a cereal bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over, and mix it up. Cover and allow to steep for at least 5 minutes. (I make my coffee while waiting.) Sweeten as desired, add milk of choice, and top with additional goodies. I like to add a scoop of peanut butter for an extra protein boost.
Chocolate Variation: Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder and a small handful of chocolate chips to a single serving.
Matcha Variation: Add 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder to a single serving.
Earl Grey Version: Steep a bag of Earl Grey with the oatmeal, removing it at the desired level of potency.
It never ceases to astonish me how wiped-out I feel the morning after a performance. It doesn’t really matter how high-stakes the venue, or technically challenging the repertoire, I always feel like I got hit by a truck the next morning. I don’t drink, so I can’t even lay the blame on a post-performance Manhattan. To help remedy this inevitable performance hangover, I like to have a nourishing but somewhat decadent brunch plan for the next day. I am a big believer in sourdough, but these waffles can also be made using yeast instead. Depending on the mood, I top these with peanut butter, maple syrup, or plain yogurt. The version in the picture has peanut butter, banana slices and a sprinkle of cardamom. If you think you deserve it, a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be divine! My son, Miles, contends that Hard Bop is the best genre to listen to for making/eating breakfast, and I tend to agree. Find the playlist he curated for me in the recipe.
Sourdough Version:
The night before, mix together in a large bowl:
1 cup sourdough starter
2 cups flour of choice (I like half white/half whole-wheat)
2 cups buttermilk, or 1 3/4 cups milk + 1/4 cup yogurt
2 Tbsp sugar
Cover and allow to sit at a cool room temperature overnight.
Whisk together all but the soda in a separate bowl. Combine with the overnight sponge.
1 can pumpkin pureé
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice or ground cloves
or substitute pumpkin pie spice or Chinese 5-spice powder for the 3 separate spices
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup melted butter
Sprinkle the soda on the mixture, then mix to incorporate. The mix will bubble a bit in a very satisfying way.
Grease the waffle maker with butter. Scoop about 1/4-1/3 cup of mix per waffle onto the iron, close and wait for the waffle maker to give its approval of doneness. Place cooked waffles on a wire rack to avoid sogginess. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
I keep cooled leftover waffles in a zip-loc bag in the freezer. They are very good chucked in the toaster for a quick breakfast, if not quite as satisfying as fresh.
To make the recipe using yeast instead of sourdough:
Substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast for the sourdough starter. Before mixing the sponge, heat the milk until warm, sprinkle the yeast on top, and allow it to dissolve before mixing in the rest of the sponge ingredients. Leave out the baking soda.
The Sated Musician 