how was your the rest of your august? i rounded out the last of my summer days by turning 37 and had a quiet, sweet weekend about it. erik and i went to a peking duck restaurant where we tucked thin pieces of crispy duck with garlic sauce, hoisin, thinly shaved onions, course sprinkling sugar, and cucumbers into steamed pancakes and wow, wowowowow was it incredible. we sipped chinese pinot noir (who knew?) and i was given bonus birthday noodles at the end of the meal which i now firmly believe is better than birthday cake. we went to the flower market and got the biggest, bluest hydrangeas i've ever seen, read some romantasy, and took teddy to the dog park. it was simple and perfect, and i hope, the start to a calmer year.

_{*i briefly mention tfmr and talk around some of my fertility struggles in the paragraph below. if that conversation is not for you, for whatever reason, sending you a big hug and a nudge to scroll down for a really good recipe.}

i didn’t love 36. it wasn’t bad, in fact by all accounts it was a big, full year that with more time and distance i will look back on and appreciate so much more. it felt like a bridge year; leaving 35 which was insurmountably difficult, and wading through through some really hard parts of life that left me feeling wrung out and disassociated. 35 was when i had to tfmr and lost a baby. 36 was when i was sort of postpartum and sort of not; my hormones felt wildly out of my control and my body that tried so hard felt like something i didn’t recognize; how it felt, how it moved, how it looked, how it didn’t seem like mine anymore. 36 was when i neutralized my feelings. i was so tired of grieving, so tired of feeling everything so much, so tired of keeping my hopes so high. i feel like i shifted into a place where i kept my emotions tempered; never too big and never too sad, just sort of hovering at a distance so i didn’t have to feel so much while life was still trudging forward around me.

36 was when i launched honey street supper club and started to feel excited again. 36 was when i left corporate america (maybe forever?) 36 was when i had uterine surgery, which solved a small piece of my fertility puzzle, and showed me that i am a lot braver than i realized. 36 was when i traveled to austria, slovenia, and moved - literally moved! - to china. 36 was when i really started to internalize that what is, and isn’t, in my scope of control, and that is the biggest lesson i hope to hold hand in hand through 37.

i'm approaching 37 from a tender place. i have wishes and hopes for it that i'm keeping curled up close. i have some big and small plans that will help me feel like myself again. i have every confidence in the world that 37 will be hard in ways i can’t yet imagine and wonderful in ways i couldn’t dream up. i'm taking a big, deep breath, and welcoming it in.

with birthdays comes a certain sort of internal changing of the seasons, and mine coincides with the arrival of fall. i love this time of year - i love the chill that catches in your ribs, tucking my hair into thick, wooly sweaters, hands wrapped around piping mugs of hot cocoa, watching when harry met sally over and over, and the cool, crisp stillness in the morning. i love that it’s cozy season for chunky socks, for shorter days, for big warm bowls of soup.

this bowl of soup is a fun take on a classic chicken noodle. we’re giving it some zing with ginger, miso, and coconut milk, and it’s the perfect comfort dish to keep you feeling nourished and joyful during this season.

a few things before we get started:

• pre-cooked chicken is not a thing here in china, but i do recommend using pre-cooked chicken for this (make your life easier!!)

• the fresh herbs are key here. on the whole i think fresh herbs need to be added to any warm, savory dish, and they brighten this up beautifully. if you, like me, are married to a cilantro-hater, you can sub parsley.

• the golden part of this golden coconut ginger chicken soup comes from turmeric. this gives the soup such an earthy, deep flavor that i'm especially into this time of year.

• you know what i'm going to say………………….. this is great for meal prep.

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it’s back to school season, and with the spirit of a 12-year old Laura in 2001 carefully selecting her notebooks, folders, and pens (purple plaid, lightly lisa frank coded) we are giving the meal prep plan a little glow-up and starting fresh for fall! i LOVE this time of year; the feeling of newness and change, the tingly excitement on crisp mornings that anything is possible when the orange leaves crunch underfoot.

this week’s meal prep plan is all about quick and easy meals and snacks. the double-edged sword to fall’s welcome arrival is that it also brings a flurry of activities, new routines to fit into, and nights that feel rushed and shorter. we’re prepping a grab-and-go breakfast, energy bites to pack for snacks, and a few low-effort dinners to help make the transitions lighter and brighter.

every single recipe in this week’s plan can be prepped ahead, and they all reheat beautifully. i'll have methods for how to prep for the whole week if that’s your jam, and how to prep a couple of things if that’s more your speed.

here’s what we’re working with this week:

• salted peanut butter chocolate chip energy bites: we’re prepping a snack this week to pop into lunch boxes, work bags, and to grab on the way to practice after school. these cuties are packed with protein and use just a few ingredients, including honey, which we’re using for the recipe below.

• sheet pan honey sesame chicken bowls: this is a great recipe to prep, or make on a weeknight when you need dinner on the table in 30. chicken, peppers, and broccoli get roasted in the same sheet pan, and a quick honey sesame sriracha sauce gets drizzled on top. this recipe uses bell peppers, so we’re doubling up for the recipe below.

• prosciutto-wrapped egg bites: to the rescuuuuuuuue! these egg bites are the perfect breakfast to have ready to go in the fridge. sunday scares who?? we’re using parmesan cheese here, which is also used in the soup, below.

• creamy sausage tortellini soup: cozy! autumnal! vibes!! i could not love this soup more. it’s creamy and hearty, and warming up a big bowl of soup after a long day in front of a crackling fire with your sweatpants on is a top tier feeling. this recipe uses parmesan, kale, and cream, all of which we’re using as crossover ingredients with the dish below.

• gnocchi with creamy kale pesto and mushrooms: this is another quick, cozy recipe that packs so much flavor in very little time. a basil kale pesto is swished onto fluffy gnocchi, and the whole thing is ready in less than 30 minutes.

*the meal prep plan, v.1 and v.6 is free for everyone!

the majority of the meal prep plans will be for paid subscribers. the why behind that is truly because it’s a shit ton of work. it takes a ton of time, planning, and recipe testing. thank you thank you thank you for supporting this little space for food and joy!

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• hi, friends!

how has your week been? it’s almost friday and somehow almost september and both of those things feel impossible. i keep reaching for the last gasps of summer - grilled dinners on the deck, eating a sandwich with potato chips stuffed inside, hair tangled and happy, air drying from a dip in the lake - and then i remember i am literally 6,000 miles away from those late august daydreams and my sense of time and space has severely skewed from this move. i have not seen a single pumpkin spiced anything here in beijing, so color me shocked when i discovered it is in fact, almost fall.

anyway, i have an underrated party idea: a hummus bar! think the graze board trend from a couple years ago, or waffle bars from before that, or like build-your-own baked potato bars, which pop up for weddings more than i feel they should?

i've got a ridiculously simple, whimsy-ful dinner for you that feels light and bright, and one that comes together in minutes. hummus bowls, 2 ways! the idea here is pretty straightforward: spoon a big dollop of hummus into a bowl, top it with cucumber and tomato salad, and fill it with either spiced honey beef, or golden and griddle halloumi cheese. swish some pita through the bowl to scoop up all the goodness and ohhhh my goodness. yummmm.

a few things before we get started:

• we’re only using a few ingredients for these bowls: hummus, cucumbers, tomato, red onion, parsley, ground beef and/or halloumi, and pita bread. that’s it!

• you could 1000% do a mix and match situation and build your bowl with both ground beef and halloumi.

• if you’re meal prepping any part of this, i would suggest making the cucumber tomato salad ahead of time, and making either the beef or halloumi when you’re ready to eat.

hummus bowls, 2 ways
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 10 minutes

for the base:
use whatever kind of hummus you like!

for the cucumber tomato salad:
2 small cucumbers, chopped into quarters
1c cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped
1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced
1tbsp parsley, chopped
a drizzle of vinegar, whatever you have on hand
big pinch of salt

*mix all the ingredients for the salad.

for the beef:
1lb ground beef
1tbsp tomato paste
1tbsp honey
1tsp cumin
1/2tsp coriander
1tsp garlic powder
1/2tsp turmeric
1/2tsp salt
drizzle of olive oil

*heat the olive oil over medium heat. add the beef, tomato paste, honey, and spices, and sauce until the beef is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.

for the halloumi:
1 block of halloumi
drizzle of olive oil

*heat the olive oil over medium heat. add the halloumi, and sauté for a few minutes until it gets golden and starts to crisp. flip the halloumi, and sear the other side for another minute or two. once it’s seared, cut into small chunks.

**to assemble the bowls:

• layer a big scoonful of hummus into the bowl

• add cucumber tomato salad

• add beef and/or halloumi

• drizzle the bowl with a little olive oil and top with more parsley (this is a nice zhuzh - not necessary, but lovely!)

• use pieces of pita to scoop up all the goodness

before i moved to china, i had visions of myself going to the market everyday and gathering ingredients to make for dinner, carefully selecting crisp heads of cabbage, big juicy plums, crusty bread, and if i were lucky, soft cheese. i was hoping to romanticize parts of my new life that i knew would feel drastically different from my old (comfortable, settled!) life in virginia. the market might look different than my big box grocery store with exorbitant options, but the actual cooking, the part that i find so soothing and treat as church and therapy - that, i hoped, would feel like the same small magic.

and it does, generally! i’ve been relieved that i can find most ingredients i set out to cook with, and i'm slowly building back up my pantry of staples. flaky sea salt, balsamic vinegar, and tahini are still eluding me, but i’ve gotten a handle on my new market and make my way there most days. we don’t have a car yet, so i'm the proud new owner of a cream bike with a brown leather seat and wide basket, and it truly feels like a kiss on the forehead to my daily market daydreams.

howeverrrrrr! it’s typhoon season here. a good analogy is that it’s like hurricane season in virginia; there aren’t typhoons actually happening in beijing, but once they hit the southern part of china, beijing gets an ungodly amount of rain, my cutie bike dreams are promptly snuffed, and i have to order groceries for delivery. i would like to stress that the chinese apps sortofnotreally translate, i have not learned numbers in mandarin yet, and i sortofnotreally understand ounce-to-kilogram math. this is how i mistakenly ordered 8 heads of garlic instead of 1 and a bag of breadcrumbs the size of my dog. who among us??

thus, a make lemonade out of lemons situation, or rather, make roasted garlic and tomato pasta out of a ridiculous amount of garlic.

when i opened up my grocery delivery i did say out loud, ‘are you shitting me, laura,’ but NOW i'm tickled i ended up with so much garlic. what a joy! what a fun challenge! my general motto with garlic is more is more which is why there are 3 heads of it in this recipe! *3 very necessary heads - this sauce is increeeedible.

so let’s get into it: we’re roasting 3 heads of garlic that will get buttery soft and sweet with a ton of tomatoes (maybe you have an avalanche of summer tomatoes you need to use?) and a block of feta. all of that gets blended and poured over pasta for a simple, tangy creamy dreamy dish that’s perfect for these almost-fall days. yummmmmmm.

a few things before we get started:

• i know 3 heads of garlic seems insane, but trust me here. the garlic flavor gets milder when roasted and we’ve got a lot of sauce to cover a lot of ground.

• this is a vegetarian pasta, but would be great with a protein! i love it on its own, but i'm also planning on making some chicken meatballs (with the aforementioned breadcrumbs) to have with it later this week.

• if you don’t like feta, you could try a puck of boursin or goat cheese, BUT - i did not test either of those so i can’t promise they’ll work.

• i like a short pasta with ridges here so that it catches all of the delicious sauce. i used rigatoni, and penne or cavatappi would be great here, too.

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hi, friends!

i have a few quick things to report before we dive face first into this lazy skillet lasagna.

• our first shipment of stuff arrives tomorrow!!! we’ve been floating in this weird in-between space where it feels like we’re living in a sparse, impersonal airbnb, mixed with a few frantic ikea purchases, and one hilarious/tragic rug that we thought would be ‘neutral’ but is really a pixelated picture of carpet graphed onto a rug. i'm hoping that it feels like christmas morning unwrapping my coffee maker, citrus zester, and framed photos, and that it feels like we’re building our little home here in beijing.

• i was invited to a ladies happy hour tonight, so i'm embarking on a blind friend date! i hate this part!! making friends as an adult is really, really hard and ‘putting myself out there’ is close to dead last on my list of things i like to do. the last 4 weeks here have felt like a juggling act of just fine, sometimes really fulfilling, and often times very isolating, so, i'll be doing my best impression of a woman who is brave and hopefully meet some new friends (i will report back!)

• my brain has been buzzing with so many recipes and i am JAZZED about some easy, delicious eats on deck at honey street supper club. be on the lookout for my new favorite way to eat tofu, bacon cheddar broccoli pasta salad, loaded hummus bowls, and ginger chicken broth bowls (i want to fast forward so you can have them all now, ah!)

ok, let’s discuss/pine for this lazy skillet lasagna. this is one of those recipes that feels like it’s too good to be true - classic lasagna flavors without all the work of layering and layering and layering, resulting in a dish that is suspiciously easy to make and unbelievably delicious. i realized as i was making this that i have never made a true lasagna, and this recipe pretty much confirms that i never will. i truly believe that effort does not always equal ‘better’ when it comes to food.

we’re keeping this lasagna as low-effort as possible by sautéing ground beef, onions, carrots, lots of garlic, and zucchini to tuck in some more veggies, and adding tomatoes, broth, and cracking sheets of lasagna over top. slap a lid on your skillet and… that’s it. the whole thing gets extra dreamy at the end with mozzarella and ricotta, and it’s one of those dishes that i know i'll be looking forward to the most.

a few things before we get started:

• this is a one-pan recipe! all you need is a large skillet with a lid.

• you can definitely swap ground beef for ground turkey if you prefer.

• you know what i’m about to say… this is a great recipe for meal prep. pasta - especially saucy pasta - reheats beautifully, and this lazy lasagna makes a biiiig portion.

lazy skillet lasagna
makes: 4-6 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes

1lb ground beef
1/2 an onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 large zucchini, sliced in half, then sliced into thin half-moons
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1tbsp tomato paste
15oz can of diced tomatoes
3c chicken broth or stock
1c basil, chopped
10 sheets of lasagna pasta
1c shredded mozzarella
ricotta cheese (measure with your heart)
1tbsp olive oil
1tsp salt
1tsp black pepper
1tsp dried basil

in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. add the ground beef, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and dried basil. sauté for 5-7 minutes until the beef is browned and cooked through, then add the onion, carrots, and garlic, sautéing for another few minutes until the onions start to soften.

next, add the zucchini, tomatoes, and chopped basil. stir to combine everything, then add the sheets of lasagna by breaking them apart into chunks and scattering them into the skillet.

pour the chicken broth over top, give the skillet a big stir to submerge the pasta, and place the lid onto the skillet. lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes. you’ll want most of the liquid to be absorbed at that point - some left is ok!

sprinkle in the mozzarella, and top the lasagna with big spoonfuls of ricotta.

hi, friends!

waving at you from a very full weekend that included a happy hour at the us embassy, biking to the flower market to pick out my weekly blooms, and the beijing beer and culture festival - a truly surreal experience where i felt very much like the observer of a chinese state fair mixed with a patriotic rally where i was most definitely not the intended audience. i nibbled on a 3-foot long roasted lamb skewer, drank watermelon beer, and people-watched, exhausted but content from another week navigating life in china and feeling like i’m (maybe?) getting the hang of it.

it’s a truth universally acknowledged that potato-based foods are the cure to languishing summer blues, moving anxiety, cooking boredom, and most general bummers. i’ve found myself gravitating to a lot of comfort food that feels like a big hug since moving here, and this has included many baked potatoes, fries, and these sweet potato cakes.

these are a play on the indian street food aloo tikki but with a heavy lean into crispy garlic flavors and a spicy ranch dunking sauce (!!) they’re made with baked sweet potato, a little flour, and some spices… and that’s literally it. just a few ingredients, plus sriracha ranch - and you’ve got the best crispy crunchy lunch/snack/app. comfort food, with a kick, as it were.

would these be amazing deep-fried? of course they would. do i have an innate fear of obtaining 3rd degree burns from oil splatter whilst trying to deep fry something? of course i do, so we’re just going to take the risk-averse route and pan-sear these cuties. quick, easy, disaster-free. for those of you who want to put your danger zone pants on, deep fry away, my friends. you could also bake them but i think they’re best in a bit of hot oil for maximum crisp.

a few things before we get started:

• you can prep your sweet potato well beforehand and quickly sear your cakes when you’re ready to eat!

• on that note, i recommend eating these crispy cakes right after you’ve made them. they don’t reheat quite as nicely and you’ll lose some of the gorgeous, textured crust if you microwave these babies.

• this recipe is super easy to double - literally just x2 the ingredients and you’ve got yourself a sweet potato cake party (WAIT, should we do this??)

• this recipe is easily made vegan with your favorite vegan ranch! we love.

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friends, hi!

i’ve officially marked three full weeks here in beijing and even though things still feel a little hazy, i’m super committed to Doing The Most and really relishing in the tiny victories and little joys along the way. this week included: building out a home gym with erik (i’ll subsequently add, learning kilo to pound conversions), signing up to volunteer at the embassy commissary, booking a long weekend at shanghai disneyland!!!, making a lazy lasagna that i am so, so excited to share next week, and mini mandarin lessons every night until my classes start in a couple of weeks. i'm also making another batch of these dark chocolate chunk pistachio oat bars because i finally found chia seeds and dates here and both discoveries were thrilling. it’s been a delicious week, it’s been a cathartic week.

i feel like pistachios are really having a moment right now - i literally cannot shut up about my undying wish to make a pistachio latte once my coffee maker arrives from customs - and i am all too happy to be that girl and add them to every little sweet treat. they add the perfect crunchy salty bite to these bars and i am truly obsessed with the flavor combination that’s going on here.

you could call this a protein bar but i think it’s a bit of a stretch - we’re mixing oats, dates, pistachios, chia seeds, dark chocolate chunks, protein powder, and peanut butter - so yes, sure, there is protein in here but i think the main purpose of these bars is to have a snack, a little sweet treat, and amuse bouche, if you will. a snack because it’s delicious and because you made them like you love yourself and because you want it. that’s the only reason you need!!

a few things before we get started:

• these bars are pretty straightforward and i'll supply some swaps for ingredients, but oat bars have a tendency to be dry and crumbly so i wouldn’t stray from the proportions if you choose your own adventure.

• there’s no baking or cooking for these - just mix and chill!

• these are best stored in the fridge.

• please don’t skip the chocolate drizzle, because why would you?

dark chocolate chunk pistachio oat bars
makes: 8 bars
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 2 hours, for chilling

for the bars:
3/4c rolled oats
1/2c chopped pistachios
1/2c dark chocolate chunks (you can sub semi-sweet or milk chocolate if you prefer)
1/2c vanilla protein powder
2tbsp chia seeds
1c pitted + chopped dates
1/2c honey (you can sub maple syrup)
1/2c drippy peanut butter (you can sub any kind of nut butter but it has to be the drippy kind)
1tsp vanilla extract
big pinch of salt

for the chocolate drizzle:
1/3c dark chocolate chunks
1tsp coconut oil

more chopped pistachios for topping

line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.

in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the bars. if they seem dry, add more peanut butter. if they seem too sticky, add a little more oats or protein powder.

add the bar mixture into the pan, and spread it evenly, pressing into all sides. i also like to take a glass and press the bottom of it across the bars so they’re evenly flat on top.

microwave the ingredients for the chocolate drizzle for 30-45 seconds. drizzle chocolate over top the bars, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

chill the bars for at least 2 hours. once chilled, cut into 8 bars.

hi, friends!

when you’re going through something new or hard, how long do you give yourself to move through the adjustment period? is it days, weeks, months? are you a wallower in stress or do you like to dig your hands in and move through it by literally moving through it?

i had an instant reaction last week around the 2-week mark of being in beijing where something slotted into place inside my brain and i thought, ok. you had 2 weeks to panic, to mourn your old life, to clench your teeth at the smells, to feel choked with how dense it feels everywhere, to feel like you’re grasping at something, anything that feels familiar from 7,000 miles away. somewhere in my mind 2 weeks felt right; any sooner and i'd have been lying to myself that this isn’t so hard, and any longer and i'd be lighting candles for my own pity party. when it comes to stress, i am definitely more of a doer. if i can keep my brain and my body occupied and take on a task, an action, anything - it helps me process the external thing that i'm internally parsing through.

and so!! over the weekend, erik and i rooted down our lives here a little bit more. we found a new gym that felt like a small piece of home. we went on a newcomers bus tour (lololol) and saw a few neighborhoods with cool coffee shops, wine bars, and parks that we’re excited to go back to. we went for pistachio lattes because our stuff is still hanging out in customs and I STILL DON’T HAVE MY COFFEE MACHINE. we did yard work, we biked to a flower market near our house, and we cooked. it’s tiny things that build up to a place that will eventually feel like ours, and i feel more at ease every day.

my cooking life is merging a lot of recipes that i make on heavy rotation, and blending that with a combo platter of asian-inspired flavors and my new, very pared down kitchen. my pantry is stocked with rice vinegar, coconut milk, red curry paste, peanut butter, honey - all things i usually have on hand, and finding ways to use them that taste fresh and interesting while keeping recipes easy (the honey street supper club motto, really.)

i've made these cabbage cups - i'm not even exaggerating - 3 times in the last 2 weeks. the ginger chicken filling is super simple: ground chicken, ginger, scallions, and red curry paste get rolled into little flavor bombs inside cabbage leaves, and the peanut coconut broth is so luxurious that i literally want to be bathed in it. *the cabbage cups are really just a ruse/vehicle for the broth.

a few things before we get started:

• if you think you don’t like cabbage, i urge, i beg! this recipe is ridiculously good and a fun way to try a veg that might not be in your usual rotation.

• we’re using a few asian pantry ingredients that you may have on hand (esp. if you make a few of my recipes!) other yummy dishes to try are 20-minute coconut curry salmon and thai coconut beef stew.

• if you want to plus-up this dish, it’s great served over rice.

• this is the kind of recipe you really truly can’t mess up. everything gets saucy and steamy in the oven, and it’s not the prettiest dish in the world but it is shooting for tastiest.

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absolutely thriiiillllllled to be back with this meal prep plan, friends! it’s been a minute, and i owe you a fantastic plan so you can have an easy, delicious week. the theme this week is NO POOP LETTUCE! (kidding, kind of.) we’re prepping lots of cozy, simple recipes so that you can luxuriate through august and fill your weeknights with golden hour walks, chilled glasses of vino verde, and warm summer sunsets.

every single recipe in this week’s plan can be prepped ahead, and they all reheat beautifully. i'll have methods for how to prep for the whole week if that’s your jam, and how to prep a couple of things if that’s more your speed.

here’s what we’re working with this week:

• cinnamon roll baked oats with brown sugar crunch: obsessed with this breakfast! this is a perfect meal prep recipe because you can cut it into portions and reheat quickly for grab-and-go mornings. this recipe calls for milk and greek yogurt, both of which we’re using for other dishes this week.

• one pot french onion and beef pasta: i've been trying to work this recipe into a meal prep plan since the beginning, and i am so pumped to add it this week. this pasta is insane (celebratory) and will fill you up in the best way. this recipe uses more milk, and calls for broth/stock which we’re also using in the recipe, below.

• crockpot smoky chipotle corn chowder: a set it and forget it hero! this chowder is unbelievably packed with flavor, and you’ll love the smoky heat. crockpot recipes are a meal prep bff4l, and there’s truly nothing better than a one-bowl meal. this recipes uses corn, which we’re also using in the recipe below.

• mexican street corn inspired taco bowls: tacos scream summer to me, and this recipe is SO! GOOD! creamy dreamy street corn, roasted sweet potatoes, lots of lime, and taco meat come together for the best bowl - this is a great one to make your desk lunch something you actually look forward to. this recipe uses yogurt, which we also used for the baked oats.

• garlic butter chicken with tomato basil orzo: orzo is really having a moment, no? this recipe is great to add into the weekly rotation because it is EASY and tastes like so much more than the sum of it’s parts. it’s a one-pan wonder that’s great to prep for the week or make during a busy weeknight.

*the meal prep plan, v.1 is free for everyone!

the majority of the meal prep plans will be for paid subscribers. the why behind that is truly because it’s a shit ton of work. it takes a ton of time, planning, and recipe testing. thank you thank you thank you for supporting this little space for food and joy!

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friends, hi, hello!

i'm not certain of much these days, but i am hedging on certainty that this move across the world will turn me into a real deal, bonafide minimalist. it’s an ideal that i’ve identified with for a long time; i’m a millennial that grew up in a pretty classic boomer house that had stuff everywhere - stuff in drawers (just in case!) decorative stuff for every holiday, tubs and bins of toys and barbies and books and collections of stuff - and as a result of being surrounded by stuff, too much stuff makes my skin crawl. i get physically itchy at clutter, and i pride myself on living a pretty simple, pared down home life. i'm a super slow adopter of newness (you will never catch me with an air fryer, i'm sorry!) and now that i’ve moved to china and quite literally all of my stuff is on a cargo ship, i'm working with even less. i've realized that i hardly need any of that stuff, and OF COURSE i’m antsy to get my plates, my wine glasses, my favorite saute pan - but do i really need them? no.

that being said, it is a bit of a make-it-work situation in my kitchen right now. i am building my pantry up from scratch; i've got a few spices, vinegars, and oils, and since i don’t have any of my food storage containers yet, i am truthfully cooking more than i ever did before. i can’t meal prep (another thing that makes me physically itchy - i am unmoored without my usual Sunday meal prep!!) so i've been making meals for two and pretending it’s very european of me to go to the market most days.

i made these shawarma bowls the other day and they had erik and i VERY WELL FED, and more importantly, with the minimal ingredients i've stocked my kitchen with so far. it’s my whole ethos with honey street supper club - we’re making delicious things with stuff you already have at your house, and it never has to be a bigger lift than that.

here’s what we’re working with:

turmeric rice
juicy chicken shawarma (having spices in your pantry is keeeeey to building out your kitchen)
a garlicky yogurt sauce you’ll want to lather on everything
cucumber tomato red onion salad
lemon + herbs

a few things before we get started:

• there are a lot of great things happening here, texture-wise; soft and chewy rice, juicy spiced chicken, fresh and crunchy salad, and cool creamy yogurt on top.

• this recipe is created for 2 servings, but it’s super easy to double/triple that if you’re meal prepping.

• if you are planning to meal prep this, all the elements are made separately, so you can assemble everything when you’re ready to eat.

• this is another 30 minute dish - highly recommend for the weeknight after work-school-activity scramble.

• sweet potato chickpea curry and one pan tuscan sausage with white beans are great ways to use up more tomato paste.

chicken shawarma bowls with garlic yogurt sauce
makes: 2 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 20 minutes

for the chicken shawarma:
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 heaping tbsp of tomato paste
juice from 1/2 a lemon (save the other half for the yogurt sauce)
big drizzle of olive oil
1tsp each: cumin, garlic powder, paprika, turmeric, and salt
1/4tsp cinnamon
*alternately, you can use 2tsp of a shawarma or moroccan spice mix if that makes your life easier

for the rice:
1c uncooked rice
1tbsp butter
juice from 1 lemon
2tsp turmeric
1/2tsp salt

for the cucumber tomato red onion salad:
2 mini cucumbers, sliced into thin coins
1c grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters
1/2 a red onion, sliced
pinch of salt and pepper
drizzle of olive oil

for the garlic yogurt sauce:
1/2c plain greek yogurt
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1/2tsp garlic powder
pinch of salt and pepper

in a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the chicken. we’re going to let this marinate for a few minutes.

while the chicken is marinating, mix together the ingredients for the cucumber, tomato, and red onion salad, and set aside.

next, mix together the ingredients for the garlic yogurt sauce, and set aside.

then, heat a skillet with a lid over medium heat. add the marinated chicken to the skillet and stir. cover, and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through. (i like to lift the lid and give it a stir every couple minutes to avoid sticking.)

while the chicken is sautéing, cook the rice per package instructions. once the rice is cooked, stir in the butter, lemon juice, turmeric, and salt.

to assemble the bowls, pile in a big scoop of rice, then top with chicken. add some of the cucumber, tomato, red onion salad, then drizzle with the garlic yogurt sauce. top with more parsley, if you want!

hi from beijing, friends! how was your weekend? i rounded out my first full week living in china, and what i feel acutely is that i’ve never been so overstimulated in my life, and i feel very, very far from home. in all the ways virginia never quite felt like where i was meant to be, it’s colliding into me from all sides just how much i did make it my home for 5 years now that i’m on the other side of the world. i’ve found myself grasping at parts of my routine and familiarity in my days so i feel a little less out to sea, and trying to have patience with myself while i learn how to live here (it hasn’t even been 2 weeks!!) china is a lot of things; hot, chaotic, crowded, vibrant, delicious, censored, and in so many ways, deliberately siphoned off from the rest of the world. it’s given me an enormous appreciation and new perspective on anyone who immigrates to a new place and having to do so quietly and a bit afraid; i know a few mandarin words, but my reliance on my own best guesses and a sometimes-accurate translate app is exhausting. the chasm between visiting a place and truly living there is vast and deep. i wish i could fast-forward through the uncomfy parts but until then, i’ll be clinging to books, planning weekend excursions, and feeling a tiny bit more confident every time i go to the market.

the good things so far:

• erik was craving spaghetti bolognese last night and i am thrilled to report that i could find all the ingredients, including the world’s tiniest bag of parmesan

• there is a fancyish grocery store close to our house that i LOVE. the squeal i squelped when i discovered i could find peaches as big as my face, veggie juice, sundried tomatoes, and peanut butter wafers!!

• we still don’t have any of our stuff yet, but a trip to ikea helped make it feel a little more like home in here

• we visited the forbidden city this past weekend and the scale and detail were absolutely unreal

(thank you for listening to my moving continents anxiety dump) and now let’s gaze at this gnocchi, shall we? yaaaanking our focus back to delicious and easy recipes, we have a cozy vegetarian dish, tucked with goodies that will make you feel like all the comfort food boxes are being neatly checked. we’re tossing pillowy sweet potato gnocchi with buttery shallots and garlic, some mushrooms for meatiness, a bright kale pesto, and parmesan cheese because cheese in a creamy sauce is a must.

the whole thing takes about 15 minutes to come together, and the longest bit is truly waiting for water to boil. everything else is easy (just how we like it, thankyouverymuch!!) and before you can even begin to stress out about dinner, you’ll have a bowl of beautiful, (re: see the COLOR of this dish!) creamy, heart gnocchi in your lap before you know it.

a few things before we get started:

• this dish comes together so quickly! like, insanely quickly. gnocchi is generally pre-cooked, so it just needs to take a quick bath in boiling water to puff up nicely.

• we’re using coconut milk for our creamy element here; heavy cream would work beautifully here, too. use whatever is easier for you.

• this dish works really well as a side, or maybe a starter to something like a pork tenderloin? totally up to you and however fancy your jam is.

• if you have leftovers or are prepping this ahead of time, i recommend adding some water to it when reheating. the coconut milk gets pretty solid when kept in the fridge.

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this might be an early call, but i think i've conquered jet lag…? my singular anecdote to this conclusion is that i stayed awake all day yesterday and didn't feel like this 😵‍💫, and then slept from 8pm-5am and woke up with the sunrise. i've been making a very concerted effort to dunk myself fully back into a routine because even if i'm tired and still don’t know what planet i'm on, i know it will make me feel like myself again. i’m working on creating structure for myself now that i no longer have traditional job, and i’ll report back once i’m moving and grooving and (hopefully) thriving in it. so far, my mornings look like: wake up and pad downstairs for a cup of coffee (*our coffee machine should arrive in the next few weeks and admittedly, the 4-cup coffee pot that came with our house is not the most ideal. i'm dying to make a pistachio latte,) shuffle back upstairs and read in bed (i just finished Into The Blue and LOVED it - can we discuss??) take teddy for a walk and try and learn our new neighborhood routes, make breakfast (i’ve been rotating between yogurt bowls and avocado egg salad on toast,) go for a run or workout (we are building a home gym!) and… that’s as far as i've gotten. it’s not much, and it doesn't cover much ground for the whole day, but it’s a buoy of normalcy that helps me stay in tune with myself, and it’s small and it’s mine.

ok, now! can we talk about these rice and beans stuffed peppers? these have been a meal prep staple in my kitchen for years, and it’s a recipe that regularly answers the question, ‘what’s for dinner?’

these stuffed peppers fall into the category of low effort-high reward, and end up being one of the recipes i return to over and over when i don’t feel like cooking. we’re essentially taking taco meat and boosting it with black beans, rice, and a can of tomatoes (easy, easy!) and scooping all of that into hollowed bell peppers, and baking it off with cheese. yummmmm.

a few things before we get started:

• these are absolute champs for meal prep. the recipe makes 6 peppers, and they hold up perfectly when microwaved/reheated.

• this recipe has ground beef, but you can definitely make them vegetarian. just skip the meat and double the beans.

• we’re using a packets of taco seasoning, but you can use your own spice mix if you prefer.

rice and beans stuffed peppers
makes: 6 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 45 minutes

6 bell peppers, tops sliced off and inner ribs removed (just peel them out with your fingers)
1lb of ground beef or ground turkey
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes
1c of cooked rice
1/2 an onion, diced
1 jalapeño, minced (skip if you are spice-averse)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 packets of taco seasoning
drizzle of olive oil
1/2c water
shredded cheddar cheese (pepper jack would be great here, too)
cilantro for topping, optional. *erik is a cilantro-hater, so this is a pipe dream for me

preheat the oven to 375.
in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high. add the ground beef, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. sauté for about 5 minutes until the beef is cooked through.

lower the heat to medium. add the black beans, canned tomatoes, taco seasoning, and water into the skillet and stir to combine. then, stir in the rice. remove the skillet from the heat.

then, scoop a layer of the rice and beans mixture into a 9x13 baking dish, spreading it to cover the base of the dish.

next, arrange the bell peppers into the rice and beans. i like to give them a little twist to ground them in. then, fill each bell pepper to the brim with filling, and sprinkle shredded cheese on top.

cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes until the peppers are softened.

hello and happy tuesday, friends! *i think it’s tuesday? the time zones and the jet lag have turned my brain thick and scratchy, and i've been moving through the last few days in an almost out-of-body kind of way. i’ve been waking up at 2:30am because my brain thinks its mid-afternoon, with my body simply along for the ride, being plied with way too much coffee and the frequent, startling realization that i do actually live on the other side of the world now. it’s been a little over 72 hours, but if you told me it’s also been 6 weeks i wouldn’t even think to correct you.

my thoughts are still so jumbled from the move, but i feel a bit like i've sprinted a marathon and i'm still trying to regain control of my breathing. the weeks and days leading up to getting here were like being shot out of a canon, and our arrival did not exactly feel like a soft landing. once i'm on a regular sleep schedule i'll sift through everything i’m feeling and try to better describe what it’s like, but for today, i’ll share a few weird, fun tidbits so far.

• teddy clocked in for her shift as bravest, goodest girl and was INCREDIBLE through a full day of travel. she laid at our feet on both flights and stayed calm through almost 20 hours of flying, enjoyed being told she was cute from dozens of flight attendants, and i am unbelievably grateful that she handled it so well.

• my oven is in celsius!! this should have occurred to me but absolutely did not?

• i learned quickly that wearing a romper while touristing is not the move, so here is me telling you, leave your cute rompers at home unless you want to get panic-nude in public. a lot of the world outside of the US uses squatty pottys (oblong holes in the floor that you crouch down and squat over to use the bathroom,) and over the weekend while erik and i were exploring, to my dismay the public bathrooms only had squattys. did i envision that i would be completely naked with my chin gently resting on my knees in a bathroom with no doors because the only way to pee was to completely undress? no, no i did not. i'm hoping my dignity is restored some time in the next decade.

• my nearest grocery store has yogurt and cheese!!!!

i’ve been cooking every night to try and gain a sense of normalcy, and it’s been therapeutic to do something that feels comforting; like one small thing i can control during this (extremely) chaotic, alternate universe time. i made a basic chicken and broccolini stir fry one night, stuffed cabbage with a red curry coconut broth another (i am going to make and re-make this because the first version was good but i want you to have a great one!!,) and roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, and chickpeas dolloped with a yogurt sauce last night. it’s my tiny, almost intimate way of pouring back into myself, and tossing myself a life raft to say ‘not every single thing is different now’

i was making this roasted carrot and lentil salad on repeat before we moved, and i'm antsy to find feta and arugula here so i can keep making it again and again. it feels like a treasure chest of gorgeous things; lightly charred, sweet carrots, tangy feta, salty pistachios, a little bite and chew from the lentils. it’s light and bright and more delicious than it deserves to be.

a few things before we get started:

• i used steamed lentils from trader joe’s to make life easier, but you can soak your own lentils if you prefer.

• green or brown lentils are best for this - red will turn to mush and that is not the vibe here.

• i love this for lunch or dinner, but it would be a great side dish if you want a more robust meal.

• shockingly, not the best for meal prep!!

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when i picture my ideal summer, i imagine myself waking up early to a dewy, tangerine sunrise. i make myself an iced salted pistachio latte, crawl back into bed to read a book about nantucket, and take teddy for a long, muggy walk. i make my way to the farmer’s market where i know my favorite peach farmer will be, i'll weave my way to the gal who bakes the best grainy bread and marinates her own hunks of goat cheese in olive oil, lemon zest, and oregano, and i’ll spend uninterrupted time picking out the biggest bushel of soft basil and the waxiest, greenest zucchinis. i’ll come home and put on a jazz record while i boil pasta, and stir in fresh corn and salty parmesan. i might pour myself a glass of cold, sweating vino verde and eat dinner on the deck, and spend the evening not thinking for one second about my phone.

i get to create these kinds of days for myself every once in a while, and even taking dedicated daydream time to think about carving out more time for them fills my body with a happy hum. as i write this, i’m sitting in a hotel room in virginia, but as you’re reading it, i think erik, teddy, and i will have landed in beijing and might be unpacking our little life (the time zone math absolutely breaks my brain; give me 3-75 business days to learn it.) my hopes feel delicate that i’ll get to have more summer days like this - just at a new farmer’s market, perhaps with a new peach farmer - and i’ll get to do my part in building us a new home, with new and familiar rituals.

i made this pasta a few times before we moved; once with italian sausage and once without, and it’s honestly such a banger either way. this recipe is vegetarian, and uses so much of a farmer’s market bounty. it’s packed with sweet corn, zucchini, and basil, and we’re adding lemon and parmesan to help it feel bright and light. it’s the kind of thing i absolutely want all summer long, and also the kind of thing i know i'll want during gray winter days.

a few things before we get started:

• this recipe is vegetarian, but as i mentioned, it’s soooo, so good with italian sausage. chicken or shrimp would be great, too.

• if you don’t want to fuss with shucking fresh corn, frozen corn will work just as well here.

• i treated this as a main dish, but it would be great as a side dish along with a grilled meat situation.

• because it’s been top of mind having to pay for 9 million things to move across the world, this is also a super budget-friendly recipe. *way, way back in the day on my old blog i did a self-imposed ‘$50 per week’ challenge. in this economy I would have to increase that (significantly?) but is that something you’d be interested in??

corn, zucchini, and basil pasta
makes: 4-6 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes

1 box of short pasta (i used campanelle, for whimsy)
1 yellow zucchini, sliced very thin
1 green zucchini, sliced very thin
1c corn
1/2 an onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2c basil, chopped
1/2c parmesan cheese
juice from 1 lemon
2tsp olive oil
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper

cook the pasta per package instructions. once the pasta is al dente, reserve 1/2c of pasta water (this will help create a ‘sauce.’

while the water for the pasta is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil over medium in a large skillet. add the zucchini, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. sauté for 5-7 minutes until the zucchini starts to soften, then add the corn. sauté for another 5 minutes.

add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet. stir in the reserved pasta water, basil, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese.

this dish is best served warm!

since we’re here, i thought i would answer some of the questions i’m getting asked a lot about moving to china, so here we go!

how long does it take to get there?

• it is literally one of the farthest places from the US to get to. we fly west to california, have a quick layover there, then direct to beijing. the beijing flight is just under 14 hours, so in total we’ll be traveling almost 24 hours to get there.

how is all your stuff getting there?

• our house was packed up a couple of weeks ago, and we were allowed a small, 450lb shipment by cargo plane, and everything else like our furniture is currently on a cargo ship, drifting toward the south china sea that will arrive in octoberish. we can check 6 suitcases, and they are filled with clothes, shoes, bedding, towels, shampoo, dog treats, my camera, and a literal mobile library - you better believe i used much of our weight limit on books; i've been stocking up on used books for months, and i will not be taking any arguments about buying a kindle at this time thank you!!

can you bring a car? how will you get around?

• china does not allow cars older than 5 years old into the country due to emissions, so we can’t bring our car. we’ve been a one-car family for years, and we left our car in minnesota and drove a rental all the way back. we’ll buy a car once we’re in beijing, and erik will also be getting a motorcycle/e-bike!

what will you DO there?

• i always feel like this question has more to do with the asker than it does the actual meat of the question. my last day of ‘traditional’ work was last week, and i feel lucky that i don’t attach my identity or my self-worth to my job at all, really. i’ve worked a few passion jobs that were all-consuming (other stories for other times) and after a particular job that left me brutally burnt out and deeply bereft, i had to rewire my brain to understand that work is a means to an end, and my life outside of work is incredibly precious and that how i spend my time outside of work is the most valuable thing i have. layered within that, china has very strict rules on non-citizens taking on work inside the country, and many US companies will not sponsor work visas due to data concerns. all that to say, i'm super excited to have more time to dedicate to honey street supper club - i have about 300 recipes dancing around in my brain, and can’t wait to dive in deeper here because i truly love being able to do this. i'm also genuinely looking forward to just doing… whatever feels good for a while? i do feel it’s important to acknowledge the immense privilege that is baked into the decision for me not to work traditionally; our cost of living will plummet tremendously when we move, and to be fully transparent, the plan had been for me to stay-at-home mom it and not work outside the home for a while, but that part of the plan did not pan out (yet! holding on to the ‘yet.’)

let’s get to my hyperfixation breakfast from the last few months because i am obsessed with her, and i think i’ve cracked the code on building the perfect yogurt bowl. there are a few key elements you need for a creamy, sweet, crunchy, chewy, craveable bowl -

• your yogurt base. this is a ‘duh’ but it matters! i love getting plain, full-fat greek yogurt and mixing in a scoop of vanilla protein powder. this gives the yogurt a little bit of sweetness and makes it extra thiccc. if you have yogurt you love, use that.

• fruit, of the variety sort. we’re focusing on different textures and flavors, and this is a choose-your-own-adventure quest. i’ve been loving strawberries and kiwis for their softness and sweetness, and dried apricots to add a totally different chewy texture. they give the bowl some heft, which i love.

• something crunchy. this could be chopped nuts, granola, pumpkin seeds, or toasted coconut flakes which i pile on by the fistful.

• a little something extra. i sprinkle in chia seeds for more fiber, and i also love hemp seeds, a drizzle of peanut butter, or coconut flakes.

• finish it with a swirl of honey.

*i am not exaggerating when i tell you i’ve been making this exact bowl 3x a week for the past several months, and gathering these ingredients is at the top of my agenda when we arrive in beijing. i wake up from dreaming about the perfect bite spooned with cold yogurt, a slice of strawberry and kiwi, a little dab of honey, and toasty coconut for some crunch. it’s so incredibly good.

other add-in’s, toppings, and ideas for the perfect yogurt bowl:

• use whatever yogurt you prefer. as i mentioned, i like starting with a plain, full-fat greek yogurt base and adding vanilla protein powder for a boost.

• build your bowl seasonally! raspberries, blackberries, and nectarines would be amazing right now when they’re the juiciest in the summer. baked apples with oats, maple syrup, and cinnamon would be delicious in the fall, and fresh cherries with dark chocolate and pistachios is what i'll be making in the winter.

• other things you might have at home already that would be delightful for your perfect bowl:
  banana slices
  pineapple
  fresh peach slices
  mango, fresh or dried
  chocolate chips/cacao nibs
  peanut butter/nut butter
  granola
  chopped nuts like almonds, cashews, or walnuts
  a spoonful of jam
  dried cranberries
  chopped dates
  freeze-dried strawberries
  cocoa powder for a chocolate bowl situation
  
  

before my whole house got packed up and sent on a cargo ship, i was cleaning out my cupboards and realizing how many trader joe’s goodies i love that i will absolutely miss; the things i grab every time i’m there, and the things i obsess over. i’m getting so excited to see the market + grocery situation in china, but there are a few things that i know i will be pining for. here are my all-time must-haves and faves!

1. these chicken breakfast sausage patties are a weekly staple at my house. there are 6 per package which is perfect for my protein-packed breakfast sandwiches.

2. i love spreading this olive tapenade on crusty bread, or using it as a dip for charcuterie. it’s not too olive-briny, so if you’re on the fence about olives, this might be a good way to dip a toe in. (i once saw a meme that said ‘people who like olives enjoy the taste of drowning at sea,’ and i laugh about that at least once a month.)

3. i can’t figure out what kind of witchcraft makes these dried apricots the absolute best, but they are so soft and juicy and not quite as tart as any other one i’ve tried. i love these for yogurt bowls and make-your-own trail mix!

4. i really am one of those psychos who loves a green juice. this one is kale, apple, and lemon based and i grab a few of these every week.

5. unexpected cheddar is salty, dry, creamy, and so perfect. again, i don’t know how the trader joe’s school of witchcraft and wizardry does it but i am here for it.

6. i love this harissa paste mainly because it’s the cheapest i can find! it has a warm red pepper spice that adds such a kick to meat and sauces.

7. my husband and i eat an embarrassing amount of these dark chocolate pb cups. the chocolate to peanut butter ratio is absolute perfection.

8. obsessed with these thai wheat noodles. they boil in about 2 minutes, and they have the best, most tender chewiness and thickness for noodle dishes. i love them for creamy dreamy gochujang noodles, especially.

9. i’m pretty sure these are actually just fritos, but somehow they are so much better?

10. one of my favorite wines, and it’s less than $6!! i loooove this vino verde for hot summer nights; it’s crispy, slightly effervescent, and not too sweet.

11. for when i don’t feel like making my own buffalo chicken meatballs, these are amazing. they’re stuffed with a little cheese and have a decent buffalo kick to them - i love having these on hand when i’m in a pinch.

12. bbq sauce, but with a hit of sriracha! i’m not a huge bbq girl, but i love that this sauce has a bit of a twist. i use it for these trader joe’s hack bbq chicken naan pizzas and it’s the perfect sweet-spicy base.

*teddy wanted to let you know that she’s going to miss her all-time favorite treats, too.

hello from minnesota! how was your weekend? erik and i made the 17 hour trek from virginia to minnesota over the weekend, and it’s been a whirlwind of the best kind since. we’ve spent the last few days golfing, grilling brats and eating watermelon salad, taking our nephew to get ice cream, and hanging at breweries. we’re heading further north to relax at his family cabin tonight and i am so excited and so ready to read by the lake, make sandwiches, and jump in the water.

i won’t even pretend like i’ve been cooking over the last week or so - our entire house was packed up and is probably floating on a cargo ship somewhere in the atlantic as we speak. i hung on to 2 plates, 2 forks, and 1 saute pan in case i felt compelled to cook in the midst of everything going on, and as a shock to no one but me, i have not. this particular season (re: these last 2 weeks) have been a blur and i’m simply a passenger along for the ride at this point. my brain is done making decisions for the next 3-74 business days.

if i had cooked anything, it would 1000% have been this creamy spicy cajun pasta. this is a recipe from my old food blog that i’m obsessed with, and every time i have it i wish i made it more.

this recipe was originally born from a self-set $$$ saving challenge i gave myself a few years ago; i think it would be nearly impossible now, but i was on a kick for a while where i spent $50 a week on groceries. for all of our breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. for 2 people. the mind reels!!

what i will say is that even though groceries are eye wateringly expensive these days (also, can we talk about the explosive diarrhea parasite, or…?) this recipe is still pretty cheap and packs a ton of flavor, fullness, and kick. is this an authentic cajun pasta? sort of yes and sort of no. i won’t claim to know the ins and out of cajun dishes but the general flavors are here in the creamiest cajun-spiced tomato sauce, and we’re piling our pasta high with andouille sausage and peppers to give us the full picture of deliciousness, and it’s done in about 25 minutes. we LOVE.

a few things before we get started:

• if spicy is not quite your jam, dial it back and skip the cayenne pepper.

• if your sauce starts to thicken too much, you can add a little water or broth while it’s simmering.

• if you can’t find ground andouille sausage, spicy italian sausage or ground pork will work here, too.

• let me just sing the praises of how amazing this dish is as leftovers. i will shamelessly eat this cold straight out of the fridge.

creamy spicy cajun pasta
makes: 4 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes

1lb pasta (elbows or cavatappi work great - you want something with ridges and nooks to scoop in the sauce)
1lb ground andouille sausage
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1c canned diced tomatoes, drained
16oz can tomato sauce
1c heavy cream (you can use milk or coconut milk if you prefer - i have not tested this so i can’t account for the flavor difference)
1tbsp butter
1tbsp olive oil
2tsp paprika
2tsp onion powder
2tsp garlic powder
1tsp cayenne
1tsp salt
parsley for garnish + a little freshness (optional)

heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. add the sausage. while breaking up the sausage into crumbles, saute until browned, about 5 minutes. add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, and spices, and saute for another 5 minutes.

meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. reserve 1/2c of pasta water before draining.

next, stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and heavy cream. lower the heat to a simmer. simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally, then add the cooked pasta and pasta water, stirring again to combine. top with parsley, and enjoy while piping hot!

i am PUMPED about this week’s installment of the honey street supper club meal prep plan. the theme for this week’s plan: fast and flavorful. we’ve got 5 easy on effort and high on deliciousness recipes that (i hope) get you excited to cook. my goal with these plans is to give you options to either prep for the whole week, or prep a couple things and have quick, fun options for weeknights if a full prep isn’t your jam. i also want to keep the grocery lists simple with crossover ingredients, and i’ll have suggestions for what to do with extras!

as always, this meal prep plan might cover all of your meals for the week, or it might not if you have a bigger family. i cook for a family of 2, and this covers our bases for 4-5 days (we usually go out to eat or pick up food once a week.) you can also use this as a tool for dinners throughout the week, and an extra breakfast to have on hand on top of things you may normally have like eggs, yogurt, toast, etc.

here’s what we’re working with this week:

• prosciutto-wrapped egg bites: a tiny breakfast hero, and a true meal prep recipe if there ever was one. these egg bites are made in a muffin tin, get popped in the oven, and you have 12 cutie bites for the week. we are using parmesan cheese, which we’re also using for the next 2 recipes, below.

• fancyish kale caesar salad: i love this salad for 2 particular reasons right now: 1, it’s a no-cook recipe which is absolutely critical if it insists on staying at 3,000% humidity, and 2, it’s the kind of lunch you actually look forward to. we’re using a lot of pantry staples for this dish, and the sundried tomatoes that top the salad also get blended into the pasta sauce for the recipe below.

• high protein creamy roasted red pepper pasta: an underrated fave of mine! this is a vegetarian pasta that is bursting with flavor, and the whole thing comes together in the time it takes to boil noodles.

• honey sriracha meatballs with broccoli and peppers: i’ve been dying to squeeze this into a meal prep plan because it is SO GOOD. there are a lot of pantry and asian-staple ingredients that you might not always have on hand, but are key to making this dish so delicious. this is the only recipe in the plan that requires a smol bit of effort, and i promise it’s worth it. we’re using honey, mayo, and limes here, as well as for the salad, below.

• southwest chicken salad: chicken salad = meal prep’s bff4l. i included pre-cooked chicken for the grocery list because it makes life easier, and this is another great lunch/no-cook option.

*the meal prep plan, v.1 is free for everyone, and surprise, this one is, too!

the majority of the meal prep plans will be for paid subscribers. the why behind that is truly because it’s a shit ton of work. it takes a ton of time, planning, and recipe testing. thank you thank you thank you for supporting this little space for food and joy!

method(s):

if you’re prepping everything for the whole week -

i look at meal prep as starting big and working my way smaller. we’re basically triaging; start with what takes the longest, and then move onto things you can fill in while the longer recipes cook (think chopping vegetables, making a sauce, etc.)

• start with the honey sriracha meatballs with broccoli and peppers. this recipe takes the longest, and the oven will be at its hottest. while the meatballs and veggies are in the oven, make your rice. then, assemble the prosciutto-wrapped egg bites.

• turn down the oven, and pop the egg bites in. finish the honey sriracha meatballs.

• while the egg bites are baking, mix together the southwest chicken salad.

• next, make the high protein creamy roasted red pepper pasta (alternately, you can just blend the sauce and cook your pasta when you’re ready to serve.)

• the fancyish kale ceasar salad doesn’t require any cooking, but bonus points if you want to tear your kale into salad-size pieces ahead of time! i also like to drain and rinse canned chickpeas and put them in a container in the fridge so they’re ready to go when i need them.

if you’re prepping a few things, and cooking throughout the week -

• prep the prosciutto-wrapped egg bites (monday morning you will be so thrilled.)

• prep the rice for the honey sriracha meatballs.

• mix together the southwest chicken salad.

• CLEAN AS YOU GO. i know this part sucks. it takes time. it also helps with the triage. meal prep feels 100x more chaotic when the sink is full of dirty skillets and you can’t find a cutting board to save your life. this is a take time to make time tip that i promise will work wonders.

• if you can’t carve out a few hours at once, that is ok!!! i will often start prep and make a couple of things in the morning, go about my day, and come back in the afternoon and make a few more. make this work for YOU and your family.

• i fully realize 14 eggs is a dumb number of eggs. i try my darndest to keep things even with these plans (the meatballs are too good to skip, though.) i recommend buying a pack of 18 eggs. hardboil the rest for snacks, or bake a loaf of fluffy double chocolate banana bread.

• chipotles in adobo freeze really well (you may even have some leftover from meal prep plan v.5!) keep the extras in a baggie in the freezer, and take it out to thaw the next time you want to use them. this crockpot smoky chipotle corn chowder is a great way to use up more.

• i don’t love having a garnish for garnish’s sake, but you will have leftover basil. i recommend adding some to top the fancyish kale caesar salad, or blending it with extra spinach, olive oil, parmesan, and salt to make a pesto. you can freeze pesto for later!

• if you don’t normally keep ingredients like sesame oil, sriracha, or rice wine vinegar on hand, they’re great to add into your rotation for things like peanut sauce meatballs with chili crisp and 15-minute sweet and spicy salmon bowls. i like to keep things stocked that can build a deep flavor profile with a lot of different cuisines, and these help create a great base for asian-inspired dishes.

this is the 6th installment of honey street supper club meal prep plans, and really truly ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK IS WELCOME 🙌 i want to make these work in ways that make sense for you, and if you have any suggestions or questions or ‘hey that didn’t work quite rights,’ let me know <3

things i should be doing:

• packing my entire little life into 6 suitcases to move across the world

• ensuring i have room in one of said suitcases for my best sauté pan, wooden spoon, and the flat bowls that are my favorite for pasta, rice bowls, and turkish eggs

• remembering that even when my brain feels like a chaos tornado that it will feel better if i go for a walk with teddy, get fresh air, workout, take a break, etc etc

things i’m actually doing:

• roasting strawberries to make cute toasts

• pacing my house at the speed of a world cup athlete and sighing loudly, and then remembering with a jolt things like ‘WAIT I’M GOING TO NEED SOCKS IN CHINA.’
  **don’t follow me for moving tips.

here’s what this whole process has taught me: i do well under pressure and can compartmentalize stress really well, but i do need to tackle dedicated stress work in fits and spurts. i got on a tear last night and spent 2 straight hours clearing out my bathroom, kitchen cupboards, and creating piles and piles of things to donate. i can’t sustain that dedicated stress time without making space for things like roasting strawberries and delicately spooning them over whipped ricotta toast; it’s a soothing massage for my brain, and i can feel it gently calming down my nervous system to do something that makes me feel good and is a distraction.

the clock is literally ticking on our time left in virginia (and the US as a whole, which is wild to think,) and the order of operations for the next few weeks will look like this: pack up and ship out our entire house, drive to minnesota to continue the farewell tour, quit my job (!!!!) eat s’mores at the cabin, make really grand plans for honey street supper club, cry probably, and move to beijing.

i don’t think i’ve allowed myself to completely absorb all the things i’m feeling about the move, so i’ll save it for when it inevitably bubbles past the surface and has to escape. in the meantime, taking deep breaths and making delicious food when i can.

let’s stay a little longer in distraction city and talk about these balsamic roasted strawberry and whipped ricotta toasts! they are ridiculously simple: toast, whipped ricotta spread (i got this one from trader joes, and i want to lather my whole life with it,) and strawberries that are roasted with balsamic glaze, a little olive oil, and sugar to draw out even more of their summer sweetness. the strawberries are such a treat on top of this toast, and they’d be great over vanilla ice cream, too. it’s the kind of the thing that makes me feel like we are so lucky to have summers, you know?

balsamic roasted strawberry and whipped ricotta toast
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 20 minutes

2c fresh strawberries, sliced in half
1tbsp sugar
1tbsp balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar
drizzle of olive oil

whipped ricotta
toasted bread

preheat the oven to 375.
in a nonstick pan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, balsamic, and olive oil. roast for 20 minutes, or until the strawberries soften. *you don’t want them to get mushy and fall apart.

spread whipped ricotta over the toast, and top with strawberries and some of the juice from the pan.

hello and happy tuesday, friends! how was your long weekend? i spent mine avoiding the heat wave and watched a lot of soccer (that brazil vs. norway game!) went to a brewery with friends, took the mornings slow and read in bed (i just finished ‘our perfect storm’ by carley fortune and loved it), and got serious about packing up our little house. if you’re new around here, my husband and i are moving to beijing for his job in a couple of weeks, and we will be living out of suitcases for the next couple of months. the rest of our things will be arriving in waves; a small pallet will get flown over soonish, and everything else gets sent on a cargo ship that will come in october-novemberish. i’m whelmed - not quite overwhelmed, but teetering? making decisions about every single item in my home and whether or not i desperately need it now or in the fall is making my brain feel cluttered and loud, and i can see decision fatigue looming in the distance. i keep reminding myself that in the end, i will probably not fuss about a specific spatula or t-shirt that got put into the wrong box because stuff is just stuff, you know?

i also spent a decent chunk of the weekend cooking and creating and getting recipes ready for honey street supper club! i’m working ahead because i have absolutely no idea what the grocery store situation will be like in beijing, and while i’m pumped for the challenge and getting to discover new fun foods and places, i truly have no idea when cooking will be back to normal once i move. i joked that i am legitimately concerned about where to find parmesan cheese, but y’all, i am legitimately concerned. some of my most used ingredients are cheese and yogurt, and moving to a pretty dairyless country will be a culinary rodeo, of which i am anxious to go for a ride. yee, and dare i say it, haw.

i bravely turned on the stove after refusing to do anything in the kitchen when it was “real feel 116 degrees” last week, and i feel strongly that this garlic butter chicken with tomato basil orzo was well worth the heat. this is a creamy, dreamy, one-pan recipe that is pretty basic - chicken, orzo, garlic, butter, tomatoes, basil, and parmesan - but packed with so much flavor. it’s giving unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, but way, way better.

we’re doing a quick garlic and herb marinade with the chicken, searing it in butter, then deglazing the pan and adding orzo, onions, and YES more garlic. we’re finishing off this cozy dish with bright tomatoes and fresh basil, and dusting the whole thing with salty parmesan. i’m not going to make any claims that this is authentic italian food, but i can say definitively that it is super delicious food, and that you will love it.

*the urge to say ‘when you’re here, you’re family’ is enormous.

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