#73: Happy meals
My go-to recipes when I’m tired/sad/depressed/over it
Each month, my paid subscribers vote for a newsletter topic! This month it was a tie, so a newsletter on the other topic—body image in my 30s—is coming in September). Here we go:
When I’m not feeling 100 percent, feeding myself is hard.
I’ve come to rely on a few easy recipes that require less effort than most. I’ve even rated these on a scale of one to five (five being the most work/best taste, one being the least) on recipe difficulty, taste, and clean-up. Welcome to my digital cookbook:
Instructions: Drop a slice of your favorite bread (I prefer sourdough) in the toaster. Once golden brown, arrange avocado on surface. Required toppings include pepper and flaky salt. Bonus points for hot honey, an egg, pickled onion, and/or pumpkin seeds. Cut diagonally and serve with coffee.
Instructions: Mix canned tuna (I like Safe Catch) with a little mayo, pickle juice, and salt + pepper until you find an ideal consistency. Arrange crackers on a plate. Spread tuna mixture across each and enjoy!
Instructions: Cut a few medium sweet potatoes lengthwise. Place each face down on an olive-oiled sheet pan and cook at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-ish minutes. Once browned, turn the potatoes over, score them with a fork, and top with black beans and cheddar cheese. Cook for 10 more minutes (or until the cheese has melted). Topped with your favorites (I like jalapeños, guac, cilantro, and the green dragon hot sauce from Trader Joe’s).
Instructions: Combine the following ingredients (I eyeball it, so no specific measurements beyond the obvious): a can of drained black beans, one diced red bell pepper, chopped scallions and cilantro, rice vinegar, lime juice, a touch of olive oil and honey, cumin, and salt + pepper. Keep in fridge or eat the entire bowl in one sitting—a total choose your own adventure
Instructions: Drop bread (for this one I prefer a multigrain slice) in toaster. Once ready, take it out and spread your favorite peanut butter on it. Top with thin slices of a banana. I usually top mine with chia seeds, too — we love a crunch!
I’m always looking for new recipes to add to my lazy chef rotation, so please drop yours in the comments.
Until next time!
I'd like to add peanut butter straight from the jar to the list ;)
Laurel Market's black bean salad is sent from the heavens above