Welcome back to FOOD & STUFF, a periodic newsletter for recipe recommendations, food thoughts, and other little morsels that tantalize my tastebuds or tickle my fancy. I (Grace, that’s me, the person writing this) am just a gal who likes to cook and eat but I also like a Cosmic Brownie and a Spicy Nacho Dorito, so know that this newsletter is a safe space. Except for shrimp! This is not a safe space for shrimp because back in the winter, I discovered that I am ALLERGIC to shrimp, which is truly tragic. I will dearly miss the coconut shrimp my mom sometimes bought from the Aldi frozen section and served on Christmas Eve alongside other delicacies such as cheese spread, Welch’s sparkling grape juice, and a box of limited edition Triscuits. RIP Shrimp-in-my-Tummy :(
With that, I hope you weren’t expecting any recipes or recommendations for dishes that involve shrimp. You’ll have to search elsewhere! Like the frozen section of Aldi! Seriously just go buy their coconut shrimp, for me. Anyways, today I’m doing what I always do which is sharing a few things I’ve been eating (not shrimp, but yes galettes) that I think you might also like to eat, too.
Let us begin!
Everyday Eats
Where I share recipes that I have eaten lately!
Pasta salad as a vehicle for pepperoncinis
I’ve made the Greek Pasta Salad recipe below twice now this summer, and both times I’ve just really enjoyed eating it! It’s a riff on a recipe from Half Baked Harvest, which you can reference if you’d like, but I’ll share my version below. The real star here is an ingredient that I hadn’t used in a while but forgot how amazing they are: pepperoncinis! Mmmmm mmmmmm, they are zingy and a fun neon-green color and pack a peppery punch to this pasta salad! I rode my bike to the grocery store just to purchase these pepperoncinis! Do not leave them out! I enjoy this pasta salad with a lemon-basil vinaigrette made by Newman’s Own, but you could enjoy it with a homemade dressing or whatever else you like. You don’t have to add the chicken, but it’s really stellar with it.
Ingredients
For the pasta salad
1 pound spiral pasta
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1/3 (or more) cup sliced pepperoncini
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
For the grilled chicken
¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons Sriracha
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ large lemon, juiced
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 ½ pounds assorted skinless chicken pieces, boneless or bone-in (I used boneless, skinless breasts and thighs)
Photo interlude
Directions
FOR CHICKEN
Combine all the ingredients through the cayenne pepper (if using) in a small bowl and set aside.
Place chicken in a gallon sized zippered plastic storage bag. Spoon the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and move the chicken around inside the bag until the marinade is evenly distributed and all the pieces are coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
Coat your charcoal or gas grill grate with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
Grill the chicken over medium heat for approximately 6 to 7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the thickest portion of chicken reads 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. The cooking time will vary based on the size and thickness of your chicken pieces.
FOR PASTA SALAD
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain. Add the pasta to the bowl with the oil.
Add the peppers, tomatoes, chickpeas, and pepperoncini. Pour on dressing and toss well. Add the feta and grilled chicken, topped with toasted almonds if desired.
Serve the salad warm or cold and enjoy!
Long Live the Summer Galette
look at her, she’s a star
I think I shared this recipe last year, but it is worth re-sharing: the burst tomato galette with corn and zucchini from Smitten Kitchen. Aside from the fact that you have to use your oven, which is banned during the summer, this is such a GREAT summer recipe. I might even allow you to use your oven for this one — it’s worth it!! If you have an abundance of produce from your own garden or a bounty of veggies you’ve picked up at a farmers’ market or grocery store, make this galette! I was reminded how much I like galettes this weekend because I was at a wedding where not one, but TWO different galettes were served as part of the meal. TWO GALETTES! To say I was pleased was an understatement — I was thrilled. More people should serve galettes at parties, weddings, etc.
Crispy fish tacos that could be made with shrimp but are not
This next one is definitely a recipe that could be made with the ingredient that could cause me to go into anaphylactic shock but NOT TODAY! Because we are using a mild white fish of our choice: tilapia or cod would be great here. This is adapted from the cooking club I’m in: Natalie Cooks.
you might think this is shrimp but it’s not
Ingredients
For the tacos
2 eggs, whisked ½ cup shredded coconut* ½ cup almond flour 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp black pepper 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided 1 lb cod (or other white fish), cut into 1”x2” pieces 8 small corn or flour tortillas 1 cup pineapple chunks Pickled red onions Cilantro
For the crema
½ cup plain Greek yogurt 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped*** 1 tsp adobo sauce (from the can) 1 tsp lime juice ½ tsp kosher salt
For the slaw
3 cups coleslaw mix 1-2 tbsp lime juice ½ tsp kosher salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle some olive oil onto the parchment and rub/brush around to coat the parchment.
In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. In a separate shallow bowl, mix together the coconut, almond flour, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Pat your fish pieces dry and sprinkle them all over with remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Use tongs to dip your fish in the egg to coat, shaking off any excess (use the side of the bowl to scrape off the excess). Place it in the coconut coating and cover it with the coating, using your other hand or a spoon to help. Place on the greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fish pieces.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the coating is deeply golden and fish is cooked through (easily flakes with a fork).
While the fish bakes, make your crema by mixing everything together in a small bowl. Depending on how thick your yogurt is, you may want to thin it out with extra lime juice or water until it’s drizzle-able (1 teaspoon at a time).
In a medium bowl, add the cabbage, lime, and salt and toss to combine.
Assemble your tacos! Warm your tortillas (over a gas flame is best). Top with fish chunks, pineapple, slaw, chipotle crema, pickled red onions, and cilantro.
Just Eat It
Why are you not eating a peach right now
Listen: this is the second time I’ve begun this section of the newsletter pleading with you to listen to me, but you must. You must listen, and do as I say: go eat a peach RIGHT NOW. Peach season is here and she is almost done and I need you to urgently drive, bike, run, or powerwalk your way to an establishment that sells local peaches if you have them in your area!!!
listen
My friend Cait gets it, and I want you to get it, too. And then I want you to slice up that peach and sprinkle a little sugar on it and put it on vanilla ice cream and make this oat crumble toppingto put on it and maybe that caramel sauce I put in last month’s newsletter and just have yourself an EVENING.
A Seat at my Table
Where I highlight something that I gladly keep around in my kitchen and encourage you to do so, too.
I love salt. Do you love salt? It’s so good! It makes things better, and if you need an education on that, go watch Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat on Netflix already! Anyways, a salt I’ve been keeping around lately is this Natierra Himalania Pink Salt Flakes which looks oh so pretty on top of a baked good or in a little pinching bowl somewhere on your table. It’s light pink! So fun.
& Stuff!
This video made me laugh harder than anything has in a long time. This is how I sound when someone asks if they can have a lick of my ice cream cone.
Well this was fun, wasn’t it? I hope you’ve been having some good summer eats. Seriously do reply with a recipe that you’ve been enjoying, I’d love to try it out for myself! And if you have a pal that likes to eat or cook, do pass this newsletter along to them too so that they can enjoy food and stuff, too. Because food and stuff is for me, for you, for everyone!
