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Following the Katharine’s Kitchen method of meal planning means keeping your kitchen/pantry stocked with key essential ingredients. By keeping frequently used ingredients on hand, meal planning becomes about shopping for the protein you’re in the mood for, along with a few other ingredients to complete the recipe. On my website you will find a complete list of key kitchen/pantry staples, along with a variety of recipes.

(Pre-COVID-19)

Simplify your grocery shopping trips by dividing and conquering! I suggest going to the grocery store twice per week, shopping for three meals during each trip. Save one night of the week for going out, ordering in or leftovers. Have a plan for the three meals you’re shopping for, before you leave the house. Write a list of all the ingredients you will need buy, including any kitchen/pantry staples and other items specific to your family’s needs. Once your plan is in place, all you have to do is buy what is on your list and you’ll have everything you need for each delicious meal!

Each recipe included on my website I’ve created or chosen specifically keeping in mind the use of minimal pots, pan, gadgets, etc. Who wants to have an overflowing sink of dishes to do after enjoying a lovely meal? Not me, that’s for sure! Rest assured that following the recipes on my website, will help minimize the mess in your kitchen and dishes to do later that night!

Before I begin cooking, I always take out all the ingredients needed for the recipe. Next, I look at the recipe and prep anything that needs to be chopping, sliced, etc. This little bit of prep will greatly help to minimize stress during the cooking process!

Do the dishes during your meal prep! Typically, there is a point in each recipe where something needs to simmer, sauté, bake, etc., providing an opportunity to get a few dishes done. Doing the dishes as you go along will significantly reduce the number of dishes to clean after the meal.

Plan your weekly meals around the activity level you expect for each day. I plan easy/make-ahead meals on the days when my schedule is packed and save more intricate recipes for the days when I have a bit more time to meal prep.

In addition to planning meals around my expected activity level, I also like to plan meals around the weather forecast. I like to match the meal I’m preparing with the mood of the weather. Before I head to the grocery store, I take a quick peek at the weather for the week ahead. This little bit of advanced planning helps me decide whether it’s going to be a cozy crockpot night with a bold red wine or grilling fish tacos in the backyard with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc.

Rule – Always, always, always use freshly ground black pepper, it really makes a difference!

(Seasonal - Summer) - When you’re entertaining in the summer, you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen, away from your guests, for the whole party. Instead, choose dishes that can be made in advance and served at room temperature. That way, you can have everything plated ahead of time, so that you will be free to enjoy the party with your guests!

(Seasonal - Summer) - Summertime is all about grilling! The summer season is not a time to be stuck in the kitchen or have your oven heating up your already overheated house. Get outside, enjoy the beautiful weather and grill, grill, grill!

Beware of “one pot” recipes that are not actually time savers or less mess. It's not really "one pot" when you have to use several plates, bowls, etc. to prep food/let food rest while you’re cooking other ingredients. In addition, if you need to use the same pot for several steps, that could be accomplished at the same time with two pots, I say use two pots and save the time and mess of prep, dishes, etc.!

I plan most of my meals to include 3 items. Typically, I have a main protein, a veggie and a starch. Choose two veggies and eliminate the starch if you’re looking for a healthier option. I ditch this rule when I’m making a soup, stew or serving a hearty protein over a salad.

I think it’s a great idea to have few recipes that you can master. Swap out ingredients in your go-to recipes with what you have on hand or what you are in the mood for.

Baked risotto is a great option, since many different ingredients work well in this dish. I have go-to recipes for baked chicken, sautéed chicken tenders, baked pork chops and baked salmon. I also have a few go-to side dish recipes. Roasted rosemary potatoes and sautéed green beans or asparagus are in my regular rotation. Visit my website for the recipes!

Decide which veggies you’d like to roast. Chop selected veggies into bite-sized chunks. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Different veggie types will require different roasting times. Here is a general guide –

• Root Vegetables (beets, potatoes, carrots) – 30-40 minutes

• Onions, Radishes – 30-40 minutes

• Winter Squash (butternut, acorn) – 20-30 minutes

• Crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) – 15-20 minutes

• Soft vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers) – 10-15 minutes

• Thin vegetables (green beans, asparagus) – 10-15 minutes

Group the veggies by roasting time and divide among sheet pans. Drizzle all veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then toss to combine. Add a sprinkle of dried thyme if you like. Make sure veggies are in a single layer on the sheet pan, so they roast, not steam. Roast veggies according to cooking times above.

If you use the same ingredients to make your kids meal as you do your adult meal, the ingredients are less likely to be wasted. This is a Katharine’s Kitchen staple tip! For example, if you make grilled chicken for dinner, but your kids don’t finish their portion of chicken, you can put it in a salad the next day for yourself. If you were to fix, say, frozen chicken nuggets for your kids, you would probably be more likely to throw out their leftovers, instead of repurposing them.

What do you do when your child doesn't eat the dinner you have prepared? I suggest having a go-to back up option that has some protein, is healthy, filling, doesn’t take any time at all to prepare and is something you know your child likes to eat. My go-to back up option for my little one is honey yogurt (plain yogurt with a little honey drizzle). I serve her fresh fruit on the side and sprinkle chopped pecans or granola, if she’s in the mood, on top of the yogurt. I don’t think kids should ever be forced to eat, since that creates a complicated relationship with food in the future.

I suggest, insisting that your kids try the food that has been put in front of them, but if they really don’t like it, offer the back-up option. If your child isn’t interested in eating the back-up option, he/she is probably just not hungry. It’s hard to tell when kids, little kids especially, aren’t hungry and when they just want to get out of eating something. This method provides a good test to determine which situation you’re dealing with.

At least once a week I do a “choose your own adventure” for dinner. I take a peek in my fridge/pantry and see what leftovers I need to use and create a meal. It’s amazing how much more food I have than I think I do. Instead of ordering in or going out, I have a few go-to recipes that work really well with leftovers or whatever I have on hand. Fried Rice, with leftover protein, is a great option. Pasta works really well with all kinds of veggies, sauces and proteins. I always keep my pantry stocked with rice and pasta. In addition, I always have fixings for spaghetti and meatballs on hand and always keep greens stocked in my fridge, so I can throw together a quick salad to go with it. The frozen turkey meatballs from Trader Joes are a great, easy option (just heat through in your favorite sauce).

Seasonal Tip - when you have time in the fall/winter – have a cozy afternoon making fresh meatballs. Enjoy them for dinner that night and freeze the rest. Store bought frozen meatballs are just fine, but fresh, homemade frozen meatballs are SO much better and just as easy to heat up in sauce, in a pinch. Feel free to reach out to me for any recipes mentioned in this tip!

I am a big fan of improvising with ingredients! For example, if a recipe calls for radicchio, but you don’t have any on hand, see what you do have on hand that might work. Arugula is a great option to substitute in this case. I’m always happy to help with substitution suggestions! Email or message me anytime and I’d be happy to offer tips. Also, try not to be so rigid with recipes. That is the beauty of cooking versus baking! Some ingredients cannot be left out, others can be left out or substituted with something you have on hand. Don’t skip a recipe just because you don’t have every single ingredient on hand. Improvise!

Know your strengths and buy the part of the meal that is harder for you to make or that you enjoy making the least. For me this is dessert! I love making a good pumpkin or banana bread, but beyond that, fancy desserts are not my thing. First, most baking recipes are unforgiving and if you mess up even one little thing, the whole dessert could be ruined. Second, even when I do endeavor to make an impressive dessert, I get a little flustered, it takes a lot of effort, creates a big mess and the end result is always only okay.

On the other hand, if I buy a beautiful dessert from a fabulous bakery, my guests are happy and I’m doubly happy because I get to enjoy the dessert without all the hassle! If preparing appetizers seems overwhelming, when you have a whole meal to cook, save time and stress and just buy a few things (salami, good cheeses, crackers, dried fruit, nuts, bunches of grapes, hummus/dips, veggies, etc.).

Lemon zest, orange zest and lime zest give a real zing to whatever you're cooking! Most people use the juice instead of the zest, but I’m telling you, the zest really punches up the flavor! For example, my sautéed green bean and asparagus recipe calls for lemon zest. If I were to use lemon juice, instead of zest, the lemon flavor would not be as bright, and the juice tends to turn the greens a bit brownish.

Microplane Zester

I love rustic entertaining! Centerpieces that incorporate the fruits, flowers and foliage of the season. Candles with scents of the season. Meals served on or in the pan or dish it was cooked in. There is less to clean and will put your guests/family at ease by skipping the fussy presentation on a fresh platter.

I am a big fan of utilizing my crock pot for winter cooking! Crock pot cooking is useful in so many different ways. In addition to saving time, most crock pot recipes make enough for two nights worth of meals or leave you with enough leftovers to freeze for another night.

My favorite part of cooking a meal in the crockpot is the slow crescendo the warm aroma builds and permeates the house as the day goes on. By the time you walk in the door in the evening, out of the cold, the delicious smell of dinner invites you into the house and warms your soul. What a comforting and enjoyable way to end the day!

Crock Pot

My husband tends to like a heartier meal or larger portion than I do. This creates an opportunity to repurpose leftovers! For example, on a night where I make herb roasted fish, with an arugula salad, I’ll add leftover pasta/grain/etc., whatever I have on hand, as an additional side for my husband. When you don’t have enough leftovers to create a new meal, consider using the leftovers as a supplement instead.

I keep my grocery shopping list in my Notes app on my phone. I used to keep a handwritten list, but after several instances of it blowing away or getting lost (especially when my kids were really little, and I was super sleep deprived), I decided to switch to keeping the list on my phone.

Having the list on my phone is convenient, because, no matter where I am, I can always add to the list when I think of something I need. At home, when I run out of something, I quickly add the item to my shopping list. Then, when I’m at the store, I don’t have remember what I need, or decide what to make for dinner, all that work is already done, and I just have to follow the list!

When my girls were toddler and baby ages, I would typically use the ingredients for the adult meal to make the kid version of the meal. Sometimes my kids would eat exactly what my husband and I were eating, but mostly the meal had two versions. In this case, I prepped the meal to the kid version state, served my kids and finished making the adult meal while the kids ate.

Often times, my kids chose to eat in the kitchen with me, at the counter/highchair, and I narrated the steps I was taking to complete the adult meal. My kids asked questions along the way and I enjoyed spending the quality time with them. Also, during this time, my husband was typically not home until well after dinnertime during the week, so he and I would eat together after the kids went to bed. On the weekends we prioritized eating together as a family.

I have friends that love to create elaborate tablescapes, decorate their homes with beautiful details and are always up to some sort of crafty project. I didn’t get that gene! My style of decorating utilizes natural elements and is heavily tied to the scents of the season.

Creating flower arrangements with the colors of the season is the first step I take to give my home the feel of the season. Next, I choose candles with scents of the season. I enjoy decorating wreaths and tablescapes with natural materials (eucalyptus, pine cones, pine branches, fig leaves, lemons/limes, persimmons, pomegranates, cinnamon sticks).

I believe we feel and make memories based on sights and smells. I try to cultivate this feeling in my home simply, with fresh flowers, natural materials and candles. If you’re like me, try this approach and see how quickly and easily this method transforms the look and feel of your home!

Food presentation does matter! We eat with our eyes first. I am not impressed by food that is overly fussed with, however, taking an extra minute to mindfully place food on a plate can make all the difference. Think about combinations of colors and textures during your meal planning phase.

For example, if I’m making chicken, I will choose sides to add a pop of color to the plate, as well as choosing two sides with different textures/consistencies. Eating food that is visually interesting, as well as delicious, enhances the entire dining experience. I believe this is important for the kids plates too! I choose to take a little extra time to beautifully arrange the food on each plate and I always make sure my kids plates have a variety of colors and choice.

If the meal I’m making for my husband and myself is not adaptable for the kids, I’ll make them what I like to call “snacky dinner.” The kids love this! Better yet, I don’t have to run to the store to buy anything, I just pull from what I already have at home.

For example, I’ll put a dollop of hummus on each plate, with a variety of veggies (bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, etc.), add a few crackers/pretzels, a few slices of salami and cheese, perhaps a half a grapefruit, pomegranate seeds or some sliced banana with almond butter. My kids think it's lots of fun, but I know they're still getting a well-rounded meal.

Embrace the precious moments in life, especially with little kids, throw out the plan and play! Even if you have a beautiful meal in mind to cook, if they day is too hectic, or your kids just want to be with you and play, make them an easy breakfast dinner (eggs, pancakes, sausage, fruit, whatever you have on hand) and figure out dinner for yourself later! You won't regret embracing the moment!

Take meat out of the fridge a half hour before cooking. Let it rest on the countertop. This allows the meat to cook more evenly in the oven or on the grill.

I like to base my cooking style on the season. In the summer, there’s no sense wasting a beautiful day outside, cooking inside in a hot kitchen. During this time of year, I choose meals that can be made ahead and served at room temperature, or meals that require little cooking.

For example, I’ll make a fresh caprese salad, topped with roasted chicken I made earlier in the day or the day before. Rub boneless, skinless chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Roast chicken breasts on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. In the winter, after the time changes, it’s darker earlier, and I have more time to cook in the evening. I take this time of year to utilize my crockpot, so the yummy smells of dinner permeate the house as the day goes on or to experiment with more involved recipes. For example, I’ll make Pappa al Pomodoro with crusty bread and a fresh green salad with red wine vinaigrette.

We love our weekly, local fruit and veggie box! We receive our box, through my older daughter’s school. A portion of the proceeds go to her school and all the produce is organic and locally sourced. I suggest signing up for a service that allows you to skip weeks as needed or place a “hold” on your box, free of charge, whenever you need to.

Farm Cart Organics

Always offer your kids a new protein or veggie, even if you think they won’t like it. You might be surprised! I was preparing haricots verts (thin, French green beans) the other night and my older daughter asked if she could try one raw. I said sure. She loved it! Of course, this made her little sister curious, so she tried one and loved it. Now, I regularly serve them raw haricots verts with dinner or for a snack.

Over the weekend, or whenever you have a day off, cook several chicken breasts and grill a tri-tip. For the chicken, pat the breasts with paper towel and place on a sheet pan.

Rub the breasts with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, on both sides. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Use the chicken and tri-tip for sandwiches, salads, stir fry, etc. all through the week.

(COVID-19 Times) During this time of quarantine I have been doing bulk shopping trips, instead of my bi-weekly trips to the grocery store. However, having too many options on hand can be overwhelming.

I am a huge fan of making lists, so it’s no surprise that my solution is to make a food inventory list! Make one list for protein, one for veggie and one for the starch options you have on hand. When you start to think about what you want to make for dinner that night, look at your list and pick one item from each category. I like to pick items that have various colors and textures to keep the meal visually appealing and satisfying.

As you cross items off your lists, you’ll then have a better idea of what items you’ll need to replenish the next time you venture out to the grocery store. Also, include the expiration date, if applicable, next to the item to ensure it doesn’t go bad before you have a chance to use or freeze it.

I like to challenge myself to eat like my kids do! I try my best to make sure they eat a variety of healthy, whole foods. I limit their sugar intake and I stay away from processed foods and foods with dye. Care about what you put in your own body as much as you care about what goes into your kid’s bodies!

Taste, taste, taste.... recipes are just a guide! Through many years of cooking and practice, I’ve learned to taste as I go along. Recipes should be seen as a guide and not the be all end all. Add a little more salt if the flavors don’t pop. Squeeze a little extra lemon or lime if you really love bright flavor. The more you experiment and practice tasting your food, the more you’ll know, intuitively, when a little extra and, sometimes, a little less of this or that is needed.

I love cooking with mushrooms! A long time ago I learned a tip that mushrooms should never be washed under running water. The mushrooms will absorb too much water this way. Instead, use a damp paper towel and gently rub any dirt off the mushroom.

Kid friendly dinner option – make a quesadilla with any leftover protein you have on hand (chicken, shrimp, steak, etc.). Also, add a little finely chopped spinach...your kids won’t even notice it! This is a great way to add a little extra protein and veggies!

When cooking in the oven, remember that the back of the oven is the hottest. For chicken, face the legs toward the back. The meat in this part of the bird will take the longest to cook, so having it face the hottest part of the oven will help ensure even cooking throughout.