Munch Menu V.9
Would you like (zucchini) fries with that?
If you’re new here, welcome! To get started, check out my first munch menu, which includes my dietary philosophy and an overview on how to use these weekly meal plans. Also, make sure to stock up on my (mostly) non-toxic munchkin kitchen essentials which help make meal prep much easier.
Finger food is the ultimate scam.
I mean this in the best possible way. At least, if you’re a parent who cooks at home and are willing to transform less-than-desirable plants into nuggets and fries.
A few weeks ago I shared how I couldn’t get my daughter to eat mushrooms until I thinly sliced and pan-fried them, then rebranded them as “chips.”
For a while, meatballs were a preferred finger food vehicle, allowing me to hide grated veg in there. Now, the medium du jour is a fry.
Luckily, during the summer months, zucchini and eggplant are the perfect vegetables to matchstick. To give them more of a fast-food mouthfeel, I coat them in a little cornmeal. They don’t get quite as crispy as a deep-fried potato, but my munch has come to appreciate that any fries are better than no fries.
She is my spawn, after all.
This week’s menu has the non-recipe recipe for these fries (try them with eggplant too!) and a whole host of storebought favorites to make dinner an extra easy lift.
I’m writing you from Austria, where there is no zucchini being eaten, and oh so many fries. Vacation mode, activated. I’ll be sharing a dispatch of what my child actually ate for dinner when I get back.
Until then, happy munching!
Phoebe
What rebranding exercises have worked for you? Please join the conversation and share your thoughts on the subscriber chat (or in the comments of this post)!
THE GAME PLAN
Store-Bought Spotlight
(elements you can buy)
Hey Day Apricot Baked Beans: Most baked beans have tons of added sugar, and while these are definitely on the sweet side, all Hey Day products have ingredient lists I can get behind. You’ll see plenty of their products in my store-bought spotlights.
Maazah Mango Chutney: I discovered this brand recently at CherryBombe’s annual event. It’s women owned (sisters!) and began at the Mill City Farmer’s Market in Minneapolis (one of my favorite markets!). All of their sauces and dips are phenomenal.
Frozen Cauliflower “Fried Rice”: Frozen riced cauliflower is a big nutrient-booster in my arsenal that I hide in all sorts of things (including in my veggie pancakes and baked oatmeal!). Recently, I started also storing Whole Foods’ brand cauliflower stir-fry, which has corn, carrots and peas in it. It’s simple to heat up and a great thing to try if your kid already likes a fried rice format. Feel free to make it from scratch if you have the time!
Teriyaki Tofu: Premarinated organic tofu is one of my munch menu secret weapons for adding protein. You simply slice or dice – no cooking necessary!
Kite Hill Spinach Tortellini: Though not GF, I find that the kite hill brands of stuffed pastas are very veg-forward and I like that they use nut cheeses.
P.S. Have you been enjoying Munch Menus as a free subscriber? It takes me many many hours to put together these game plans every week. If you love them, it’s a very reasonable $1.50 per week if you do the annual option. A small price to pay for someone to do all the planning for you!
Meal Prep
(elements you can make in advance)
Peanut Broccoli: This two-ingredient side is one of the OG Munch Menu recipes.
Brown Rice: Follow the package, babe!
Corn “Ribs”: This week’s paid subscriber recipe is essentially toddler elote! Feel free to use regular corn on the cob or buttery corn.
Cornmeal Zucchini Fries: Cut two small zucchini into matchsticks and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup of cornmeal and toss to coat. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until the fries are golden brown on the bottom. Flip and return for 5 minutes until crispy.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Toss cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and dash of cinnamon. Bake at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes, until caramelized.
Mango Chicken: Coat chicken thighs or breasts with storebought mango chutney (see my fave above) and bake at 425 for 25 minutes, until tender.
Quickies
(non-recipe recipes you can cook the night or day of)
Miso-Honey Cod: In a small heat-proof bowl, melt 1 tablespoon each miso paste, honey and butter in the microwave until liquified. Stir to combine. Place 2 fillets cod (or any fish) on a sheet pan and coat with the sauce. Broil until caramelized, cooked through and flakey, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick your fish is.
FAMILY MEAL IDEAS FOR WEEKENDS
If you’re someone who goes the family dinner route, don’t worry, I still got you! Every week I’ll add two ideas from my archives or the internet that have been kid-approved in my house. You can make them on the weekends or rotate them into a munch menu.
Chicken Shawarma Casserole: This is a fan favorite summer casserole that uses a classic spice mix, plump rice, zucchini, and my favorite street food white sauce. Quick, easy, and according to the dozens of 5 star reviews, a family fave!
Gnocchi Caprese: My friend Alexis deBoschnek has a new cookbook coming out later this summer called Nights & Weekends (a brilliant concept!) and she recently shared this gnocchi caprese with Bon Appetit. It is delightfully simple and has all the ingredients my munch loves most.
My latest cookbook is your culinary and dietary road map to reclaim your favorite comfort foods without the consequences (complete with 130 anti-inflammatory gluten free recipes…that are also family friendly!). Ina Garten says “I love this book!”—listen to the queen and order your copy!
