Kitchen Confidant

Don’t just veg out; veg UP your meals with Kitchen Pantry.

The only thing better than having a personal chef is having a personal sous chef. When someone else handles the arduous, repetitive, and time-consuming prep work, you’re free to simply create whenever inspiration (or hunger) strikes. That’s where Kitchen Pantry comes in, doing all the shopping, chopping, slicing, and dicing for you. Order raw, fresh ingredients that are ready to cook or eat right away, without any of the typical hassle. Pick from a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, sweet and savory, plus some kitchen staples and fully cooked snacks to satisfy the most urgent cravings.

Sometimes the ease of using such conveniences is the difference between eating a healthy dinner or resorting to a bag of potato chips. It’s one thing to buy four pounds of onions to make French onion soup, and another thing entirely to actually break them down, through tired, tear-filled eyes. There’s no shame in doing what it takes to get healthy food on the table.

It’s also a boon to those who have disabilities that would otherwise prevent them from cooking. Being able to nourish yourself should be a right, not a privilege. Having more options allows greater accessibility for everyone.

Let’s not forget how it helps prevent food waste, too! Cooking for one can be a barrier to investing in fresh produce. Buying a jumbo head of broccoli can be a daunting commitment when you only want a few florets. When you buy only what you need, you get exactly that, and nothing that you don’t. Plus, with all the prep work done for you, there are no unwanted peels, cores, stems, or seeds to contend with.

Make home cooking faster than ordering takeout by starting with perfectly diced mirepoix that’s ready when you are. No measuring needed for those who prefer to rely on instinct rather than written recipes, without any risk of going too far astray.

If you’re more of an all-day grazer, you’ve got lots of crudites and snackable options at your disposal, too. If you want more than immaculate cuts of carrots or cucumbers for dipping into your favorite creamy hummus, here’s another quick fix: Take two seconds to toss together a package of diced tomatoes and tri-color bell peppers, plus a spoonful of minced serranos and garlic. Top with scallions, and just like that, you’ve got instant salsa fresca, fresher and more flavorful that anything you’d find at the grocery store.

Don’t think that the snack selection ends with fresh produce. Kitchen Pantry really strives to fill your whole kitchen with quick, healthy, universally appealing options. Featuring local brands and their less common flavors that may not be widely available, this carefully curated selection is a great way to discover more small businesses. From gourmet popcorn to award-winning olive oil, small-batch tea blends to cocktail mixers, you can easily cut down trips to the store thanks to this expansive assortment.

Unlike other meal delivery solutions, there are no hidden fees and no subscription required for Kitchen Pantry. Additionally, the packaging is fully recyclable, with plans of switching to compostable materials with future funding. What you see is truly what you get: Produce is kept fresh by removing excess oxygen and overnight shipping, not with preservatives or any additives (like salt, acids, or chemicals.)

Kitchen Pantry partners with UPS to reach most of Texas, with plans to drastically expand distribution in response to growing demand. If you’re within range, jump in and start building your cart now. No one has ever regretted getting more fresh, healthy food in their lives.

This post was made possible as a collaboration with Kitchen Pantry. My opinions can not be bought and all content is original. This page may contain affiliate links; thank you for supporting my blog!

Best of the Worcestershire

It’s hard to pronounce, tough to describe, and even harder to find without animal products. Worcestershire sauce is a flavor enhancer that instantly boosts a wide range of dishes, but is still largely misunderstood.

Making a splash on the culinary scene in the mid-1800’s, this mysterious fermented condiment was invented in Worcestershire, England and debuted by the Lea & Perrins company. Still the leading brand on the market, few worthy competitors have stepped up to the plate. This leaves a gaping hole in the grocery aisle, especially for vegans and those with food sensitivities. That’s because the original formula uses anchovies as the not-so-secret ingredient. While plant-based alternatives do exist, they can still be elusive in mainstream markets.

It’s time we take Worcestershire back. For that distinctive, addictive umami flavor, nothing compares to the power of dried Sugimoto shiitake powder. Despite its earthy origin, this potent food booster doesn’t taste like mushrooms, so you don’t need to worry about your sauce tasting off-key. Enhancing the natural flavors already present rather than adding its own distinctive essence, it’s like magical fairy dust that you really should be using in all of your favorite recipes.

The full power of that umami dynamo is unlocked over time, which makes it especially well-suited for this sauce. Aged and lightly fermented, the savory qualities become even more robust over the course of a few weeks. Though you could very happily enjoy this sauce after just a day or two, your patience will be rewarded in a world of rich umami later on.

How can you you use your homemade awesome sauce? Some of the most classic examples include:

Commercial Worcestershire sauce tends to be much sweeter and more flat, whereas this homemade version is carefully balanced, tangy and tart, punchy and deeply nuanced. Once you give it a try, you’ll never want to go without it again. Luckily, it keeps almost indefinitely in the fridge, stored in an airtight glass bottle. Double or triple the recipe to stay stocked up at all times.

With the right pantry staples on hand, it’s easier, cheaper, and tastier to just do it yourself.

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Upstanding Citizen

Sundays are made for…

  • Sleeping in
  • Day drinking
  • Eggy things like scrambles and omelettes

AKA, brunch!

May I recommend Citizen Eatery for all your weekend revelry needs? It’s a solid choice any day of the week, but the breakfast-centric menu is especially well-suited for that sweet spot right on the cusp of the new week. It’s the best thing to wake up to, whether you’re getting out of bed in the AM or PM.

While it’s hard to beat a classic tofu scramble, the Chorizo Omelet has raised the bar for the entire eggless category. Lightly spiced meatless chorizo and cheddar shreds are tucked into a soft blanket of JUST egg for a truly artistic presentation, and perfect bite every time. Don’t forget the avocado, garlic aioli, and salsa verde on top, lending bright, fresh flavor and richness all the way through.

Beyond the staples, you can’t leave without getting the Southern Style Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, drizzled with smoky espresso BBQ sauce that honestly should be sold by the gallon. The crisp battered crust gives way to meaty, umami mushrooms in an unreal experience that overloads the senses. Just make sure everyone orders their own plate because they’re impossible to share.

For that elusive balance between healthy and hearty, the Paleo Bowl has never done me wrong. It’s got a little bit of everything that I crave, from roasted beets to grilled Brussels sprouts, and don’t forget the toasted pecan pieces on top. If you want my advice, ask for pesto instead of tahini sauce for vibrant, summery flavor in every bite.

Start or finish the week strong with the Power Bowl. This is no mere salad, piled high with enough goodies to crunch and munch all afternoon. You’ve got quinoa, avocado, kale, toasted chickpeas, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, roasted red peppers, and grape tomatoes, all in one bountiful bowl. This is whole foods, plant-based, healthy eating done right.

Truly a spot with something for everyone, gluten-free alternatives are as abundant as they are creative. Pecan Pesto Noodles come with either wheatless pasta or soft strands of zucchini noodles. In a world where zoodles are becoming increasingly rare, I deeply appreciate this vegetable-forward approach for a lighter option.

Come on down for happy hour, Monday through Friday, 4 to 6pm, when you can score great deals on snacks, cocktails, and mocktails. Surrounded by warm, friendly smiles, enjoying the bright sunshine radiating through the floor-to-ceiling windows, it feels like it could be Sunday everyday.

Citizen Eatery
5011 Burnet Rd.
Austin, TX 78756

Be Still My Beeting Heart

There’s a lot wrong with Valentine’s Day. It doesn’t take a serious heartbreak to see through the thinly veiled marketing ploys or pushy PR blast to see it for the Hallmark holiday that it is. Terminally single, I’ve railed against it, mocked it, and ignored it throughout the years, depending on my level of cynicism.

This time around, however, I’ve found a new perspective. Don’t worry, I’m no less of a pessimist, but there’s more than one way to go about this concept. Ultimately, Valentine’s Day should be a celebration of love, and I’m all for that. Love can take many forms, beyond classic romantic love. There’s platonic love for your friends, familial love for your parents; love is love. No one love is lesser than any others, and yes, you can absolutely celebrate self love, too.

Pasta is my love language. It sounds mundane, and for the most part, it is. Dried pasta is a cheap, ubiquitous, reliable staple that’s always on hand for a last-minute meal, haphazardly thrown together at the end of a long day. Homemade pasta, however, is a different story. It’s every bit as affordable, takes only a few extra minutes of labor, and a little more advance planning, but those tiny extra steps pay off in huge dividends. Exactly BECAUSE dried pasta is so easy and accessible, anyone that cares enough to start from scratch clearly cares. It’s a small gesture that says, “I want you to have the best. I want you to enjoy something that I enjoy. I want to make this exactly to your tastes.”

If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is. Even if the noodles are too thick or misshapen, these pretty pink strands could melt the iciest hearts with one bite. Roasted heart-shaped beets make the affection poured into this dish obvious, because life is too short for secret admirers. Don’t cover it up with heavy sauce, either; a touch of olive oil, a few dollops of dairy-free ricotta, garlic, basil, and lemon zest is enough.

There’s no wrong way to express your love. Let’s take back Valentine’s Day and celebrate what’s really important. Love is care, love is kindness, and sometimes, love is pasta.

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