Sweet Potato Minestrone is packed with nutritious vegetables — the perfect meal to deliver in a basket with crusty bread and butter and salad. Soup can be eaten immediately or frozen. Jacquard Francais tea towel courtesy of Kudzu Bakery & Market.
Bringing food has long been a way to say “I love you” or “I care” to those going through difficult times. Every culture has rituals around bringing food to those who are sick or grieving, as well as celebrating the arrival of a baby. In the South, we take our “food love” seriously. Some people even have a signature food that they make and bring, like a special pound cake or loaf of bread.
In the age of the internet and social media, tools are available to make organizing food for people in need easier. Mealtrain.com allows friends to schedule meals, list food preferences for the family, give delivery instructions, and even buy gift certificates to the family’s favorite restaurants. Those who want to help can see what others are bringing so the family doesn’t end up with three lasagnas in one week. The family can space meals so they don’t have too much food show up one night and none at all the next. They can even see what is coming and who is bringing it, giving them a sense of control when life may feel out of control.
With the schedule set, what are some best practices for bringing meals?
Communicate. Text earlier the day of to make sure the time you plan to come is convenient. Text again when you are on the way. Having a sense of timing can help lower anxiety.
Request a list of allergies and food preferences. It is a bummer for everyone if you show up with macaroni and cheese when the nursing mom can’t eat dairy or with a crunchy salad when the chemo patient can only eat soups and soft foods. Now is not the time to argue or question someone’s eating preferences, simply respect them.
Include clear preparation instructions. “Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.” But should the food be served hot, warm, or cold? What is the sauce for? Can any part of the dinner be frozen? Write it out. Label the food you are bringing, adding any special instructions. Listing ingredients of homemade dishes can help families with food allergies. Even when the event is positive, such as a new baby, families can still feel emotionally and physically exhausted; remembering simple instructions can be overwhelming. Make it easy.
Preassembly appreciated. Bring the salad ready to toss into a bowl with dressing on the side. Where possible, limit cooking to reheating. There is a theme here — easy. You might even include paper plates and disposable utensils so your friends don’t have to clean up.
Limit returns. If possible, deliver your meal in a container that doesn’t need to be returned. Clean and save takeout containers to send food to others. Some people are anxious about storing or heating food in plastic. Shop for inexpensive dishes from garage sales or goodwill shops to find dishes that don’t need to be returned. If the food must go in a dish that you want back, label it with your name using masking tape and offer to swing by and pick up the dishes from the front porch in a few days.
Keep visits short. Expect that the family is not prepared to entertain. They are getting meals because they are overwhelmed or have a lot on their hands. Keep your visit to a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes. Oftentimes people are too polite or don’t know how to say “please leave.” Take responsibility for yourself and go. If you have extra time, offer to take the dog or baby for a walk or take home a load of laundry and bring it back clean and folded.
Think nutrient dense food. Everything is about balance. If you are sick or stressed, fresh fruit and preprepared vegetables can help get you back on your feet. Nursing moms have higher nutritional needs than pregnant women, and cancer patients often avoid sugar. A cheesecake, a pan of brownies, and a plate of chocolate chip cookies works for a party, not a meal. It is not that you shouldn’t bring desserts, simply bring them in moderate amounts suitable for one meal.
Simply prepared protein foods can be delicious, nutritious, and appeal to a variety of people. Put sauces and dips on the side. Grab-and-go prepped fruits and vegetables make it easy for the family to get a healthy bite on the go. Desserts in small quantities can be delicious without being overwhelming.
Mexican Chipotle Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice
This recipe makes food for 8 to 10 people. Feed a crowd or give half to the other family and still have enough left over to feed your own family that night. This menu is infinitely easy to modify to each person’s taste, making it nice for families with picky eaters. It can be a burrito, a salad, or a rice bowl. Provide as many options as you like.
Save time and make the chicken and rice but buy all the add-ins. If you are bringing the meal at dinnertime, the chicken and rice can be warm while everything else can be chilled or room temperature ready to serve. Served cold, the ingredients make a delicious salad.
The recipe makes a lot of Special Sauce. Don’t worry. It is delicious.
Grilled Chicken with Special Sauce
¼ cup chipotles in adobo sauce
1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
½ cup fresh lime juice, about 4 limes
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
2 cups mayonnaise; more as needed
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
To make the Special Sauce, place chipotle chilis through salt in a food processor and process until pureed. Move mixture to a bowl and whisk in the mayonnaise. Taste for seasoning. If it is too spicy, add more mayonnaise or about ¼ cup sour cream.
Place the chicken breasts in a thick plastic bag and pound until the breasts are about ¾- to ½-inch thick. You are looking for an even thickness so the chicken cooks faster. Pour 1 cup of the Special Sauce over the chicken and mash around in the bag to coat the chicken on all sides. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Reserve the remaining Special Sauce to serve chilled with the dinner.
Remove the chicken from the special sauce and place the chicken breasts on the grill for 4 to 6 minutes on each side until the breasts are cooked. They should reach 140 F on an instant read thermometer. Let rest before slicing.
You can pack the chicken hot off the grill. Bring it to your friend’s house where they can slice and serve. Or you can cook the chicken earlier, let it cool, and then slice it. To reheat, wrap the chicken in foil with a few tablespoons of Special Sauce, and place it in a 350 F oven until chicken is heated through — time will vary with the size and amount of chicken.
Cilantro Lime Rice
Use this rice to build the base of a Mexican bowl, wrap in a burrito, or eat on the side.
2 cups brown rice
1 large pot of boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup lime juice
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
Bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and rice. Return to a boil for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender. Drain the rice, immediately return to the pot, and cover. Allow it to steam without heat for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm.
To reheat the rice, add a few tablespoons of water and microwave on high until heated through.
Provide some of the following items so your friends can personalize their Mexican dinner:
- Large flour tortillas or small corn tortillas
- Special Sauce (recipe on page 121)
- Black beans
- Shredded cheese
- Grape tomatoes, halved
- Romaine lettuce, shredded
- Bell peppers, chopped in bite-sized pieces
- Corn, fresh removed from the cob, or frozen and defrosted
- Pico de Gallo
- Salsa
- Cowboy caviar (a mixture of corn, salsa and black-eyed peas)
- Sour cream
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Chips & Salsa
Sweet Potato Minestrone
Loads of vegetables fill this soup with hearty nutrition. Pack it in a Mason jar for easy delivery. Your happy recipient can heat and eat or freeze the soup for a meal later. Pick up a loaf of crusty bread and some good butter or cheese to go with it to complete the meal.
12 ounces mild Italian sausage
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
3 cups water
2 cups diced sweet potato (or butternut squash)
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 (14.5-ounce) cans tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
8 cups greens, coarsely chopped (spinach, cabbage, chard, or kale)
Combine first four ingredients in a pot on the stove. Saute for 7 minutes or until the sausage is browned. Add water through beans. Simmer for 30 minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir in greens and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the greens are tender.
Pan Seared Salmon with Tzatziki
If you are looking for healthy food, salmon is hard to beat. Fortunately, it is delicious whether you eat it warm or cold. Simply seasoned, this recipe relies on the rich flavor of the salmon. The cooling Tzatziki dip pairs well with salmon and vegetables. This dish is amazing accompanied by a plate of vegetables that are prepped and ready to eat for dinner and snacking the next day. Your friends will appreciate the clean, healthy food.
Salmon
4 salmon fillets, about 5 to 6 ounces each
Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
Olive oil to coat the pan
Tzatziki Sauce (recipe below)
About 45 minutes before cooking, press the salmon fillets between paper towels to thoroughly dry them. Excess moisture on the fish causes it to steam rather than sear, and the fish can become mushy. Liberally season with salt and pepper and allow to rest in the refrigerator until time to cook. If you are short on time, season the salmon fillets right before they go in the pan after drying them.
Heat a cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over medium high heat with olive oil until the oil shimmers. This ensures that the skin will be crispy and not stick to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low. Working with a fish spatula, lay the fillets one at a time in the pan, skin side down. Cooking the salmon skin side down allows the flesh to have insulation from the heat, which will keep the salmon moist. Using the spatula, press down on top of the fish for 10 seconds to flatten the skin onto the hot pan. Add each successive fillet, repeating the flattening process. The flattening helps crisp the skin. Cook until the center of the fillet is 120 F, and the skin releases easily from the pan. Flip the fillets for 15 seconds then remove from the pan. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce.
Tzatziki Sauce
1 English cucumber, seeded and grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 to 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh dill or 2 tablespoons dried dill
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Sprinkle ½ teaspoon kosher salt over the grated cucumber and drain in a strainer for an hour. Wrap the cucumber in a tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Mix yogurt, cucumber, vinegar, dill, and garlic. Add ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Allow the flavors to mellow and marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Bon appetit!
