Mandy's Meals: Healthy Comfort Food Made Just For You

I love food. My focus is on healthy comfort food and I cook everyday for myself and my lovely husband. I photograph and blog about my food, his food and other people's food. I am a graduate of The New School Of Cooking and I currently work with the super talented ladies at Food Fanatics where I assist on food styling projects, collaborate on books and write and manage their blog.

Next up: Cooking for you!

How it works:

Weekly personal chef service: I come to you twice a week with all equipment needed to prepare and provide beautiful dishes. I cook, I portion, I write complete heating instructions and leave your kitchen exactly how I found it. I'm your food fairy!

I also love to cater intimate gatherings and teach cooking classes in the comfort of your home.

Did I mention I'm a vegan baking goddess? I will bring back your fondest brownie, cupcake and cookie memories...AND they will be good for you!

Contact me for a free consultation. I can't wait to start cooking for you.

12.4.09 Cook Day

Eggplant Parmesan was on the menu today and...I left my jar of tomato sauce at home.  Luckily, I had a can of diced tomatoes leftover in my client's pantry.

I sauteed some garlic and sliced leeks in olive oil.  Added a pinch of crushed red pepper, lemon pepper and salt.  Added two sliced carrots, and some diced eggplant that didn't fit on the cookie sheets.  Added tomatoes and a tiny bit of beef stock and let it simmer until the veggies were super soft.

 

Layered baked eggplant that was coated with grated cheese and panko bread crumbs with sauce, mozzarella cheese and excess breadcrumbs.  Baked 20 minutes.

 

Sesame rice noodles with stir fried veggies:  sugar snap peas, carrots, red peppers, broccoli, chestnuts and baby corn.  Tossed in my spicy peanut sauce.

  

 

Coarse mustard crusted brisket.  I dry rubbed this baby with said mustard, garlic salt, lemon pepper and chili powder.  Cooked almost four hours.  Fork tender.  Would make AWESOME bbq.  I served this with a green bean and arugula salad.  Will definitely serve this with mashers next time.  Sauce was TOO good.

Clients were home today.  It was so fun to watch them eat (yeah, I'm weird).  It's also fun to show them the food when it's hot.  Food always looks better when it's steamy.

12.1.09 Cook Day

Spicy Shrimp & Prosciutto over Polenta

 

Roasted Organic Chicken with Thyme, Shallots & Red Grapes.  Who knew roasted grapes were so delicious!  I noticed that my client always had grapes in the house, so I worked some into a dish.

 

White Beans with Tasso.  Ice bath helps reduce the temperature quickly which insures safe storage in the fridge.

 

Had to sneak this one in.  This is husband's dinner:  Lamb Stew with tons on veggies and polenta.  Topped with grated Romano cheese.

11.19.09 Cook Day

Vegan gingerbread.  The vegan aspect was accidental.  I didn't have an egg, so I substituted 1/2 of a mashed ripe banana.  What's not to like?

 

Pea puree:  fresh peas, chopped mint, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  All mashed up.

 

Lemon brodetto sauce for the salmon.

 

 

Lovely salmon meal all put together.  Click here for the recipe.

 

Fusilli pasta with artichoke, mushroom, pancetta and feta.

 

Parsnip and carrot soup with chopped parsley.

Nice light meals to prepare for the Thanksgiving abundance next week.  Who's hungry?

11.16 Cook Day

Roasted butternut squash for the pomegranate, walnut and blue cheese salad.  This recipe came from Washington chef extraordinaire, Sara Myron.  Look for this very recipe in the January Costco magazine!  Very fancy.

 

Roasted lemon chicken.   I like to butterfly my chicken to get all the skin nice and crispy and cut down on the cooking time a wee bit.

 

Chicken is all ready to go, served with Cuban black beans, rice and...

 

...fried bananas.  They look a little, um, not cute, but taste AMAZING.  Pan fried banana slices in light butter, cinnamon, salt and a touch of agave nectar.

 

Lamb chops (repeat performance).

 

Fig gastrique for said lamb chops.  Vinegary and sweet, and just a touch of spice.

 

Perfectly roasted potatoes to accompany the lamb.  Yes, I LOVE anything roasted.

What are you craving this week?

11.12.09 Cook Day

The beginning of Shepherd's Pie.   Seasoned ground sirloin topped with light shredded cheddar and colby cheeses.

 

Mise en Place for Shepherd's Pie and Ribollita:  onion, zucchini, carrots, celery and red peppers.

 

Sauteed veggies for yep, you guessed it, the Shepherd's Pie.

 

Garlic mashed potatoes for, um, the Shepherd's Pie.

 

I think I know one lucky shepherd!  Kidding.

 

Ribollita.  A hearty vegetable and white bean stew with bacon and finished with sourdough bread and Parmesan cheese.

 

Mustard roasted sea bass.  Basically sea bass fillets coated in a mixture of mustard, light cream cheese and capers.  Served with herbed cous cous and caramelized parsnips.

11.9.09 Cook Day

Spinach & Cheese Strata

 

 

Soy Braised Pulled Chicken with Scallions & Ginger

 

Jasmine Rice cooked in Cilantro Spiked Chicken Broth

 

Broiled Lamb Chops with Date Chili sauce & Buttered Minted Peas

What are you craving this week?