12 best chronicle books lunch cookbooks

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Leftovers Are a Good Thing

All recipes in this book are written to happily satisfy two eaters, except the chapter about 'Feasts with Friends.'If a recipe’s serving size is for more than two, this label indicates the recipe will be delicious served as leftovers. Check the 'Leftovers are a Good Thing' notes for ideas on how to repurpose leftover ingredients and dishes.

Make It a Meal

Some dishes, such as Chipotle Carnitas Tacos, are a meal in themselves, while others, such as Grilled Flank Steak with Charred Poblano Romesco, would do better with a side. 'Make It a Meal' tips provide suggestions on what to pair together, or how to alter a recipe easily to make it a complete meal, like adding an extra cup of arugula and topping with grilled chicken.

Buy Smart

Here you’ll find clues for how to get the best deal, how to take advantage of the butcher’s knife skills so there’s less work to do at home, and how to repurpose what­ever you have in your fridge so you don’t have to buy anything at all.

Beet Tzatziki

Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C].

Wrap the beet and garlic cloves in an aluminum foil packet. Place the packet on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife easily slides through the beet.

While the beet and garlic roast, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, vinegar, and dill.

Let the beet cool slightly. Grate it on a box grater and smash the roasted garlic into a paste with a fork. Stir the beet and garlic into the yogurt mixture. Season with the salt and pepper.

Keep refrigerated in an airtight glass container for up to 4 days.

Cooking School

Cutting beets into smaller pieces helps them roast faster. This goes for any vegetable, or cut of meat, for that matter.

Buy Smart

You can buy precooked beets in the refrigerator section in most major grocery stores. Totally acceptable. If you go this route, just grate in one clove of fresh garlic instead of roasting it.

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Matcha, Mint, and Chocolate

If you're looking for a caffeine fix without coffee, then matcha (a green tea powder) is the way to go. Matcha is loaded with antioxidants and, while it contains caffeine to give your brain a boost, it also contains an amino acid called L-Theanine, which doesn't leave you with that wired feeling. With matcha, you'll experience mental clarity and motivation without the jitters. Plus these ingredients contain antioxidants that help to boost brain health, memory, and prevent damage that can occur in the brain through the aging process.

Makes 12 Balls

1. Put the cashews in a food processor and process until they form a crumbly meal. Add the dates, the 1/2 cup [60 g] almond meal, and the 2 Tbsp cocoa powder and process for 30 seconds. Add the coconut nectar, peppermint extract, and 2 Tbsp water and process until a sticky mass forms. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine the matcha and the 1 tsp almond meal.

3. Using a tablespoon, scoop the mixture and, with clean slightly wet hands, shape the mixture into a ball between your palms, roll it in the almond and matcha mixture to lightly coat, then set on a plate. Repeat with the remaining mixture until you have 12 balls, each just smaller than a golf ball. Sprinkle the coated balls with the finely chopped vegan dark chocolate.

4. Place the balls in the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature until required.

About the Author

Christal Sczebel, C.H.N. is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where she is the owner of Pure & Simple Nutrition, a health-based business specializing in nutrition and sustainable wellness. She is the owner and author of NutritionistInTheKitch website, a blog dedicated to her love for whole foods, food photography, and teaching others how to discover optimal wellness through healthy recipes and her online nutrition programs.

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You look skinny.

Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen was founded in San Francisco in 2011. This cookbook is not just another book about Jewish food, there are plenty of those—but about Jews and food. Consider it a scrapbook, of sorts, covering life’s main events, filled with anecdotes and essays, illustrations and archival images, and all the recipes every good Jew or bad Jew or wannabe Jew needs.

Wise Sons’ philosophy is to preserve our past, and make it taste better.

Not unlike the way Jews of our generation approach Judaism today: We respect our traditions, but make them our own. Which includes writing this book about Jewish food that—feh!—might include a recipe for a cheeseburger, and maybe even make you laugh.

A casual, contemporary, lighthearted take on a book about Jewish food.

Our lives, as Jews, revolve around food in a way that’s at once fanatical, logical, and comical, and, to be honest, kind of pathological. Especially when family is in town. While spreading the cream cheese on our bagels, we discuss where we should go for lunch; while the Russian dressing drips from our Reubens, we ruminate over dinner reservations.

Food is life, our need to overorder is real.

Of course, this laser focus on food—on both being well fed and feeding others—is not unique to Jews. Indians and Iranians, Chinese and Koreans, we’re all passionate about scoring prime reservations and packing plenty of snacks and serving abundant platters. God forbid someone goes hungry: Eating—along with studying and practicing and striving and surviving—it’s an immigrant thing. Whether we came to America last year or last century, our roots run deep.

Manny’s Morning After Matzoquiles

Mazto brei is a messy scramble of broken-up matzo and eggs, and every family has their way of making it. Some like it sweet, some like it savory. At Wise Sons, we like it spicy. Our chef Manny and our kitchen crew came up with this version one Passover, and it’s been a favorite ever since.

In a medium bowl, combine the matzo pieces and eggs and set aside for 5 minutes to soak. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add the matzo mixture to the pan and season with the salt. Cook for 2 minutes for soft eggs, stirring often to scramble the eggs, but folding the ingredients carefully so as not to turn the matzo into mush.

Add the tomatillo sauce and cook until hot, another 30 seconds. Serve immediately in a shallow bowl, with the toppings of your choice alongside.

Add fresh cilantro leaves, sour cream, thinly sliced white onion, sliced radishes, crumbled cotija cheese, and sliced avocado for serving

Tomatillo Sauce

Preheat the oven to 450°F [230°C]. In a large bowl, toss the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, garlic, oil, and salt until well coated. Transfer the mixture to a large baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until fragrant and the toma­tillos are soft, but not quite bursting. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the tomatillo mixture to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Let cool. If not using right away, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This sauce freezes well, for up to 3 months.

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Tahini Toast With Lemon And Honey

Think of tahini toast as peanut butter toast’s chic older sister. She’s always got the latest fashion, all dolled up with her lemon juice and black sesame seeds. But, as I learned from my friend Lindsay Hunt (author of the cookbook Healthyish), she has a wild side, too, and never minds a dollop of tangy orange marmalade or chunky strawberry preserves on top. Of course, you need to start with a quality jar of tahini. If that’s too hard to find, peanut or almond butter works with these toppings, too.

Instructions

Toast the bread and brush evenly with butter. Spread the Tahini on the toast and drizzle with honey or top with a healthy dollop of marmalade and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Squeeze with lemon and eat with gusto.