Things I don’t look forward during School Break:
- It will take me approximately 3 to 7 days to pack for the whole family; we will have had 37 different marital blow ups before even leaving the house.
- Immediately upon arrival to destination everyone, including my husband, will develop an ear infection or an obscure rash that will require a) finding a pharmacy open in the middle of the night and b) a winner disposition for Charades to explain, in a foreign language, what hurts.
- The guilty feeling I nurture when I pretend my kids haven’t been on their tablets for 48 hours straight watching twat Jelly on youtube playing Minecraft.
- The “ME FIRST” arguments. Me first in the car, me first out of the car, me first opening the hotel door, me first taking a shower. Note nobody never, ever shouts: Me first to bed!
- Hotel room sex interrupted by wandering children looking for their tablets.
Things I do look forward during School Break:
- Even if I’ll be tired as hell when I get back I know I’ll have great memories about my lovely family. I’ll remember with warmness my daughter shoving her gigantic bunny toy through the tiny security detector at the airport, while a line of disgruntle travelers forms behind us.
- My son talking poop and farts non stop and making me laugh so hard my Prosecco comes out from my nostrils.
- Sharing time with the people I love the most and eating unforgettable meals that I didn’t have to prepare.
If you are smarter than me and decide not to travel but you have to cook for the family I suggest my ginger, turmeric, chickpea, cumin and tomatoes Braise
This meal is the ultimate immune boosting secret packed with plant based ingredients and natural anti-inflammatories like turmeric & ginger. Flu season and kids snot ? bring it on.
Watch my video recipe on FabFitFun.com or just follow the recipe below.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated turmeric
- 1 teaspoon powder cumin
- 2 cups canned chickpeas drained
- 1 large fennel bulb, cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups stock vegetable
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups shredded kale or Swiss chard, or cabbage cabbage or Swiss chard
- ½ lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Servings: people
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Add the onion, celery, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until the vegetables are softened, 10 minutes. Stir in the ginger, turmeric and cumin powder.
- Add chickpeas, fennel and vegetable stock, then bring to a boil over medium high heat. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley and the bay leaf. Lower the temperature to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 25 minutes.
- Stir in the kale, making sure it’s mostly submerged, and cook until tender, 5 additional minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Squeeze the lemon half into the stew and double check the seasoning, adjusting with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve in bowls garnished with the chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
Finish with olive oil. You can add some cooked small pasta or rice to the finished dish. Freezes well.
You can add 2 cups of cubed chicken or lean ground beef with the chickpeas and braise for 10 to 15 minutes longer if you desire a heartier dish.
Roasted salmon (oven 14 minute at 350 degrees) would be delicious as well.
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