Yonah Chatzinoff's fridge bursts with seasonal, veggie-loaded dishes

Job: SAHM

Lives: Karmiel, Eretz Yisrael

Family: Me + hubby, six girls aged 4 months to 12 years

My Cooking Philosophy:

I keep things affordable and tasty. Instead of labeling food as bad or junky, we define nutritious food as being “growing food,” food that will help us grow big and strong. The kids have to eat from what’s offered at the meal, so I try to have some variety on the table. My kids are still young and teachable. I’d like them to get used to eating food that will serve them well, meaning a variety, exposure to many flavors, heavy on vegetables, no noshing.

We moved in 2018 from Dallas. It was a big food adjustment — the cost of proteins is higher (vegetables are cheaper), produce is seasonal (we just went a month without butternut squash), but we now have bug-free herbs and broccoli!

Around a year ago, my husband went off dairy, soy, wheat, sesame, and processed foods, and my oldest daughter cut out cheese, so I had to incorporate more fish and chicken. Nowadays, we almost always have cooked quinoa, kasha, or rice to serve, and the fridge stays stocked with salads and cooked sweet potatoes and veggies.

Sunday: Leftovers!

This week was chicken cholent with homemade kishke, rice, green beans, and squash kugel. One lucky daughter got the last matzah ball in a bowl of soup.

Monday: Soup

Sweet potato-butternut squash-curry with green lentils and bread for dipping (grilled cheese triangles and slices of garlic bread). My husband doesn’t generally enjoy soup (especially during the summer), but even he takes doubles of this one. Plenty of leftovers for Tuesday lunch.

Tuesday: “Rainbow Chicken”

Onions, carrots, zucchini, and purple cabbage grated and sauteed with ground chicken; served with plain buckwheat (kasha), baked sweet potatoes, and potatoes.

CALLOUT: This was a hit, though the kids would have preferred ground beef over chicken. The two-year-old really liked it, and the five-year-old tolerated it for the colors. My husband really liked it, too!

Wednesday: Do(ugh) It Yourself

Homemade spelt pizza, garlic bread, and flatbreads with veggies. Blended orange soup on the side. Leftovers into the fridge for lunches.

CALLOUT: We like how this meal can be dairy for some and pareve for others. The downside: it’s low on protein. I added some red lentils to the soup to boost its nutritional value.

Thursday: Burrito Bar

Tortillas, rice, lettuce, tomato, refried beans, guacamole, and corn. This one is always a big hit with the kids. Half my kids were born in Texas; perhaps they absorbed a love of Mexican food?

Favorite supper hack:

1. Instant Pot for grains. They come out perfect every time.
2. Roasted veggies. With a big enough sheet pan, you can have a few types and flavors roasting at the same time.

Favorite spice or sauce:

Pereg brand curry. Tamarind paste. Trader Joe’s spice mixes (the last thing we still import regularly).

Something I serve for my family’s health:

Sardines. They have a strong smell, but they’re the go-to for my husband if the family dinner isn’t diet-compatible.

What I do that I never thought I’d do:

Make dinner every night!

For the first ten years of our marriage, my husband cooked at least half of our weekday meals. He still does the proteins for Shabbos, but he works too late during the week to prep family dinners.

Something I learned along the way:

Start early enough for the food to have time to cook! It’s stressful to keep pushing off dinner, waiting for the food to be ready.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 949)