One Hand Cooking Episode 1: Snacks!
illustration by Michelle Lassaline from How to Grow a Baby
Welcome to the first episode of One Hand Cooking! The title of my cooking “show” is pretty self-explanatory—it’s me cooking with one hand because my other hand is full of a baby.
The recipes I’m making and sharing are based on one of my favorite illustrations Michelle created for How to Grow a Baby. The above illustration is the first peak of a beautiful two-page spread of simple and delicious snacks and meals that are ideal for nourishing your body after giving birth (they are also the meals and snacks I make often at home for our family).
Ideally, someone else will cook for you during those first few weeks postpartum but eventually you’ll wander back into the kitchen, baby in your arms, hunger in your belly, ready to make something tasty. These snacks and meals are rich in what you need when you’re caring for a baby: abundant healthy fat, colorful fruits and vegetables, and the multi-sensory joy of eating food that is both sustaining and delicious.
One Hand Cooking has three simple rules:
Safety! When using a sharp knife, place baby in a safe place like a baby chair or someone else’s arms where they are far away from the blade. Same goes for when you’re using the hot stove or opening the oven. Alternatively, hold baby at a very awkward angle to ensure their safety while sacrificing your low back (as seen in the videos).
Let go of perfection. Your kitchen will get messy. Your clothes will get food on them. Your baby will throw food on the ground. A baby hand will find its way into your food and that food will end up in your hair. This is why laundry and showers exist.
Accept help. When other hands are there to help, accept the help graciously. As much as I like cooking with one hand, I love cooking with two hands in a peaceful, empty kitchen while listening to a good audiobook or podcast, heaven.
Below you’ll find the One Hand Cooking Snacks video followed by recipes for Greek yogurt with berries and skillet granola; cheese stuffed and crispy prosciutto wrapped dates; and skillet fried pears with walnuts, melty cheese and spring greens. You’ll notice these recipes are a little looser than my others. They are meant to be adaptable, thrown together (sometimes literally) and super accessible.
Just for you, I wrote a haiku for this initial episode:
One handed cooking
How difficult could it be?
Parents need more hands.
If you have to cook with one hand, and let's be honest, we'd all prefer not to, this is a guide to making some delicious, nourishing snacks that are great for pregnancy, postpartum, and sharing with your toddler. Be careful with the dates. They might not look like much, but they are ridiculously tasty and addicting.
One more thing. Always monitor what baby's are eating. Since filming this video, we've stopped giving Otto apple cores to munch, and now follow @solidstarts recommendation when it comes to introducing potentially dangerous foods. Learn, keep learning, remain humble, change when needed, keep an open mind and do your absolute best to keep everyone safe, healthy, loved and respected. That, my friends, is parenting.
greek yogurt with berries and skillet granola
Full fat plain Greek yogurt (I love Straus)
Mix of organic strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries (or whatever fruit you have on hand)
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes or chips
1/2 cup raw cacao nibs
1 handful dried currants (or other dried fruit)
Pinch of cinnamon (I love Curio spices)
Mint leaves
Heat a small skillet over medium-high and add the buckwheat groats, coconut flakes and cacao nibs. Toast, tossing occasionally, until the coconut flakes are browned and the groats smelly nutty, then remove from the heat and store in a small glass jar.
Scoop some yogurt into a bowl, top with the fruit, skillet granola, the currants, a sprinkle of cinnamon and the mint leaves. You could make this sprouted pecan, coconut and cacao granola if you’re looking for a more classic granola experience.
We call these yogurt snacks in my house and we eat them in various forms (too) many times throughout the day.
cheese-stuffed and crispy prosciutto-wrapped dates
5-8 medjool dates, pits removed (5 if it’s just you eating them, 8 if a toddler joins you)
1 package prosciutto (La Quercia)
Gruyere, blue, or Parmesan cheese cut into small squares (about the size of the top of your thumb )
Gently open up the dates and pack the cheese in the middle where the pit used to live. Press the date closed around the cheese and then wrap with a piece of prosciutto. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high and crisp the prosciutto on all sides. Remove from heat, place in a small bowl and enjoy these insanely delicious treats warm.
Want to skip prosciutto and cheese? My other favorite combination is to fill the date with hazelnut butter and piece of dark chocolate, then sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt.
skillet fried pears with walnuts, melty cheese and spring greens
Fresh greens, lettuce, spinach or arugula or a mix works well
1 pear (or apple) core removed, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 handful raw, unsalted walnuts (or other nuts)
A generous amount of sliced cheddar cheese or gruyere
Rosemary sprigs removed from a small branch
Olive oil (my favorite is Katz)
Balsamic vinegar (insanely yummy vinegar, will change your salad life)
Crackers (make easy almond flour crackers or I like these)
Flaky sea salt (Carolina flake salt)
Prepare a bowl full of greens, placing the crackers on top, then heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high and add the butter. Put the pear slices in the skillet and brown for a few minutes on both sides then add the walnuts to the still hot skillet and toast until your kitchen smells warm and nutty. Toss in the rosemary sprigs and cheese until everything melts happily together.
Using a spatula, scoop the cheesy mound on top of the greens. Dress with a drizzle of oil and vinegar and a sprinkle of sea salt. I love how the warm pears and cheese relax the greens, easing the salad experience and transforming it into something wholly unique and satisfying.
Bowl by MMclay Ceramics
if you Like one hand cooking…
I think you’ll love How to Grow a Baby. The book dives into preconception, pregnancy and postpartum health with so much more information and illustrations about foods that support overall and reproductive health.
There’s shopping lists for hormonal health (and sperm health!), information about how nutrient-dense food supports the microbiome and SO. MUCH. MORE.