Baked Bratwurst with Sauerkraut

Bratwurst have been a family food since before I can remember. Growing up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, my father remembers being relegated to the basement with other children at the Stayer’s house for cocktail parties. You may not know the Stayers, but they named their family business, a butcher store, after the town they lived in—Johnsonville, Wisconsin. That small butcher shop, opened in 1945, is the same Johnsonville’s known nationally for their sausage offerings.

The standard midwest protocol for bratwurst is to grill it over charcoal and then simmer in a bath of beer, butter, and onion. We do this often, and you can check out our recipe here. Today’s recipe skips the grill and uses the oven, a healthy amount of sauerkraut, and a Granny Smith apple. Made in about an hour in the oven, it’s perfect for rainy days or any time you’d like to make bratwurst without as much active attention. Whether on the grill or in the oven, we love brats. Let us know in the comments how you like your bratwurst!

Asparagus and Napa Cabbage Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

One of the unexpected side-effects of pregnancy has been a renewed focus on nutrient density and food quality. There are long lists of things expectant mothers should or should not have, and there is considerable debate over several popular items. That said, the benefit for us has been an intentional effort to double down on new and exciting ways to get more vegetables into our daily routine. We shared one such example last week, showcasing beets and avocados.

This week, we put together a light salad with Napa cabbage and blanched asparagus. If you’re feeling the need to bump up the protein, kick it up a notch with chicken, hardboiled egg, smoked salmon, or all three! If you give it a shot, let us know in the comments.

Garlic Lime Mahi-Mahi

We had some beautiful spring, almost summer-like, weather a couple of weeks ago. It inspired me to make a light and refreshing meal. We happened to have Mahi-Mahi filets and a lime in the refrigerator, and I realized they would be a perfect pairing.

Fish and citrus are generally a great combination, and this recipe did not disappoint. Poaching allowed me to gently cook the fish without needing to watch it carefully. The result was a perfectly cooked, bright and delicious meal that I served with a side of mixed greens. As the weather continues to warm up, we hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as we did. I think it will become a regular on our weekly meals as we move into summer!

Vegetable Florentine Soup

A few weeks ago, on a particularly cold and snowy day in Pennsylvania, I was on a work trip with a colleague visiting a college campus. We paused in the cafeteria for lunch and I came across vegetable Florentine soup. Normally, I would build a meal from the salad bar so I can control the ingredients. That said, I was chilled from walking around campus in the snow; so, even though I couldn’t verify the ingredients, I chose the soup. I ate around the noodles but otherwise thoroughly enjoyed the soup.

This variation is noodle-free, but I think it came out as hearty and delicious. Not only is it paleo; it’s also vegan! We hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.

Pesto Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a French vegetable dish, and an incredibly popular Disney movie. This is not a traditional Ratatouille, and in that vein we took similar creativity in making a pesto. That said, it was delicious and I can’t wait to make it again.

We have had fun experimenting with pesto in the past (you may recall Tomato Pesto SaladChicken Pesto Pasta, and Easy Pesto Egg Bake) and last weekend I was craving vegetables at every turn. I have always wanted us to make a Ratatouille but we have had a lot of tomato-based meals lately; so when Brent suggested we use pesto instead of a tomato sauce, I agreed.

We hope you’ll find this variation on a provincial French classic as fun and tasty as we did!