who's your mama?

caterer + doctor = nutrition student.

my mom is the reason why: I love to cook and have big feet. 

my dad is the reason why: I love science and look german.

hannah the hybrid.

picnics and pantries has reason to be thankful for my mother:

#1.) all my cook books and utensils have been acquired from her overflow collection

#2.) she has been giving me kitchen appliances since my 13th birthday

#3.) she takes me grocery shopping for expensive ingredients when she comes to visit

she is the reason why I was making pleas for pate sandwiches at age 3, was taking quinoa mango salad for lunch in middle school, and most recently, show up to bake sales with raspberry cheesecake brownies.  

she may also be partially responsible for my quick wit and sass.

[yes, she came up with the blog title herself.]

the lady has some credentials:

dessert baker turned freezer food home business owner and operator turned full fledged caterer.
[all while providing her family with the best tasting meals of all!]

not to mention, she's picnics and pantries editor and number one promoter.  

what's next? 

a guest food blogger, of course!

here she is folks, this martha is the real meal deal.

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April and May, while the rest of us are waiting for spring to finally come, students are waiting for exams to finally be over. Everything else piles up while the midnight oil is burned... including blogs.

What's a blogger to do? Call home of course! I can't write her exams, prepare for the trip to Kenya or train for her half marathon, but try my hand at a food blog?  

Why not.

During busy times [did I mention exams?], your freezer can be your best friend.  If you have a few things stashed, worrying about eating properly can be crossed off your list of things to do.  Make extras each time you cook so that you can freeze the leftovers... instant, healthy meals are ready when you need them, and the pots have already been washed.

Make batches of the basics, beans and rice can be prepared in bulk, measured and packaged and pulled out ready to go.  2 cups of beans is equivalent to a 540 ml can, and if you bag your cooked brown rice in 260 ml packages, you can throw this recipe together in no time at all.

Don't need 12 Brown Rice Patties for one meal?

You can freeze the rest, of course!

Brown Rice Patties 

recipe from: clean eating

serves: 12 servings 

the goodies:

- 1 sweet potato, peeled and grated 

- 1 zucchini, washed, trimmed and grated 

- 3 carrots, peeled and grated 

- 1 1/2 c.// 260 ml. cooked brown rice 

- 1/2 c. flour [whole wheat, rice, kamut...you get the idea, not white!] 

- juice of 1 lime 

- juice of 1 lemon 

- 1 tbsp sesame oil 

- 1/4 c. / 60ml. raw unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped 

- 1/2 c. / 60 ml. raw unsalted sunflower seeds, coarsely chopped 

- 1 tsp. sea salt 

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped 

- freshly ground black pepper 

- 1 egg 

- 1 egg white 

the fun part:

#1.) preheat the oven to 375. and line a baking sheet with parchment. 

#2.) using a clean dishtowel, press any extra water out of the grated vegetables. 

#3.) process almonds and sunflowers in a food processor, or chop by hand. 

#4.) combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  mix well.  mixture should be fairly stiff. 

#5.) measure patties using your 1/2 cup measuring cup.  

#6.) place all 12 on your baking sheet and bake for 40 - 45 min, or until lightly golden on top.

Now you have 12 meals ready to go.  Pack them in a pita, with tzatziki, cucumbers and tomatoes, have them on top of a salad or treat them like a regular burger.  Truth be told, Iʼve even eaten these for breakfast.

what your body will like:

being full and being fueled!