I feel like I don’t share that much about my work as a private holistic chef. You probably know me more for sharing cooking classes and everyday herbal recipes on IG.
I’ve been a private chef for over 10 years now, which is pretty hard to believe and it’s something I really enjoy doing. Bringing recipes to life and sharing them IRL with people in my community is something I’m grateful I get to do.
As a private chef, I spend a lot of time thinking about what to make my clients each week. My weekly menus usually consist of a nourishing soup with a side and two mains with sides.
Basically, I cook three different dinners for two hungry adults and deliver them to their homes. Having multiple clients with different preferences keeps me on my toes and means I’m always thinking outside of the box when it comes to meals.
However, this weekly ritual of menu planning and cooking is something I’ve come to find so much comfort in. It’s pushed me to experiment more with baking, gluten-free recipes, and honing my weeknight classics.
I definitely rely on the season to help dictate what I’ll be making since that is what’s available and always going to be the freshest. My weekly CSA pickup and trip to the farmer’s market on Sunday are where I source a lot of inspiration.
I’ll of course head over to my favorite cookbooks, chefs, and websites to help me drum up new ideas. I have to admit, I have a thing for British chefs like Nigel Slater, Julius Caesar, and Nigella Lawson.
There’s something so straightforward and cozy about the way they approach ingredients. Their recipes are never fussy and tend to highlight the beautiful produce of the season, which I obviously love.
Like most nights, after I’ve been cooking for clients all day, I’ll either eat the extras of what I’ve made or I’ll hobble together a new meal with what’s left over.
This recipe for Savory Goat Cheese & Cabbage Tarts is just that.
Puff pastry is the star here and something you should consider keeping on hand if you don’t already.
I’m a big fan of always having puff pastry in the freezer. It’s such a versatile staple you can use in all sorts of sweet or savory recipes. Of course, you can make it yourself, but I make most things from scratch and prefer to keep some recipes as easy as possible.
There seem to be more gluten-free dough options out there too, so you might want to give those a try if you’ve been craving a recipe like this one sans the gluten.
This recipe is easily adaptable for what you’ve got on hand. No cabbage? Kale, broccolini, or chard would all make lovely swaps. The same goes for the goat cheese.
Swap for a creamy ricotta or mozzarella. Or skip the cheese altogether and use a dairy-free pesto.
You can always use fresh or dried herbs here to add another layer of flavor. I had dill left over, so I sprinkled that on top, but parsley, basil, and cilantro would all be lovely.
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