Classic Cooking That Woo Millennials

^{Photo by Mikhail Nilov}

A mouthwatering description and a few key words can help your menu attract Millennials to classic cooking.

If you are a millennial, always on the go, healthy eating may feel challenging. With busy schedules and cravings for convenient options, takeout and overeating less-nutritious snacks can be easy defaults.

If you are searching for inspiration in the kitchen or just looking for new easy, healthy meal ideas and classic cooking, this pairing new foods and flavors article is for you! Here, there are three of your all-time favorite recipes for meal prep. These recipes are simple to make, delicious, and packed with nutrition — plus, the entire family will love them; they are even very appealing to modern food eaters. 

3 Quick And Healthy Family Meals

            Whether you are a newbie still finding your way in the kitchen, a seasoned home chef, or a passionate foodie – there is a recipe for everyone! 

            1. Better Butter Chickpeas. Luckily this recipe feeds a crowd because the aromas bring everyone into the kitchen. It also freezes beautifully for quick and easy meals later.

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a deep, large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender about five minutes. 

2. Add garlic, ginger, chili powder, turmeric, and cinnamon, and cook for one minute. 

3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and chickpeas. Reduce heat to low, then cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

4. Add milk and sour cream and simmer, uncovered, for five more minutes. With a potato masher, mash about half of the chickpeas in the pan. 

5. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve over hot rice or with naan bread if desired.

            2. Fantastic Fried Rice. This is the perfect recipe to make when you have leftovers to use up. Cold rice is ideal; you can use leftover vegetables or protein foods. You can use frozen mixed vegetables to make this dish even more effortless. 

Instructions:

            1. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Stir-fry onions until softened, about 1 minute. 

2. Add garlic and ginger, cook, and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. 

3. Add in vegetables; if using fresh vegetables, cook and stir for about 5 minutes until softened. If using leftover vegetables, cook until heated through. 

4. Stir in rice, cook, and frequently stir until rice is hot, about 5 minutes. 

5. Push rice to the side of the pan and pour beaten eggs into the space. Cook and stir eggs occasionally, until softly scrambled for about 2 minutes. 

6. Mix the scrambled egg with the rest of the rice mixture. 

7. Mix the soy sauce, hot sauce (if using), and sesame oil and add to the rice mixture.

            3. Vegan Cranberry Apple Crumble. This Cranberry Apple Crumble recipe is a sweet and tart delight! A fine example of classic cooking for the millennials. This is a healthier spin on dessert, using wholegrain oats and relying on the sweetness and flavor of dried cranberries, apples, and coconut. It is not loaded with added sugar, either! 

Instructions:

            1. Preheat first the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Combine the oats, coconut flour, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, coconut sugar, and chopped almonds in a medium bowl. Keep the almonds rough and rustic to enjoy the crunch.

3. Now mix in the melted coconut oil until well combined. The mixture should be crumbly, but the coconut oil should be evenly distributed.

4. In a small saucepan, add dried cranberries and water. Bring to a boil. Then simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes or until the cranberries are soft and plump. 

5. Now prepare the apples. Use the local Ontario Fuji apples. Besides being one of the sweetest apple varieties, they are firm and hold well in baking recipes. Chop the apples into small to medium pieces.

6. Transfer the chopped apples to a 12 X 8-inch rectangular covered baking dish or pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon, a great way to sweeten foods and reduce added sugar intake.

7. Right now, your cranberries should be done – Time to blend! Add to a small blender and use the pulse function. There is no need to blend over; some lumpy, soft bits are fine and add to the personality of the dish. You should have a jam-like consistency.  

8. Now, it is time to add the crumbly oaty coco-nutty mixture on top of the apples. Use your hands to flatten the topping, so it is nicely packed.

9. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Then remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes to get a heavenly golden topping. 

10. Cool for 5 minutes. Serve while warm, and savor every bite! You can check Eleanor Gaccetta’s book, Generations of Good Food, for more inspiring recipes. The book is a compilation of recipes that span six generations. The book is a collection of straightforward recipes and heartfelt stories of Italian life that brought families together around the table. The cookbook is a compilation of nearly 200 recipes and classic cooking, including main dishes, bread, cakes, pies, cookies, and candy. Just glancing through the table of contents will surely give you the urge to cook, bake and eat.For more easy and healthy dishes that appeal to younger generations, check out our growing list of recipes for millennials to keep your classic cooking fresh and fun.