A Portable Feast

My friend Jeanne Kelley, author, chef and food stylist, has a new cook book that you guys should snag called “The Portable Feast“. I love this lady, and not just because she treated my whole staff to a GOURMET lunch. When I first moved to LA and I was still styling we did a lot of shoots together for Bon Appetit (I styled props, she styled food) and more recently she has worked on all the Target jobs. More importantly she is a total LA role model for me. I could talk about this for days but trust me that raising kids here can be tricky, and there are many times when we consider leaving because we don't know if we want to fight the battle of keeping them normal (and potentially lose it). But then you meet Jeanne and her family who are so grounded, down to earth, normal, and unaffected that you think we can do it. All public school and all with no link to Hollywood (which is a good thing). That's a much larger conversation, but the point is – she is one of the good ones and a total life inspiration to me.

So when she told me that she had a new book I insisted on promoting it. She said “bring your staff over for a lunch – my treat” so we did last Friday (after our group workout – I clearly like to distract them from real work).

It was absolutely delicious, not to mention beautiful.

It was a smorgasbord of:

Tuna with Dill and Harissa on Olive Bread p-67, Sandwiches and Wraps

Chickpea, Cauliflower and Tomato Salad with Garlicky Yogurt and Sumac p-89, Salads, Bowls and Soups

Layered Chopped Greek Salad with Herbed Bulgar p- 98, Salads, Bowls and Soups

Carrot Cupcakes (made with whole wheat flour!) p-126, Snacks and Treats

I'd like to thank Trader Joe's for their $6 peony bunches last week. My god, those things were perfection and made me look like a million dollar florist.

She developed each of these recipes and some of them (if not all) are in her new book, “The Portable Feast“. The book is filled with all the types of food that you would want to eat (trust me). The recipes strike just the right balance between work and play and healthy and indulgent, all with do-ahead strategies to help busy moms and families (like us) create inventive meals that can travel to work or just to the dining table deliciously. It's healthy without being diet-y and delicious without being overly gourmet. Ultimately it's delicious food with unique twists and flavors. They are the kind of recipes that make you look good, while not being too difficult to make.

Those carrot cupcakes were insane. Everything was just so good. I can't imagine what it would feel like to satisfy people so (seemingly) easily as she did us that day. What an amazing talent – and we were so lucky to be on the receiving end.

Thanks, Jeanne. Knowing how insane the book process is, kudos for having finished (and these being her second!). I hope its a smash hit. xx

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