PG Kitchen with Michelle Cordeiro-Grant

With Back to School season in full swing, Public Goods wanted to learn the best go-to recipes for the school year from the pros – our PG parents. Join us for our PG Kitchen series from now through September 13th, featuring recipe takeovers on Instagram and our blog.

Our second recipe feature comes from a person our PG fam has admired for a long time —  Michelle Cordeiro-Grant, the CEO and Founder of LIVELY. In this week’s episode, Michelle shows us her go-to First-Day-of-School breakfast recipe for her kids – ricotta pancakes. 

Do you have any BTS family traditions? How do you bring them to life and what do they look like in this new, pandemic/remote-learning era?

We have so many of them! My absolute favorite, though, is our no phones at the dinner table tradition. With the kids being at school and my husband and I juggling work, it’s rare that we all get to be together at the same time during the day. We’ve set an intention to really soak in this time with each other and hear about one another’s days (our second dinner tradition is going around the table and sharing what the best part of the day for us was). Something that’s probably difficult to fully grasp until you’re actually in it is just how fast your kids grow, so this small-but-mighty tradition is something that helps us make the most of those moments we have together, enjoy each other’s company and really get to know one another!

What is your favorite Sustainable Swap for meal prepping? Ex. Beeswax wraps, reusable water bottle, etc. 

My favorite sustainable hack when it comes to food is that I truly do not throw any of it away. I’m the queen of leftovers! I’m also that girl who will use a huge tupperware container for just four small pieces of brussel sprouts. But everything adds up!

My most frequently used sustainable swap for meal prepping is glass tupperware instead of plastic bags or containers to store food for the week ahead and to save any yummy leftovers. I also love Public Good’s Reusable Food Storage Wraps.

What’s your favorite PG product to prep with?

The Large Eco-Friendly Cutting Board!

Here at PG, we’re obsessed with your company, Lively. How has motherhood changed the way you move through the world in both your personal and professional life? 

Thank you! Just 8 weeks into starting LIVELY, I found out I was pregnant with my son, Jack, and I already had a young daughter, Lydia, at home, so from the early days of the business I’ve been a huge believer in quality over quantity of time spent at work.

Having children made me realize that being the last person in the office did not equal being the most productive, nor was it necessary. These days, I’m one of the first to leave or sign off and I do it proudly! Efficiency is key, and I had to learn how to get comfortable constantly reprioritizing my list and knowing that it would never be completely done. Delegation is also so important for me in being able to balance motherhood and my career. Making my personal life just as high a priority as my professional life has meant that I’ve really had to instill trust in my team and empower them to fully step into their roles in order for the business to continue growing and moving. Giving them my full and complete trust has been the best decision for me and the brand! I feel very confident knowing they’re fully capable of keeping LIVELY going far beyond me.

In my personal life, motherhood has taught me patience and mental stamina unlike anything else. Knowing you’re capable of creating human life really puts into perspective everything else you’re capable of and how far beyond the realm of what you thought was feasible is! 

PG Kitchen Recipes – Ricotta Pancakes

Serves 4

Since I’m making it for my kiddos, I like to halve the recipe, but it can also be doubled if you’re having family/friends over! Make it your own 🙂

Ingredients

• 2 cups Public Goods All Purpose-Flour
• ¼ cup Public Goods Cane Sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups milk
• ¾ cup ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, plus more for serving
• Public Goods Maple Syrup, for serving

Recipe courtesy of Joanna Gaines! 

To Prepare

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, ricotta, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and pour the batter (about ¼ cup at a time) to form pancakes. Cook each pancake until the tops are covered with bubbles and the edges are crispy brown, then flip. Cook about 2-3 minutes on the other side.
5. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and fresh fruit if desired!