Best Dressing To Date
Posted: May 8, 2012 Filed under: recipe | Tags: avocado, lemon, nutritional yeast, recipe, smoked paprika Leave a comment »Today I may have made the best dressing ever. It may look like super gross baby something or other, but if you like smoky and lemony flavors, this is for you.
Smoky Avocado Dressing – approximate measurements, coasted 3 servings of quinoa veggie salad
- 1 avocado, mashed
- 1 TSP olive oil
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 TBSP nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 TSP smoked paprika
- 1/2 TSP fresh cracked pepper
- 1/4 TSP sea salt
- Mix together and stir in with a naked pasta, quinoa, or rice salad
I made this one up this afternoon for Nick and I to have for dinner. I am working late so I can take half and he can re-heat when he gets home. Win-win. Besides the dressing there is quinoa, onion, mushroom, zucchini, tomatoes, and kale. We shall see how it all turns out. I bet it will be amazing coated in all that smoky deliciousness!
What was something amazing that you made recently?
Sweet Potatoes for a Picky Crowd
Posted: December 14, 2011 Filed under: recipe | Tags: chickpeas, Chipotle, corn, recipe, sweet potato 2 Comments »Every time we have an office party when we are asked to bring something for the crowd, I get worried. Most of the people I work with are not fans of vegetables (I know I am generalizing here but overall I would say they are a meat and potatoes group). I always want to bring something healthy to show them that healthy doesn’t mean tasteless. Today was our deputy directors going away party and I made my best recipe yet!
Chipotle Lime Sweet Potato Salad. I got this idea from our wedding actually and added some chickpeas for some veg protein.
Above from wedding.
This recipe was seriously simple and I got a ton of compliments on it. The only thing you have to cook are the sweet potatoes and they take 20-25min.
Chipotle, Lime, Sweet Potato Salad
- 4 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 cup frozen corn (I used sweet white)
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 2 finely diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – can add more peppers for more heat
- juice of 3 limes
- zest of 1 lime
- 3 tbsp olive oil – divided into 1 tbsp and 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large clove of garlic pressed or finely chopped
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 bunch of cilantro chopped fine
- Toss peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in 1 tbsp of olive oil and bake at 400 for approximately 20-25min until fork tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking whisk together remaining ingredients minus the corn and chickpeas.
- Mix in the chickpeas and corn.
- Add potatoes while warm to lime mixture and fold in to get the potatoes fully coated.
- The longer you can marinate, the better. (It is good hot out of the over too!)
Deeeeelicious!
Cilantro Pesto!
Posted: October 19, 2011 Filed under: farmers market, recipe | Tags: cilantro, farmers market, pesto 1 Comment »I am a day late with Farmers Market Tuesday (now Wednesday!). I got home from yoga late last night and all I wanted to do was eat some dinner and go to sleep.
The pickin’s are getting slim at the market and I will miss summer produce, but one surprise I found was a huge bunch of cilantro (root and all)! I really wanted it but one person cannot eat 3 cups of cilantro before it goes bad. I opted for making cilantro pesto!
I wanted it to be semi-thick because I want to use it on bread. I also do not have pine nuts because they are super expensive.
Simple Cilantro Pesto
- 2 cups cilantro
- 1/4 cup pecans
- EVOO to your thickness taste
- juice of 1/2 one lemon
- 1/2 jalapeno
- pinch salt
Throw everything but the olive oil into a food processor and blend! Add the olive oil gradually until you get the consistency you like.
I cannot believe from 2 cups of cilantro I only got 1/2 cup of pesto! I guess that is why the stuff is kind of expensive.
What would you use cilantro pesto on?
p.s. I am never cooking rice on the stove top again…my new rice maker we got as a wedding gift is amazing!
English Peas
Posted: June 21, 2011 Filed under: recipe | Tags: farmers market, recipe 1 Comment »Tuesday are always my favorite in the summer because of the farmers market! Today I picked up lettuce, arugula, kale, English peas and cherries.
Tonight I attacked the English peas!
I love peas! They are so cute and sweet to the taste. I even had a cat that used to eat them frozen! This afternoon I shelled a bunch of peas and thought about how to showcase their flavor.
I grabbed some basil and a pepper that I knocked off my accident 
What I came up with was garlic peas with basil and olive oil. Simple and easy, not even really a recipe but I wanted to showcase the peas!
Garlic Peas
- 1 clove of garlic pressed
- ~ 1 cup of fresh peas – frozen would work too though
- small bunch of basil
- S&P
- Olive oil
Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add garlic. Start browning the garlic and add the peas for flavoring. After a few minutes of saute add enough water to cover the peas 1/2 way and cover. Cook the peas for about 5min then stir and add S&P. Recover and cook another 5min. Remove lid and cook until liquid is gone or peas are cooked to your liking. Add the basil and stir until just heated then serve!
Delicious garlic and basil flavors.
Eat your peas (and carrots)! I swear I was enjoying this bite.
Look who I caught snagging a snack while we were out on the deck!
Bad Sissy!
Spring Has Sprung!
Posted: May 4, 2011 Filed under: dinner, food, recipe | Tags: aspagus, farm egg, farmers market, Frittata, recipe, salad, yellow split peas 4 Comments »Yesterday was the first day of my local farmer’s market! I was so excited, I have been counting down the months and days! Not all of the farmers were there and the selection was limited but it was so nice to see their happy faces again! My first weeks haul was; asparagus, mixed greens, FARM EGGS!!!, apples and pasture raised ground beef from a new vendor! I am excited to make burgers I can feel good about eating! Nick will be happy to have some beef too.
Here are a few meals I made last night and tonight with my FM ingredients!
Curry yellow split peas, roasted turnip with chili powder, green beans, LOCAL pea shoots, arugula, spinach and greens.
Love munched lettuce! I actually had a spider in my greens!
Tonight it was frittata time! I bought the pan above specifically to make a frittata and this was my first one! I followed Kath’s recipe minus the sunflower seeds because I didn’t have any and I added chili powder and collard greens.
Frittata slices, FM greens with blue cheese, buttered toast.
Delicious Maryland asparagus and eggs!
I cannot wait for more produce to continue to come in as the months go on. I am also planning on picking strawberries and peaches again!
p.s. Check out my guest post on Heather’s blog to find out a little bit more about our wedding!
Curry and Coconut
Posted: April 7, 2011 Filed under: dinner, recipe | Tags: coconut milk, collard greens, curry, recipe, soup Leave a comment »When I read about KERF’s coconut shrimp and kale soup I knew exactly what I wanted to make for dinner! I switched up her recipe a little and made it vegetarian, but I think it would be equally delicious. I haven’t met anything that mixes coconut and curry that I didn’t like.
I had a can of coconut milk hanging around just begging to be used so she went into the pot!
Along with the coconut milk:
- 1 carton of veggie broth
- 1 bag of frozen mixed greens or one head of kale/mustard greens/collards
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 can coconut milk
- shake of nutmeg
- 1 clove of garlic pressed
- small dash of salt – already sodium in the broth!
- 1 can of chickpeas drained
Throw everything in a pot and let simmer for 30min. Serve with delicious bread aka Great Harvest Dakota bread!
Time to get back to cleaning!
I Am Still Trying To Cook!
Posted: March 24, 2011 Filed under: recipe | Tags: curry, recipe, tofu Leave a comment »I know I have recently been writing only about wedding things and forgetting about food, but I am still trying to eat normally and not let the stress negatively impact the way I was running my life before! My hope is to have a photographer, caterer and dress by April 3rd…fingers and toes crossed!!!!
Back to the food!
I usually don’t eat much tofu, but I saw it at Whole Foods this weekend and it sounded good.
I mixed up some olive oil and curry powder then brushed it on thin slices of tofu and coated one side in sesame seeds. Baked at 350 for 45min – I like my fu crunchy!
Along with my curry fu I roasted and entire turnip and a portabella mushroom.
All together on my wedding vision board!
I obviously have a lot of space to fill!
What detail at a wedding you have attended made it stick out from others?
I Need To Have A Special Page For Lentil Recipes
Posted: February 15, 2011 Filed under: dinner, food, recipe | Tags: dinner, homemade bread, lentils, recipe 2 Comments »This afternoon I had to get 4 new tires…I knew I was due for new ones pretty soon, but after my Valentine’s blow out and actually seeing the tread indicators up close, it was time. I am spoiled and thank you mommy for my early birthday present of 4 new tires 
At least I knew I wouldn’t be spending any additional money on dinner. I don’t understand how people buy meals all the time throughout the week. Get organized and get meal planning people! $5 on lunch and $10 on dinner is more than I spend all week for 3 meals a day.
Tonight I started with lentils (love their little pellets of protein) and got to this!
Lentil Veggie Deliciousness! – 2 large dinner or 1 dinner two lunch
- 1/2 cup uncooked lentils
- 1 can no salt added fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 onion deiced
- 1 broccoli stalk – trees and steam! Slice the stem thing in this and you won’t waste what you paid for and you will get the nutrients!
- 1 clove garlic
- S&P to taste
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano – or a couple shakes dried
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley – or 1 TBSP dried
- 8 count basil leaves
- sprinkle of feta
- carbs of choice – I chose my latest brown bread and I think I will use WW pasta for the other two portions and make it a pasta sauce
- Cook 1/2 cup lentils in 1 cup water with dash of salt
- Sautee onion in EVOO until clear
- Add chopped and sliced broccoli until it turns slightly darker green
- add crushed garlic and can of tomatoes
- Add S&P and oregano
- Simmer for about 10min or until broccoli has reached desired tenderness
- Add lentils and remaining herbs
- Serve a main or as sauce on pasta and sprinkle on feta
Chow down and enjoy! I know this looks like a huge pile but there are lots of veggies thrown in there. I eat for volume and many bites so this is perfect!
Ginger + Soy
Posted: February 12, 2011 Filed under: food, recipe | Tags: dinner, ginger, millet, quinoa, recipe, soy sauce Leave a comment »Do have a ginger root and some soy sauce in your fridge right now??? Yes? Make this!
If you don’t have them, go get them.
You will be pleasantly surprised.
Ginger Soy Stir Fry – Makes 4 lunch or 2 dinner servings
- One big chunk of ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- squirt of hot chili sauce
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1tbs olive oil
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1/2 box of mushrooms
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/4 red quinoa
- 1/4 cup millet
- 3/4 cup water
- dash salt
- sprinkle of sesame seeds (optional)
- Slice and roast cauliflower for 20min while preparing the rest of the stir fry
- Cook millet and quinoa in water with a dash of salt
- Cook onion in olive oil until soft
- Add garlic and mushrooms
- once the mushrooms have cooked down add the spinach, ginger, chili sauce and soy sauce and mix
- throw in cauliflower and mixed together to coat all veggies – if you need to add a little more ginger or soy sauce feel free, just remember not to add any extra salt
- plate cooked millet/quinoa and top with stir fry mixture
- sprinkle with sesame seeds for a pretty touch
Chow down and enjoy! This was even better the day after once the sauce had soaked into all of the vegetables. I need to cook with ginger more often!
Happy Valentine’s Day Weekend!
Cheesy Blues
Posted: January 25, 2011 Filed under: recipe | Tags: healthy blue cheese dressing, kale chips, pinto beans, sweet potato 1 Comment »Have to heard the news about Taco Bell? Apparently they don’t really have meat inside their tacos. In all honesty, did we ever think it was real? My favorite quote is from Mark Bittman today was “Yum foods is saying their beef is as much beef as Tyson’s chicken is chicken.”
On to better things…blue cheese dressing anyone?!
The secret ingredient?
The idea started with my recent discovery for my love of blue cheese on sweet potatoes during my wisdom teeth adventure. I combined the following ingredients in a Ball jar and hoped for the best.
- 1oz good blue cheese, chopped and heated for 20sec in the micro– I mean the stinky stuff!
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt drink
- 1 tsp pepper
- dash salt
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped fine
- 1 splash of EVOO to prevent clumping
Top with anything you would normally coat in dressing – great flavor with a lot less fat and probiotics!
Obviously I was going with a sweet potato here.
Sweet potato, home cooked pinto beans heated with a sautéed onion and garlic. Topped with lovely dressing!
Garnished with a side of kale chips!
I’ve found that pinto beans cook up better than any other beans I can have tried from dry to wet.
Are you getting any crazy weather tomorrow into Thursday? We are supposed to get a wintRy mix and I am not looking forward to the icy conditions.
