Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Spinach and Quinoa
Posted: September 12, 2011 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: asian, cayenne, chili, cinnamon, cooking, foodblog, garlic, lime, lunch, quinoa, recipe, Secret Recipe Club, sesame oil, spinach, sweet, tofu 31 Comments »
Like any couple, Jake and I have nicknames for each other. But this time of year, when he’s working toward a big work deadline, there’s a nickname I’d like to borrow from another blogger. Grumpy.
I mean, it’s not that I blame him. I’d be pretty grumpy if I was working until midnight 6 days a week, too. And tired. And cranky. In fact, I’m sure Jake would have a whole slew of nicknames reminiscent of the Seven Dwarfs for me. And they wouldn’t be pretty.
But for Jake, Grumpy definitely fits the bill this time of year. (Luckily he’s more like Happy the rest of the year.)
The blog that I’m referring to, by the way, is The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch, which also happens to be the blog that I was assigned for this month’s Secret Recipe Club.
When looking through Shelby’s (aka Honeybunch’s) blog, there were so many recipes I wanted to try. From Cheesy Orzo Pasta with Basil to Mango Peach Mojitos, this blog has something for everyone.
But what really caught my eye was not a sweet recipe, a dinner recipe, or even a tasty drink. No, it was this Sweet Chili Lime Tofu that captured my attention.
Quinoa and Israeli Couscous Risotto with Spinach and Parmesan and BIG NEWS!
Posted: June 7, 2011 Filed under: About me, Food, Recipes | Tags: carrot, cheese, chicken broth, cooking, couscous, ethnic, foodblog, garlic, healthy, italian, mushroom, onion, parmesan, quinoa, recipe, risotto, spinach 36 Comments »
I know, I knowww. You don’t have to say it. I already know.
I am a bad blogger.
I haven’t posted in a week. And let’s be honest. That last post was L-A-M-E lame. So really, I haven’t posted a good post in over two weeks. Super lame.
But I’m back! And I can assure you that this post is most definitely NOT lame. Because not only do I have a tasty recipe for you, but I have news.
Big news.
HUGE news.
Jake and I are engaged!!!!
Friday night, we went to dinner Nomad, a romantic little Moroccan restaurant in the East Village. It was gorgeous out, so we sat outside in the front of the restaurant. At the end of the meal, Jake got up to go to the “bathroom.” When he came back to the table, the waitress was following close behind him carrying two glasses of champagne. She placed the champagne on the table, and Jake got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Of course I cried like a baby said yes!
Jake putting the ring on my finger!
We are both so excited, and can’t wait to start planning! (Ok, maybe I’m a little more excited about the planning part of it, but we are both really excited.)
I promise to keep you posted on some of the fun wedding updates throughout the planning process. (Who am I kidding? You are going to be up to your ears in wedding updates by the time our wedding rolls around.)
So I hope this exciting news counteracts any prior lameness. Oh, and this recipe probably doesn’t hurt in the lameness category either.
Stuffed Baked Potato
Posted: April 4, 2011 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: baked, baked potato, broccoli, cheese, cooking, dinner, foodblog, lunch, potato, recipe, spinach, vegetarian 21 Comments »
This morning I woke up early. 6:00 AM, to be precise…
Ok, ok. Maybe I hit the snooze once or twice. But still!
For those of you that have been keeping up with my posts (or for those of you that know me in real life and have ever tried to talk to me before 9:00), you already know that I am NOT a morning person. At all. I refuse to get out of bed before the very last second that I need to. Ever.
But this morning Hell did not freeze over. Nor did pigs fly. The reason for this early rise was to work out.
Unbelievable, I know.
I’ve decided that I am going to start doing the Insanity program by Beachbody again. And since I have school several days per week after work, or tend to make excuses about being tired, bored, or just not feeling like it after work, I have designated the morning as my new workout time.
Last summer, I did the program, and I was literally in the best shape of my life. I did the workouts every single day, without fail. I had been determined to get in shape for one of my girlfriends’ bachelorette party in Las Vegas, and it worked. I felt great, and I looked great (if I do say so myself.)
But when I got back from Vegas, I started getting lazy. I started skipping workouts, adding extra snacks, and eventually, was no longer as toned.
Now, with the summer approaching and two more friends’ bacheloette parties coming up in Cabo and Vegas, I am determined to get back into great shape. And now that you know about it, you can help hold me accountable!
Today’s recipe is a tasty and filling lunch designed to give me the energy I need to keep up with the workouts and stick to my healthy eating plan. It’s actually adapted from a recipe in the P90X nutrition guide, not the Insanity one, but since they are both from the same company, I figure it works.
Crustless Asparagus Quiche
Posted: March 23, 2011 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: asparagus, brunch, cayenne pepper, cheese, cooking, cream, dinner, eggs, foodblog, fritatta, garlic, half and half, lunch, mozzarella, olive oil, quiche, recipe, shallot, spinach 32 Comments »
I like to consider myself a relatively intelligent person.
I’ve always done well in school. I’ve been inducted into various honor societies. I’ve even won $8000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
But, there are still a number of things in this world that puzzle me on a daily basis.
For example, what is the internet? Like, really, what is it? Or where is it? Or how does it work? It’s so confusing to me I don’t even know what question to ask!
Or, for those that are less technical, here’s one for you: Why do some people think it’s ok to wear tights as leggings? I had the pleasure of seeing this fashion faux pas on Park Ave yesterday. Who told her that was ok?? Didn’t she look in the mirror before she left the house?
Of course, among the list of ridiculous interesting questions I have compiled about the world around me, there are some food related questions.
How can mold (which is gross) make cheese (which is delicious)?! Why would anyone eat snails? And what is the difference between a crustless quiche and a frittata?
Well, I am happy to report that I have discovered the answer to that last one.
After a quick google search lot of time and research, it seems to me that the only difference between a crustless quiche and a frittata is that a frittata is just eggs plus whatever ingredients you want to use, and a crustless quiche includes some sort of milk or cream to create more of a custard-like consistency.
Voila, mystery solved!
Chicken and Veggie Corn Chowder
Posted: December 25, 2010 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: chicken, chicken broth, corn, easy, foodblog, onion, recipe cooking, red pepper, spinach, thyme, tomato, vegetables 22 Comments »
I have been on a pretty big soup kick lately. Over the past few weeks, I have made Classic Chicken Soup, Ancho Pepper Hominy Soup, Kale and Tiny Meatball Soup, and, most recently, Chicken and Veggie Corn Chowder.
I would love to say that it’s because of the cold weather. That I was satisfying a craving for something warm and comforting on these chilly days. Or maybe that it was a coincidence. I just happened to be in a soup frame of mind. I’d even prefer to say that it was because I was sick, and needed some good old fashioned comfort food.
But none of those are the reasons for my soup making streak. They would be too…. normal.
No, the logic behind my soup making tirade is that I had 320 ounces of chicken broth to get rid of. Because I bought ten 32oz containers at the store last month. Which were taking up too much of my cabinet space.
And why did I have 10 containers of broth, you ask? Because I thought they were on sale. But they weren’t. And I had already asked the cashier so many questions about it that I thought it would be silly to put them back.
Well, I assure you, it was sillier to keep all of them.
The bright side is that it did result in some pretty tasty soup creations… especially the Chicken and Veggie Corn Chowder. In fact, it was so good, that I entered it in the New England Country Soup Challenge. You can find the recipe here… and while you’re there, vote for me!
If you really love me (and why wouldn’t you?) you can vote for me once per day every day until January 9…. That’s 16 chances to vote, so you have no excuse not to!
Spicy Chicken and Rice Crockpot Stew
Posted: October 14, 2010 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: chicken, chicken broth, crock pot, crockpot, dinner, easy, garlic, jalapeno, onion, rice, salsa, slow cooker, spicy, spinach, stew, tomato 22 Comments »
Variety is the spice of life.
Isn’t that how that saying goes? You have to mix it up a little bit to keep things interesting. Doing the same old things, eating the same old meals…. Boring!
Believe me; I am in no danger of getting bored anytime soon. I have packed my days with so many different projects and activities, that I yearn to be bored. I had a free weekend last week, so I squeezed in a weekend long garage sale with my mom. Of course! It’s not like I had school work to do, or errands to run (food shopping/cleaning/cooking – you name it), or ever need a minute to relax…
But if you’re not as crazy fortunate as me to pack your days so full that there’s no room for boredom, try out this Spicy Chicken and Rice Stew. Add some spice to your life, both literally and figuratively. Plus, it’s so super quick and easy, it’ll give you some time to cram something else into your day relax! Read the rest of this entry »
Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice)
Posted: September 26, 2010 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: bean sprouts, carrot, chili flakes, egg, ethnic, garlic, honey, kochujaang, Korean, mushroom, pepper sauce, project food blog, rice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, spicy, spinach, zucchini 48 Comments »
The results are in… and I made it to round 2 of Project Food Blog! A big THANK YOU to everyone that voted for me! I guess all of my bribery talent paid off ;)
For this challenge, my instructions were to create “an ethnic classic that is outside your comfort zone or are not as familiar with.” Sounds easy enough. Just pick a cuisine from any place on the map that you’re not as familiar with, do a little research, and get cooking. Can’t narrow it down? Too many places to choose from? Just spin the globe! The world’s your oyster! Right?
Wrong. That may work for some people. In fact, that may even work for most people. But for me, the very definition of a mutt, picking a cuisine that I was unfamiliar with was not as easy as it sounds. I have family from all over the globe. And let me tell you, this family can eat. Food = love, and we have a lot of love to give. Which means that I am well versed in cuisines from SO MANY cultures.
I know what you’re thinking. You think I’m being dramatic. That I’m overreacting. I guess I’ve earned that. But seriously…. Just look at this list of cuisines! Read the rest of this entry »
Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs in Broth
Posted: September 13, 2010 Filed under: About me, Food, Recipes | Tags: challenge, cheese, chicken, chicken broth, easy, lemon, nutmeg, parmesan, project food blog, ricotta, spinach, thyme 32 Comments »You know those people that like to play games just for the sake of entertainment? People that say “it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” Or “everyone’s a winner as long as they have fun.” They don’t keep score in Scrabble. They let other people bowl during their turn. They root for players on the opposite team.
Well, those people are just plain crazy. Of course it matters if you win or lose! Why else would you play? My motto is more along the lines of “There’s no crying in baseball!” a la Tom Hanks than “Everyone’s a winner blah blah blah.”
If you couldn’t already tell, I am more than a little competitive. I can turn even the most personal, introspective, or meditative activities into contests.
Like yoga. I love yoga. But I must admit, half the fun is trying to beat the other people in the class. I want to bend farther than the girl next to me. Hold my pose longer than the man in front of me. Keep my leg straighter than the woman behind me. It’s a sickness.
Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf
Posted: August 4, 2010 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: cheese, meatloaf, mozzarella, onion, parmesan, spinach, turkey 11 Comments »I’m not a chicken. You’re a turkey!
Anyone else remember that D.A.R.E. commercial? That’s the first thing that popped into my head when I saw that this week’s blogger secret ingredient is ground turkey. It just always struck me as so funny. I’m probably the only one who even remembers it, and you probably think I’m crazy. Nothing new.
Anyway, you’re a turkey if you don’t go home and make this Mozzerella Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf for dinner. Tonight. I know that some people are not big fans of using ground turkey, as it can easily get dried out in the cooking process, but the addition of spinach and grated onion to the turkey meat keeps it moist and tasty. (The gooey cheesy layer in the middle doesn’t hurt either!)
Strawberry, Feta, and Spinach Salad
Posted: July 27, 2010 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: balsamic, balsamic vinegar, feta, salad, spinach, strawberry 4 Comments »For some reason, I have a real issue scheduling my weekends. I try to cram in so much that I don’t have time to finish everything I need/want to do. I end up forgetting how long things take to do/not taking weekend traffic into account/promising to be in two places at one time/forgetting that I’m human and need to relax every once in a while, etc.
So a few Sunday afternoons ago, when I looked at my “to do” list for that weekend, I realized that there was no way I was going to finish everything on that list. I decided to pick out two last items to conquer and just concentrate on those. I chose to exercise and to go to Costco. And then it came to me: I would walk to Costco! Two birds. One stone… Brilliant!
I laced up my sneakers, grabbed my backpack, set the playlist on my iPod, and ventured out into the wild unknown. (Ok, maybe Queens isn’t quite the wild unknown, but I’m using some poetic license. It has a nice ring to it, no?)
