white albacore "garbage bowl" salad w/ soyaki dressing

it was lunch time, and white albacore tuna out of the can (yes, canned tuna) just sounded super good to me...and it was!  i sort of tossed together a "garbage bowl" salad w/ some leftover wild rice from the previous night's dinner, in addition to tons of fresh veggies and a light soy sauce i used as a dressing.  this was exactly what i was craving and managed to do the job until din din time rolled around.  :)

recipe: serves 1

ingredients
canned albacore white tuna (in water) - used about 1/3 of can
leftover wild rice
spinach
green leaf lettuce
sugar snap peas
carrots
mini heirloom tomatoes
scallions
smoked almonds
s & p
sesame seeds
island soyaki sauce (from trader joe's)
whole-grain lavash crackers

combine all ingredients except crackers and dig in!

creamy avo eggs

maybe it's the fact that some of my fondest childhood breakfast memories involve scrambled eggs that either my dad or grandma used to make for me, but sometimes i'm just in the mood for such a simplistic (yet delicious) dish.  this particular morning, i was in the mood for creamy eggs and avocado.  i make the eggs creamy by adding about a tablespoon of low-fat cottage cheese...no butter or cream required.

recipe: serves 1

ingredients
2 eggs (or 1 egg & 1 egg white)
splash of 1% milk
s & p
low-fat cottage cheese (just a little spoon full)
avocado
whole-grain bread for toast
ketchup, salsa or other condiments

whisk together your eggs or egg and egg white.  add milk, s & p and any other seasonings you like.  scramble eggs over low heat and add in cottage cheese about 1/2 through the cooking process.  toast your bread, slice your avocado and plate your eggs when they have reached a "creamy" consistency.

now sit back, and enjoy an eggggg-cellent breakfast! 

homemade margaritas & tri-tip tacos

well it had been awhile since my man and i made homemade margs and tacos.  it was a saturday night, and we just happened to have good-quality tequila (we love corralejo reposado) and leftover tri-tip on hand. after we determined we had everything we needed in our fridge and pantry, i started prepping for the tacos, and hubby started making some of the best margaritas you'll ever have...he's such a great bartender.

p.s. it's hard to keep our friends away if they know we're making margs at our place!
p.p.s. we got this recipe handed down from a family member.

homemade margarita recipe: makes 2 "potent" margs

ingredients
5 oz corralejo reposado tequila (or whichever you fancy)
3/4 oz agave
fresh lime juice (2-3 limes, depending on how tart/sweet you prefer)
marg salt or plum powder if you can find it (we like to do 1/2 and 1/2)

place ice in a cocktail shaker.  use a jigger to measure, and add the agave.  next, add the tequila (the alcohol cleanses the residual agave from the jigger...a tip from our family member).  add the fresh lime juice, top the shaker and shake until your arm falls off, and yes, shaking time really does make a difference.  take a slice of fresh lime and swipe the rim of each rocks glass.  dip 1/2 the rim in the marg salt and 1/2 in the plum powder.  pour thoroughly shaken margaritas into 2 rocks glasses filled w/ ice, and garnish w/ fresh lime. salud to date night!

spaghetti squash w/ chicken sausage & curry pumpkin kale sauce

oh yeah, that's right, sausage...as in chicken apple sausage.  this is super healthy for you...and perfect for staying in on those crisp, autumn nights.  i was experimenting in the kitchen (as usual), trying to come up w/ a new dish for dinner that evening for my man.  i totally lucked out by the way, in that my guy loves eating all the same kinds of food as me, in addition to his willingness to try anything i create.  he's a keeper.  big grin!

so needless to say this dish was a hit, and i will no doubt be making it again sometime soon.  i swear i could eat spaghetti squash almost every day.

recipe: serves 3 (my man had lunch the next day)

roasted veggies ingredients
brussel sprouts
cauliflower
evoo
curry powder
s & p

roast for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees, tossing occasionally.  you can also roast the spaghetti squash, halved, along w/ the other veggies, but let it cool before trying to scrape it out.

cook 2 chicken apple sausages, sliced, in a skillet over med heat just to warm through (we get the pre-cooked ones).  toss the squash and sausages together, and add it s & p and roasted garlic...or whatever you prefer.  i add roasted garlic to everything!

add the roasted veggies next.  then we'll get to the sauce...

sauce ingredients

kale (i used frozen from trader joe's)
canned pumpkin
shallot
roasted garlic
half & half
1% milk
evoo
curry powder
s & p



saute shallots in evoo until softened.  add roasted garlic, pumpkin and kale.  stir until combined, and then add half & half (just about 1/4 cup) and some milk.  season the sauce w/ curry powder and s & p, and let sauce thicken over low-med heat.  pour over the squash and sausage combo and mix gently.  top w/ a hard, white cheese such as pecorino.  you won't need much, but it really adds to the dish!

baby kale & persimmon salad w/ roquefort & honey toasted almonds

i'm literally finishing up w/ eating this salad as i write this post.  this is also about the time that i'm wishing i would have made just a teeny bit more....sad face.  oh well, i'm glad i tried it out.  i modified this recipe from one i'd seen recently on a different food blog but didn't stray too far from the basics.  it's pretty much amazing.  you should try it.  as in like, right now.



recipe: serves 1

salad ingredients
baby kale, chard & spinach mix (trader joe's)
fresh squirt of lemon juice
fuyu persimmon
sliced honey toasted almonds
roquefort
s & p

dressing ingredients
plain non-fat greek yogurt
evoo
fresh garlic
passionfruit wasabi mustard (from kauai...don't worry if you don't have this in your fridge)
worcestershire sauce
fresh lemon juice
s & p

mix all the dressing ingredients, starting w/ the yogurt and evoo.  place all the salad ingredients in a big bowl, add dressing and toss gently.

eat!

it's not a pancake...it's coconut-encrusted french toast w/ mixed berries, bananas & real maple syrup

i skipped my avocado toast this morning...weird.  instead, i opted for a little something on the sweeter side.  i used another piece of that really seedy bread i picked up from the farmer's market, "drenched" it w/ a whole egg (my hubby would approve...he loves "eggy" french toast!) and coasted it w/ unsweetened coconut.  then, into the pan it went, and while that little magic show was underway, there was another act happening on the back burner.  i had a small skillet filled w/ frozen mixed berries, cranked up on medium heat, beginning to thaw and transform into a simple berry compote.  i then peeled a banana, grabbed the real maple syrup out from the fridge and started plating my piece of french toast.  top it all off w/ a sprinkle of chia seeds and call it good!

recipe: serves 1

ingredients
1 piece of bread (i toasted it a bit b/c i didn't set it out overnight...this wasn't a "planned" breakfast)
egg wash = 1 whole egg, splash of milk, vanilla, nutmeg & cinnamon
unsweetened coconut (for coating the toast)
frozen mixed berries (i added cardamom to these 1/2 through the cooking process)
1 banana
real maple syrup
chia seeds

make the toast in one skillet, the mixed berry compote in the other, slice the banana and start building your plate from the toast up!

simple, scrumptious, sunday breakfast

well, it doesn't really get much easier than this one.  i roasted a variety of veggies the other day and had a ton of leftovers.  i "love" leftover roasted anything, and so this morning, i was really craving the yam portion of my leftovers (w/ yellow mustard for dipping).  therefore, i fried up an egg, toasted a piece of some yummy bread i bought at the farmer's market yesterday, added some avocado and viola!  it's so easy...i think i could prepare this one in my sleep...zzzz...

guinness-braised bratwursts w/ apple onion sauerkraut & spicy yam fries

it was the perfect start to a fall morning...grabbing a coffee and heading to the local farmer's market w/ my oregon girl.  we immediately visit our "sausage guy" (who wasn't there, unfortunately), but fortunately, his sausages were.  after considerable thought, we collectively decided to go with some nice, original bratwursts.  cool, now off to grab a baguette from the bakery to make a nice home for our bratwursts, and we were almost done w/ our shopping...until we saw these gorgeous yellow and red heirloom tomatoes.  we bought one of each, a pineapple pie tomato (the yellow one) and a celebrity (the red one)...caprese salad perhaps?!  we were already looking forward to our game day grub!  we were preparing a "big" game day...i'm talking oregon state (ranked 11th) versus stanford (ranked 13th).  

it went a little something along these lines...we decided to start w/ a fresh, caprese salad and a couple of cold brews.

recipe: serves 2

caprese salad ingredients

2 big heirloom tomatoes

fresh mozzarella

pesto

fresh basil (cut w/ kitchen shears to avoid bruising)

evoo

s & p

cut tomatoes and fresh mozzarella in chunks.  

add remaining ingredients and toss gently.  bon appetite!

next up, brats and yams...talk about 2 happy girls!

yam fries ingredients (you'll want to make these 1st b/c they take the longest)
2 yams
cayenne pepper
paprika
evoo
s & p
fresh garlic, minced
ketchup + hot sauce = the perfect dipping sauce for spicy yam fries

cut yams lengthwise into fries.  toss w/ remaining ingredients and bake @ 375 degrees for 45 min or until desired crispiness.  add garlic just before serving. (this is the way my oregon girl does it!)

brat & kraut ingredients
2 bratwursts
guinness beer
baguette
cabbage
granny smith apple
sweet onion
fresh garlic
brown sugar
dry mustard
apple cider vinegar (we used cinnamon-pear flavored vinegar from michigan...whoa)
evoo
s & p

prepare kraut first:
saute cabbage, apple, onion and garlic in evvo until tender.  add other ingredients, incorporating each w/ every addition.  turn on low and cover to allow thickening to occur.

braise brats in guinness for 8-10 minutes.  grill until slightly charred along w/ the baguettes (this takes only a few minutes).

fix up a plate and grab an ice-cold cold brew...

sadly, the beavers lost...but we still had a grand time...mucho mucho love for oregon!

p.s. there may have been a shot (or 2) of pendleton whiskey consumed...

hemp seed balls loaded w/ dried blueberries & raw pistachios

these little guys are great for a quick, grab-and-go type breakfast or snack during the week.  they're loaded w/ wholesome, nutrient-rich ingredients that are good for both your mind and your hungry tummy.

nom nom!

recipe: makes a dozen

ingredients

natural sunflower seed butter

maple syrup

molasses (just a teeny bit)

oats

dried blueberries

dates

raw pistachios

cardamom (just a pinch)

unsweetened coconut (for rolling)

hemp seeds (for rolling)

mix all ingredients together adding a little more of this or a little more of that until you have the right consistency and ratio to your liking.  form little balls and roll in a mixture of hemp seeds and coconut.  i prefer to store them in the fridge and enjoy 'em when they're cold.

the perfect balance of beans, acorn squash, kale & chicken apple sausage makes for a warming stew on a rainy day

this morning was epic when i awoke.  i bet you'll never guess since you're under the impression that the weather in southern cali is always perfect, which by the way is not a false statement, "if" your idea of perfect weather is nearly 300 days of sunshine per year.  personally, i find it repulsive...and so when i woke up to rain today, needless to say, i was rejuvenated!  i felt as if i was back in the northwest, and it felt so incredibly right (and perfect).

the first thing i did when i got back home this afternoon was throw on a cozy sweater (w/ my cut-offs and flip flops, of course) and nook me a bowl of stew i whipped up a couple days ago.  i topped my lunch off w/ some plain greek yogurt, fresh avo and tons of hot sauce and cracked black pepper...because that's what i always do.  then i dug in, cozy sweater and all, and had a warming and calming bowl of goodness filling up my tummy.

recipe: makes 10-12 servings

ingredients
beans (i used a medley and i also used about 2 cups, dried)
carrots
celery
onion
fresh garlic
fresh rosemary sprigs (remove after cooking)
chicken stock & water
chicken carcass/bones (placed in cheese cloth during cooking process & removed at completion)
kale
s & p
cumin
smoked paprika
chicken apple sausages
acorn squash**
plain greek yogurt**
avocado**  
hot sauce**

**optional: i roasted an acorn squash after i halved it and used it as my stew bowl for one meal.  for this lunch, i scooped out the squash from the skin and just combined it w/ my stew.  it's delish either way.

cheers to the rain in southern cali today!  i hope tomorrow's a repeat.

rotisserie chicken salad w/ holiday grapes, fresh herbs & toasted raw almonds

rotisserie chicken is good for many food dishes, but one of my favorite things to make w/ leftover chicken is a delicious, lightened-up version of your basic mayonaise-laiden chicken salad.  i'm by no means a "mayo phobe," but i do believe a little can go a long way in most cases.  i like to serve my creation on romaine leaves and wrap them all up before they're devoured in 3, maybe 4, bites.  perfect for a quick snack or a light lunch on any day of the week.

recipe: makes 8-10 servings

ingredients
rotisserie chicken, pulled
mayo (a little bit)
holiday grapes (or any big, juicy & firm grapes)
craisins
toasted raw almonds
shallot
fresh thyme
fresh cilantro
hot & spicy mustard
white vinegar
cock sauce
s & p

mix everything together except the pulled chicken.  toss the chicken in last and mix gently to coat.

serve on romaine leaves, a bed of spinach, crackers or your favorite piece of bread.  or you can eat it by the spoonful...i may have done this a time or two.

sunny side up egg over bbq tempeh alongside avocado toast

breakfast is by far "one" of my favorite meals of the day.  i mean, i know lots of people who could eat breakfast for every meal, and counting myself, I'm no exception.  this particular morning i needed to use up some bbq tempeh leftovers from a previous night, and so i thought, just add a sunny-side up egg and avocado toast of course!!  lots of protein, veggies and yummy all-around goodness...cheers to breakfast...any time of day.

recipe: serves 1

ingredients
leftover bbq tempeh (see recipe near bottom of post)
     egg(s)
        "seedy" bread
                 avocado
                      hot sauce
                             s & p
                                evoo

cook your egg to your preference and lay over top of bbq tempeh, and then toast your favorite hearty bread and slather on avocado and hot sauce.

season it all up w/ additional s & p, and that's what you call a "damn fine morning."

bbq tempeh

tempeh (cooked)

onion

bell peppers

garlic

creminis

worcestershire sauce

bbq sauce

s & p

saute onion, bell peppers, garlic and creminis in a bit of evoo until softened.  add worcestershire sauce first, followed by tempeh (break it up really fine w/ your fingers) and finally bbq sauce.  let it cook for a few and set aside.

maple roasted butternut squash w/ fresh thyme & nutmeg garlic aioli

one of my very dear friends, mags, and myself made this side dish "after" we had already created some of the most bomb-ass flatbread known to our fellow foodie friends.  not that we were still hungry, but...we were still indulging in an extremely velvety barbera from old creek ranch winery, therefore, we thought, what the heck.  by the way...when doesn't roasted butternut squash sound divine?

recipe: serves 2 (it did that night)

ingredients
1 butternut squash
fresh thyme
maple syrup
evoo
s & p
mayo
roasted garlic
nutmeg
cock sauce

squash
1 butternut squash, cubed w/ skin on
evoo
s & p

toss cubed squash in evoo and s & p, and roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes (we like our squash a bit "charred").  add fresh thyme and maple syrup to the squash (toss to coat) after it's been taken out of the oven is desired...we did.

aioli
combine mayo, 1 whole bulb of roasted garlic (squeezed from the skin), fresh thyme, cock sauce, s & p and nutmeg to taste.  serve alongside squash, and dip accordingly.