I adore spices! Not only do they spice up your health, but they impart such a wonderful, dynamic depth of flavor to any dish. This flavor leaves less room for needed fat or salt. Bonus! When I saw that Williams Sonoma had a new spice line out, there were a few that I wanted to try, one which included ras el hanout. The moment I popped open the jar, the intense aromas of the spice mix quickly filled the air and greeted my nose with much delight. (more…)
January 21, 2011
January 14, 2011
frugal eats + a confession
Alright, alright, I confess! So I had a slip-up with the Eat In Month Challenge last weekend and it wasn’t a mistake 😉 With Chris being away for work, I needed some socializing and I couldn’t help NOT going out with girlfriends!! I hadn’t hung out like that in awhile and it was fun! A nice dinner and then a round of cosmic bowling left us so tired there was no room left for dancing, just yawning. I think I’m getting old when 9:30 rolls around and I’m pooped! But I do sport those bowling shoes well . . . hehe (more…)
October 29, 2010
polenta parmesan with spaghetti squash ‘noodles’
Happy Nevada Day Weekend!
With Friday off for Nevadans, I celebrated the day with a chilly 35 mile bike ride in the am, followed by a ton of overdue house chores, cleaning, and wash. As I was left pondering how the day went by so darn fast at 5pm, I made one of the quickest, cheapest, and tastiest dinner creations to date. Now that’s my kind of dinner! (more…)
September 10, 2010
quick chicken tagine
I have never made any kind of tagine before but have always wanted to. Those weird, cone-shaped, clay-like dishes always piqued my interest, and I was curious as to what on earth was made in there. While I unfortunately don’t have a tagine cooking vessel of my own, I do have a large braising pan that worked well enough. I’m sure the long, slow-cooked flavors of a traditionally cooked tagine is out of this world, but this recipe is actually one of my new favorites! With the cooler weather coming around the corner, this is definitely the kind of recipe you’ll want to gather family and friends, cuddle up, and sit together at cozy kitchen tables with good food and conversation. (more…)
August 29, 2010
Grilled Oroweat ‘Pizza’ Thins
These are the coolest pieces of bread to hit the market and they are very versatile to use for all sorts of quick recipes. While the ingredients list is a little longer than I’d like, they are only 100 kcals, have 5 g of filling fiber, and taste great. As a Foodbuzz tastemaker I was sent a few packs to review and share my favorite grilling recipe with them! Soooo here goes (more…)
August 18, 2010
asian-style pb sauce
Happy Wednesday! This Asian-style peanut butter sauce is very versatile and can be used in all sorts of things. I mostly like it with roasted veggies, noodles and tofu, but it would be a great marinade for chicken or for a satay dipping sauce for a party with chicken skewers. I really just like it I think because it is heavy on my favorite peanut butter flavor. I will also warn you that this is not the lightest sauce in the world, but it is full of healthy fats and sure tastes good! (more…)
August 10, 2010
cumin-crusted salmon salad
I just adore salmon! I think I could eat it every day and then some. There is nothing like a perfectly cooked flaky, fatty fish, crusted with delicious goodness atop a bed of fresh greens, black beans, and oranges. It sure is refreshing for summer! The one and only thing that I don’t adore so much about salmon is the price, boo. Oh yes and the other thing about contaminants, colorings added, and PCBs, major boo. I try my best to get wild when I can, but man, $18/lb + is sure a steep hill that I don’t like to climb that often unless I’m eating out for a special occasion. I’ll admit that I did buy farmed at Whole Foods this time because it was cheaper at $13/lb. They say that it is sustainable with no added hormones. It sure tasted good, you’ll see! (more…)
August 5, 2010
another quinoa creation
I guess I’ve been on an quinoa kick and whipped up another delicious dinner with the funky red quinoa stuffed into a kabocha cup. I don’t know why but I’ve also been on an egg kick lately. When nothing else sounds good, I think of a nice runny egg or two on top of something. Strange? I guess I’m getting my choline fix. Or egg whites, oh yes egg whites, I’ve been microwaving those up a lot too. Not sure what it is about them, but I am loving them at the moment! Let’s see what this creation entails (more…)
July 28, 2010
funky quinoa & walnut chicken
I saw a box of red quinoa at TJ’s the other day and had to give it a try! Isn’t TJ’s just the bomb? I’m so glad we have one fairly close to us. I always seem to find something new to try. Well, that’s how I am at most grocery stores, go in for one or two things and come out like a kid in a candy store. Chris says I am no longer allowed in Whole Foods, ha! I also made my usual walnut crusted chicken with the quinoa dish, but added another ingredient for some extra crunch and texture. You’ll see! (more…)
July 11, 2010
camera blues
I sent my lens off to Canon last week and hopefully they will be able to send me a new one ASAP. I am sure missing it something fierce. I have an ancient piece of crap to work with and I’m trying to make the best of it. I hope you don’t mind 🙂 I have a great roasted pork loin with POM reduction recipe, along with a new twist on grilled pizza, and my first attempt at making coffee! (more…)
