Pantry Raid

Today while cleaning out my fridge I found a bag of white nectarine at its prime. It was beginning to soften, which meant that it was ready to eat..now.  

What to do with nectarines that are over ripe?

Roast them.

white nectarines roasted at 425degrees for 25 mins. Toast raw almond slices 5 mins.

white nectarines, greek yogurt, sliced almonds, honey.

seriously so delicious, yet no guilt. win win.

Love is...

Mini heirloom tomatoes, mixed greens, olive oil, reduced balsamic vinegar, goat cheese, salt&pepper.

This is what I love..simple and flavorful.
Divine.

Eye on the Veggie Pie

My version of a veggie pot pie. Full indulgence, less fat.

Ingredients:mushroom, shallots, garlic, onions, corn, carrots, rosemary, dry sherry, olive oil, salt&pepper, low-fat milk, cornstarch, egg white, and frozen puff pastry.

Heat pot with 1T. olive oil, cook down chopped onions, shallots, carrots, mushrooms, corn. Add a pinch rosemary & 1 T.garlic at the end..
Pour in 1c+1/2c low fat milk, 2T cornstarch, 1/3c dry sherry, and continue to boil until it thickens. Stir,stir,stir.
Cut pastry and place on top of each dish, poke holes on top, brush egg white for golden color and cook for 15mins at 400 f.

Baked For Your Pleasure.

Enjoying the summer one cherry at a time.

    For those who crave cheesecake but not all the fat that comes with it.

                                  cherries, ricotta cheese, raspberries, lemon, honey.

Strained ricotta cheese, lemon zest, 1tablespoon honey, 1/2tsp salt, Bake for 35-40mins

 Cherries, 1 whole lemon juice+zest, 2Tb honey, cook for 10mins, add raspberries at the end.

Enjoy with waffles, English muffin, spread on crackers for a sweet/cheesy snack, or even by itself for a guilt free treat.

Hot Then Cold

Monday blues? No way! I've been having the greatest day. I was able to get my thrift store shopping on. It's so amazing how many great things you can find for so cheap. I typically like to find vintage handkerchiefs, cute dishes/plates, and if I'm lucky a cute top! Today was definitely a success. But all that shopping in the heat made me crave something..something chilled..something delicious..something..oh yeah something like soba! Oh, how they play with all my flavor senses..the chewiness, deliciousness...drool.. I simply adore soba noodles. For those who do not know what soba is, well it's basically a Japanese noodle made of buckwheat flour. Soba noodle can be used in varieties of hot broth..or for hot days, like that one I'm having today, it can simply be chilled and dipped in tsuyu(sweet soy sauce). Tsuyu can be found in most Asian supermarkets but make sure it's vegetarian friendly because some might be flavored with fish.

To make my dish even more special I added mushrooms, spinach, sliced cucumbers, and also pickled radish. 

I first pan fried spinach and mushrooms with sesame oil and sea salt..set aside and let it chill for a bit.

Boiled water and cooked the soba for 5 mins

Grated cucumbers and radish

Finish off the dish with a sprinkle of nori and sesame seeds.

Time for dessert! Hmm..perhaps a popsicle?

My Ultimate Favorite Veggie

Although I love many, MANY different kinds of vegetables, the one that ranks top is cauliflower. I love the crunch, the textures, the colors, but most importantly the taste. Cauliflower has a mild taste that complements so many different flavors. While there are many ways to cook cauliflower, I personally love roasting them.

 Roasted cauliflower and red pepper in the oven at 400 degrees for 40 mins.
I rubbed the cauliflower with extra virgin olive oil, curry powder, sea salt, and pepper.

 Baked whole wheat lavish bread with a little bit of Gruyere cheese

 Whole wheat cous cous with roasted red pepper and a side of tzatziki.

I think next time I will add a little more sweetness to the cous cous. Golden raisins or dried apricot would be perfect.
Hope ya'll having a great day! Toodles.

Hello Old Friend

Gloomy morning means one thing..oatmeal. I just love eating a hot bowl of oatmeal on days that are too sad to go running. I decided to play the patience game and make steel cut oats. I love the way they taste compared to other types of oatmeal but it just takes so long to cook! But honestly it's all worth it in the end. The chewy texture gets me every time.

Today I made the oatmeal with a mixture of water and skim milk. 

Cook it for 30 mins or so. You can cook it to your preferred texture. I like mine to be creamy, and bit liquidy( is that a real word?)

..and try to stay patient..

I topped todays oatmeal with slices of fresh apple, homemade peanut butter, and gluten-free granola. Seriously so worth the wait, and the gloominess of the morning has completely disappeared.

Alright ready to take on the world! Stay classy my friends!

Back To My Roots

I never really appreciated Korean food until I turned pescetarian. I never realized how many dishes can be transformed into vegetarian dishes. Most Korean meals consist of many side dishes called ban-chan. Ban-chan are mostly composed of some form of cooked, pickled, or steamed veggies. I love that the flavor profiles are all different.  Some might be sweet, some can be salty, but you can find many dishes that are pickled like kimchee ( spicy pickled cabbage). Korean ban-chan is awesome because it's so easy to enjoy. Most Korean market will have a refrigerated section stocked with already prepared meals. Don't be afraid to try everything!

Endless options of goodness

kimchee

fried tofu with green onions and sesame seeds

marinated lotus roots!

YUMSSSSS. Korean buffet at home. Life is good.

Green Power

Good morning lovely people. The day just began and I'm already loving it. The weather was perfect for a morning jog. I took advantage and jogged at the local park. The smells of freshly cut grass and the morning dew made my heart sing. I ran a bit more then I usually do. I think it's because I wanted to stay at the park as long as I could. To keep with the theme of green...for breakfast I decided to make myself a freshly squeezed juice. Apples, carrots, and the main star SPINACH.

(not pictured carrots)

Alright now to take on the day. See you later alligator!

Rainbow Plate

My version of a portobello sandwich.

Here is how I made it.

First I marinated the portobello mushroom overnight with 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, 1 tsp shallots, pinch of sea salt, and pepper. 

I then grilled the portobello mushroom with the remaining marinade, and also grilled a couple of cherry tomatoes.

For some added flavor I made a spread for the bread. I mixed 1 tbsp of mayo, garlic, and 1 tsp of lemon juice . Assemble the sandwich with a handful of spinach, a yummy panini roll, and a couple slices of gruyere cheese. I also added beets on the side. Can my lunch be anymore colorful?! YUMSSSS. The marinade on the mushroom definitely was the star. I can't wait to make this again!

Until next time..

Car Alarm Alarm

Having an odd morning..woke up to the alarm of my car and now my car will not or better yet, refuse to start. Lucky me! But on the positive note, today will be my bike day! Oh how I love finding silver linings. Instead of moping around I decided to make myself a delicious breakfast...my interpretation of pizza! I started out with baked whole wheat lavish bread, a couple of slices of cherry tomatoes, half of a zucchini (cut into thin rounds), fresh mozzarella, and grated Gruyere. To make it a breakfast pizza I cracked an egg in the center and into the oven it went. Baked it for about 15-20 minutes to allow the cheese to melt, egg to bake, and for the lavish bread to become crispy and crunchy!

 It's amazing how food can instantly put you in a better mood. Now going to enjoy the day with a little bike ride, and maybe run some errands while I'm out. Catch you on the flip side! 

Oh Joe!

Yes, I'll admit it. I am completely head over heels, super obsessed, in love with Joe. Trader Joe's that is. It's my go to spot for yummy, simple, and delicious meals. Every time I head over to Joe's I have to, I MUST write out a list or else I'm in deep trouble. I love that fact that I can get 2-3 weeks worth of food for only 30 dollars! Lucky me!

I personally think the Trader Joe's frozen section and ready made dips/sauces are the best quick fix for those nights that I am too tired to cook. My personal favorite..FALAFELS! These items definitely came in handy tonight.

Ingredients
-Trader Joe's frozen falafels
- whole grain lavish bread/ or pitas
- 4 cherry tomatoes
-a handful of spinach
- salt/pepper
- tzatziki (greek yogurt, cucumbers, dill, garlic)

This to me is the perfect summer food. Hit all the right spots. I finished off the meal with a trip to Frostbites to meet with a friend whom I haven't seen in years! My friend told them that it was my first time there and boy did they take care of me. They let me sample all of the flavor combinations. Way too many delicious options! I settled for Raspberry, Passion fruit, and Mango Sorbet Cream. For those of you that have never experienced this magical concoction, well it's basically homemade Italian ice on top of creamy frozen custard. I die! I seriously can't describe how amazing it was. You have to check it out for yourself! Alright I think I have major food coma. See you in the morning!

Sunny Side Morning

Is it weird that I get excited to sleep so I can hurry up and wake up the next morning to eat breakfast? With the sun gently kissing my face, I woke up refreshed and excited to start my day. I jumped up out of bed, drank my daily dose of coffee, and I was out the door for my morning jog around 7:45 AM. Todays weather was a lot better than yesterday. The sun was shining but still had a lovely breeze to make running a bit more manageable. By the time I got home I was starving. Eggs were calling my name. Lately my favorite combo of flavors is Gruyere cheese and eggs. The running yolk and the creamy, yet nutty Gruyere is incredibly delicious. A party in my mouth!
Ingredients
-egg (sunny side up)
-4 cherry tomatoes
-handful of spinach
-sprinkle of gruyere cheese
-1 tsp crushed garlic
-sprinkle of basil
-salt and pepper

Easy to make but so flavorful. Major knife and fork action...the best way to eat. =)
Hope ya'll are having a grand day! See you in a bit!

Good Morning You Hot, Hot Sun

I had the hardest time falling asleep last night. The heat in my room made me toss and turn all night. So this morning I had a tough time waking up. I ended up waking up at 8:00 and out the door by 8:30 for my morning run... and let me tell you OH MY GOODNESS. The sun decided to come out raging hard so early in the morning. The heat definitely made my jog not so enjoyable. By the time I got home I needed something cold and refreshing to get me back and ready to take on the day. Smoothie was the perfect solution. For some added protein I also ate a spoonful of homemade peanut butter. I recently found out how easy and delicious homemade peanut butter is.. it's even cheaper than most natural peanut butter. All you need is a bag full of roasted peanuts, a spoonful of canola oil, and pulse away. I must warn you though.. the process can get very loud. So in other words, don't make peanut butter in the morning while others are sleeping... or you might make an enemy. Haha
My Smoothie Ingredients
-1 whole banana
-1/2 cup frozen strawberries
-1 cup skim milk
-1/2 tsp whole flaxseeds

Alright now got to find something to escape the heat. Possibly the library? The market? Hammock under the shade? The possibilities are endless. I hope your all enjoying your summer!

Feel Like Pizza

What do you do when you crave pizza but have no pizza dough only tortillas? I know! Make pizza quesadilla! It definitely hit the spot for my pizza craving.  You can't go wrong with ooey gooey cheese and sauteed vegetables. Yums!

Ingredients

-Ezekial Sprouted tortilla

-mushrooms

-mozzarella cheese

-sun dried tomatoes

-spinach

I seriously LOVE Ezekial Sprouted Grain tortillas. I was first introduced to this grand product from Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet. One of my favorite vegan reads. I'm really glad I found out about Ezekial because their products are amazing. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to find a healthy alternative to flour and corn tortillas.

Ok well got to run, see you at the dinner table!

Simple Breakfast

Hi lovely people. I finally moved in and is somewhat settled into my new place. I'm very happy with my new home. I'm especially loving the fact that my room gets all the natural light. Now my inner alarm clock has come into play and wakes me up every morning on the dot at 7:00AM. It's the most amazing feeling. I wake up, drink a bit of coffee, change into workout clothes, and by 7:30 I'm out the door for my daily run. Of course while I'm running I think about food. What should I eat for breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Snack? This morning I wanted to finish off my run with a nice cold smoothie but I didn't have any fruit..weird. So instead I decided to make a simple breakfast with egg, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and basil.

I first sauteed the cherry tomatoes  in olive oil and some fresh pressed garlic, until they began to soften.

Then I fried an egg over easy.

I finished the dish with a sprinkle of basil and goat cheese.

Mmmm yums.

Simple but delicious.

Now what should I make for lunch?