Color Me Greens

Helloooo –

I officially finished 1 of my 3 classes of the semester today! Unfortunately it was my easiest class and I still have 1 paper and 2 finals to go (plus my master’s comprehensive exam), but at least the countdown has begun! Also I have overcome the flu, which is another plus.

Anyway, I don’t have too much time to spare, but I did want to check in. I figured since I’m here, I could share a Juice Bar & Kitchen, “Color Me Greens” menu from Myrtle Ave in Brooklyn (Bushwick). Last time I was visiting friends in the Big Apple I went here, and it was a pretty tasty spot. Fun fact: they have free delivery your order is over $12!

I highly recommend you fine specimen try some of these recipes out when you get a chance. Healthy >>>

 

Plan Ahead Meals

How goes it my dears?

Today marks the first day of classes of my second semester at graduate school. Woooo (kind of). Break was awesome, but now it’s time to get back to work.

As I may have mentioned in the past, I’m not really that into “New Years Resolutions”, but I try and set goals whenever the occasion seems to arise to better myself. So far this year, I have two: 1) not to shampoo my hair everyday and 2) plan my weekly meals ahead of time. I’ve been doing smashingly for #1, but since I spent the last month traveling, I haven’t started #2 yet. I figured the start of classes was as good a time as any to start!

To keep up with that mentality, here are two links that a co-worker shared with me… and I plan to utilize it at least a few times. Here is the vegan option, and here is the carnivorous option.

Now, I must get to work; my papers will not read themselves. Cheers!

Hot Peppah Jelly

Bonjour Babies –

Fact: I love hot pepper jelly. I first came to know about this delicious dip/spread a few years ago when my friend’s mom sent him a few jars of her homemade jelly. From that point on I was hooked; a little sweet, a little spicy is the combination for me!

When I shopped at the URI Holiday Bazaar this season, there was a local company – Terry’s Tasty Treasures – where this powerhouse woman makes a variety of different delicious jellies. I bought a few different flavors, and they all kick ass. I also snagged a hot pepper jelly recipe card, which is what I’m going to share with you meow (more can also be found on her website via link):

Pepper Jelly Cheese Cake
Ingredients: 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces hot pepper jelly

Directions: Mix all ingredients in food processor.
Spray individual pie pan or 6″ spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray or 4″ spring forms divided into 2.
Pour mixture into pan(s).
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
Cool in refrigerator for several hours.
Spread with more pepper jelly. Serve with crackers.

Red Pepper Habanero Pepper Jelly Chicken over Kale
– Red hot habenero pepper jelly mixed with soy sauce, honey, pour over boneless skinless chicken thighs- bake 425 for 25-30 min, serve over kale sautéed with chopped bacon and shao Shing rice vinegar

Mini Philo Shells with Goat Cheese
Fill Shells with Cranberry, Apple or Peach hot pepper jelly. Crumble Goat cheese over each and top with a candied walnut.

Crescent Roll Bake with Brie
Spread out the Crescent Rolls on a baking sheet; do not pull apart.
Put piece of Brie in the center; cover with your pepper Jelly of choice.
Fold over the crescent rolls and bake according to the instructions on the package. Serve with crackers

I’ll stop there, but there really are many more recipes on the website, so click the link and take a gander. Go local, lovelies.

Avocado Blood Orange Salad

I’ve got a recipe for youuu!

Per usual, it is yummy and colorful and healthy and just a little bit out of the ordinary. I will probably grab this stuff at the grocery store soon and make a batch to take to campus with me this week. Now, without further ado…

Avocado Blood Orange Salad

Ingredients:
– 2 fresh avocados, diced
– 1/2 cup red onion, diced
– 2 blood oranges, peeled and diced*
– 4 T lime juice
– 2 T fresh Italian parsley**
– pinch of salt
– pinch of pepper

*can substitute with regular oranges
**can substitute with fresh mint, basil or cilantro

It was SO good!

Since this recipe is for a salad there are not really any directions I need to write down. Simply toss together in a salad bowl and serve! This recipe was originally from here; I highly recommend you take a gander for some inspiration.

Carpe diem, baby loves.

Cucumber, Radish and Seaweed Salad

Hello, dears.

This is just a quick recipe post I came across. I haven’t actually tried it yet, but I’m trying to get into the seaweed scene and this looked like a relatively friendly recipe to try out. Let me know what you think!

Meanwhile, I will be snoozing hardcore in my bed — classes started today and I even did a 20-minute run before classes today! It was a hot and sweaty time. Rawr.

Cucumber, Radish and Seaweed Salad

Ingredients
– 1 cup dried arame seaweed
– 2 large cucumbers (halved lengthwise and sliced thin)
– roughly 8 small radishes (trimmed and quartered)
– 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
– 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
– 2 tablespoons black/white sesame seeds (toasted and cooled)

Directions
1.  Soak arame in cold water until tender (~15 minutes). Drain.
2. Add cucumbers, radishes, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Toss.
3. Cover and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. Before serving, toss again and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

You all rock. Lovelovelove.

Turkey & Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

Bonjour!

I wanted to share with all of you a fabulously delicious recipe that I came across (here) the other day. It’s an amped up and slightly healthier version of the Italian classic: stuffed shells. However, instead of simply stuffing these shells with a cheese concoction, they are filled with ricotta, Parmesan, ground turkey, artichoke hearts and a few other tasty ingredients. I also whipped up an arrabbiata sauce to drench them with; it is divine.

Anyway, here’s the recipe:

For The Shells

Ingredients
– 1 (12-oz) box jumbo pasta shells
– 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
– 3 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1 pound ground turkey
– 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
– 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
– 1 (8 to 10-oz) can artichokes hearts
– 1 (15-oz) container ricotta cheese
– 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
– 2 eggs, lightly beaten
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
– 5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce (recipe follows)
– 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally (check the package instructions for times).  Drain the shells and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper.

4. Cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of the Arrabbiata sauce.  Take a shell in your hand and stuff it with the turkey/artichoke mixture, about 2 tablespoons per shell.  Place the shell in the baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining shells until the baking dish is full.  Drizzle the remaining 4 cups of Arrabbiata sauce over the shells and then top with the mozzarella.  At this point, you can freeze the shells for up to a month by covering the baking pan with plastic wrap then aluminum foil and placing it in the freezer.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes for frozen shells or 20 minutes if you bake them immediately after prepping.

For The Sauce (makes about 6 cups)

Ingredients
– 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– 6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
– 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 5 cups jarred or homemade marinara sauce

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds – 1 minute.

2. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Pretty yummy looking, right? Happy cooking, friends! 🙂

Waste Not, Want Not

Howdy Folks ❤

Today at work, my boss was emptying a bag of unidentifiable green chunks into a bowl, about to juice the chunks with a hodgepodge of other fruits and veggies. Obviously, being the curious human that I am, I inquired as to what the chunks were. Her response: “Well, actually, I am doing something you would do! They are the broccoli stalk bits that I don’t like to eat, so in an effort to not waste them, I chopped them up and brought them in to juice.”

Apparently, I am known as the resident garbage disposal; and you know what? I’m totally okay with that. Actually, I dig it. I am the girl at work who saves the pineapple rinds to juice because there is actually juice hidden in there; I save lemon peels and put them in my water because it does add a lemony flavor, and when I have to flush out the juicer after juicing a beet so I don’t taint the color of future juices… I drink the beet runoff. Yes, I can’t stand to waste water, either.

Truth be told, I absolutely hate wasting things in general, especially food. Hell, I up-cycle plastic protein scoops and turn them into vessels for sprouting seeds. It particularly tears at my heart every time I have to throw something edible away, knowing that there are multitudes of starving people scattered all over the globe; some even as close as downtown. I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up in a household where I am well fed, but that doesn’t mean I am oblivious to the needs of others. That’s partially why I bought a dehydrator: to salvage things that are about to go bad. It’s just who I am, and I’m proud of that. Waste not, want not, so the saying goes.

Anyway, going along with that theme, I came across this article a few weeks back, and I think it pertains to this post quite nicely. It’s in regards to making the most of certain fruits and vegetables, and I’ve copied the majority of the article below. I’m proud to say that I actually already do all of these things (except #5) because I’m about that life, but I bet some of these things are new for you, so read on!

1. Orange peels

The white, pithy flesh on the inside of orange peels is packed full of bioflavonoids which enhance your body’s utilization of the vitamin C in the orange. The bioflavinoids hesperidin and diosmin found in the orange pith may also help to heal varicose veins and improve the appearance of your skin. Simply scrape off the inner white part of the peel with your teeth.

2. Kiwi skin

Many people don’t know that the skin of a kiwi fruit is edible. Thinly slice the kiwi fruit and leave the skin on. The taste and texture complement one another nicely when prepared this way. If you peel off the skin and throw it away, you are missing out on added fiber, vitamin C, and even omega 3 fatty acids!

3. Beet greens

Beet roots are well known as a nutritional powerhouse but many people neglect the greens. Don’t trash the tops! They contain many vitamins and minerals including iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron vitamins A, C and K, folic acid and more. Beet greens make a delicious side dish lightly sautéed with some garlic and olive oil. You can also juice the stems and leaves.

4. Broccoli stems + leaves

When eating raw or steamed broccoli, many people prefer the florets to the stems and leaves, but the they can also be tasty when prepared in a way that works with their taste and texture. Use julienned stems in a slaw with cabbage and carrots or add sliced stems and leaves to a stir fry.

5. Veggie scraps

Don’t throw away the ends of carrots or celery, potato skins, onion and garlic skins, the stem of cauliflower or carrot tops! Throw them in a bag in the freezer and make a vegetable stock when the bag is full. Add to last night’s chicken carcass for an almost free chicken stock. Bonus tip: Freeze the stock in ice cube trays as a healthier alternative to bouillon cubes. Add a broth cube when cooking quinoa, rice or veggies for extra flavor and nutrition.

6. Juice Pulp

If you make your own fresh fruit and vegetable juice, keep the pulp. It adds bulk and nutritional fiber into recipes like veggie burgers, soups and sauces. You can also blend it into a smoothie, bake it into muffins and breads, or even dehydrate it into crackers!**

**One of my horses actually LOVES the juice pulp as it is, so that’s another method to not waste; just make sure you cut the rinds off prior to juicing. Adding the pulp to a compost pile outdoors is another way to really amp up your garden.

Have a fantastic rest of your “hump day”, my friends!

Supaa Bomb, Superbowl Snacks

Hello blog beauties!
Coming to you live from the snowy regions of New England. Yet again, Old Man Winter is walloping us. You would think living in Vermont for 4 years I would be used to this, but alas, I am not. It’s just not in my DNA to get accustomed to the cold. Ever. At least it’s pretty?

I’m still pretty stoked about the New England Patriot’s Superbowl XLIX Championship Win yesterday, along with the rest of New England residents. In keeping with the theme, I wanted to share with all of your the tasty treats I made for my Superbowl party last evening. They were a hit, so I figured it would be nice to pass on the yummm.

My posing wasn’t the best and my boyfriend wasn’t the most enthusiastic of photographers, so unfortunately this is a mediocre shot. However, the food is the star anyway, so here’s what I’m holding: bacon wrapped smokies and jalapeno pillow puffs. Care to know more?

Phase One

Phase Two

Those little beauties are the bacon wrapped smokies. Honestly, they were the overall hit of the party (not to toot my own horn or anything…). People loved them and they were devoured pretty quickly. The best part? They’re so simple to make! I won’t lie, they’re a bit time consuming since you have to wrap each one with care (and love), but it’s 100% worth it and I will definitely be making these again. If you want the detailed recipe, let me know! In a nutshell, it’s a smokie, piece of pineapple and slice of jalapeno wrapped up in bacon, secured with a toothpick and sprinkled with brown sugar, then baked in an oven at 425 for 17-22 minutes. VOILA.

Phase One

Completed.

Next up are the Jalapeno Pillow Puffs. These were amazingly delicious and once again will be added to my recipe arsenal; it also happened to be my first time playing around with pastry puffs. I was a little nervous at first, and for good reason: pastry making is hard! You have to watch them like a hawk and even then, they are tricksters.

I made two separate batches, one much more successful than the other. During my first attempt, pretty much all but 1 exploded 😦 Thankfully those were made at home as a trial run, so I could shove the filling back in and they still tasted divine. My family wasn’t deterred on the less than stellar presentation. The second batch I baked at the party, and having learned my lesson, I watched them much more closely than the first – my efforts proved worth it. There was still one explosion, but it was minor and so I ate it. Like I said, they still tasted phenomenal! If you want the full recipe for these, let me know 😉

Until next times mes amis ❤

Strawberry-Banana Chia Pudding

Howdy y’all!

I came across a recipe the other day for Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding, and I thought it sounded like a great thing to try out. Healthy, fresh AND tasty? Count me in. I also added banana to my recipe; mostly because there was a banana that was getting a bit too ripe on my counter, and I hate to see food go bad.

Without further ado, here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups filtered water
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, more for topping
• 1 whole banana
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch sea salt
• 10 drops stevia (or honey/maple syrup)
• 1 cup dry chia seeds
• 1/4 cup cacao
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, more for topping
• handful blueberries

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine the water, hemp seeds, strawberries, banana, vanilla, sea salt and stevia.
2. Blend for 30 seconds or until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. This will be your strawberry/banana hempseed milk.
3. In a separate bowl, combine dry chia seeds with milk and stir! A good rule of thumb is 3 cups liquid: 1 cup chia, but I had more like 3 1/2 cups milk and it came out just fine.
4. Fold in cacao, coconut and blueberries and let sit for 15 minutes. This will allow the chia seeds to soak up as much liquid as possible. You will notice the mixture start to thicken.
5. Once seeds have expanded, scoop out some into a bowl, add the strawberries, coconut and other toppings you may desire and indulge!

I promise you dears, it’s super simple and not as weird and gross as it may sound. The texture may take a little getting used to, but this is way better than store bought puddings as far as health is concerned. You can also always add more sweeteners like maple syrup, honey or agave to the mixture. Play around with it and see how it goes — and don’t hesitate to share and ask questions!

Have a great rest of your day my sweets! If you are going to fall victim to this impending storm tonight/tomorrow, stay safe and warm. x’s and o’s

Colorful, Healthy, Seasonal Risotto

Hello my beautiful people.

Christmas is soon upon us… I hope everyone is ready to take the Holidays in stride and enjoy themselves! All my presents are wrapped (in the Wall Street Journal in an effort to save trees and cash money) and under the tree, plus I’ve been baking up a storm! Stay tuned for all my cookie pictures and recipes, I’ll get those up at some point after Christmas is over.

In the meantime, I have another recipe I would like to share avec vous that I snagged from EdibleRhody. I haven’t made this yet, but I figured maybe some of you would like to use it this coming week with all the festivities. Basically, all the ingredients in the title are amazing so in my mind it is sure to be a win.

Beet & Barley Risotto with Goat Cheese & Apples
Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (dice small)
• 2 gloves garlic (mince)
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 4 ounces white wine
• 1/2 cup beet juice (1 large)*
• 1/2 cup diced apple (1 whole)
• grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4 sprigs thyme (stemmed and chopped)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese (crumbled)
• kosher or sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

*If you aren’t lucky enough to have a juicer (though I highly recommend you buy one… they’re getting cheaper by the day!), simply puree 1-2 roasted beets in blender until smooth as can be. Add water if needed.

Directions:

1. Bring stock to a simmer in saucepan. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add onion, cooking until translucent (5 minutes), don’t brown! Add garlic and barley and saute for 2 minutes.
2. Add white wine and allow to evaporate (2-4 minutes). Add stock, 1 ladle at a time, letting liquid fully absorb before next ladle, and still constantly until barley is tender (approx 20 minutes).
3. Add beet juice and apples. Stir until liquid is reduced and risotto is thickening up.
4. Remove from heat and add lemon zest, lemon juice, half of the thyme, butter and 1/4 cup goat cheese. Stir until combined. Season to taste.
5. Serve warm, garnish with remaining goat cheese and chopped thyme.

Sounds pretty fabulous, right? I have to do some work today, but I think afterwards I may try this out. Or make more cookies. I’m on a pretty severe cookie making binge, and if anyone has any stellar recipes, I would love to be brought into the loop!

Well, I must start being productive now. Have a great day everyone, don’t let the Monday blues get you down. Turn on some festive music and do a little dance if you start to feel stressed, or even better, throw on an ugly sweater. Preferably one with twinkling lights.