Browsing Tag

dinner

Tasty

The Easiest Miso Soup

June 18, 2014

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I love a dinner that makes for a great lunch the next day and this soup was an answer to my prayers!  Super easy, quick and VERY delicious!

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Miso Soup 

  • 1 portion of soba noodles (usually about 3 oz)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • dash sesame oil
  • 7 cups water
  • 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
  • 5 tbsp. white miso paste
  • 1-2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 lb extra firm tofu, cubed
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, sliced
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • sesame seeds
  1. Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside (make sure to run under cool water to stop cooking).
  2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and sautee garlic and ginger for about one minute.
  3. Add water and bring to a boil.
  4. Add carrot and boil for about two minutes.
  5. Reduce to a simmer, then add miso and soy sauce and stir.
  6. Add tofu, soba noodles and spinach to pot and stir until spinach is wilted.
  7. Serve soup and top with scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

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Tasty

Soba Noodle Bowl

June 11, 2014

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I’m going through a “bowl” phase… the idea of grains, veggies and a protein all touching and mixed together may terrify my 5 year old self, but now I can’t get enough – one dish to clean? Sign me up!

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Amazing Soba Bowl

  • Soba Noodles
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
  • 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
  • 1/2 a bag of edamame, cooked
  • 1/4 of a head of purple cabbage
  • 4 leaves of kale, de-stemmed, cut into ribbons
  • 1-2 bunch of green onions, chopped
  • Large handful of cilantro

Dressing

  • 1 1-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger, grated
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1½ tablespoons white miso
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  1. Cook soba noodles and be sure to rinse them with cold water after draining them to stop them from cooking further.
  2. Top them with prepped veggies.
  3. Make dressing of your choice (I used the one above) and stir until well combined
  4. Drizzle with Sriracha and lime juice if you like.

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The joy is, you can mix and match to your heart’s delight… just find a dressing that fits your mood and get creative! Here are some of the “usual suspects” in my rotation (don’t forget that preparation variations make for even MORE combinations – hard-boiled/fried/poached eggs, shredded/grilled/roasted chicken, etc.):

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Dressings are key to making this all come together… if your ingredients are bold enough, perhaps you can go the oil and vinegar route, but if you want to mix it up, here are some of my favorites:

  • Coconut Peanut Sauce
    • 1/2 cup light coconut milk
    • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
    • splash of agave
  • Mustard Vinaigrette
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • pinch of sugar
  • Shallot Dijon Vinaigrette
    • 3 tablespoons finely diced shallots
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Cilantro Balsamic Dressing
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1/2 cup cilantro
    • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 cup olive oil
    • juice of half a lemon
  • Sesame Ginger Dressing
    • 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
    • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

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Tasty

Slow-Roasted Chipotle Salmon with Pineapple Cilantro Rice

June 9, 2014

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One of my favorite parts about getting older is seeing how my sisters and I have applied what my parents have taught us.   Growing up, family dinners were a nightly occurrence, and thus cooking has always been a big part of my (and my sisters) life.  I love that Taylor can open the fridge and put together a 5 star meal that not only is tasty but manages ONLY to be made with healthy ingredients… and then there is Kendall.  As you may have seen on her Instagram, is the queen of presentation and delicious meals. When she posted this picture last summer, I knew I needed to try this next time she was in a cooking mood.  Luckily for me, she was a couple weeks ago and whipped up this amazing dish – which I proceeded to document for next time I’m up to tackle this recipe.

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*Mind you, she whipped this up after a long day of pool and sun… and all under an hour!  Everyone at the table couldn’t stop raving about it!  Also for those that don’t LOVE salmon, we made a couple servings with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and it was just as big of a hit.

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Tasty

Did Someone Say Burrata?

June 2, 2014

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Got your attention did I?

Sliced Tomatoes

Well I was craving some comfort food amongst this warm weather (why, I have no idea), and wanted to make a seasonally appropriate dish… here is what I put together:

Heirloom Tomtato and Burrata Pasta

  • 10-12 heirloom tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 lb. pasta (I used quinoa spaghetti that worked well)
  • course sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • Burrata cheese (how much depends on you decadent you want it – I used 1/2 a ball
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Slice tomatoes in half and transfer to a mixing bowl.
  3. Top with mixture of olive oil, vinegar, garlic and heavy seasoning of salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt). Mix until combined.
  4. Spread tomato mixture on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes (you want the tomatoes to be caramelized).
  5. While tomatoes are roasting, cook pasta in salted water until al dente and drain.
  6. Return noodles back to pot and once tomatoes are ready, add complete contents of baking sheet (tomatoes and their juices – not the foil) to the pot.
  7. Depending on how would like to present it, either add the burrata in now and give it a good stir, or individually plate the pasta and give each person their own portion of burrata atop their pasta.
  8. Garnish with herbs (basil works best, but chives, parsley, or whatever you can get your hands on should do the trick!)
  9. Mangia!

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Tasty

Scotty 2 Hottie

May 14, 2014

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One of J and my favorite date night spots is a place called Oak & Rye… sadly we have spread the word TOO well and have a very hard time getting in there in a timely matter now (le sigh).

We love pretty much everything on their menu, but we both agree the “Scottie 2 Hottie” pizza takes the cake.  So when we can’t eat the real stuff, I did the next best thing, and tried my hand at a easy, make-at-home version that can tide us over until we are willing to wait out the hour+ wait.

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Scotty 2 Hottie

  • Premade pizza dough (or make your own… I’m not that ambitious)
  • Pizza Sauce
  • Sopressata (you can get this at most artisan grocery stores or Italian delis – but pepperoni does the trick too!)
  • Mozzarella (I use a log, not shredded)
  • Basil
  • Sliced pepperoncinis
  • Honey
  1. Prebake the crust for 10 minutes at 475 degrees (or according to the dough’s instructions) until golden brown (I feel like in the movies that they always put toppings on raw pizza dough – DON’T DO IT. I always end up with raw pizza… yuck).
  2. Remove crust from oven and top with pizza sauce, sliced mozzarella and Sopressata.
  3. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese has melted.
  4. Remove from oven and top with basil leaves and drained pepperoncini slices.
  5. Bake pizza for 2-3 more minutes.
  6. Remove pizza from oven and drizzle with honey.
  7. Serve hot and enjoy!

* the key to ingredient amounts is totally up to preference… just beware the pepperoncini’s have a bit of heat, so use less if you prefer more mild food

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