The Scattered Cook

Spicy Peanut & Tofu Stir-Fry

2017-04-24T13:30:00.002-07:00

Is it possible to die of sleep deprivation? Is it normal to fall asleep in the shower? Will the baby ever sleep? I'm sure every new parent ever has asked these questions. What does this have to do with stir fry? Not a thing. Wait, maybe I can salvage a decent segue:

If someone this tired can pull off this yummy stir fry recipe, then anyone can!

Did you see that? I still have some brain function left.

Joking aside (but really, I'm so tired), This recipe is super easy to make, really healthy, and so freakin' flavorful. Join me in making it, and feel free to use it to impress your friends.

Let's get started!

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Pasta Aglio e Olio

2017-04-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

I have been so obsessed with a new YouTube channel I found called Binging with Babish. Have you seen it? Are you also obsessed? Are you also a fan of Frasier?

Even though I'm vegetarian, and a lot of the dishes he makes are meat-centric, I can't help but watch in a trance-like state. I love watching people cook in general, but I'm especially in love with this channel. It's stylish, and funny, and everything he makes looks so good...well maybe not the Milk Steak, but everything else...okay, maybe not the Grilled Charlie...you know what? Maybe just stay away from any foods thought up by the Always Sunny team 😩.

Anyway, he recreates the Pasta Aglio e Olio from the movie Chef with John Favreau and I thought "YES!!! Something I can make!"

Was it as good as it looked?

Yes.

Should you make it?

Also yes.

I just made a couple of changes to it - adding zucchini noodles, mainly because I wanted to try out my new Veggetti (so excited!), and reduced the amount of olive oil I used, because weight loss reason. So good, and I already want to make it again.

Let's get started!

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Cajun Cauliflower Po'Boys with Homemade Remoulade Sauce

2017-03-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've visited a lot of places and tried a lot of food, but there are only two places I've gone that had me thinking about the food long after I got home, and I mean desperately dreaming and wishing I could have another bite/lick/slurp of whatever goodness they were serving up: Amalfi, Italy; and New Orleans, Louisiana. There is so much that could be said about both from a food standpoint, but for me the two major things they have in common are: 1) The food is so good it's almost not believable, and 2) In both places the food feels like such a cultural cornerstone that it's really, really hard to recreate once you get back home.

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Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich on Herbed Ciabatta Bread

2017-03-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but for some reason I'm all about eggplant when I'm at the store, but then dread actually cooking it once I get home. Even though it's not that hard to cook, usually it just ends up sitting in the hospice section of my vegetable drawer, along with a couple of rooting carrots and a few wilted celery sticks, until covered with brown spots. In fact, I'd already had this eggplant in my refrigerator for several days by the time I made this recipe, because I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it. But I was NOT going to let this one die a lonely death in the fridge, dang it! Not like the others. But what to make?? I thought about roasting it somehow, or grilling it maybe. Then I decided I wanted to do something with a kind of eggplant Parmesan vibe. I had picked up some really yummy looking ciabatta bread and a new pasta sauce I wanted to try out on another shopping trip, so I put it all together with some mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, and created this delicious brainchild.

I'm sure it's probably not the first time it's been done, but it was super delicious. I'm also very proud of myself for not letting this eggplant bite the dust. RIP previous eggplants. Hopefully you've been made into something yummy in eggplant heaven.

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Egg, Spinach & Parm Flatbread

2017-03-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

Who's ready for brunch? Me when I made these this past weekend! And hopefully you after reading how super easy and yummy these are. I guarantee they are eggactly what you're looking for...eggstra tasty...eggstraordinarily delicious? Okay that's all I've got.

Puns aside, I kind of get stuck in a rut sometimes with breakfast. I end up eating the same thing pretty much all week long, especially since I've started doing meal prep more. It gets a little boring, so on the weekends, when everything is a bit more leisurely and relaxed, I like to switch it up a bit and try something new (unless my husband is cooking, then I like to sit and do nothing).

This past weekend I decided to try a spin off of the ole egg sandwich classic. I used flatbread instead of English muffins, added spinach (because for some reason we have a Costco sized bag of spinach for just two people??), and topped it off with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Yum! The buttery, toasted flatbread combined with the egg and Parmesan was perfect; plus, it actually ended up being easy enough for a weekday rotation! I'll definitely be making this again soon - perhaps with sauteed mushrooms or grape tomatoes next time! Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below :)

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Asian Tofu Chopped Salad

2017-03-07T21:19:00.000-08:00

I would like to start this post off by saying, "who the heck knew that a head of cabbage has so much cabbage in it?" I usually just buy a pre-made type of Asian salad with similar flavors, which requires no chopping of cabbage, but decided recently that I wanted to try to make it myself. After making a huge salad AND a cabbage based soup (not part of this post), I still have so much left over! If you have any cool cabbage recipes, send them my way, please.

Aside from my cabbage surplus problem, this salad is now one of my favorites. I'm always looking for easy and healthy recipes that can be made ahead of time for lunches during the week, and this one is perfect. Most salads get all limp and yucky while waiting for their turn, but this one has some really hearty ingredients that make it perfect for meal prep. Simply add your favorite Asian style dressing the morning of, let marinade for a couple of hours, and you're good to go for lunchtime!

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Vegetarian Friendly PB&J Smores

2017-02-28T09:52:00.001-08:00

One thing that was hard to give up when I first became vegetarian was all of the candy I could no longer eat because of the gelatin used. This meant no more gummy bears, no more jello, no more fruit chews, and no more marshmallows, which was the worst part. Marshmallows were once one of my go-to treats when I had a sweet tooth. I loved making smores, eating the heads off the little peeps at Easter, and generally just snacking on them here and there when I wanted something sweet. They were pretty much always in my house - how could they not be vegetarian?? I was indignant! I didn't like it! But there was nothing I could do about it, and so I resigned myself to a life of mallow abstinence. That is, until I discovered that there actually are vegetarian marshmallows out there. Cue cheers! I was so happy! Of course I immediately ran to the store, bounding down the baking aisle with glee. I could almost taste the fluffy, gooey sweetness. But, to my dismay, they weren't there, and neither were they lining the shelves of any other grocery store in probably a five mile radius. My dreams were crushed, but at least I took solace in the fact that they existed and that some day I could order them online if I really wanted to.

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Beer Battered Artichoke Tacos with Lime Crema

2017-02-22T12:17:00.001-08:00

We eat a lot of tacos in our house. Like, a lot. Usually we go with the ole black beans and veggie combo because it's super quick, healthy, and delicious, but I've been getting a little bored of the same ole same lately. I've actually been wanting to make this recipe for probably over a year now, but wasn't quite sure how it would turn out. I got cold feet and kept putting it off - I guess mainly because I wasn't super confident in my frying skills. However, high off the success of the last couple of fried recipes (holla at those cauliflower poppers!), I decided it was time to go for it. I found a really easy recipe for beer battered fish tacos that I adapted for my vegetarian ways (see links below), added a little green salsa and avocado, topped with a little lime crema and an extra squeeze of lime, and they turned out so good! An added plus is that they really didn't take all that long from start to finish like some frying recipes do. Try it and let me know what you think!

On a side note before we get started, I've been trying to grow my readership and would really love feedback! If you try any of my recipes, have ideas about what you would like to see me cook, or even have questions about how to adapt something to make it vegetarian, please leave a comment! It would help me out so much to know if you're enjoying my recipes and ideas.

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Orzo Topped with Greek Style Roasted Veggies and Feta

2017-02-16T22:34:00.001-08:00

Another day, another roasted veggie recipe! It really does make things easier with a little one around. Once everything is in the pan, I can just toss it in the oven and forget about it for the next 25 minutes - no stirring, mixing, or flipping required! Plus I can roast more than I need and reheat throughout the week when I'm feeling tired and not at all like cooking.

Honestly, I'm always surprised by how good it turns out as well. I don't have to do a dang thing to it, and there it is all steamy and aromatic, caramelized bits hiding on the bottom, and veggies that just want to melt in your mouth. Plus there are just about a million different flavor combos you can throw together. This time I opted for a Greek twist with the feta, red onion, and oregano. I paired it with orzo, which I've never actually made before (I know that seems unbelievable considering how much I love pasta) and topped it with a little extra feta. As we say in my house, "it's always betta with feta." Or, in this case, "it's always betta with extra feta."

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Roasted Veggie Lasagna with Creamy Pesto Sauce

2017-02-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

Have you ever made something so delicious that you thought you may never be able to top it? Like you might as well hang up your apron and call it a day? This was that recipe for me. Legitimately, this might be the best thing I've ever made; and it's the kind of recipe I get really excited to share with you, because I know it's really good. My husband even said he wished people could taste it through their screen, which is high praise coming from my own little food critic.

When I first started working out this recipe, I decided that I wanted to do something a little different. I knew I wanted to use a creamy pesto sauce instead of the standard marinara, but I also didn't want to leave out tomatoes completely, plus I really wanted to have something at least a little green in there. Fast forward through several Pinterest inspiration scrollings and I decided to try adding some yummy roasted veggies to the mix. I used a recipe I've been making a lot lately (see info below), which served to really balance out all of the creamy goodness going on, and it turned out to be the perfect compliment. I'm absolutely sure you'll love it, and I hope you'll share in the comments below if you do! Let's get started.

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Mixed Greens Topped with Roasted Yams, Feta, and Kalamata Olives

2017-02-07T15:33:00.002-08:00

Since having a baby 4 months ago, I have been trying very hard to eat healthy and lose the extra baby weight, Superbowl indulgences aside. I've made a lot of progress so far (28 lbs down!), but, if I'm going to be honest, it's much, much harder than I anticipated. I've fluctuated with my weight over the years, so I'm no stranger to having to lose it, but the added stress and lack of time with having a new baby really makes it more challenging than it's ever been. When I do have a minute to eat something, if it's not already prepared and ready to go, or something that can be made without much effort or commitment - forget it. Suddenly the bread on the counter looks good enough, and the number on the scale stays the same.

One thing that has helped is having healthy food in the house and lots of options for salads. They are easy to throw together, or make ahead of time, and lots of options mean I don't get bored. One of my faves right now is this yummy concoction of mixed greens, roasted yams, feta, and kalamata olives. I top it with my favorite vinaigrette, and that's all there is to it! I'll tell you how I roast the yams to perfection, so you can make one of these yummy salads too. Whether you're trying to lose baby weight, eat healthier, or just like yams and salad, I know this will be a hit.

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Cauliflower Poppers 3 Ways: Buffalo, Honey BBQ, & Cheesy Jalapeño

2017-01-31T14:20:00.001-08:00

Ah, the super bowl. The best snack-eating, commercial-watching, couch-potato-ing day of the year! Oh yeah, and the football too. I'm not a huge sports fan, if you couldn't tell, but I mean no disrespect. There absolutely is something electric about game day that draws even the non sports-watchers in. For me, there is a certain level of excitement and camaraderie about it that I miss from watching games with my dad growing up. If nothing else, it's fun to hang out with good friends, eat yummy snacks, and pretend to be part of the sports community for a day. This year I'll be eating these delicious cauliflower poppers and rooting for whichever team my dad is rooting for - it's my little nod to him - love you, dad! I hope you'll give these a try and let me know what you think!

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Roasted Veggie Chimichangas

2017-01-27T12:53:00.000-08:00

Chimichangas!!! Mmmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about these. I had the idea last night as I was roasting some fajita style veggies and wondering what I wanted to do with them (besides the obvious fajita use). I don't usually fry things, mainly because I don't want the added fat, but these chimichangas just sounded sooooo yummy. Plus I had all the stuff to make them, which is a rare feat! I decided to go for it, but I used whole wheat tortillas to make them healthy...oh who am I kidding? Let's just call it a cheat day :)

I ended up combining my favorite roasted veggies, vegetarian refried beans, lime juice, cilantro, and ooey-gooey cheddar cheese; stuffing them inside whole wheat tortillas; and then pan frying them to golden brown perfection. I finished them off with another squeeze of lime, and a healthy dollop of sour cream flavored with garlic and chives. It. Was. So. Good. I already can't wait to make these again, and, as an added bonus, I had lots of roasted veggies left over to use for other things. The wheels are already turning.

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Winter Fruit and Nut Oatmeal

2017-01-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

I don't know about where you are right now, but it's definitely oatmeal whether in my neck of the woods - cold and stormy, with seemingly no end in sight. And while the rain pours down and the wind whips through the trees, all I want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and a hot cup of tea, and watch movies all day. Of course, my almost-four-month-old has other ideas. No leisurely watching movies and lounging around for this tired mommy. But I am still in need of a little cozy, so that's where the oatmeal fits in.

I've always been a huge fan of oatmeal, especially during the cold winter months, and there are so many things you can do with it. I love to add fruit like apples, bananas, and berries; different kinds of nuts; and sometimes I'll toss in flax or chia seeds. It always makes me feel really healthy and fueled for the day. I call this particular concoction my "forage porridge" because it stemmed from literally throwing into the pot what I could find left over in the fruit drawer. I had never put pears in oatmeal before, but it was so good, and now I don't like to make it without them. Depending on how long you cook it, the pear kind of becomes one with the oatmeal and adds a great consistency, along with adding a lot of volume to really fill you up.

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Roasted Yams & Orange Slices with Ginger, Garlic, and Honey

2017-01-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

I've been mentally chewing on this recipe for a while now. I knew I wanted to do something with yams and oranges ever since my mom told me that she secretly adds a splash of orange juice to her candied yams at Thanksgiving - sorry for spilling the beans, mom! Her candied yams are usually the highlight of the Thanksgiving meal for me, so I knew it would be a winning combo from the start. What I didn't know was what the heck else to add. I bought the yams and oranges and watched as they sat in sadness day after day until finally I knew I needed to use them or lose them. In the end I decided to add ginger and garlic to spice things up a bit, and drizzled the whole thing with honey to kick up the natural sweetness of the yams and oranges. It turned out looking gorgeous and tasting even better. The sweet caramelization of the yams and honey mixed with pungent orange, ginger, and garlic flavors were spot on. Next time I might try adding some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, or some cardamom for another layer of spice, or maybe I'll just leave it as is. It was pretty darn good.
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Pesto and Red Pepper Hummus

2017-01-11T17:13:00.000-08:00

Yummmm!!! I am such a sucker for a good hummus recipe. I made this to go with my last post: Roasted Tomato Crostini with Pesto and Red Pepper Hummus. It turned out so good, and we had lots of leftovers for snacking the next day. Check out the recipe below!

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Roasted Tomato Crostini with Pesto and Red Pepper Hummus

2017-01-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you after such a long break. I've had a lot of changes in the last couple of years, including a new job and a brand new baby boy, the light of my life, who will turn 4 months old in just a couple of weeks. I've been busy, very busy, and exhausted, but finally see the dust beginning to settle a little. For the first time in ages, I actually feel inspired to make new recipes and share them. Cooking has always been a big creative outlet for me, and with the demands of being a new mom, I find it gives me a little piece of ME back...a no-makeup, spit-up covered me, but me nonetheless.

This recipe combines some of my most favorite things: bread (I could and often do just live on bread), hummus, and roasted tomatoes. I've been on a roasted veggie kick since right before having the baby. I wanted a way to keep up on eating healthy without spending a ton of time, and have taken to roasting a bunch of different veggies on the weekend and then reheating throughout the week. Roasted tomatoes are one of my favorites and are a great way to add flavor and freshness to pasta, burritos, rice, what-have-you, so when I came across THIS recipe on Recipe Runner via Pinterest I got really excited. I like to make my own hummus, and roasted my tomatoes a little differently, so here's my take on it.
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Avocado & Chickpea Salad Pita with Cilantro & Lime

2016-03-06T15:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I practically live on Pinterest these days. DIY projects I'll never get around to, decorating ideas for my future mansion, fashion I could definitely wear if I just lost a few pounds, you name it! I mean, have you seen my Pinterest boards?? I'm pretty sure I'm a pin hoarder at this point...I might need an intervention. My favorite thing, though, is perusing all of the delicious looking recipes out there (these, at least, are within my grasp!). There are so many vegetarian and vegan recipes to try out, and lots of recipes that seem like they could easily be adapted to fit a vegetarian lifestyle. It definitely sets the wheels turning on Sunday afternoons when I'm planning out my meals for the rest of the week, especially when I feel like I've been stuck in a food rut...which is pretty much always.

One thing I've noticed a ton of in my searches lately is garbanzo bean salads. There are so many different kinds out there! And you can make them with just about anything your heart desires, which makes them great for last minute dinners or lunches when you're trying to figure out what the heck to do with the random ingredients in your fridge. I decided to throw in some of my favorite ingredients, like avocado, tomato, lime (I'm addicted to limes right now), and cilantro and came up with this yummy version, which I promptly stuffed into a whole wheat pita. This is a super versatile recipe and you could really add anything you like and have it turn out great. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

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Mmmm, Chai

2015-02-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

It's Monday; nothing like a nice hot cup of chai in my favorite little mug to help me relax after a long day. Pretty sure an episode of X-Files is also in the cards. It's a straight shot downhill to Friday after this, right?

What are YOU doing to relax?

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Thai Spicy Hummus

2015-01-25T18:26:00.001-08:00

Another spicy hummus recipe. Are you surprised? I know you're not! I did things a little differently this time to keep it interesting, though, using Thai inspired ingredients instead of the same old same. Thai food is one of my absolute favorites, and I don't get to have it nearly as often as I would like. This is a great way to bring all those great flavors together in an easy to make dip for chips, veggies, pitas, sandwiches, or whatever your heart desires.

You'll notice in this recipe strong coconut and peanut favors with a nice spicy kick from the cayenne, jalapeno, and sriracha; complimented well by the lime, cilantro, and cumin. There are really so many ways you could take a recipe like this, depending on your tastes, so don't be afraid to experiment. In the future I'm hoping to try variations using lemongrass, Thai basil, and curry. I'd love to hear what you come up with!
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Mediterranean Salad with Artichoke Hearts, Green Olives, Walnuts & Herbed Feta

2015-01-20T23:17:00.000-08:00

I've never been much of a salad person, believe it or not. I know they're good for you and all, but I've just never been a huge fan. When we're at our local pizza place and they ask if we want salad, Dustin almost always says yes, but all I can think about is how I won't have as much room for pizza. When I'm out with friends and we end up at a restaurant with salad as the only vegetarian option, I immediately think about where I will be stopping on the way home to get food. But this salad is different; it's really good, and it's making me rethink my salad-hating ways.
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5 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes for the New Year

2015-01-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling it right now. The extra difficulty in buttoning those pants, the office stairs that seem a little more daunting, and the general slothness that follows the holiday aftermath of one too many slices of pie, random bowls of candy landmines, and the tempting break room piles of fill-in-the-blank. They holidays were fun, and I loved them, but it's time to start thinking health-consciously again.

If you're feeling like I'm feeling right now, here are some healthy recipes to help keep you on track as we slowly make the trek of shame toward bikini weather.

Vietnamese Tofu Lettuce Cups
Recently I came across a recipe in one of my cookbooks for Vietnamese Pork and Lettuce Cups that looked incredible. As per usual, the first thing I did was think about how I could turn this scrumptious looking dish into something vegetarian friendly. The usual ideas popped into my head, i.e. using mushrooms or eggplant in place of the meat, but I’ve been wanting to try tofu for a while now and...
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Creamy Cherry Pistachio Smoothie

2015-01-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmmm. Cherries. This has to be hands down the best smoothie I've ever made. It was delightfully creamy, tangy, and sweet with a distinct flavor kick from the roasted pistachios. Usually I lean toward almonds when making anything with cherries, but I'm glad I decided to switch it up a little and try something different. I also used a honey flavored Greek yogurt, which added tremendously to the creamy texture and gave a soft sweetness to combat the tang of the cherries. It was really good. I'm already thinking about making another batch!
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Meet Sally, the Unofficial Scattered Cook Mascot

2015-01-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

For some reason Sally thinks that every piece of expensive decorative furniture I buy is her exclusive lounge property, but I can't even be mad at that face.

Hope you all are having a good year so far! New recipe to come soon!

Spicy Vegetable Stir-Fry

2014-12-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

With the holidays mostly under my belt (literally), new resolutions just around the corner, and self-righteous bathing suit collections on the horizon, I'm feeling pretty motivated to start the new year off right. That means trading in the stuffing and pie (so much pie) for something a little healthier. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, as any overworked piece of gym equipment will tell you over the next few weeks, so I thought it would be the perfect time to share this quick and healthy stir-fry recipe.