Not Your Average Foodie

Nicoise Salad.

2013-05-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

"Knee- swa"

If you have never heard of nicoise salad, it is basically a salad that contains green beans, tuna, and some sort of vinaigrette. The salad is light refreshing and reminds me of summer. We have had a lot of snow lately (In May) and this salad was a nice reminder that summer is coming sooner or later. This dish really sits well and is great for next day lunch.

It's graduation weekend at St. Thomas and I can't believe it has been an entire year since I graduated from college. Where has the time gone? In no way does it feel like I graduated a whole year ago. And what a year its been... I could not be more grateful of everything I have. Hope you are able to enjoy the long weekend and get outside a little bit. I am just hoping the rain holds off for a few more days.

Nicoise Salad

What you need:
- 1 lb green beans, cooked al dente and cooled
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cans tuna (in water), drained
- 1 12 oz can black olives
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4oz feta cheese (optional)

Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

In a small bowl, mix dressing. Combine all salad ingredients and top with dressing.

Raw Summer Salad.

2013-05-23T21:46:00.000-05:00

Long time no chat.

Phew. Has it been a long time or what? So the question is, what have I been up to lately? Well it has been a pretty crazy couple of weeks. Lots of studying, traveling to chicago for my brothers wedding and to visit Kathleen, two visits from Andrea, and lots of walks around the lakes. It's finally warming up here, not that the current weather shows it well, and its so nice to walk around one of the 10,000 lakes here in Minnesota. Today we went for a long relaxing walk around Lake of the Isles and the uptown area. I have to admit it is by far my favorite lake. The beautiful path is lined by vast lake areas, narrow streams, and mansions. Its a must see.

Food? We have been eating all over the map. We spent the entire beautiful weekend in Chicago eating. An awesome dinner at MK and an even more extravagant brunch at the Waldorf Astoria. I have a few pictures and hopefully I will do a recap of the weekend soon. At home we have been enjoying simple meals and I have been utilizing Damian in the kitchen as much as possible to maximize study time. Once I pass my tests, which feels like forever away, I will start blogging again all the time. I feel like I have so much to share! Hopefully I will find some time in the next few weeks to do a bunch of recaps. For now, here is a super simple and delicious recipe.

Raw Summer Salad

What you need:
- 1 large hothouse cucumber, sliced
- 4 baby red peppers, chopped
- 3 orange/yellow peppers, chopped
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- freshly grated garlic and salt (from TJ's)
- freshly cracked pepper

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Serve chilled.

Strawberry Blueberry Oatmeal Bake.

2013-05-04T09:38:00.001-05:00

Oldie but goodie.

I made this recipe a few weeks back (my birthday week to be exact) but I thought I would post it because its so darn good. The extra special thing about this post is its the first time I have used this awesome new Minnesota shaped cutting board! Andrea gave it to me for my birthday and it is just the perfect size for appetizers, cheese plates, and these cool photos. Most days we have overnight oats for breakfast but lately I have been making different oatmeal bakes for busier weeks. Love oatmeal? Love breakfast? Then you would love this.

A little update on the home front- I am still studying all the time and the test day is getting closer and closer. I really can't wait until its over. This next weekend we are heading to Chicago for my brother's wedding. We fly out on Friday (no work- woot woot!) and are visiting Kathleen for the evening. I am so excited to get away because I honestly can't remember the last time we went somewhere on "vacation". Hopefully I will remember to take lots of photos to share. In the meantime, eat some oatmeal.

Strawberry Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

What you need:
- 2 bananas sliced
- 3 cups oats (old fashioned)
- 1 pint blueberries
- 1/2 pint strawberries, sliced
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 egg
- toppings of choice: shredded coconut, greek yogurt, raisins, granola

Preheat oven to 365 degrees. In a bowl, combine oats, milk, honey, and egg. Spray bottom of a glass baking dish and layer banana slices across the bottom. add a portion of the blueberries and all of the strawberries. Pour oat mixture in pan and top with blueberries and shredded coconut. Bake for 20-25 minutes and let cool.

What I have been up to lately.

2013-04-28T11:21:00.002-05:00

Goodness.

It has been so long since I last blogged... probably the longest I have ever gone. So a little update on my life. As amazing and a whirlwind as the last few weeks have been with the new engagement news, I have really been focusing on my studies. If you do not know already, I am preparing to take my Series 7 exam, which is a general securities representative exam. One of the great things about working for UBS is that they are preparing me to become a registered representative. Basically what this means is I can take orders (of financial securities ie. stocks, bonds, options ect) from clients and trade on public and private markets. In order to officially become registered, I will need to pass two exams, the Series 7 and Series 66. I will be taking the Series 7 in May. It is a 6 hour test with a 1 hour lunch break and will test my knowledge and skills on my entire finance career. The best way for me to describe the test is an accumulation of all of the finance classes I took in college. Once I pass the 7 I will go on to take the 66 which will test me primarily on state and government laws. Without a passing score on both tests (72%), I will not become registered. This means I have been studying my butt off. The weather is finally warming up but I am still inside with my giant Kaplan book and online tests. It's a privilege to be sponsored to take the exam but that does mean that I have put blogging, cooking, and free time on the back burner. Most of the weekly meals have been quick and easy and not very exciting in order to pack a gym session, dinner, a study session, and a shower all in 5 hours or less. Bear with my through this process and I will be back to my regular blog posts in no time.

I thought I would post a few pictures of what I have been up to the last few weeks when I haven't been studying. Hope you had a great weekend and were able to get out and enjoy the weather. Its around 11am and I have already knocked out three chapters of my book + a blog post so I will definitely reward myself with a nice walk around the lake on this beautiful day :)

Damian parents gave us twins tickets to yesterday's game. It was the perfect weather for a baseball game!

I also attended the Women Connect brunch yesterday. It is an annual luncheon to honor and network with UST women with amazing careers. It is set up with tables of 8 women, one being the conversationalist. Last year I attended the event (the above picture is this years invite with a picture of me on it!) and sat with the CFO of Piper Jaffery. This year I sat with an executive of Ameriprise Financial. It is really an amazing event!

While in La Crosse for Easter, Damian and I stopped at Del's bar for the best bloody mary's that I have ever had. One of the best parts? The spotted cow chaser!

I got the chance to celebrate a very cold St. Patty's day with Meagan. With both of our busy schedules, our rare encounters are unforgettable.

Damian's parents helped dog sit for Lu's sister Sophie. I had to go and visit a few times because obviously two goldens are better than one.

This is an oldie but I found it on my phone and thought it was too adorable not to post :) Love you girls!

These are what Damian describes as: The most ugly delicious oats ever. I guess a Mango Kiwi oatmeal bake doesn't look that great but it sure tasted amazing.

We stopped at the St. Paul Cheese shop a few saturdays ago before a full day of studying in the library. Holy amazingness.

Damian and I attended the Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, and Styxx concert a few fridays back with people from my office. It was truly a hilarious and fun night.

I snapped this picture of our back yard on my way to work last week. Yes, last week in the middle of April.

Study dates with Carly can't get much better than tea at Rustica, a after study reward of walking around Lake Calhoun, and yogurt lab to finish a perfect day.

I can't guarantee a post will publish this week but I promise I have a few recipes to write about! Have a great week.

The Engagement.

2013-04-16T21:17:00.000-05:00

What a weekend.

I am not quite sure how this weekend will ever be topped. My birthday weekend started with dinner on Thursday night at 112 eatery (see blog post for more info). Damian and I had the most amazing meal. Friday continued the celebration with a giant group dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory. The reservation was for 23 people and I was so happy to see each one of them. The meal was average but it the restaurant is a great place for an affordable meal and is large enough for a big group. I love being able to gather with all my friends in one place! After dinner we headed to our place for a bit before we danced the night away at Stella's in uptown. I can't express how much gratitude I have for everyone who texted, called, sent cards, gave gifts, and helped celebrate. I truly felt very loved and blessed.

I was up bright and early Saturday morning, showered, dressed, and out the door before 10. I had a wonderful birthday breakfast, thanks to Zach, at Tiffany' Sports Bar. After a nice relaxing day Damian and I headed out to the Timberwolves game. He won tickets from a drawing at work and the seats were amazing! After the end of the third quarter Damian told me we needed to leave. I was so confused but he assured me by saying he had a surprise. We hopped in the car and drove to St. Paul. We arrived at Muffalettas Restaurant on como. This is such a special restaurant because we actually spent our first date there. After a glass of red wine and a cheese platter we got back in the car. Not knowing where we were going, we drove all the way around Como Lake and parked near the Pavillion. We walked out to the dock over looking the water and admired the beautiful evening. Although there is around 6 inches of snow on the ground the night was absolutely beautiful. Being my normal self trying to point out the Big Dipper and other constellations, Damian mentioned he had another surprise for me. When I turned around he was down on one knee. The ring is breathtaking and of course I said yes.

We celebrated with champaign and had so much fun telling family and friends.

This has been the best birthday I have ever had.

Birthday + 112 Eatery.

2013-04-11T21:17:00.003-05:00

I don't need all the things I have but I do like to get what I want.

I have been wanting to go to 112 Eatery for so long, it has probably been over a year since I first glanced the menu. The restaurant reached way past my expectations and was absolutely amazing. When asked where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner, there was no other option then this. Located on the edge of downtown Minneapolis, considered the warehouse district, this quaint restaurant sits among a busy street and overpriced parking lots. When going to a new restaurant I always read the entire menu before arriving. The reason I love restaurants such as this one is because although I thought I knew what I wanted, I let the waiter pick everything that we ate. That was an amazing idea.

The great thing about the menu at 112 Eatery is that you can order multiple small plates to share. I love being able to try many things instead of each order a single entree. The restaurant was pretty dark so my pictures are not great but I was able to snap everything we ate.

They put a candle in our dessert. It was perfect.

When we arrived, the table was set with almonds and green olives to sample. The almonds had a sweet and spicy taste with a crunchy consistency.

We started with the Duck and Radicchio Salad. The picture above is a half portion, they split the dish so we wouldn't have to share a plate. The duck was perfectly cooked and the salad was lightly dressed with a touch of bitterness.

Next we shared the Duck Pate Bun Mi. It was served with a side of spicy pickles. The traditional sandwich paired with pate was out of this world. The pate was nice and crisp on the edges and smooth and creamy inside.

We moved onto cauliflower fritters. I will admit, cauliflower is one of my least favorite vegetables. I don't think there is a way to dislike this dish. The cauliflower is flash fried with pockets of parmesan cheese. It is then topped with additional shredded parmesan cheese. After the suggestion of a lemon squeeze, the citrus paired perfect with the light fritter batter. It seriously melted in my mouth.

I was a big advocate of this next dish, tagliatelle with foie gras meatballs. The meatballs were made with a mixture of foie gras and chicken. They were smooth, tender, and just thinking about them I want more.

The last dish we ordered was fried bread topped with prosciutto. The dough was similar to a croissant-like flaky pastry. The prosciutto was warmed and slightly melted on top. Delicious.

We ended with the Nancy Silverton's Butterscotch Budino for dessert. A budino is similar to a custard or a pudding texture and is pretty sweet. It was topped with a Makers Mark butterscotch topping that was rich and thick. Lastly, it was topped with Hawaiian sea salt. The saltiness paired with the sweet custard was heavenly.

If you still are not full, this homemade carmel corn is brought over with the check. It was rich in cinnamon and nutmeg to help cleanse the palette. It also contained almonds which was a great way to wrap up the meal from beginning to end.

I now have a new favorite restaurant in Minneapolis and I would highly recommend anyone to try it. I am also so grateful to have Damian take me to such a wonderful place :)

Happy Early Birthday to me.

Onion Ginger Pork Burgers.

2013-04-08T20:00:00.006-05:00

Tired.

Ever have one of those weeks where you are exhausted and can't kick it? I already have a feeling that is how this week is going to go. This past weekend was fun (I am thinking about doing a photo post soon) and I got a lot of studying done. I have been swamped at work because tax season is almost over and boy will I be happy when April 15th gets here. In the meantime, I will focus on my birthday this weekend! I am so excited that it actually lands on Friday because as a working professional, it would be pretty uneventful if it were during the week. Ahh Friday can't come soon enough!

This recipe is holy amazingness. I already love ginger pork burgers but adding a ton of onions make them even better. Also, see that corn down there? I took a bag of Trader Joe's fire roasted frozen corn and broiled it for 10 minutes. Yum. It added a nice char to the already delicious corn.

Onion Ginger Pork Burgers

What you need: (Makes 4 burgers)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 buns of choice
- additional toppings: lettuce, tomato, feta cheese, chipotle mayo

Combine all ingredients and form pattys. Broil for 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve on buns with toppings.

Cucumber Olive Salad.

2013-04-01T20:10:00.002-05:00

On a whim.
This recipe is totally random. It really shows how I can come home from work and totally change my meal plan. I planned to make some sort of a cucumber salad and this is what I created. I had a little goat cheese left in the fridge and really wanted to use it.

Where is the time going? It's already April! April happens to be my favorite month... it may or may not be my birthday in two weeks. I'm pretty pumped. A few fun restaurants and a week full of favorite meals are to come. And oats, lots of birthday oats. Eeeeeeek, I better stop talking about it until I get a little too excited.

Cucumber Olive Salad

What you need:
- 2 cucumbers, sliced
- 10-15 kalamata olives, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve cold.

Sausage and Pepper Sandwich.

2013-03-28T17:21:00.003-05:00

The power of sunshine.

The photos in this post came out so great because it was sunny out. This is one of the million reasons that I love spring and fall. I have been pretty sick this past week and actually ended up staying home on monday. I was able to get a bunch of rest to help me get through the remaining work days. I also got a few things done around the house. I swear, I am the most productive sick person ever. Not only was I able to clean the whole house but I did a bunch of meal prep, including preparing this meal early enough to catch the sunlight.

When I was younger, growing up in Nyc, there were always a lot of street fairs. They were so much fun, had great food, and always had fun games to play. This is where I found my love for Sausage and Pepper sandwiches and zepoles (fried dough with powdered sugar). These sandwiches are super simple and even delicious without the bread. They also make GREAT leftovers!

Hope you have a great easter weekend :)

Sausage and pepper Sandwich

What you need:
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage, sliced
- 1 sweet onion, sliced
- 2 green peppers, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- bread slices, toasted

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage, about 5-6 minutes turning occasionally. Add garlic, onions, and peppers. Cook, mixing occasionally, until golden brown and soft, about 3 minutes. Combine with remaining spices and serve over toasted bread.

Semi-Homemade Chicken Quesadillas.

2013-03-24T11:06:00.001-05:00

Cooked and ready to go.

Some may call rotisserie chickens a copout but I just call it smart. You purchase an entire chicken, already cooked to perfection, and ready to eat for around $5. Thats cheaper than you can get an entire uncooked chicken. I like to purchase them every once in a while and divide up the meat between a few meals. Mexican dishes are a great way to utilize pre-made chickens. These quesadillas were simple, quick, and filling.

How are your NCAA brackets doing? Mine is going down the drain fast. I have Duke winning it all but Wisconsin losing did not help me at all.

After months of avoiding the flu, colds, or any form of monthly sickness I have finally caught a bug of some sort. I am having trouble breathing through my nose, signs of a sore throat, and all over fatigue. It sucks but hopefully I can rest up and get healthy by next weekend. I am going back to La Crosse for our traditional Easter celebration and I would hate to still be sick.

Semi- Homemade Chicken Quesadillas

What you need:
- 1/2 rotisserie chicken, taken apart and shredded
- 8 large tortillas
- 8 oz shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- Taco sauce
(Makes 4 quesadillas)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in tortillas and bake for 4 minutes on each side. Serve warm with salsa.

Easy Sausage Chili.

2013-03-20T19:41:00.001-05:00

Yum.

Holy moly its been a while since I've blogged. Sorry I've been gone so much lately, the free time I usually spend blogging has been spent on studying. Most study days also consist of easy meals that are a quick cleanup and not so blog worthy. This recipe on the other hand, definitely blog worthy. My coworker eats chili everyday for lunch (I wish I was exaggerating). He thinks its the only thing he can make and eat for an entire week. I know thats not true but the good thing is that it made me want chili. One of the biggest reasons I don't like to make chili is because it has a million ingredients and takes a long to make. Both of these are not included in my fast and easy meal criteria. This recipe is not the case. It's delicious, easy to make, and has a lot fewer ingredients than most chili recipes. Just thinking about it makes me want more! The spice from the sausage mixed with fresh garlic is such a delicious

Updates on the home front. What I've been up to lately? Weirdly enough I am starting to enjoy running. I still can't run much more then a few miles but I can see the difference I am making every time I go for a run. I am beginning to run faster and each time I can run further. It's really cool to see the progress from week to week.

I promise, promise, promise to post a few times more a week. I am really going to try to sit down this weekend and crank out a few good posts for next week. Until then, hope your staying warm on these chilly spring nights :)

Easy Sausage Chili

What you need:
- 1 lb ground hot italian sausage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cups water
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 16oz can kidney beans- drained
- 1 can Rotel green chili's
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Heat olive oil and garlic in a large pot over medium heat. Place sausage and onions in pot and cook until sausage is evenly brown. Pour water, tomatoes, beans, and green chili's into the pot. Season the rest of the spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn heat off and let cool for 5 or more minutes to thicken.

Prosciutto Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken.

2013-03-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

Wow.

I thought this recipe was good when we had it for dinner but it nothing compared to lunch the next day. It's funny how some recipes can be ruined as leftovers and some flourish and are almost better. This is an example of the later. For some reason when I ate this for lunch at work I was absolutely obsessed. Just thinking about it now my tummy is growling. Maybe that's because I haven't had breakfast yet?

Ok, so funny story. When you make recipes like this one you actually use a mallet and pound the chicken breasts into cutlets. I don't have a mallet so I had to use my resources... a very sturdy potato masher. It did the trick well. Make sure to cover the chicken in plastic wrap so it doesn't make the ugly lines that you see below. If you don't own something sturdy such as a potato masher use the side of can or any heavy object in your kitchen.

Proscuitto Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

What you need:
- 4 chicken breasts, tenders removed
- 4 oz goat cheese, softened
- 4 pieces proscuitto
- Salt and Pepper, for taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pound chicken breasts with mallet or other kitchen tool into cutlets. Place proscuitto slices and goat cheese on top of breast. Roll chicken with the smallest side first. Use toothpicks to hold in place if it doesn't stay. Place in a large skillet over medium heat and brown on each side. Then place in a glass pan or casserole dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Stir Fry Night.

2013-03-10T12:00:00.000-05:00

Good friends and good times.

This post actually comes a little late. Last Saturday night Caitlin and Neil hosted a stir fry night at there house and we all brought something to help. Damian and I brought chicken breasts and they had the whole meal all planned out. They even tested the theory a few days prior to make sure they would have enough food, how prepared is that?! It was absolutely delicious and reminded me of Khan's Mongolian BBQ or Kona Grill (restaurants where you choose your food and they cook it). We started with bowls and filled them with all of the ingredients we desired. Then we went to the stove area and they cooked it with our choice of sauces/flavors. Everything came out amazing and they even made a batch of homemade fortune cookies. It was such a huge success.

Chef's Caitlin and Neil preparing the ingredients.

So many delicious options!

Garlic... yummm!

Neil was a bit caught off guard while doing some dishes.

They also made a fruity champagne punch with fresh oranges.

Are these not amazing? They personalized the fortunes with funny inside jokes.

It was also Courtney's birthday so we had a little cake celebration at the end.

It was a great night with friends :)

Blueberry Banana Smoothie.

2013-03-09T08:38:00.003-06:00

In a bowl or a glass.

I have been meaning to post this recipe for a few weeks but just haven't had the chance. Smoothie's are popular in my house but surprisingly not made that often. I don't actually own a blender, I use my food processor. It does the trick but not as motivating to use. None the less, it is berry delicious! <<< Do you see what I did there? Very puny. I ate this one from a bowl, but any glass would do just as well.

Last night we went to the movie Oz The Great and The Powerful. It was wonderful! Its stars James Franco, Michelle Williams, and Mila Kunis. If you haven't heard of it, it's the prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It's colorful, adorable, and imaginitve. The movie is funny, suspenseful, and everything The Wizard of Oz should be.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

What you need:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup Chobani Blueberry greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup protein powder of choice (we use Muscle Milk)
- 2 Tablespoons milk

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend for 3-5 minutes. Serve with sweetened shredded coconut.

The coconut gave the smoothie a great consistency!

Sausage and Pepper Pasta.

2013-03-04T21:20:00.003-06:00

Everything but.

Happy Monday! Last weekend was so much fun and I have a bunch of pictures to share. But for now I am just stopping by to share this awesome recipe. I didn't have much in mind when starting to make it but it seemed to come together pretty quickly. This is definitely one of those everything but your kitchen sink meals. We don't have a lot going on this week so hopefully I will pump out a few blog posts. Thanks for reading, as usual :)

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

What you need:
- 1 lb pasta, cooked al dente
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 4 sausages, sliced into 1/5 rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 oz colby jack shredded cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large skillet cook sausage slices for 6-8 minutes on medium high heat. When browned, add garlic and onions, cook for 2 minutes. Add peppers and olive oil and cook for an additional minute. Turn heat off and add cooked pasta. Mix in cheese and serve warm.

Frozen Banana Pops (On A Stick).

2013-02-27T20:15:00.000-06:00

Hump day.

Wednesdays are bitter sweet. Halfway done yet halfway to go. This week has been one of those that you are counting the minutes until the weekend. Work has been nuts because of tax season so I have been exhausted when I get home from the gym. I should share the workout I did yesterday, it kicked my butt and was extremely motivating. Posting that may have to be a weekend activity. This recipe is part of my Chobani Yogurt Series. Don't those things look yummy? These banana pops are a great snack and would be even better when it gets warm out. Oh warm weather, where are you? Here in Minnesota we have a solid month of winter left. It starts to warm up in April. Ughh, a long way to go.

I can't leave this post without giving a huge thank you out to Neil! He helped me take these photos and gave me a few pointers. I haven't had a nice camera in a while so I have forgotten a thing or two. Another reason I can't wait for the warm weather... taking more photos.

Frozen Banana Pops (On A Stick)

What you need:
- 2 bananas, peeled and frozen
- 1/2 cup Chobani greek yogurt
- 1 cup granola of choice
- 2 Tablespoons sweetened coconut
- 4 popsicle sticks or bamboo sticks (optional)

Slice frozen bananas in half. Coat in yogurt and top with granola and coconut. Place sticks in and eat.

Mango Overnight Oats + Chobani Review.

2013-02-23T13:29:00.001-06:00

Everyday eats.

People find it crazy that Damian and I eat oats every day. They are so delicious, easy to make, and great on the go. I bring them to work and eat breakfast while doing my morning work routine. I am not a person that can eat the same meal everyday but with the variety of topping choices this breakfast is ever changing. Oats are a healthy way to keep you full and prevent snacking before lunch. These oats can be made in a small tupperware or container. I use the mason jars because they are easy to manage on the go.

The folks at Chobani were so nice to send me an entire case of yogurts! This is the first of a few recipes that I will show the versatility of greek yogurt. I love Chobani, its my favorite greek yogurt brand by a landslide. Its so refreshing when companies have great values and great products. Straight from their website here are a few reasons by Chobani Yogurt is such a great product:

-Only natural ingredients. No preservatives. No artificial flavors.

-Includes 5 live & active cultures, including 3 probiotics.

-Made with real fruit.

-Two times more protein per serving than regular yogurt.

-Free of gelatin and other animal-based thickeners.

Stayed tuned for a few more Chobani inspired recipes in the next few days.

Mango Overnight Oats (in a jar)

What you need:
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 smashed banana
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup Chobani yogurt (flavor of choice)
- toppings of choice: granola, raisins, chia seeds, mango or other fruit, shredded coconut, nut butters, and other toppings of choice

Combine oats, banana, milk, and yogurt in a jar or container. Set in fridge overnight and add toppings of choice.

***I was not compensated for this post and all of the opinions were my own***

Tex Mex Steak Salad.

2013-02-20T19:35:00.000-06:00

Unexpected happenings.

This recipe was not intended to hit the blog but it was just too good to leave out. I cook everyday and a lot of recipes I make are not special enough to write a post about. I don't usually make a lot of salads as entrees but I was really feeling like a good hearty salad. It was definitely one of those times I searched through my pantry and kept throwing things in the mix. I used a simple vinaigrette (olive oil and balsamic) but if you prefer something different I'm sure it will be good.

Tex Mex Steak Salad

What you need:
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 red onion, diced
- 1 can corn, drained
- grilled steak or chicken, sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk until blended. Serve over remaining ingredients.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats With Spinach Chickpea Salad.

2013-02-17T16:18:00.002-06:00

What a weekend!

What a fun weekend and the best part? No work tomorrow! Three day weekends are truly the best. Last night we headed to Apple Valley for a night of fun. Laura's parents house is pretty close to Wild Bill's and decided it would be fun to spend the night there. It's always fun to have a giant sleepover. Neil is always prepared with many air mattress's and blankets covering the basement floor. Her parents were so generous and actually drove us to and from the bar, and made us breakfast in the morning. It was a really fun night! I included a bunch of photos at the bottom of this post that I have been holding on my phone. Valentines day ones to come tomorrow :)

Ok, this recipe is really yummy. It would be a great idea if you needed a meatless option and would also be great with an addition of ground pork or turkey.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Spinach Chickpea Salad

What you need:

- 4 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
- Salt to taste
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomato and olive bruschetta topping (I used Bella Sun Lucci)
- 1 (4 ounce) package fresh goat cheese, crumbled or crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 tomato, chopped
- Parsley, for topping
- A few sprinkles of lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F. Gently scoop out zucchini to form "boats." Sprinkle with salt for taste. Arrange in a baking dish in a single layer. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, and bruschetta topping and divide evenly into boats. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until just tender. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chili powder and stir to blend. Add beans and cook until just golden. Turn off heat and toss in arugula, tomato, and lemon juice. Serve chickpeas alongside stuffed vegetables. Garnish all with parsley.

Cocoa Cashew Butter.

2013-02-16T17:39:00.000-06:00

Long time no read.

Holy Moly, it has been a long time since I blogged last! I took this past week off from blogging to get some things done at home. I love blogging but I never want to feel like its a job so as my work life intensifies, unfortunately the blog hits the back burner. This means I probably won't be blogging every day anymore. I will continue to try and post new recipes a few times a week. Thank you if you do come back and read these posts because it really does mean a lot to me. I have a couple good ones coming up!

Did you have a good valentines day? We celebrated by going to Joe's Crab Shack. It was actually a ton of fun and the crab/lobster dish hit the spot.

This recipe is super cool. I was actually in the shower when I decided it would be a good idea to whip up a batch. I had a lot of unsalted cashews leftover from my brussels and cashew recipe so I thought some nut butter would be a good additional to our normal morning oats.

Cocoa Cashew Butter

What you need:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted cashews
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (if needed)

In a food processor combine cashews and cocoa powder. Blend for 4 minutes. Check and add oil if butter is not starting to become drippy. Blend for another 2-4 minutes.

Ginger Pork Burgers.

2013-02-07T19:23:00.002-06:00

One of my favorites.

I have made a different version of this recipe a while back but this is the real deal. This is a recipe that I have adapted from Damian's parents and its one of my all time favorites. Its very easy to make, always delicious, and makes for good leftovers. If your not a bread eater, these burgers would be really great wrapped in lettuce and tomatoes. I had a few oohs and ahhs when I reheated it at work. I also made sweet potato fries on the side, which I can't get enough of lately. I kept the skin on when cooking them to add some extra proteins.

Tomorrow if FINALLY friday! For some reason everyday this week I have thought it was friday and now it will actually be true.

Ginger Pork Burgers

What you need:
- 1lb ground pork
- 1/2 onion, diced into cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons ginger, minced

- 4 burger buns
- chipotle aoli (optional)

Combine all burger ingredients and form four patties. Broil on high for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve on buns with lettuce and chipotle aoli (red chili sauce + light mayo).

Spicy Garlic Green beans.

2013-02-05T20:11:00.001-06:00

All about it.

I have been so into everything spicy lately. As my spice tolerance increases I crave more and more spice. These green beans do the trick. They are crunchy, spicy, garlic-y, and a great side dish to any meats. They also preserved really well for my lunch the next day. Don't enjoy spice? Just eliminate the red pepper flakes and add oregano.

For some reason this week is really dragging on. I think it might be that I am so excited to celebrate Caitlin's birthday this weekend. We are heading to Cosetta's for dinner, and I haven't seen the place since it did a major reservation. The Italian food there is amazing, I will make sure I do a post for it.

Spicy Garlic Green Beans

What you need:
- 1 lb green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons garlic
- salt and pepper for taste

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes until garlic begins to brown. Add green beans, stir and cook for 10 minutes, until cooked al dente. Serve warm.

Superbowl Sunday.

2013-02-04T20:04:00.001-06:00

Food, Friends, Football.

Were you happy with the Superbowl outcome? I wasn't rooting for one team in particular, but I did make sure to wear my Packer jersey. My favorite part of the Superbowl is the food. We had a great spread this year because everyone brought something to share. I tried my hand at making cream cheese wontons and I will mark it as a success. I know what I would do differently next time but they were still pretty good. Check out our sunday fun through photos.

Nice and crispy wontons- half jalapeno half regular. They were soooo good!

So many wontons!

Isn't Neil a cutie? He was such a large help.

Caitlin made yummy turkey meatballs and spinach artichoke dip.

Sarah brought pickle dip with triscuits.

Apple walnut salad made by Jordan.

Veggie platter and homemade ranch dressing from Laura.

Before it was completely gone, Dan's famous "dan dip".

Neil whipped up wienies and bbq sauce.

My plate of goodies- I made dry rub drummies as well.

Zach was rooting for the 49ers...

All in all, another great superbowl! Can't wait until next year.

11 Crock Pot Recipes + Giveaway Winners.

2013-02-03T12:11:00.002-06:00

Get your crock pots ready!

I was having a conversation with a friend, shout out to Jason Yick, and he was telling that me that he just got a crock pot. I love my crock pot and use it weekly. We got to talking and he gave me the idea to do a round up post of my crock pot recipes. I thought this was a great idea because there is nothing better then a warm meal in the crock pot when its cold and snowy outside. These recipes wouldn't be too bad for the Superbowl either. Here are my 11 favorite crock pot posts (links below pictures).

Check out the Winners for the Barilla Pasta Giveaway below!

Photo Credit

Chicken Tacos

Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese

Chicken Fajitas

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Four Ingredient Pot Roast

Salsa Verde Tacos

Carnitas Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salsa

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Coconut Chicken and Vegetables

Venison Roast

Paleo Korean Ribs

****Barilla Pasta Giveaway WINNERS****

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the Barilla Pasta giveaway! The winners are:

Steph Hagan and Andrea Kerrigan!

Send me your mailing addresses via email so you can receive your new pasta: sing2940@stthomas.edu

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:2Powered by RANDOM.ORG

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:5Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Resolution Pasta + Giveaway (CLOSED).

2013-01-30T21:37:00.000-06:00

New Year.

It's a new year and that means we have new rules. Although this post comes a little late, I hope you all are keeping up with your resolutions almost a month into the year. I am not much of a resolution person but I do believe that a new year entails some new practices. I am really good at budgeting and making home made meals through the week but once the weekend hits, it falls apart and we tend to eat out a lot. This is something I am going to change this year, we are consciously going to make an effort to budget on the weekends as well.

Barilla generously sent me a TON of pasta to try and review for you guys. I wrote a post for them a while back and tried there vegetable pasta for the first time. I am so glad they asked me to try some more and these new varieties are really good. The flavors are so much better than regular pasta and it makes following those new resolutions a bit easier with the added ingredients.

Included in the package they sent me is this awesome veggie penne (fresh pureed carrots and tomatoes), veggie rotini (pureed spinach and zucchini), veggie farfalle (freshly pureed carrots and squash), some of their barilla plus line, and some of the whole grain line. Want to try them out? Well Barilla is offering TWO of my readers a similar package and all you have to do is comment on this post saying what you would like to try.

Resolution Pasta

What you need:
- 1 box Barilla Veggie Penne, cooked al dente
- 4 turkey sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 small yellow squash, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 Tablespoon oregano
- salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage slices until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add zucchini and squash to skillet and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add the cooked pasta. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir with a fork until sauce thickens. Combine sauce with pasta mixture and serve warm.

This recipe was a HUGE hit. Damian said it was one of his favorite pasta dishes yet. He usually only likes plain regular pasta, not even whole grain, but he loved the veggie variety. I think the color also makes it look beautiful.

************************************************Giveaway************************************************

Love pasta? Want to try the new Barilla varieties for free? Barilla has offered to send two of my lucky readers a similar package to what I received!

All you need to do is comment on this post telling me what you would like to try!

Ready, set, go!

***Shipping is limited to the 48 contingent states and I will choose two random winners by Saturday February 2nd***