minxeats - recipes, recaps, and restaurant reviews

Bite Me Baltimore: Ekiben

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Hi there, Baltimore—and beyond! I’m Ivy Buchowski, and yes, I’ve officially taken over Minxeats for a little while. Kathy Patterson, aka Kat LaGue,, the brilliant mind behind the Good Scents cozy mysteries, was kind enough to let me hijack her blog so I can talk about one of my favorite things in the world: food. You might know me from the pages of her book Killer Sillage, poking around her fictional perfume shop, solving mysteries, and occasionally stirring up trouble. Here, though, it’s all about snacks, crumbs, and honest opinions (the sassier, the better). Whether it’s a pastry, a seafood delight, or a fried chicken that makes you weep with joy, I’ll be tasting, testing, and sometimes trash-talking with full disclosure. Welcome to my takeover. Grab a fork, sit tight, and let’s see what Baltimore has to offer.

-------------------------------

Hand me my megaphone, because I have something to say. One word: Ekiben. If you’ve been sleeping on this little slice of Fells Point/Hampden/South Baltimore foodie heaven, consider this your official wake-up call.

First off, the buns. Steamed to perfection, soft but not floppy, holding all the flavor without collapsing into a sad, soggy mess. And the fillings? Don’t even get me started. Spicy ancho chile pork that melts against your taste buds, fried chicken that’s crisped to golden glory, tofu for the herbivores among us…basically, they make everyone happy. Don't want a bun? Get it in a bowl with rice, instead. Less messy, just as delicious.

What I love most? The balance. Crunch, tenderness, spice, tang. Every bite has a story, and my mouth is the eager audience. Pro tip: get the tempura broccoli, with Chinese sausage. You won't regret it.

Pro tip: come hungry, bring a friend (or don’t, more for you), and pace yourself. One bun is good. Two? Ambitious. Three? Call me, and I'll help you eat.

So yeah. Ekiben. Go. Now. And don’t blame me when you can’t stop thinking about that tofu brah bun three hours later.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Gimme a Little Quiche

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000

It's Valentine's Day! I know, you don't care.

Today's great for shops selling greeting cards, chocolate, and sad, overpriced roses, but shouldn't we be showing our loved ones how special they are every day? So don't feel obligated to make this quiche right now. Make it tomorrow, or sometime in the Spring. Honestly, any time is a good time for a quiche. (No need to make it fancy, either, though the mushrooms are damn cute, aren't they?)

I like aged Gouda for its rich and nutty flavor, and its pleasantly crystalline texture. A staple on my cheese board, I've even grated the stuff over pasta. But mostly I just snack on it.

Also: I'm lactose-intolerant, and aged Gouda is virtually lactose-free. And everyone knows lactose-free cheese makes a much better gift than supermarket flowers.

Gouda Quiche

For the quiche

1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)

6 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp salt

Black pepper to taste

1 wedge of A Dutch Masterpiece Gouda cheese, shredded (rind removed)

2 (10oz) boxes frozen spinach, thawed, and excess moisture squeezed out

Optional decorations

Pie crust scrap mushrooms (crust scraps, food coloring, sesame seeds)

Prosciutto

Pansies or other edible flowers

To make the quiche

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Trim off any excess and save the scraps for decorating. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and salt. Add black pepper to taste. Stir in the shredded Gouda and spinach.

Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie crust. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the quiche is just set and the crust is golden brown.

Optional decorations:

While the quiche bakes, use your pie crust scraps to make mushroom stems and caps. Shape them like you would clay or Play-Doh.

To color the caps, lightly paint the dough with food coloring, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 8–10 minutes. (I used toothpicks to hold mine together, which worked surprisingly well.)

You can also add edible flowers and prosciutto rolled into little roses for extra flair.

Optional option: Just shove the prosciutto directly in your mouth. Highly recommended.

Once the quiche has cooled slightly, decorate, slice, and enjoy.

A Dutch Masterpiece showcases the art of traditional Dutch cheesemaking through its collection of aged, specialty cheeses crafted in the Netherlands. Made with high-quality milk and patiently matured for complex flavor and distinctive character, each wheel reflects generations of expertise. From the caramel notes of Rembrandt Gouda to other bold, expressive varieties, A Dutch Masterpiece cheeses deliver gourmet depth, beautiful melt, and standout taste for entertaining, cooking, and everyday indulgence. www.adutchmasterpiece.com

Ivy Talks Maryland Fried Chicken: Crispy, Juicy, Legendary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Okay, listen up, chicken fans. Maryland fried chicken is not your average, slap-it-in-the-fryer bird. This is crispy, golden perfection with juicy meat that practically sings when you bite into it. And the gravy? Creamy, dreamy, soul-hugging goodness. Look, some cooks swear by shallow frying, others by frying-then-steaming, and honestly? I’m here for the science. Fry first for that crunch, then steam to get the meat cooked all the way through without drying it out. That’s the secret handshake of Maryland fried chicken.

Seasoning? Simple is best. Salt, pepper, maybe a sprinkle of Old Bay if you’re feeling fancy. That’s it. Don’t go adding a million herbs and calling it Maryland. It’s humble, it’s straightforward, and it’s perfect.

Now, history nerds, brace yourselves: this bird is famous. Like, world-famous. The French culinary legend Auguste Escoffier put it in his 1903 Le Guide Culinaire—breaded, pan-fried, served with bacon, corn cakes, and fried bananas. Yes, bananas. Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. And get this: it even made it onto the Titanic’s first-class luncheon menu on April 14, 1912. Talk about dining in style…before the iceberg, anyway.

So here’s the Ivy seal of approval: shallow fry, steam a bit, serve with a cream gravy that coats your spoon like a hug, maybe toss some biscuits on the side, and you’re golden. Crispy, juicy, legendary—Maryland fried chicken is basically a cultural icon, and if you don’t believe me, your taste buds will set you straight.

Maryland Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Fat for frying (lard, vegetable oil, or both)

Unsalted butter

1 cup milk

Method (aka how to make magic happen):

Toss the chicken in seasoned flour in a zip-top bag. Shake it like you mean it. Save 2 tablespoons of flour for later.

Heat ¼ inch of fat in a heavy skillet (cast iron if you have it). Fry chicken skin-side down for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for 3 more. Cover and steam for 8–10 minutes. Internal temp should hit at least 165°F. Brown more if needed. Crispy skin is king.

Remove chicken, leaving 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan. Add butter if there doesn't seem to be enough fat. Whisk in reserved flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Something Brewing at Minxeats

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Hey friends,

I’ve got a little secret to share. Starting soon, my very own food blog, Minxeats, is going to get a tiny bit… possessed. By a fictional character. Yes, you read that right.

Meet Ivy Buchowski, my sharp-tongued, pastry-obsessed cousin from my Good Scents cozy mystery series. Ivy’s about to take over Minxeats for a while, sharing her culinary adventures, Baltimore-style eats, and maybe a few scandalous opinions on the best sticky buns in town. Think of it as a blog takeover. She’ll be writing, I’ll be watching (mostly), and you’ll get to peek behind the scenes of my cozy mystery world… one delicious bite at a time.

Why am I doing this? Well, Ivy’s voice is too much fun to keep locked in the pages of my books, and what better way to celebrate her than with her own corner of the internet? Plus, it’ll give fans of Killer Sillage a taste of her quirky perspective before the next book drops.

So buckle up, folks. Minxeats is about to get a little sassier, a lot more foodie, and totally Ivy-approved. Watch this space. You’ll want to be here when the first post goes live.

—Kathy

Best of 2025

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Seems like 2025 was pretty pathetic as far as terrific food is concerned. We ate some tasty things, but few truly outstanding dishes--I guess because we've become old and boring and tend to eat at the same handful of restaurants all the time. It's possible we ate something fabulous that I didn't photograph, but if I don't remember, it couldn't have been all that great, huh?

le breakfast sandwich at Dominique Ansel Workshop in NYC

I normally just get a sweet pastry for breakfast when I make my usual trip to Dominique Ansel Workshop, but this January I tried Le Breakfast Sandwich: a fluffy French omelet filled with Boursin cheese tucked into a crisp croissant. Why can't we have these in Baltimore?

wings at Turntable Chicken Jazz in NYC

I had wings at Turntable Chicken Jazz on 33rd Street in NY twice in 2025, once in January, once in June, both times with my friend Daisy. Also, both times after dinner. We got half soy-garlic, half hot & spicy, but I think we both prefer the soy-garlic version. Both flavors are super crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of flavor.

homemade shrimp and grits

For Mardi Gras last year, I made shrimp and grits with mushrooms and tomatoes. Mr Minx thought it was restaurant quality. I had to agree.

fries, pozole, and torta at Birria Love

Birria Love--where just about everything has a pile of birria on it or in it--became one of our go-to restaurants in 2025. We like ordering a lot, eating some of it, and enjoying the leftovers for a few days.

croque madame at Petit Louis

My friend Maxine and I try to have lunch together every other month or so. We normally save a trip to Petit Louis for December, because it always feels extra-festive to sit near the fireplace in their crowded dining room. We didn't make it there in December of 2024 for one reason or another, so we squeezed in a trip in early 2025. I had a croque madame for possibly the first time in my life (that I recall) and really enjoyed it. (The fries came with; they don't skimp on the portions there.)

homemade shrimp and white beans with artichoke and lemon

I must have cooked shrimp a lot in 2025. I just realized that all three images of home cooking that I included in this roundup involve shrimp. One of my personal favorite dishes was this shrimp and white bean dish to which I added a bunch of leftover stuff from the fridge, including artichoke hearts, onion jam, lemon, and fresh basil. It was a delightful combination, if I do say so myself.

wings at Mother's North

The wings at Mother's North are always perfectly cooked, with very tender meat and nicely crisped skin. I don't always order the best sauce combo (I seem to remember this one as being a little too sweet), but I can't fault the wings themselves.

pork belly skewers at The Duchess

We found ourselves visiting to the newest of Tony Foreman's restaurants, The Duchess, several times in 2025. Most things we tried were excellent, but my favorite thing is the pork belly skewers. Fatty, juicy, luscious, lightly sauced. So good.

mul-naengmyeon at Noona Noodles, NYC

Mul-naengmyeon, a not particularly photogenic dish featuring chewy noodles in an icy-cold, slightly sweet broth, was the perfect thing to eat on a stinky-hot New York summer day. It's weird. It's delicious. I want to try to make it at home next summer.

homemade wedge salad with sautéed shrimp

See? More shrimp. I made a couple of wedge salads last summer, with lots of bacon and a homemade bleu cheese dressing. This one involved warm, garlicky shrimp and some chopped tomato. Nothing beats a good wedge.

foie gras at The Milton Inn

Mr Minx and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in 2025. We originally had planned to go to Charleston, but since The Milton Inn had adopted the same tasting menu-style pricing, and we knew we liked their food, we jumped from Cindy's to her ex-husband's restaurant instead. (Plus, I still can't forgive the disaster of a "wilted spinach salad" and over-reduced sauces that were literally like glue the first time we ate ate at Charleston.) Plus, they had sautéed foie on the menu, which I haven't eaten in too long. And it was perfection.

pistachio bun at Sacré Sucré

Not only did we celebrate 25 years of marriage, but also I turned 60 in 2025. And because: 1) I didn't want a homemade cake; and 2) most bakeries in Baltimore are closed on Monday, I had this pistachio bun instead. Thanks to Sacré Sucré for bucking the trend and opening at least part of the day. I dare say this bun was better than almost any cake I could have gotten anywhere, anyway.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Build a Little Chanukah Magic with the Manischewitz Chanukah House Cookie Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000

If your holiday season isn’t complete without a little edible architecture, Manischewitz has you covered! Their Chanukah House Cookie Kit puts a fun, blue-and-white spin on the classic gingerbread house, giving you everything you need to create a sweet, celebratory centerpiece for the Festival of Lights.

Inside the box, you’ll find pre-baked vanilla cookie panels (structurally sound and very snack-tempting), icing for all your construction and decorating needs, a mix of colorful candy embellishments, and a sturdy base to keep your masterpiece upright. In other words: zero stress, maximum creativity.

It’s a perfect project for families, friends, or even a classroom full of budding pastry engineers. And honestly, grown-ups who just want an excuse to play with frosting will have a blast, too.

You can snag the kit at most major supermarkets, or pick one up online at Amazon.com. Whether you’re celebrating with kids, crafting a showpiece for your holiday table, or simply indulging in some sweet seasonal fun, the Chanukah House Cookie Kit is a charming way to make new memories, one icing squiggle at a time.

Go Craize!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Looking for a snack that’s light, flavorful, and actually interesting? Craize crackers take the Latin American arepa and turn it into a crisp, modern bite that’s vegan, gluten-free, and completely addictive.

Every so often, a new snack sneaks into my pantry and promptly refuses to leave. That’s what happened with Craize, a line of crisp corn crackers that somehow bridge the gap between wholesome and wildly addictive. Made from corn and olive oil, these wafer-thin rounds are inspired by the Latin American arepa. The result is a cracker with real personality: snappy, flavorful, and just a little bit different from anything else out there.

Gonna come clean here: I actually tried Craize a few years ago, back when the crackers were larger and came stacked in plastic containers. I wasn’t impressed. The texture went soft far too soon, and the flavor didn’t have much punch (though coconut was tasty). But this new version is a major glow-up: the crackers are smaller, lighter, and packaged in resealable bags that keep them crisp far longer. It’s the difference between “meh” and “where have you been all my life?”

Craize bills itself as vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher, which covers a lot of bases for today’s snackers. Even better, there are no seed oils or mystery ingredients involved, just a short, pronounceable list that keeps things simple. And yet, “simple” doesn’t mean boring. These crackers come in flavors like Sweet Corn, Guava, Coconut, Everything, and Jalapeño Lime, each one distinct and surprisingly well-balanced. Sweet Corn tastes like summer, buttery and toasty. Guava walks that fine line between sweet and savory and makes a terrific partner for soft cheeses. Coconut is practically dessert on its own: slightly sweet, lightly nutty, with an almost cookie-like crunch. Everything is self-explanatory and universally snackable, and Jalapeño Lime has a real kick that pairs perfectly with hummus or black bean dip. Or snack them as-is. (I find this flavor to be the most addictive and ate almost the whole bag in one sitting.)

So addictive. And SPICY. Jalapeno pepper puree is the 2nd ingredient.

They’re sturdy enough to dip but delicate enough to nibble on straight from the bag, which makes them one of those rare snacks that feel just as appropriate on a charcuterie board as they do next to your laptop at three in the afternoon. I’ve topped Guava Craize with a smear of brie and a drizzle of honey, Everything Craize with mashed avocado and chili flakes, and Coconut Craize with Greek yogurt and mango for a quick almost-dessert. They also make a nice accompaniment to a handful of chocolate chips. There’s really no wrong move here.

Taken from the Craize website. I am so going to feature these crackers on my Thanksgiving table.
(Yes, we feast on cheese and charcuterie on Thanksgiving, not turkey.)

Craize feels like a snack that belongs in 2025. It's thoughtful, inclusive, and genuinely good. It’s got roots in tradition but fits neatly into modern eating habits, and it’s easy to see why people are a little obsessed. You can find them online at gocraize.com or in select stores, and I’d suggest starting with the Variety Pack. Because once you taste one, you’ll want to taste them all.

Make a Note to Grab Dorot™ This Holiday Season!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

There’s something magical about fresh herbs and aromatic garlic in the kitchen, but peeling, chopping, and measuring can often turn that magic into a chore. Enter Dorot Gardens™, the brand that makes it effortless to bring farm-fresh flavor to your meals, no matter how busy life gets.

Dorot Gardens™ specializes in flash-frozen, pre-portioned cubes of garlic, ginger, herbs, and sautéed onions. Each cube is frozen within 90 minutes of harvest, locking in flavor, aroma, and essential nutrients. This means that every dish you make, from weeknight stir-fries to elaborate holiday dinners, carries the taste and freshness of just-picked ingredients. There’s no more stinky fingers from peeling garlic, and even better--no more wasted herbs! I can't tell you how many bunches of cilantro and parsley become a wilted mess in my crisper because I can't use them fast enough.

The product line is extensive. You’ll find crushed garlic, ginger, sautéed and glazed onions, chopped basil, cilantro, and more. Each item is designed for convenience without compromising quality, making it easy to elevate any dish instantly. Whether you’re cooking solo, for family, or entertaining guests, these cubes save prep time while letting you focus on what really matters: enjoying your food and the people around it.

Dorot Gardens™ isn’t just about convenience, it’s about enhancing your cooking experience. Their innovative flash-freezing technology preserves flavor in a way that traditional freezing can’t, so even months later, you can enjoy the brightness of freshly harvested herbs and the depth of perfectly roasted onions. For busy home cooks, this combination of freshness, flavor, and time-saving practicality is a game-changer.

I swear by the garlic and ginger cubes because peeling and crushing garlic has always been a personal annoyance (my fingernails are magnets for allium odors), and ginger root, while freezable, always seems to get lost in the jumble of my freezer. I just pop as many cubes as I want into my cooking food (or into a bowl to thaw, to use in things like marinades), and put the rest in the freezer. The slim, brightly colored containers take up little space and are easy to spot, so I always know where they are when I need them.

For anyone who loves fresh flavor without the fuss, Dorot Gardens™ makes it simple to cook delicious meals that feel effortless, whether it’s a quick weeknight dinner or a festive holiday feast.

I Wrote a Book and Lived to Tell the Tale

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

the cover of my first work of fiction

Some people impulse-buy shoes; I impulse-wrote a murder mystery.

In early June, I got a bee in my bonnet and decided out of nowhere to write a cozy mystery. And it just poured out of me. Like it had been bottled up forever, even though I’d never really given fiction much thought before. That’s my husband’s department. Fiction is his thing.

I guess I wanted a change. A challenge. And, well, I found one. Turns out, it was fun. The kind of fun that makes you want to do it again and again. And so, without further ado, I present my first work of fiction: Killer Sillage. And as some of you may have inferred from the title, perfume is involved. In fact, the lead character, Clare, owns a perfume shop in her (and my) hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. What I didn’t realize—rookie mistake—is that after you finish writing a book, there’s a lot of other stuff to do. I’ve written three other books with my husband, Neal (aka Mr. Minx), all non-fiction and food-related. They were professionally published, so even though Globe Pequot was hardly a marketing powerhouse, at least they handled things like getting the books into stores.

Self-publishing? Whole different animal. Suddenly, I’m not just the writer, I’m the editor, formatter, cover designer, production manager, and distribution department. Right now, Killer Sillage exists as a Kindle e-book, but a paperback will be released in mid-November.

Oh, and apparently I also needed a mailing list and a website. So, in true “let’s-build-the-plane-while-flying-it” fashion, I’ve started both: a Substack for my pen name, Kat LaGue, and a brand-new website.

If you’d like to follow along as I launch Killer Sillage into the world (and get sneak peeks at my next cozy mystery, Savage Gourmand), you can:

Subscribe to my Substack: LaGue’s Clues, part behind-the-scenes, part fragrance chat. All New Subscribers will receive a FREE bonus origin story.

Visit my new website: katlague.com, where all the book news will live.

And, of course, buy and read Killer Sillage!

Come for the murder, stay for the perfume.

P.S. If you know anyone who loves cozy mysteries, perfume, or just a good story with a twist, please send them my way! Sharing this post is the best way to help a new author like me find her readers. Thanks a million!

When Rich Meets Rich: A Case for Lighter Desserts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

created by Ideogram.ai, with Adobe Photoshop help

There’s a little-known, though entirely predictable, phenomenon in restaurants that I like to call the dessert escalation. You know the drill: you’ve just survived a main course that could probably sustain a small nation—cheeses aged like fine antiques, pastas swimming in butter, sauces richer than a trust fund—and then the dessert menu lands on your table like a dare.

Chocolate lava cake? Check. Triple-layer buttercream cake? Naturally. Cheesecake so dense it might qualify as a building material? Absolutely. (Also, is this menu trying to kill me? Asking for a friend.)

I love dessert. Don’t get me wrong. I worship at the altar of a perfectly caramelized crème brûlée and can have emotional conversations with a good gelato. But sometimes--hear me out chefs--sometimes less really is more.

After you’ve navigated a rich main course, your body might be quietly screaming, “Enough!” That’s where lighter desserts come in. A delicate poached pear, spiced ever so lightly, or a scoop of tart lemon sorbet can feel like a breath of fresh air for your palate. Even a tiny fruit tart or a selection of macarons. (And, bonus, your digestive system might actually forgive you.)

These aren’t just “diet” desserts or sad compromises. They’re the unsung heroes of the meal. They refresh the palate, highlight the flavors of what came before, and make your diners feel, dare I say it, graceful as they leave the table, instead of waddling toward their cars, regretting their life choices.

So here’s a friendly plea: next time you design a dessert menu, think about the arc of the meal. Dessert doesn’t need to be the final battle; it can be the gentle, elegant bow that leaves everyone smiling, planning their next visit, and secretly hoping for a small scoop of something light.

Indulgence is divine, yes. But surviving a butter-laden meal, dear chefs, deserves its own medal.

Celebrating 20 Years of Minxeats

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Celebrate!

It’s hard to believe we’ve kept this blog afloat for twenty years! That’s a whole lot of recipes, restaurant reviews, reality TV musings, and general restaurant chatter along the way.

the original banner for Minxeats. Yes, it was this tiny.
Screen resolutions and monitor sizes weren't as monstrously large back then.

A lot has happened in those two decades, but I'm going to mention just a few things.

We wrote three books: Food Lovers' Guide to Baltimore; Baltimore Chef's Table; and Maryland's Chesapeake. We would’ve loved to write more, but after a less-than-ideal experience with our publisher, we’re definitely leaning toward self-publishing in the future.

We’ve recapped plenty of food-related reality shows over the years, including Next Food Network Star and several seasons of Bravo’s Top Chef. In fact, we were even invited to appear on an episode of Top Chef. Unfortunately, with only 24 hours’ notice, work commitments kept us from making it happen. Definitely a missed opportunity!

Then came COVID-19, which ravaged the restaurant industry. While some feared permanent damage—and indeed, some restaurants never reopened—I’m grateful that personal favorites like True Chesapeake and La Cuchara have hung in there and are still thriving. I personally avoided the virus until late 2023, but it left me with tinnitus and a subtle but persistent brain fog that I’ve only just begun to shake.

I tried to redesign the banners frequently.

The food world lost many culinary legends over these years: chefs Anthony Bourdain, Anne Burrell, Floyd Cardoz, Kerry Simon, Homaru Cantu, Naomi Pomeroy, Gary Rhodes, James Kent, Gray Kunz, David Bouley, Paul Bocuse, Joel Robuchon, Michael Chiarello, Mark Peel, and writers Josh Ozersky and Jonathan Gold, among others. It’s been a tough stretch.

On a brighter note, the explosion of allergy-friendly commercial food products has been remarkable, especially for celiacs and those of us with lactose intolerance. Never before have grocery stores carried such an array of alternative dairy and gluten-free options, and artisan non-dairy cheeses from shops like Rebel Cheese are truly game-changers.

Sometimes they were changed monthly.

Most recently, I took a creative leap and wrote my first novel, Killer Sillage, a cozy mystery set in Baltimore’s Fells Point. While the protagonist owns a perfume shop, the story is packed with food shout-outs—from Barcocina and Ekiben to Pitango Bakery + Café, Sacré Sucré, Rec Pier Chop House, and The Point. Killer Sillage is available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle and will publish on September 13th.

How much longer will Minxeats keep going? Who knows! We might keep sharing for a few more years, or maybe this is the perfect moment to pause. Either way, we’ll always be proud to be one of Baltimore’s OG food blogs.

One of my favorites. Unfortunately, I didn't seem to keep my all-time favorite.

Thanks so much for sticking with us all these years. And if you’re new here, dive into the archives. There’s plenty to explore.

Restaurant Review - R & R Taqueria

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

We've been going to the R & R Taqueria on Honeygo Blvd for years now, but I've never written about the place. Mostly because I became Instagram-lazy and fell into the trap that I tried to avoid for a long time. Because, yeah, it is easier just to write a few word caption than to think analytically about something. "This is pretty. Like and follow me for more."

I'm sorry. But I can't guarantee I'll be better about it.

look at this pretty picture of tacos!

Anyhoo, we love the tacos at R & R --and most other stuff, too. But the tacos especially, for one main reason: the meat is always tender. I've had tacos in lots of other places, both "authentic" and "inauthentic," and across the board, most chicken and beef tacos could be filled with shredded leather and I wouldn't know the difference. Not only is the meat usually tough, but it also has no flavor. (I'm not sure why restaurants still insist on using chicken breast meat for everything when they know damn well they're going to overcook it. Dumbasses.)

At R & R, however, the meat is tender and well-seasoned. I enjoy the carnitas the most, made with fatty little hunks of pork. The buche, or pork belly, is also outstanding, as is the lengua, or tongue. Talk about tender meat! I also appreciate that the tacos are simple street tacos, topped with white onion and cilantro, served with wedges of lime and small pots of moderately spicy green and red sauces.

big-ass torta

I also enjoy their tortas, served on bolillo bread and stuffed with beans, cheese, pickled jalapenos, mayo, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and a protein. The one pictured has Milanesa de res, or breadcrumb-coated and fried steak (like chicken or veal Milanese), but can also be had with carne asada, blackened chicken, pork al pastor, carnitas, or chorizo and egg.

more pretty tacos!

Another one of my favorite things to eat at R & R is a tamale. So many of the ones I've tried in other places were dry and bland. Recently, at a restaurant that specializes in birria dishes, I had tamale that was a crumbly abomination. R & R's tamales are quite the opposite--fluffy clouds of steamed masa and lard dough with either a pork or chicken filling and topped with salsa verde, salsa roja, or mole. (Pork and mole for me, please!) And they are $3.50 each. For a modest eater, one makes a very fine and super cheap lunch.

not as pretty, but super delicious - tamales

We've tried several other items at R & R, including huaraches, sopes, alambre, parrillada, and the steak and queso-smothered fries. Everything was delicious. There's so much more to try, but I get a bit paralyzed looking at the vast menu so I default to tacos. Someday I'd like to go for breakfast and get a burrito, or chilaquiles, maybe a chorizo omelette. I'm curious about the burger, which combines ground beef with chorizo, but they serve it on a frackin' brioche bun. (WHY???) Wonder if I could get it on bolillo, like a torta?

Only one way to find out.

R & R Taqueria

5005 Honeygo Center Drive

Perry Hall, MD 21128

https://honeygo.rrtaqueria.com/

There are also locations in Baltimore City and Elkridge.

Minxeats' Most Popular Post

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

This post is the top google search result for "leftover french fry hash browns," and Minxeats' most popular post since it was published in 2012. Who knew so many people had leftover fries that needed to be repurposed? Especially since I see so many of them left uneaten.

We still take ours home, every time, and still enjoy these crispy potatoes with our eggs on the weekend. These days, I don't bother with the onion, and have replaced the regular paprika with smoked paprika. But the charnushka is non-negotiable.

Fast-casual burger joints like Five Guys tend to give customers a plethora of fries, far too many for the two of us to consume at one sitting. Rather than waste food, I save the excess potatoes for a weekend morning and use them for a hash brown-type preparation.

I like my breakfast potatoes crispy, so I'm often disappointed when I order hash browns and receive a big pile of steamed potato with the barest hint of a crust on the top. Leftover french fries always have some extra grease clinging to them, so they fry up crispy without even trying. And then I season the heck out of them with whatever spices strike my fancy on that particular day. My favorite combination of flavors usually includes charnushka, also known as black caraway, nigella, or kalonji, which adds a nice onion-y flavor.

Leftover French Fry Hash Browns

chopped onion (a couple of tablespoons, depending on how many fries you have)
olive oil
salt
leftover french fries
seasonings

Over medium heat, sauté chopped onion in a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt until translucent. Chop fries into small pieces and add to skillet. Toss well and cover pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until potatoes start to crisp up. Season to taste - I like to use a mixture of regular paprika, onion powder, cayenne, charnushka, and black sesame seeds. And of course salt and pepper to taste.

Continue to cook until most of the potatoes are crispy. Serve with eggs.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Taking a Breather

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

You all might have noticed that I've taken a bit of a breather here at Minxeats while I've been concentrating more on my fragrance blog, Minxstinks. I haven't given up on blogging here quite yet - Minxeats is 20 years old this August, and I hope to write about food for several more years to come. It's just that 20 years is a long time, and while I still have ideas for recipes and I still watch Top Chef, sometimes I just don't feel like writing. But the Fancy Food Show is coming up next month, so I'll have the opportunity to try lots more new products and bring them to you here. (I was sad to miss last year's show.)

In the meantime, here are some of my somewhat food-related perfume posts for you to read or not. No, really...there are lots of perfumes that are food-y. It's a thing these days.

Here's a post about my thoughts on "gourmand" fragrances--ones that smell like food, primarily of the dessert variety. Read that one here.

One perfumer put out three dessert-scented frags at a time last year. These sounded like they could have potential, but I was largely disappointed when I actually put my nose to them. Read that post here.

A number of companies have produced pistachio-scented fragrances in the last handful of years. Or scents purported to smell like pistachio. I've yet to find one that does, but D.S. & Durga Pistachio smells so amazing, I'm willing to give it a pass. Read about that one here.

Dessert fragrances make sense though, right? How about savory stuff like potatoes? There is actually a potato note in this scent. Read about it here.

As if potatoes aren't strange enough, how about a perfume that smells like pizza? Read about that one here.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

cacio e pepe spaghetti squash at The Food Market

I ate spaghetti squash made in the style of cacio e pepe at The Food Market and thought it was genius. For one thing, the squash was nicely cooked--it was soft. I hate crunchy spaghetti squash, and so does Mr Minx. And while cacio e pepe is lovely, carbonara is lovelier. At least for us carnivores. So I poked around the Internet and found some recipes and made them a few times and came up with my own technique. Roasting a squash in the oven takes too much time; the microwave is much more efficient. And I like having time for the squash to cool down after cooking, but that makes water leach out. Which is a good thing. Wet squash makes a diluted cheese sauce, so I put mine in a colander to drain for an hour or so before tossing in hot bacon fat or olive oil

Spaghetti Squash Sorta Carbonara

1 spaghetti squash, weighing 2-3 pounds

Salt

Eight strips of bacon (OR 1/4 lb of salami or other similar spicy Italian cold cut)

2 eggs

1 cup grated or finely shredded parmesan (and/or other tasty hard cheeses, if you have them)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Chopped parsley for garnish

Lots of freshly ground pepper

Cut the squash in half widthwise and place it cut-side-down on a microwave-safe plate. Cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the nuker and allow to cool enough to handle it without burning yourself. Using a fork, scrape the flesh out of both halves into a colander set in a large bowl. Add a quarter teaspoon of salt and toss with the squash. Let sit for an hour or so, occasionally draining any moisture that accumulates in the bowl.

Some recipes will tell you to cut the bacon into lardons, but I find that to be messy and unnecessary. This isn't the French Laundry. In a large skillet, cook the bacon to your preferred crispness. Remove from the pan to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. When cool, break up the bacon into small pieces and set aside. (If you're using salami, pile up the slices and cut them into strips. Place in a dry skillet over medium heat and cook just until the meat starts to sizzle and brown a little, stirring regularly. Remove to a bowl. It's ok if the meat still seems soft; it will crisp as it cools.

Discard all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat, which should stay in the skillet. (If you use the salami, add a glug of olive oil to the remaining fat in the pan, which shouldn't be much.)

Beat the eggs with a fork and add the cheese and garlic powder.

When ready to eat, heat the fat in the pan. Dump the drained squash into the pan and toss with tongs to coat in the fat. When all the squash is coated and quite hot, turn off the heat and add the egg and cheese mixture, tossing constantly with the tongs until the cheese is melted and the squash is coated. Add the bacon or salami and toss again.

Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of parsley, lots of pepper, and more cheese if you want.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

It was cold and I wanted to make soup. Specifically, chicken and wild rice soup. I had never made it before, so I turned to teh innernets for a recipe. For whatever reason, everything I found had cream or milk in it. Why? Not everything needs to be corrupted by dairy (lactose intolerant here), so I made up my own recipe. I had wanted to use fresh thyme, but there was none to be found on our trip to the grocery store, and I didn't want to waste time and gas running around to find it. Instead, I picked up a jar of Litehouse Freeze Dried Poulty Herb Blend, which includes onions, sage, marjoram, spring onions, garlic, and rosemary in addition to thyme. (I realize I could use dried thyme, but I honestly hate the flavor.) The additional herbs made the soup smell like stuffing, and it tasted amazing.

Let me know if you try it.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" chunks

3 celery stalks, sliced

1 lb sliced button or cremini mushrooms

Kosher salt

1 cup raw wild rice blend (I used Lundberg's Gourmet Wild Rice Blend)

6 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon Litehouse Freeze Dried Poultry Herb Blend

Rotisserie chicken, as much or as little as you like, shredded

Chopped parsley

Add the olive oil to your favorite multi-quart soup pot and heat over medium heat. Add the vegetables and a pinch of kosher salt and cook, stirring once in a while, until the veg are starting to soften. Turn up the heat and add the rice, stirring to coat with oil and mingle with the vegetables. Toast for a minute or two until you can smell it, then add the chicken broth and poultry seasoning and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the chicken. Taste for seasoning and add salt and fresh ground black pepper. Sprinkle parsley on top of each bowl.

Serves 4.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Mightylicious Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

I was gifted a box of Mightylicious cookies and I want to tell you about them.

I always get excited about gluten free products. I don't have celiac, but I try to avoid gluten because I'm addicted to products made with wheat. I eat them, can't control myself, and get fat(ter). If I avoid gluten, I really don't crave bread, pasta, pastries, cookies, or pizza, and I can lose weight. Honestly. I think about them from time to time, but I don't need them. But if I have one piece of good bread or a cookie, I have to have a second or third or even fourth piece. So it's just best that I avoid products that have gluten in them. It works for me; it might not work for you.

Back to getting excited about gluten free products. I heard about Mightylicious gluten free cookies when I was planning my trip to the Summer Fancy Food show last year. I wasn't able to attend the show, but the company was kind enough to send me a bag of each variety of their cookies, plus bags of brownie mix and their gluten free flour. It was a real embarrassment of riches, and I am appreciative.

This post is only about the cookies; the brownies and flour will have their own post sometime in the future.

The Salted Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Coconut, Oatmeal Raisin, and Brown Butter Shortbread cookies are excellent. I loved the flavor and the texture of each of them. The Salted Peanut Butter was very much like good old-fashioned homemade peanut butter cookies, made with peanut butter, sweetener, and salt. Mightylicious also adds eggs and vanilla, but no flour of any kind. They are crazy rich and were my favorite of the bunch. One cookie was a perfect snack. Both the Oatmeal Cookies also had great flavor and texture--these are somewhere between soft-baked and crispy cookies--and this raisin-hater even enjoyed the Oatmeal Raisin cookies (though I preferred the Oatmeal Coconut). The Shortbread Cookies were little miracles. Smaller in diameter but fatter than the other cookies, these tasted just like gluten-y shortbread. Maybe not as crumbly as the real thing, but damn close. Highly recommended.

Then there were the Chocolate Chip, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, and Double Dutch Chocolate Chip cookies. They were also that texture somewhere between soft-baked and crisp cookies--they were fairly moist--but they just didn't have the depth of flavor that I'm used to with a home-baked, gluten-flour, chocolate chipper. They just seemed...sweet. However, all three of them made excellent ice cream sandwiches because they were much less-likely to crack when smushed on either side of a blob of ice cream. And they ate well as an ice cream sandwich component as well. They didn't get soggy, nor were they overly crunchy when they came out of the freezer. I preferred the Double Dutch Chocolate Chip variety for this use, but the other two worked just as well.

Would I eat these cookies again? Absolutely, particularly the peanut butter and shortbread varieties. And I would not be averse to double dutch chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches again. In fact, I could go for one right now....

Best-ever Shrimp and Grits

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I've heard that no two people make shrimp and grits exactly alike. Heck, I don't even make it the same way twice in a row, mostly because I don't tend to follow recipes. Funny, huh, since I write recipes? But those are mainly for the folks who don't prefer to wing it, as I do. At any rate, most of the time I throw stuff together with what ingredients I have on hand. In this particular case, I really only had the basics: shrimp, and grits. I also had some andouille sausage--albeit a mild but still flavorful rope of Johnsonville brand--and a batch of homemade Emeril's "Essence," aka Cajun seasoning. Alas, I didn't have any fresh bell pepper or celery, two-thirds of the holy trinity of Creole and Cajun cooking, but I did have an onion. A decent start, but not quite enough.

I scrounged in the cupboard, hoping I had a jar of roasted red peppers. What I found was one jar of sundried tomatoes and another of Trader Joe's Sweet Picante Peppers with Creamy Cheesy Filling. Hoping these wouldn't be too sweet, I cracked open the jar and popped one into my mouth. MMmmmm! Not as sweet as Peppadews, a bit softer in texture. These would work! I squeezed out the cheesy filling to use in the grits, and chopped up some smoked gouda--who doesn't like cheesy grits? There were some leftover mushrooms in the fridge as well. Why not?

I wasn't really surprised that the finished dish was tasty. While the elements were thrown together somewhat haphazardly, none of them were particularly weird. There were lots of good textures: smooth grits, perfectly cooked shrimp, soft mushrooms and onions, the slight chew of sundried tomatoes. Since most of the ingredients were pre-seasoned, I really only needed a pinch of salt to draw out the moisture while cooking the onion and mushrooms. It all worked amazingly well, enough for Mr Minx to declare the dish "restaurant quality."

Shrimp & Grits

This was so good, I'm recording the recipe so I could maybe make it again some day. Not that I'll ever have this same perfect storm of ingredients on hand. But maybe?

For the shrimp:

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion, sliced

4 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

pinch salt

1/2 13.5-ounce pack Johnsonville Andouille sausage, sliced about 1/3" thick

6-7 Trader Joes Sweet Picante Peppers with Creamy Cheesy Filling

3-4 sundried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped

For the grits:

2 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup regular or old fashioned (not quick) grits

2-ish ounces chopped smoked gouda

the cheese from the picante peppers

garlic powder

Chopped parsley for garnish

To make the shrimp:

Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the Cajun seasoning and a healthy drizzle of the olive oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Put the onion and mushrooms in a saute pan with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the veg have given up their liquid and have softened and browned a bit. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

Add a touch more oil to the pan and brown the sausage pieces.

While the sausage is cooking, squeeze the cheese from the peppers. Chop the peppers roughly. Add the peppers and the sundried tomatoes to the onion and mushrooms. Add the browned sausage to the bowl. Deglaze the saute pan with a bit of water--half a cup or so--and add that water to the bowl, too.

Cook the shrimp in the same pan over medium-high heat, turning once, until all shrimp are opaque on both sides. A tip: don't walk away while you're cooking shrimp. They cook FAST. You just need 3-4 minutes. After that, they're on the fast track to rubber-town. Once the shrimp are opaque, pour in the veg and water, turn the heat up to high, and bring to a boil. Cook until everything is hot, just a couple minutes. Taste the liquid for seasoning and add more salt and Cajun seasoning if you think it needs it.

To make the grits:

Bring the water to a boil. Whisk in the grits, then turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot and cook until the grits have absorbed the water and become tender, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes. Add the cheeses and the garlic powder and stir until the cheese is completely melted.

Dollop the grits onto plates, spoon shrimp mixture on top. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 3-4, depending on appetite.

A Different Kind of Pumpkin Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I use a spreadsheet to keep track of dinners and have at least 4-5 meals in a row planned out. I account for new items, restaurant dinners, and the using up of leftovers. But some nights I throw caution to the wind and change things up. Inspiration does that to you. Of course, that means the spreadsheet must be altered to reflect the change. Friday's dinner was to be frittata; we have lots of eggs, and various odds and ends to add to them. But it was cold outside, which made me think of soup. I remembered that I had a couple of cans of pumpkin in the cupboard, and some Mexican chorizo in the freezer. Why not combine them to make something totally different?

Mr Minx will eat pumpkin soup--as long as it's not sweet. I ordinarily make a curried version, but the Mexican-style seasonings I had received from Spicewalla were calling my name. Spicewalla spices are always very fresh, and their blends are interesting and tasty. They have somewhat esoteric stuff like furikake, mignonette blend (for raw oysters, or dips and salad dressings), and golden milk spice mix, but also "everything bagel," and taco seasoning. And they come in the cutest little tins. The taco seasoning and another one I like a lot, Chilli Lime, were employed to season this particular batch of pumpkin soup, as I knew they would work with the Mexican chorizo. Both the spices and the chorizo contain chiles, so if you're a wimp when it comes to hot foods, you might want to cut back on the amounts of both, maybe up the brown sugar a bit. Or find another recipe--my feelings won't be hurt. Personally, I think the proportion of spice to pumpkin I used is just perfect. Hot enough to know that it's spicy, but not hot enough to burn anything important. YMMV, of course.

Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs, but if you don't like it, leave it out. The soup will be missing something, but the cilantro averse won't even notice.

Pumpkin Spicewalla Soup

About 1/4 of a standard supermarket bunch of cilantro
1 medium onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 poblano pepper, seeds removed, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4-6 ounces Mexican-style pork chorizo (I used Cacique brand)

2 teaspoons EACH Spicewalla** Chilli Lime and Mom's Taco seasonings*

2 15-ounce cans pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!)

1 quart of chicken stock

1 empty pumpkin can-full of water

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for garnish, optional

Cubed avocado for garnish, optional

Thoroughly wash the cilantro. Remove 3" - 4" of the stems and chop them coarsely. Set the leaves aside for garnish.

Add the vegetables, garlic, and chorizo (remove from casing, if any) to a 4- or 5-quart lidded pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until vegetables are wilted and chorizo is broken down into small particles and distributed evenly through the vegetables, about 12 minutes. Stir in the cilantro stems and the Spicewalla seasonings and cook 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, chicken stock, and the water. Turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Turn down the heat until the soup is just simmering, cover the pot, and cook 30 minutes. Add the brown sugar.

Taste for seasoning and add salt, or more of the Spicewalla seasoning blends. Ladle into bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds, reserved cilantro leaves, and avocado, if desired.

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts

*If you don't want to splash out for new seasonings, then you can use a couple teaspoons of regular taco seasoning, or a combination of ground coriander and cumin. Most supermarket taco seasonings are muy salty, while individual spices are not salty at all, so you'll have to watch the balance there.

** Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats.

Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Product of the Week - Runamok Maple Grenadine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Welcome to a new feature on Minxeats! Every once in a while, we'll present to you one of our favorite store-bought products. It might be a chip, or cereal, or condiment, and it will definitely be something that we purchase and consume regularly. We hope you are curious enough to check out our suggestions, and if you do, let us know by leaving a comment.

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Grenadine is a sweet and tart non-alcoholic syrup that is commonly used as a flavoring and coloring agent in various cocktails including classic Shirley Temples and Tequila Sunrises, as well as several other mixed drinks.

The word "grenadine" is derived from the French word "grenade," which means pomegranate, as it has traditionally been made from the juice of that fruit, simply reduced and with sugar added. Over time, the recipe evolved, and some commercial versions may no longer contain pomegranate juice as their primary ingredient, instead relying on citric acid, food coloring, and artificial flavorings to achieve a similar flavor and vibrant red color. (Rose's, for example, contains high fructose corn syrup, water, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, preservatives, Red 40, natural and artificial flavors, and Blue 1.) Commercial grenadine is also more sticky and sweet than the original, about as close as a neon-red cocktail cherry is to an actual fresh fruit.

One can make their own grenadine by cooking pomegranate juice with sugar until its reduced to a syrup, but why go to the trouble?

You already know Runamok's products are among my very favorites because I've posted about them numerous times in the past, so my next sentence won't be particularly surprising. Runamok Maple Grenadine is even better than homemade. It's truly tart, because it's made with both pomegranate and lime, and it's sweetened with pure and delicious maple syrup. (Their whole line of cocktail mixer thingies are fabulous, including the maple bitters and the Smoked Old Fashioned mixer made with pecan wood-smoked maple syrup. Expensive, yes, but you only need a tablespoon to make a sublime drink. But I digress.) And while it's perfect to use in a cocktail, I find myself using it as a substitute for the pomegranate syrup called for in many Middle Eastern recipes. For example, my favorite recipe for Muhammara--a red pepper and walnut dip--calls for 2 teaspoons of pomegranate molasses, but I often find myself using a tablespoon of Runamok Maple Grenadine instead. It's both sweeter and more tart than the brand of pom molasses currently in my cupboard, so it hits both of the essential flavor points that I feel just about every recipe needs.

Try substituting it for the pom molasses in these recipes: Lamb Meatballs with Spiced Sweet Potato Puree and Yogurt Sauce, Chicken with Walnut Pepper Sauce. It's also great drizzled on Bobby Flay's roasted brussels sprouts,

And here's a classic drink recipe, modernized with booze. I used to beg for a Shirley Temple when my parents would take me to a nice restaurant. It made me feel grown up, even though I was essentially drinking a pink soda. I'll drink them now, too, but with the addition of good vodka.

Dirty Shirley

2 ounces vodka of your choice

1 ounce Runamok Maple Grenadine

Lemon lime soda

Maraschino cherries with stems

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the vodka and grenadine. Pour in about 4 ounces of the soda and stir. Add more soda, if desired. Garnish with a cherry or two.

NY Dining, Winter 2025 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I can't believe I just had to type 2025!

And yes, despite the extreme cold that's been hanging around in the mid-Atlantic region, I packed my stuff and headed to my personal Disneyland, my happiest place on Earth--New York City. And I ate some stuff. But not as much as usual. Still, stuff. Allow me to share my musings on my dining experiences.

My first meal of the trip was a Monday lunch. I briefly contemplated two courses at Cafe Carmellini, but decided the handsome amount of money that would involve should go toward a bottle of perfume. My main agenda for the three day excursion revolved around visiting various perfume shops, with the intention of making at least one fragrant purchase. (I made five.)

One of the stops on my list was The Maker Hotel shop on 16th Street, so for the sake of convenience, I ate lunch next door at The Grey Dog Chelsea.

Guacamole toast? They were very generous with the toppings.

The avocado toast sounded good. What I wanted was a nice piece of seeded multigrain toast topped with several slices of perfectly salted avocado and a fried egg. I got the bread, but the avocado was excessively lime-y, rather mashed, and much more like guacamole than I was in the mood for. My over-medium eggs were perfect though, and the side of home fries was tasty enough though completely unnecessary. (I can't put away as much food as I was able to in the past.)

I had popped into Levain Bakery before lunch to grab a gluten-free cookie for later. It was one of their typically behemoth, scone-sized, lumps--which is really quite delicious when made with gluten. And not at all delicious when made with gluten-free flour. It tasted...gluten-free, which can be a rather sad flavor when one is used to the taste of wheat flour.

That evening, I had dinner at the bar at Zaytinya. One of Jose Andres' original DC concepts, there is now a location not far from my usual hotel. Since I had passed on a spendy lunch and was disappointed with what I did eat, I thought I'd splurge on something that was bound to be delicious. After all, one of my favorite meals in NY is pretty much anything at his Hudson Yards food hall, Little Spain. Especially the eggs with morcilla (blood sausage). Incredibly, I found everything at Zaytinya to be...meh. The za'atar margarita seemed a little saltier than a normal marg, but it didn't scream of za'atar. The scallops were a relative bargain at $23 for four fat ones, but the rather flavorless apple cacik (the Turkish version of tzatziki) really didn't work for me, and the promised "sesame rose spice" was undetectable. I hoped the smoked beet salata would remind me of the incredible beet and pistachio salad I had eaten last summer at a local French restaurant. It did not. There was too much arugula and the honeycrisp apple chunks had zero flavor (and was probably the same kind of apple included in the scallops' sauce). The beets themselves were fine, though I'd have preferred more of them. Finally, though I didn't need a third dish, I ordered the brussels sprouts because the waiter was still looking at me expectantly. I requested the garlic yogurt to be served on the side (and should have done so with the cacik) as I am lactose-intolerant. The sprouts were nicely crispy, but were otherwise rather boring. A disappointment.

My palate fared much better on day two, which I started at Dominique Ansel Workshop. A perfectly fluffy and tender French omelette filled with Boursin cheese and nestled into a crisp croissant made a perfect breakfast, especially paired with a big cup of La Colombe cafe au lait d'avoine (oatmilk).

scallop toast

Later, I met up with my friend Daisy, whose company makes even the most delicious meal that much better than it would be without her. We dined at Chinese Tuxedo, a contemporary Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Among the dishes we sampled were the braised black pepper oxtail bun, crystal shrimp spring roll, and scallop toast from the dim sum menu (all fantastic)...

...and the Johny fried rice with shrimp, char siu, and pork floss, the stir fried Snake River beef sirloin with kampot pepper, and the stir fried iceberg lettuce. Again, all fantastic. I'd eat there again.

Mealtime with Daisy usually means multiple stops, so after walking a bit, we took a cab up to Koreatown and had a few super crispy wings at Turntable on 33rd Street. The flavors were bright and the texture appealing. In retrospect, these wings were the culinary highlight of my entire trip.

The next morning, I had a nice breakfast at The Harold, which is conveniently located near my hotel. I ordered the wild mushroom scramble, which was had to include 3-4 eggs and a good half pound of mushrooms. I knew there'd be toast, but not the rosemary potatoes. They're delicious, but made for far too much to eat in one sitting. Next time, I'll ask them to omit the 'taters.

For a snack, I enjoyed a Midnight Dream (black sesame, espresso, oatmilk) at Elorea, a cute Korean perfume shop with a coffee bar at the back. (I will be going back someday to make a fragrance purchase.)

Finally, I had an early dinner/late lunch at Parm. This is their eggplant parmesan on a sesame seed roll. My server said it was his favorite thing on the menu, and suggested I get the hoagie-sized version so I could take half home for later. I stuck with the small. It was good, but lacking in textures other than soft. I've mentioned this in the past, but I really miss my mother's fried eggplant. But maybe I'm just obsessed with the memory of the flavor of Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs?

The Grey Dog

242 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011

thegreydog.com

Levain Bakery

2 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011

levainbakery.com

Zaytinya

1185 Broadway, New York, NY 10001

zaytinya.com

Dominique Ansel Workshop

17 E 27th St, New York, NY 10016

dominiqueanselworkshop.com

Chinese Tuxedo

5 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013

chinesetuxedo.com

Turntable

20 W 33rd St, New York, NY 10001

turntablenyc.com

The Harold

1271 Broadway, New York, NY 10001

theharoldnyc.com

Elorea

41 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

elorea.com

Parm

248 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012

parmitalian.com

* Sponsored post. Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Best of 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

As usual, we ate a lot of good food last year. Here are some of the highlights.

January

This monstrous beef short rib wrapped in laminated brioche dough at Dominique Ansel Workshop in NY was freaking amazing. It was expensive, and I had to eat it standing up at a tiny table in the bakery, but it was so worth the price and inconvenience. Would 100% do it again.

February

This chicken in milk doesn't look too great, but it was astonishingly delicious. Garlicky, creamy perfection. I am heartbroken that Tbiliso closed in the spring. We had several really great meals there, and I will miss all the various iterations of cheese-filled bread they offered.

March

I've never had a bad meal at La Cuchara. I can't imagine I ever will.

Obligatory Squire's pizza shot. Everything minus green peppers is our standard order. Perfection every time.

April

The eggplant parm at Cecconi's in Manhattan was pretty pricey, but it came with a salad, was more than enough for two, and even tasted good cold. AND, it was vegan and gluten free. The restaurant seemed fancy, which made my BFF Andree and I feel fancy, too.

I make gazpacho a lot, and sometimes I put shrimp on it. Always great.

May

I make beans fairly often. These gigante beans stewed with tomatoes and topped with homemade pesto were one of my favorite versions.

This duck confit, on the menu briefly at True Chesapeake, was the best I've ever eaten.

I was fortunate enough to get some exceptional soft shells a few times this year. These came from Johnny's in Roland Park.

June

I can't get enough of the quesobirria tacos at El Salto.

July

I had the best lobster roll of my life at lunch at The Food Market. It was huge, the meat regularly tumbling out of the roll onto the plate, and it had bacon on it. Bacon.

August

While Neal's birthday dinner at Marta was overall fairly disappointing, this foie gras terrine was outstanding, as was my caprese cocktail. Neal enjoyed his beverage as well.

Crab-topped gazpacho and crabcake grilled cheese. Yes, I am a genius.

September

Went to Pappas for restaurant week just to get these soft shells. The ones from Johnny's earlier in the year were great, but these were even better. And the pickled beets! Outstanding!

Farmers' market tomato sandwich with Duke's mayo on Pepperidge Farm white bread. 'Nuff said.

October

Speaking of beets, this beet salad with pistachios from Petit Louis was truly one of the best things I ate all year.

Cacio i pepe spaghetti squash served in an acorn squash at The Food Market inspired me to make a carbonara dish the following month. Amazing.

November

For the last several years, our Thanksgiving dinner has looked like the photo above: charcuterie, cheese, olives, lots of booze. This time I used some puff pastry that had been hanging out in the freezer for a while to make tasty pinwheels of goodness, filled with sundried tomato tapenade and Parmesan cheese. I will be making these forevermore.

I made my own birthday dinner this year - eggplant parm. I haven't found a restaurant version I especially liked--excepting the $28 one at Cecconi's (see above)--so I thought I'd try my hand at it. I used Progresso Italian breadcrumbs, which is what my mom always used, but they weren't quite the same. More salt, less cheese and herbs? Just different. My brother also noticed the difference. Next time, I'll add more basil, oregano, and definitely more parm.

December

I made gluten free gingerbread using a recipe from the blog Cotter Crunch. It was utterly fabulous. I used Mightylicious gluten free flour, which may or may not have been a key element in the success of this treat.

This potato leek soup from Petit Louis may seem simple, but it was smooth, rich, subtle, and far more than the sum of its parts.

I like stopping into Golden West for lunch before my thrice-yearly hair appointment at Brazen. Most recently, I enjoyed their vegan chicken and waffles. The waffle was lightly spiced, which made the dish even more delicious than the usual poultry version.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Restaurant Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Don't look too closely at the hands in this AI-generated image that was edited in Photoshop.

The Food & Wine site has a piece on the annoyance some servers feel when customers want to take their uneaten food--which they paid for--home. The whole concept annoyed me enough to write about it. Go read the article and then come back here for my rant.

https://www.foodandwine.com/taking-home-restaurant-leftovers-6404995

My opinion: Suck it up, Buttercup! I just paid good money for this food that I can't possibly finish because: 1) I ordered and consumed an app; 2) your portion sizes are too large; 3) I have a dog who enjoys fancy food; 4) I shouldn't have to give you a reason because I PAID FOR THIS FOOD. ALSO, reason #5 which should really be reason #1: food waste is despicable. People who leave food behind in restaurants are entitled brats. No, I'm not going to mention the "starving children in China" or whatever bullshit our parents attempted to guilt us with when we wouldn't finish our boiled brussels sprouts. I am, however, going to guilt you with the amount of labor and natural resources it took to produce the food you're too good to take home with you. Farmers, laborers, butchers, bakers, food inspectors, distributors, cooks, waitstaff, restaurant inspectors, water, electricity, gasoline, and cooking fuel are used to create even the most basic fast food cheeseburger. Years ago, when I was considered an "influencer" (Instagram's algorithm has reconsidered since then), I was invited to a restaurant opening and had the misfortune to share a booth with a couple other "influencers" I didn't know very well. One of them ordered the most outlandish item on the menu--a deep-fried burger--took a bite for photographs, and left the rest on the plate, uneaten. He didn't take the leftovers. This was years ago and I am still pissed when I think about it.

(There are a few exceptions to my rule. The first is staying in a hotel room that isn't equipped with a fridge. If it's winter, there's snow on the ground, and the room has a balcony...maybe. Otherwise, it's not safe to keep most leftovers un-refrigerated. Bread, muffins, croissants, and non-dairy-filled pastries are ok. Everything else could eventually fall victim to bacterial growth. I don't need that. Second, if I'm attending some sort of long event immediately after the meal, say going to the theatre or a concert, especially if I'm traveling from restaurant to venue on foot. Finally, if the food was truly bad, or under- or overcooked. In that case, I would have brought it to the attention of my server and the situation should have been remedied by the kitchen. But sometimes that doesn't happen.)

Also, I realize that some people are so inept at cooking that they can't fathom repurposing a leftover cheeseburger. Which is beyond sad. Take the filling out of the bun, pop it in the microwave for 45 seconds, re-bun it, and eat. There are plenty other ways to use leftovers, but that's another post for another day.)

For the servers who whine about having to send out a busboy to pack my leftovers: I am perfectly capable of doing so myself. In fact, I prefer to do it myself. Just give me a small container and I will happily scrape my own plate. And yes, I am going to take any (good) bread that is left because otherwise it will be thrown away. If a restaurant is not throwing it away, and repurposing something that was touched and possibly coughed on by the customer, I'd like to know because I will never set foot in that establishment. (It's good to avoid bread pudding for that very reason.)

I guess now I need to create some posts about reusing leftover restaurant food, huh? For now, please to enjoy the most popular post on Minxeats regarding making hash browns out of french fries.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Throwback Thursday: Manhattan's K-Town

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

This originally appeared here on March 11, 2019.

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I’m going to let you in on a secret: I am not a New Yorker. However, I visit on business (and occasionally pleasure) several times a year and always try to stay in the same hotel. Or at least in the same neighborhood--Koreatown. This little one-block square area in Midtown Manhattan runs from 5th Avenue to Broadway and includes 31st and 32nd Streets, which actually makes the “block” a trapezoid. There’s a bit of spillover to the other side of 5th Ave, too. In any case, this compact area is studded with restaurants, bakeries, and bars, a handful of hotels, and is a convenient 2-block walk from Penn Station. That was the original selling point for me, the proximity to transportation, but after staying in the area a few times, I realized that if I were ever too busy to think about where to eat, I could have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks without going very far in any direction. (Truthfully though, there has never been a time in my life that was too busy to exclude thoughts of food.) I also discovered that the alleged “city that never sleeps” does indeed roll up the sidewalks after dinner, at least in Midtown on a Monday night. On one occasion, I emerged from the Herald Square subway station at 1am after spending most of the evening elsewhere in the city. I was somewhat alarmed to realize that I was the only soul on the street. Fortunately, my hotel was nearby, in the middle of a block that is always busy, thanks to the surfeit of 24-hour Korean BBQ restaurants and late night karaoke bars.

Bibimbap at New Wonjo

Among those 24-hour BBQ joints are The Kunjip, New Wonjo, and missKOREA, all on 32nd Street. missKOREA involves three floors of bbq, each with different decor and separate menus. The first floor has a somewhat naturalistic, hanging-out-in-the-forest, vibe, the second is more serene and modeled after traditional Korean study rooms, and the third floor is contemporary and spare. Diners have the option of ordering bbq both in set menus and a la carte, but also as part of multicourse feasts that include starters, a course of either hot pot or crepes served with meat and vegetables, the bbq main dish, a noodle or rice preparation, and dessert. The Kunjip and New Wonjo are both more casual restaurants with fairly straightforward menus that include stews, noodle dishes, and bibimbap as well as bbq cooked at the table.

Matcha latte at Grace Street

Three other restaurants, Gammeeok, Shanghai Mong, and Abiko Curry, are also open around the clock. Gammeeok specializes in seolleongtang, a rich soup made by simmering beef bones for many hours so all of the marrow, fat, calcium, and collagen are extracted, broken into tiny particles, and suspended in broth which turns a milky white, rather somewhat like tonkotsu ramen broth. They also serve bossam (braised pork belly, sliced and served with kimchi and usually cabbage leaves in which to wrap it), housemade sundae (blood sausage), and a few kinds of Korean pancakes. Shanghai Mong bills itself as an Asian Bistro; in addition to Korean dishes, they also serve pad Thai, udon, pho, and many Chinese-restaurant-style dishes like General Tso’s or sweet and sour chicken. If you like Japanese-style curry, and you like it spicy, you’ll probably enjoy Abiko Curry. Curry was introduced to Japan by the British, and it’s flavor is closer to the yellow-hued curry powder in your pantry than to that of Indian dishes like vindaloo or rogan josh, yet it’s also very much its own thing. Abiko simmers their curry for “100 hours” and offers a gravy-like version served with rice or noodles, and a thicker cream sauce mixed with pasta. Dishes can be customized with toppings like fried squid, raw eggs, pork cutlets, and cheese; the spiciness can also be ordered to taste, but be forewarned that even “level 2” packs some real heat. I like the donburi bowls, a mound of rice topped with some sauce, lots of sauteed onions, and a protein of your choosing. It’s not spicy at all but completely delicious.

Donburi at Abiko Curry

Several other BBQ joints dot the K-town landscape on both sides of 5th Avenue: Jongro; Her Name is Han; Dons Bogam; Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong. All have more limited hours than the round-the-clock places, and each has its fans. On quite the opposite side of the spectrum; rather than piles of meaty goodness, mushrooms and tofu are the stars at Hangawi, the rare Korean vegetarian restaurant. They also have what might be the ultimate Instagrammer’s meal: a hot stone bowl filled with rice, vegetables, and...avocado. Beats avocado toast any day.

If you’re in the mood for something sweet, you’re in luck. Everything from green tea lattes to fancy French-style cakes can be found in Koreatown. My favorite bakeries are Tous Le Jours and Paris Baguette. The former has a wide variety of pastries, both familiar and not. Croissants are big and brown and beautiful, but the much more homely hot dog encased in a squid ink roll with cheese inside and out has its merits, too. There are also French baguettes and loaves of fluffy Korean milk bread, donuts, and flaky pastries filled with everything from red beans to chocolate to sausages. Paris Baguette has a smaller selection of similar products, plus fancier layer and roll-style cakes. Both bakeries offer specialty coffee drinks as well. More coffee can be found at Grace Street, an expansive cafe that has an equally large menu of hot and iced coffee and tea drinks, including matcha, milk tea, and cocoa. Grace Street also serves waffles with various toppings, and something called shaved snow, a light and feathery frozen dessert made from blocks of flavored ice milk shaved into silky ribbons.and topped with things like red beans, condensed milk, or mango puree. Across 5th Avenue one will find Besfren, a dessert shop with a much smaller selection of pastries, but also delicious giant triple chocolate chip cookies, matcha/taro swirl soft serve ice cream, and a selection of ginseng products. Only want tea? Gong Cha is a closet-sized space that serves a seemingly infinite number of hot and cold tea drinks in flavors like familiar Earl Grey and Oolong but also wintermelon and taro. Order your tea topped with simple milk foam, or with boba, red beans, basil seeds, coconut or herbal jelly, or pudding (somewhat like flan)...even with all of the above. Don’t forget to grab a wide straw to suck up all the solids, because a regular straw simply will not do the trick.

If you’re not sure what exactly you want to eat, step into Food Gallery 32, a food court where you’ll find everything from Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, and ddukbboki to the savory Chinese crepes called jianbing, churros, and frozen yogurt. Seating is communal and the place always seems crowded, but it’s great for the undecided among us.

Fried dumplings at Mandoo Bar

And that’s not all, folks. There are at least two gastropubs in K-town, Itaewon and Osamil, and restaurants specializing in fresh tofu (BCD Tofu House) and Korean dumplings (Mandoo Bar), plus a somewhat more fancy restaurant called Gaonnuri. Located on the 39th floor of 1250 Broadway, overlooking Herald Square, Gaonnuri has some of the best panoramic views of the city. They offer both tableside bbq and entrees like bibimbap, but also fish dishes involving black cod, sea bass, and monkfish. I like the seasonal tasting menu, which at $115 per person isn’t exactly a bargain, but it does include 6 savory courses and dessert. There’s also a more economical $55 three-course prix fixe that includes bbq, but the whole table must participate.

I’m sure I’ve missed more than a few places, but I hope I’ve hit on enough to lure you into a stroll through New York’s Koreatown. There’s no shortage of food (there’s even an H Mart if you are in the mood or have the ability to prepare a meal for yourself) in this relatively small area. Shops too, if you’re into Korean beauty products. It’s definitely a neighborhood worth a visit.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Throwback Thursday: Products to Make Eating Right a Bit Easier

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

This post originally appeared here on February 18, 2019.

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Every year, millions of us go on diets, claiming to lose a few pounds, get fit, or transform our lives. But it's difficult to stick with bland diet programs and sheer hell to keep a gym schedule. (Me, I'm more into dancing than treadmills.) There's not a one of us who doesn't get what I call, "snacky," a condition that often leads to a diet downfall. The rest of the time, we might just have a hard time finding the right substitutions for products we can no longer eat on whatever plan we're on at the time.

Personally, I'd love a diet that consisted entirely of coffee, cheese, chocolate, and sugar. Ok, so that is my regular diet. But I can't lose weight that way. Whole30 does work for me, albeit slowly, and it really works for Mr Minx. The following food products are great for fellow Whole30 adherents; they're delicious too, which is the most important thing.

I discovered this product and the next while perusing the many delight-filled aisles at last year's Fancy Food Show in NY. First there's Tio Gazpacho. I must admit I’m a bit of a gazpachoholic and can eat it every day, but I’m not into washing the blender on a daily basis. Enter Tio, a bottled chilled soup that owes its deliciousness to chef and humanitarian José Andrés, who crafted each flavor. Tio Gazpacho is made from real ingredients like carrots, tomatoes, sherry vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil, and is certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free, plus four of the five flavors are Whole30 approved. I love that I can tuck a bottle into my lunch bag and enjoy my fave soup every day.

In another aisle, as I was attempting to shovel a sample of chamomile tea-flavored ice cream into my mouth, I was interrupted by a group of French guys hawking mayonnaise made with microalgae. It’s hard to find non-soy (soy being a no-no on Whole30) mayo that tastes good. I’ve tried the ones with avocado oil and nuh-uh, they don’t work for me; let’s say I was skeptical about the algae stuff. But after a few spoonfuls, I was convinced. I swear it tastes like homemade mayo, yet it contains no eggs. No eggs means less fat, but that also makes it vegan. Who knew lowly microalgae could be transformed into something that doesn’t taste like, well, algae? The Good Spoon Mayonnaise comes in classic, curry, garlic & herbs, and smoky spicy flavors, all great in everything from potato salad to a turkey sandwich.

A Whole30-friendly product I found on my own is Nutpods. There are squillions of non-dairy milks out there, but dairy-free creamers that aren’t full of sugar are as rare as hen’s teeth. You might think: why not just use plain unsweetened almond milk? Have you tried doing that? It takes far more “milk” to adequately lighten a cup of coffee or tea to the same degree as a few teaspoons of cow-based half-and-half. All that liquid also makes hot coffee cold. That’s why I was excited to find Nutpods. Made from coconut and almonds, it only takes a tablespoon or so to make my coffee as light as I like. It also comes in flavors, all of which are unsweetened. Vanilla is tasty year ‘round, but the holiday season will bring Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Mocha, too.

Last but not least are two snack bars that we use as meal replacements, though that's not quite in the "spirit of the diet." But when I am trying to lose a pound or ten and embark on some new eating plan that requires me to give up my three favorite food groups (sugar, grains, and dairy), I find breakfast and lunch a bit hard to deal with. I can’t have oatmeal or cereal, but I can have eggs if I don’t eat toast. Doughnuts or bagels are verboten. What I find myself relying on, especially during the work week, are RX Bars and Larabars. They’re both made with fruit and nuts, with natural sweetness provided by dates. RX Bars have a chewier texture, thanks to the addition of egg whites, while Larabars are softer. Each has 200-ish calories, which is plenty to keep me going for a few hours. I think they taste great, and eat one for either breakfast or lunch most days.

Anything that doesn't break the rules and keeps me sane are good things, right?

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.