Turkey Burgers with Basil Mayonnaise

I'm not a big burger person.  I never order them at restaurants, and even when I was a kid I would order chicken strips over a burger any day.  I actually went through a huge chicken strip phase when I was a kid, where I refused to eat anything else if we went out.  We had a trip to Disney one summer and I proceeded to order chicken strips at every restaurant that we went to.  I believe this was the same trip where I was afraid of birds and would run for cover every time I saw one.  In case you didn't know, Florida has A LOT of birds.

Anyway, I was never a big burger person until I made these turkey burgers.  I literally ate them for every meal the week I made them, and it wasn't only because I made six and I was the only person in my apartment.  I actually looked forward to them.  I would count down the minutes until five o'clock, when I could make dinner without feeling like an old lady with dentures and hip issues.

I know I always say, 'You hhhaavvee to make *insert food here*!!!', but this time I'm serious.

You hhhaavvee to make these burgers!!!

They're moist and flavorful, and the basil mayonnaise is the perfect compliment.  And then you have the fontina cheese and some buns, and I'm just about ready to head down to the courthouse and marry the whole thing.  It's that good.

Turkey Burgers with Basil Mayonnaise

Ingredients:


For the burgers:
1 lb ground turkey
1 zucchini, grated
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp mixed dried herbs (basil-oregano-parsley)
salt/pepper


For the basil mayonnaise:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice


For assembly:
6 hamburger buns
4 oz fontina cheese, sliced
6 romaine leaves


Directions:


In a bowl, mix together the ground meat, bread crumbs, grated zucchini, herbs, salt and pepper.  Form into six equal patties and place on a prepared baking sheet.  Broil the burgers 8 minutes on each side.  Add the cheese and broil for 1 minute.


While the burgers cook, whisk together the mayonnaise, basil, lemon zest and juice.  


For assembly, spread the mayonnaise on the bottom half of the bun.  Add the burger, romaine leaf and the top of the burger bun.  


And enjoy!

Herb-crusted Pork Chops

Last night I watched Enchanted for the first time in a couple years.  That movie was HUGE when I was in high school.  My friends and I would listen to the soundtrack on the ride to and from school, and we'd sing along obnoxiously to all of the songs.

How does she know you love her?

How does she know she's yourrssss???????

I forgot how hilarious and absolutely delightful that movie is.  The whole concept of dropping fairy tale characters into contemporary New York is just brilliant.  LOVE.

Do you know what else I love?  Pork chops.  Especially when they're seasoned with a nice blend of herbs and sauteed to perfection.  Add a little squeeze of lemon juice and I'm gone.  Hook, line and sinker.

I made these with my Garlic Roasted Red Skin Potatoes a few weeks ago, and I promptly made another batch two days later.  The herb crust delivers a pop of flavor and the pork chops stay tender and juicy.  These are simple enough to make for a weeknight, but could easily be used for something more special, too.

Herb-crusted Pork Chops

Ingredients:

2 thin-cut pork chops

1 tbsp mixed herbs (oregano-basil-parsley)

salt/pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper.  Press the herb mixture onto both sides of the pork chops evenly.  

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Cook the pork chops six minutes per side, until they are fully cooked.  The juices should run clear when the pork chops are done.

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Pepper and Caper Salsa

Guys, something big happened this week.  SOMETHING BIG.  I, Liz-Tip-Top-Shape, made my first steak.  And I didn't ruin it or burn down my apartment.  I will accept applause at the end of the post.

Growing up, it was always a treat to have steak.  My dad would cook it up on the grill with a bunch of vegetables and his famous grilled tomatoes.  I never touched those tomatoes, but the rest of my family loves them.  I'd eat my half of a steak smothered in A1 sauce and salt.  To this day, I don't really know what's in A1 sauce.  The part of me that can no longer eat jello thanks to learning what's really in it thinks my ignorance is a good thing.

This recipe replaces the ubiquitous A1 sauce with a vinegary pepper and caper salsa.  It's a wonderful compliment to the meat, and I'd even go so far as to say you could eat it on its own.  I know I was picking at it while the steaks cooked.

If you like steaks, you must try this recipe.  If you like peppers, you must try this recipe.  If you like food in general, you must try this recipe.

Basically, try this recipe.

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Pepper and Caper Salsa

Ingredients:


4 sirloin steaks
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 jar roasted yellow peppers, drained
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp fresh parsley
1/4 cup capers
salt/pepper


Directions:


Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic, capers and parsley.  Add the peppers and stir to combine.  Set aside.


Heat a grill pan on the stovetop.  Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper.  Grill the steaks 4-6 minutes on each side for medium rare.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Thinly slice the steak and top with pepper.

Source:  Giada's Weeknight Meals

Pasta with Salmon and Broccoli

Oh boy, do I have a recipe for you all today.  Last week, I had my graduation party at Wildfire with my family.  Wildfire is the place for parties with my family.  We have pretty much every big party there, and people always leave happy.  It's a three course meal served family style.  The best part is that you get to take all the leftovers home with you.  Hello, best week of leftovers ever.

Admittedly, though, the leftovers get a bit old after the third or fourth day.  This last party, we ended up with four large pieces of cedar planked salmon that none of us wanted to eat.  Instead of wasting the salmon, I came up with a simple pasta recipe to use up the last of our leftovers.

The recipe includes how to make the cedar planked salmon, and then mostly unnecessary directions for the other ingredients.  Because clearly you all need to be told how to boil pasta.

I ate this hot and cold.  Both ways are pretty fantastic, but I would recommend the cold for the summer months.  Serve it with a side salad, fruit and you have a wonderful summer meal!

Pasta with Salmon and Broccoli

Ingredients:


Cedar Planked Salmon: 


4 salmon filets
4 cedar planks for grill
olive oil
1 tsp salmon rub per filet
1 tsp glaze per filet


For the salmon rub:


1 tbsp paprkia
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin


For salmon glaze:


6 oz dark brown sugar
4 oz unsalted butter
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup dijon mustard


For the pasta:


1/2 lb whole wheat rotini
1 cup roasted broccoli


Directions:


For the salmon glaze, combine the dark brown sugar and butter in a sauce pan and heat until caramelized.  Stir in the soy sauce and dijon mustard.  Set aside.


For the salmon, soak the cedar planks for 30 minutes.  Season the filets with the rub, using 1/2 tsp for each side.  Put 1 tsp of glaze on the top of the filets.  Place the soaked planks in a heated grill and close the lid.  Turn the planks every two minutes, heating both sides.  Add the salmon and cook for 10-12 minutes.


Flake the salmon into cooked pasta.  Add roasted broccoli.  

Source:  Original Wildfire Recipe

Recipe Redux: Curried Chickpea Soup

I am re-posting this recipe in memory of my lost curry powder.

My pantry is the definition of over-stuffed.  Every time I reach in to grab something I find some sort of spice plummeting toward my head.  The last casualty was my curry powder.  An entire glass bottle fell on my kitchen floor and shattered.

By the way, vacuuming is not the best way to clean up spilled curry powder.  It will only spread it all over the floor and make it even more difficult for you when you get on your hands and knees to wipe it up.  So, uh, don't do that.

This is one of my favorite recipes I've made with curry powder.  I know it's summer and all, but I still like a good soup now and then.  It's air conditioned indoors, after all!  So, make this in memory of my lost curry powder.  

Or because it's tasty.  Whatever.

Curried Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup spinach or kale, chopped

1 tsp curry powder

lemon

Directions:

Bring the stock to a boil.  Add the chickpeas and curry powder, and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Add the spinach or kale, and cook until wilted.  Stir in the lemon juice.

Spiced Chickpea Tacos

I never used to like Mexican food.  Growing up, I would always complain when my parents would take my brother and I to the local Mexican restaurant.  My problem is that I don't like most of the ingredients in Mexican food.  I don't like tomatoes or sour cream.  I used to not like avocados.  And we all know my stance on cilantro.

And then I met Chipotle.

I know Chipotle is bastardized Mexican food, but it was a wonderful way for an older me to be reintroduced to Mexican flavors.  I found that I didn't mind heat in my meals, guacamole is one of mankind's greatest inventions and cilantro still tastes like soapy dish water.  

Despite my newfound love of Mexican food, I don't make it very often at home.  I'm not confident with the spices and rarely have the proper ingredients on hand.  I picked up some tortillas from the grocery store this week, though, and used what I had to make some fun vegetarian tacos.

Spiced Chickpea Tacos

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, rinsed

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp brown sugar

8 small corn tortillas

1/2 cup lettuce, chopped

1/2 avocado, sliced

1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  In a bowl, mix the chickpeas with the oil and spices.  Spread on a baking dish and bake 10 minutes.  Toss the chickpeas, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Microwave the tortillas for 15-20 seconds.  Pile on the chickpeas, lettuce, avocado and cheese.  The tacos go well with cold beers and Grey's Anatomy marathons.

Do you guys like Mexican food?  If so, do you ever make it at home?

Parsley-Panko Crusted Tilapia

 My taste buds have changed a lot over the years.  I used to be all about chicken.  Prepare it any way and I would gobble it up in no time flat.  There's a story my family likes to tell about a trip to Disney World when I was around ten, and I ordered chicken fingers at every single place we went to including a Mexican restaurant.  Clearly, I had a very sophisticated palate.

Then I went through a beef phase.  Barbecue beef.  Mongolian beef.  Beef beef.  To hell with my cholesterol, it was delicious!  Plus, I was in high school and I couldn't pass up the delectable option of a taco salad at lunch.  I mean, I was only human.

                           

Now, I've turned onto fish.  Shrimp.  Salmon.  Tilapia.  Coming from being only an occasional sea food eater, I felt like this entire new world was opened up to me.  I also discovered that most of these fish are ready to eat in about 20 minutes.  Yes and yes.

Whole Food sells these frozen tilapia filets that are only about 3 dollars for two.  Every time I see them at Whole Foods, I get super excited at the low price, despite my buying them each time I'm there.  What can I say, I live for the small things in life.

My favorite way to prepare tilapia is lightly breaded and cooked in the oven until it is delightfully crispy, but still tender and most on the inside.  I make Jessica's macaroon crusted tilapia pretty often, but last week I wanted something more savory.  Armed with some panko breadcrumbs from my pantry, I whipped up this simple recipe.

Parlsey-Panko Crusted Tilapia

Ingredients:

2 tilapia filets (fresh or frozen and thawed)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg beat

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

dried parsley

lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a cooling rack (like you would use for cookies) on a cookie sheet and set aside.

If defrosting the tilapia, place in a strainer and run cold water over the filets until thawed.  Pat the filets dry.  In a small bowl, beat the egg and set aside.  In another bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and parsley.

Dip the tilapia in the egg, shaking off any excess, and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.  Place the filets on the cooling rack and slide the baking sheet in the oven.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Finish off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Mimosa Soup

This weekend I went home for Easter and I ended up eating my weight in: reubens, sweet potato fries, parmesan pork tenderloin, prime rib roast, sauerkraut, ham and about a dozen pound-cake-eggs.

Yes, I did just tell you everything I ate this weekend.  Thankfully I'm sparing you a full play-by-play.  I'd need pictures for that.

I'm assuming most of you had a similarly indulgent weekend.  If not, well, then you're a better person than me.  I enjoyed all my favorite foods with reckless abandon, and while I regret nothing (except for maybe that 12th pound-cake-egg) I do want to eat a bit lighter now.  This soup is the perfect remedy for any indulgent weekend.  It's chock full of vegetables and requires very little actual work.  The soup has to cook for about an hour, but the work before is minimal.

Oh, and it tastes good.


Mimosa Soup

1/2 pound celeriac
1/2 pound carrots
1/2 pound turnips
2 leeks
1 head cabbage
1 head lettuce


Directions:


Roughly chop everything but the cabbage and lettuce and put in a large stockpot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Cook for 40 minutes.  Add the cabbage and lettuce, cook for an additional 15 minutes.


Put the soup in either a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth, leaving some texture.  If in an apartment, wince at what your neighbors must be thinking as you sound like you're grinding body parts in your kitchen.

Ladle into bowls and serve.

Source:  French Women Don't Get Fat

Pho For You

This has been a pretty spectacular week.  I decided on law school.  I started the Couch to 5K program.  And I found out that I am receiving some sort of recognition from my school at our annual Honors Reception.  I have no idea what this "recognition" means but the reception involves food and an open bar.  Thank you, School of Communication, don't mind if I do.

Another part of my spectacular week was this equally spectacular soup.  It's no surprise that I'm a soup lover.  There's just something about it that I find so satisfying.  This one is particularly good with creamy coconut milk and pungent ginger.  Usually I freeze half the batch when I make soup but I don't see myself having any trouble finish off this soup.  I can't get enough of it!

Pho

1 package tofu noodles

4 cups veggie broth

1 cup carrot, sliced

1 cup spinach

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup coconut milk

salt/pepper

Directions:

Rinse tofu noodles and microwave for one minute.  Set aside.

Bring the veggie broth to a boil.  Add the carrots and simmer until tender, 5-8 minutes.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Pour the soup over the noodles.  

Stuff yo' face.

Source:  Peas and Thank You

Spinach Frittata

I don't understand the weather in Chicago.  Two weeks ago the weather was in the 80s and I was prancing around in sundresses and flip flops.   Well, there was no actual prancing, but you catch my drift.

I drank iced coffee.  The air conditioner and I were best buds.  I even went to the beach and watched people do drunk yoga while getting an awkward tank-top tan.  Then last week temps were back in the 40s and it was freaking cold.  This week, we're back to the 60s.  

I have no explanation for this, other than the world is ending thanks to excessive driving and hairspray use.  Or, you know, global warming and all that.

If this does mean the world is ending, I feel it is my duty as a food blogger to provide you with one last frittata recipe.  Because when an apocalypse is on the horizon, it's clearly important to be well-fed.  

Spinach Frittata

Ingredients:

6 eggs

2 tbsp milk 

1/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp parmesan, grated

1 cup spinach (or a handful)

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the egg, cheese, and milk.  Add the spinach.  Pour into an oven-safe skillet on medium heat and cook until the top is barely runny, 10-12 minutes.  Place in the broiler and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the top browns.

Serve with vegetables or a salad.  

Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomato Frittata

When I grow up I want to be Diane Lockhart.

Any The Good Wife fans reading this?  If not, let me give you a simple introduction to Christine Baranski's illustrious lawyer Diane Lockhart.

She's a BAMF.

The woman knows how to accessorize.

I am now looking forward to law school purely so I can become a Diane Lockhart prototype with the perfect swooping hair and powersuits.  Future planned.  Bam.

On a completely unrelated note, I made a frittata this week that was so good that I literally ate it for every meal one day.  I am going to go all hyperbolic here and say that it is the best frittata that I have made.

Yes, I do realize that I say this about every frittata that I make.

But this time I rrreeaallllyy mean it.

Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomato Frittata 

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch asparagus

1 link sun-dried tomato sausage (cooked)

6 eggs

2 tbsp milk

1/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, milk and 1/4 cup cheese.

Chop the asparagus and saute in olive oil for 5-8 minutes, until tender.  Remove from pan and add the sausage, sauteing until seared.  Add the asparagus and egg mixture.  Cook until the bottom is cooked but the top is still slightly runny, 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp of cheese and put in the broiler for 5 minutes, or until the top is browned.

Serve with a side salad.

And eat.

The end.

Rotini with Eggplant and Sausage

Ever have one of those days when you just need some pasta?

I'm generally all for eating healthy.  I like my fruits and vegetables.  I think kale is the bee's knees.  Sometimes, though, you have a day that requires it ending with a large amount of carbs.  Preferably accompanied by some wine.

Last week I had one of those days.  I was feeling under the weather and had trudged through a long day at work.  When I got home I wanted something quick and substantial for dinner.  My go-to quick dinner is a large salad (with all the refrigerator fixings) but this was not a salad night.  I needed something different.  I needed some pasta.

I make something like this pretty often.  I boil up some pasta and then throw in whatever vegetables I have on hand.  Pretty much any vegetable will work in this.  It's also good with a little marinara sauce thrown in.

Rotini with Eggplant and Sausage

Ingredients:


Pasta
Sausage (I used pre-cooked sun-dried tomato and basil chicken sausage)
Eggplant
olive oil
parmesan cheese
salt/pepper


Directions:


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice and chop the eggplant and drizzle with oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast the eggplant for 20-25 minutes.


Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package instructions.  


Combine the pasta with eggplant, cooked sausage and parmesan cheese.  

Crazy Good Quinoa

I read an article in the Chicago Tribune yesterday that said eating red meat significantly increases your risk of premature death.  I guess Luke Danes was right.

The article talks about a Harvard Medical School study that  showed eating red meat or processed meat (like cold cuts and hotdogs) contributing to early deaths.   Personally,  I take a lot of these new health studies with a hefty grain of salt.  I'm a proponent of having everything in moderation.  Except hotdogs because they are gross.

I dare any of you to watch Food Network's "How It's Made" hotdog episode and look at them the same way.  Impossible.

Anyhoo, today I bring you a meatless recipe.  I'd like to say that this is in keeping with the theme of the article above, but it's really more due to my being too cheap to buy meat on a regular basis.  It's so much cheaper to just live off of quinoa and beans.  Seriously.

I have a habit of roasting up a bunch of vegetables at the beginning of the week and tossing them together with quinoa or rice throughout the week.  It's quick, nutritious and generally tasty.  This recipe features some roasted chickpeas which really elevated this dish's appeal to me.  I will definitely be making this again soon and hope you all give it a try, as well!

Crazy Good Quinoa

Ingredients:

Quinoa

Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted peppers and mushrooms

Marinara sauce

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package instructions.

Chop peppers and slice mushrooms.  Arrange in a single layer on a baking dish and drizzle with oil.  Season with basil and parsley and stir to combine.  Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the chickpeas and oil, salt and pepper.  Spread on a baking dish.  In a 325 degree oven, bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Combine all ingredients.

Chickpea Poppers

Hiya friends.  This is going to be a quick post because I'm a bit under the weather.  Just last week I was happily remarking to my parents that I hadn't gotten sick all school year.  Karma's a you-know-what.

This week I found myself in a food rut and wanted to make something different for dinner.  Earlier in the week I had cooked up some chickpeas (I used dried) and I started thinking up different ways I could use them.  These chickpea poppers are like healthier chicken nuggets.  They're fun to eat and nutritious to boot.  These were my dinner along with some curried cauliflower.  They'd be great as a party appetizer, too, though!

Chickpea Poppers

Ingredients:


1 cup chickpeas
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup breadcrumbs


Directions:


Preheat oven to 375


Combine all the ingredients in a food processor.  Process until all of the ingredients are mixed together. Make sure to not completely macerate the chickpeas--you want some texture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Serve with your choice of dipping sauce.


Before I sign off, I want to do a quick little shout-out for my Aunt's blog.  She's doing a 40-day fast for Lent and is blogging about it over at Writing on Faith.  The posts are really interesting and she, of course, is awesome.  Make sure to stop by!

Soba Noodles with Tofu and Kale

I hope you all enjoyed the bar edition of Pet Peeve Wednesday, yesterday.  I had a little too much fun writing that, but people just get themselves into some major shenanigans when they go out.  And if I can't make fun of them, then what is life really for?

Anyway, moving on.  About five minutes after I posted yesterday, I found the most delightful photo gallery at HelloGiggles that featured various celebrities partaking in some pretty sweet photo bombs.  Just to give you a little taste of what's beyond that link, behold Tina Fey: Photo Bombing Boss.

Seriously funny stuff, guys.  Check it out.

Now, moving on to the real point of this post, I feel sort of weird following up cakes and truffles with such a healthy recipe.  I mean, this has kale in it.  I love kale, but I always feel like some virtuous bunny when I eat it.  

Healthy specs be damned, though, because this recipe is freaking awesome.  It is so good that I ate the entire thing for dinner.  Then made it again an hour later to bring to work the next day.

And we all know how much I hate washing more dishes.

Make this now.  Not tomorrow.  Not next week.  Now.

Err..you could probably wait until lunch.

Soba Noodles with Tofu and Kale

 Ingredients:


Soba Noodles
Kale
Tofu, bite sized pieces
Ginger-Sesame Dressing


Directions:


Start off by preparing your tofu.  Broil it in the oven for 10 minutes, flip the tofu.  Broil for an additional five minutes and then remove from the oven.


For the kale, heat one tbsp of oil in a saute pan.  Add the kale and cook until it turns bright green, one minute.  Add 1/2 cup of water and let the kale simmer.  Cook until the water has been absorbed, roughly 10-15 minutes.


Meanwhile, prepare the soba noodles.  Bring water to a boil and add the soba noodles.  Cook for 5 minutes, then remove.  


Combine all ingredients and add the sauce.  Give everything a little stir, and prepare for your tastebuds to sing.

Winter Minestrone

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Let's get straight to the recipe today, folks. You may, or may not, know this but I am a big soup eater. It's the perfect compliment to just about any meal. It's usually low in calories. And in the case of this soup, I can mindlessly make it while the Superbowl is on.

This minestrone is pretty adaptable, so feel free to throw in any other add-ins that you see fit. Beans would be a great addition. I would have put some in, but I was completely out! The horror!

It's very likely that I posted something like this before, but every separate winter needs its own separate minestrone. Amen to that!

This makes roughly four servings and freezes like a dream. Try this out; you'll never regret a good soup!

Winter Minestrone

2 cups veggie stock

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 cup carrots, roughly chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans

2 tsp garlic

dried basil

dried parsley

1/2 cup dried pasta

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a dutch oven. Saute the onion and garlic until the onion becomes translucent, roughly ten minutes. Add the carrots, saute another 5-8 minutes. Give the basil and parsley a liberal shake over the vegetables and stir. Pour in the stock and crushed tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

Add in the frozen vegetables and dried pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender, 10-15 minutes. Now, eat, eat, and eat some more!

Are you guys soup lovers? What are your favorite ones? Link 'em up in the comment section!!

Coconut Brown Rice with Brussels Sprouts

I have a slight problem.

Lately, I have been putting coconut in everything. Oatmeal? Sure, why not! Yogurt? Can only make it better! Minestrone?

Okay, I didn't put it in my minestrone, but I think you catch my drift. I'm going through a phase. A very coconut-ey phase.

I found a can of lite coconut milk in the back of my cabinet last week and used it for a pretty amazing pumpkin-coconut-smoothie. It didn't use all of the coconut milk, though, and I wanted to use the leftovers for something other than additional smoothies or overnight oats. I wanted to stretch my savory-food-muscles but realized that my ideas for coconut milk recipes were pretty limited. Luckily, I have these fantastic things called food blogs.

Have you heard of them?

I found a recipe for coconut brown rice on SkinnyTaste and it was like coconut-flavored-fate. The coconut milk lends a wonderful creaminess to the rice and it pairs beautifully with the brussels sprouts. Feel free to give the brussels sprouts a little saute, if you're so inclined. I considered doing it myself but decided I preferred minimal effort. Serve this alongside a big salad for a tasty meal!

Coconut Brown Rice with Brussels Sprouts

1 cup brown rice

1 cup water

1 cup lite coconut milk

2 cups brussels sprouts

1 tbsp shredded coconut

1 tbsp slivered almonds

Directions:

Combine the brown rice, water and coconut milk in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your brussels sprouts. Cut off the tough stem and peel off the outer leaves. Bring water to a boil in a separate sauce pan and cook the brussels sprouts until a knife slides in and out easily, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and slice in half.

Combine the brown rice and brussels sprouts in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add the coconut and slivered almonds. Toast the coconut and almonds until they are lightly browned. Sprinkle over the brown rice and brussels sprouts. And eat!

Quinoa with Eggplant and Peppers

Hello lovelies. I have a little story for you all this Thursday morning. And if you absolutely cannot stand to hear me ramble for a paragraph or two, you can jump down to the recipe at the end. I won't judge. Too much. Anyway, story time! I currently intern at the public relations agency that represents all of the Broadway In Chicago shows in the city. The work is mainly compiling media coverage and sending it off to the client. However, I also get to attend press night for all of the shows.

Let's have a moment of silence for how awesome that is.

--silence--

Okay, back on track. Tuesday night I went to the Mamma Mia! press night. Interns are used as fillers for empty seats in the theater and we are usually given our tickets about two or three minutes before the show starts. This is always anxiety provoking for me (I hate rushing) but usually I handle it well. I was all business Tuesday night until the ushers sent me to the wrong aisle and I sort of went into a blind panic, not paying much attention to my surroundings as I whipped around to run to the next aisle. When I made that hello-whiplash-turn I collided with none other than Chicago's biggest theater critic.

Sputtered apologies and flushed cheeks followed.

I was mortified and still sort of am. Although, I do have to admit that it makes a pretty good story. And as an awkward magnet, that is something you really have to hold on to.

On a somewhat unrelated note, I have some food that I want to show you all. This is a food blog at the end of the day, after all. Like most recipes, this came from an oh s*** moment at the rapidly deteriorating produce in my refrigerator. Nothing like four dollar peppers bruising to get your chef cap on! I used quinoa as the base because no grain is a better canvas for rapidly-deteriorating-produce. This would be great with just about any roasted vegetable. Also, don't be afraid to add sauces. I used some tomato sauce on the leftovers and it was delicious.

Quinoa with Roasted Eggplant and Peppers

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, cubed

2 peppers, chopped roughly

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley

salt/pepper

1 cup quinoa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the eggplant and pepper on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Add the herbs and then mix with your hands to coat the vegetables with oil and herbs. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip over the vegetables, bake for another 5-10 minutes until the eggplant is easily pierced with a knife.

Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the quinoa simmer covered for 15 minutes. Remove cover and fluff with a fork.

Bulgar Wheat Tofu with Lime Tahini Sauce

After three finals, four presentations, two papers, and a potentially dangerous amount of coffee...

I AM DONE WITH FINALS!

And I couldn't be happier.

There are many things that I love about winter break. Sleeping in. My family. The DVR loaded with all of my favorite shows. My parents joke that I take over the TV when I come home. I can't really refute that.

All joking aside though, there is something nice about being home. I love living in the city and there are perks of living on your own. I don't have to suffer through stilted morning conversation. I am 100% not a morning person and holding any sort of conversation before 10 AM is like pulling teeth. I don't have to share the remote. A carton of milk lasts all the way to the expiration date. Sometimes it's nice to share the remote, though. It's nice to have someone there to hear the random stories that just aren't the same when told hours later.

I still don't like the morning talking thing, though.

On an unrelated note, I have a little recipe here for you that is both delicious and nutritious. Unfortunately, it does not rhyme like the end of that sentence. I'll try harder next time.

Bulgar Wheat Tofu with Lime Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgar wheat

1 package tofu, chopped

1/4 cup tahini

2-3 tbsp lime juice

Directions:

Cook the bulgar wheat according to the package's instructions and set aside. Preheat the oven's broiler while you press the tofu. Slice the tofu into bite size pieces and spread out onto a prepared baking sheet. Broil 5-6 minutes per side.

Using a food processor (or a whisk/fork) combine the tahini and lime juice. Add more or less lime juice depending on how thick you want the sauce. Pour over the bulgar wheat and tofu. Serves four.

Lots and lots of cookie recipes will be on their way! Get excited!! What are you all baking for the holidays?