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herbed quinoa with bacon + nuts.

January 20, 2012 in Healthy Eats, On the Side with 6 Comments

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions – but on that note, how about a life resolution?

I resolve to share with you more of the things that I eat, like, all the time. Delicious things. Healthy things. Things you should eat.

Things like quinoa.

Have we not discussed quinoa? I don’t believe we have. Let’s see, where do I begin? For those of you who are quinoa-virgins, quinoa is a grain that contains protein. Not only does it contain protein, it’s actually a complete protein, meaning it includes all nine essential amino acids. Most importantly, it’s super-easy to cook, and super-tasty. It’s a great alternative to whole-wheat pasta for fast weeknight meals, because it’s got the protein already included. And did I mention it tastes good? It has a nutty flavor and a unique, almost crunchy texture.

{baked} truffle fries.

January 12, 2012 in Fabulously Simple, On the Side with 8 Comments

1 gi-normous Idaho potato = $1. Truffle-infused olive oil = $17. Truffle salt = $15.

Truffle fries you can feel good about eating? Priceless.

Seriously – who doesn’t D.I.E. for truffle fries? Give me the name of one person. I guarantee it’s only because they’ve never had them. Truffles and potatoes were made for each other – heck, truffles plus {fill-in-the-blank-here} were made for each other, when I think about it…eggs, mac and cheese, garlic bread…

mexican {mixed vegetable} salad.

November 7, 2011 in On the Side, Salad Bar with 2 Comments

Remember the other day when I told you that I figured out the secret to making oneself feel good about eating all of our favorite Latin-American dishes?

Well, I found another one – this one dedicated especially to Mexican food. Because something heavy, rich, or cheesy just begs for a cleaner, crisper, and healthier friend to hang out with. That, or this makes us feel better about eating it. Either way.

{I like eating Mexican food – particularly those heavy, rich, and cheesy types – so I’m not about to complain when I find multiple healthy pairings to go along with it}

romaine + avocado salad with red onion.

October 12, 2011 in On the Side, Salad Bar with 1 Comment

Oh… It’s a salad.

Yeah… I know what you’re thinking. Romaine, avocado, and red onion? Is that all?

B-O-R-I-N-G.

This salad isn’t rocket science – it’s true. But we all know what I’m about to say, don’t we? Here, now it’s your turn to be a know-it-all… That’s right: Simplicity isn’t a bad thing. Simplicity is good.

black beans + rice, cuban-style.

October 5, 2011 in On the Side with 3 Comments

If it ain’t served with black beans and rice, it ain’t Cuban.

I’ll admit that I’ve never been a huge fan of rice. I do love brown rice, but white rice doesn’t usually do it for me. This recipe, however, changed my mind.

It’s perfectly seasoned, and so full of flavor. I think one of the reasons I’m not typically into rice is that it tends to be bland and boring, and that’s definitely not the case here. This dish gets some TLC, for sure, and yes – dried beans take more time, but they also add more flavor, and it’s totally worth the time it takes to get you there in the end.

tostones: twice-fried {green} plantains.

October 3, 2011 in On the Side, Starters with 0 Comments

Now that we have our Anytime Mojitos in check, how about whipping up a little Cuban feast?

Tostones, black beans and rice, and Cuban sandwiches. Let’s even throw in a simple romaine salad with avocado and red onion. I promise… It’ll be super-easy.

After living in Miami for 5 years, you can’t help but develop a taste for Cuban food. First, there’s the coffee. Oh, how I miss Cuban coffee. There’s just nothing like it… For those who are unfamiliar, it’s really a super-strong, super-sweet espresso. Called a “colada,” it’s served it in a small styrofoam cup with a stack of little shot cups (they look like those disposable half-n-half containers). It’s meant to be shared, so it’s kind of like a Cuban tradition. This stuff will wake you up when all else fails. Trust me when I say, everyone in Miami is familiar with this.

There’s a lot more about Cuban food I love (hello, empanadas!) but because I could go on about this all day, I’ll move on.

I’m okay with moving on because I’m talking about tostones now, which are probably my all-time favorite Cuban food. If you’ve had plantains, chances are you’ve had the sweet, brown, and gloppy version typically served as a side dish. When these are nice and firm, I like them, but they often get soggy – so in that case, I’m not a fan. Green plantains are the same fruit, just not ripened yet, and that’s what tostones are made from. Green plantains that are fried…and fried again…then coated in salt. Could this be bad? I think not.

tomato + watermelon salad.

September 23, 2011 in On the Side, Salad Bar with 0 Comments

Have you ever eaten something that’s made you moan?

Seriously. I bet you have. And I bet it was something sinful – maybe a super-rich dessert, or a perfectly marbled rib-eye that just melted in your mouth.

I bet it wasn’t a salad.

That’s right – this salad made me moan. From my first bite, all the way until I ate the leftovers at work days later. I can’t even remember the last time I ate leftover salad and even remotely enjoyed. And this one… I just didn’t want it to end.

fresh corn + basil tart.

September 19, 2011 in Dinner Party Worthy, On the Side with 3 Comments

I’m not sure what it is about serving a tart that always impresses people.

It probably has something to with the fact that tarts are often beautiful to look at, so if you make one that tastes good, too – you know it’s going to be a hit. Such was the case with this recipe, and the best part is that it was also super-easy to make.

tomato + avocado salad with blue cheese.

September 6, 2011 in On the Side with 0 Comments

Here’s a super-simple idea to help you use up all of those gorgeous tomatoes at the market right now.

{Not that you needed any help in that area}

There’s something about yellow tomatoes that I just love – they always seem to be extra-firm, even when perfectly ripe. My picky tomato eater – who never ate them until the ripe old age of 34 – is also partial to the yellow variety, so that has to mean something.

dill macaroni salad.

August 26, 2011 in Fabulously Simple, On the Side with 3 Comments

The most rewarding thing about cooking is when you start to feel comfortable cooking without a recipe.

Believe me, I’m addicted to recipes. I read cookbooks in bed like novels – it’s true. But lately, I’ve been making due with what’s in my fridge more. When I’m doing really extensive meals and grocery shopping over the weekend, the last thing I want to think about is what I’m going to make for the rest of the week. I usually have some odds and ends leftover, and so I’ve been putting those to use in my weeknight meals. Last night, for example…