Fish Tacos.. My way!

The recipe is my version of a classic... fish tacos!  I am a big fan of fish tacos, but usually when I see this dish on menus in restaurants, the fish is battered, deep fried, topped with full-fat sour cream, a little bit of lettuce or cabbage, and tons of cheese then wrapped in a flour tortilla. Don't get me wrong, fish tacos prepared this way are absolutely irresistible in their fatty, creamy, fried goodness, but oh man, I feel like I need to be rolled home after eating something like this. What's the fun in eating food that makes you feel like crap afterwards?! Exactly. So I decided to make my own version of fish tacos at home with the same great fresh, mexican flavors; but without all the guilt. I steamed my fish instead of frying it, used a medium-sized, whole-wheat tortilla instead of the huge flour tortilla, and topped with a fresh cilantro, sour cream cabbage slaw, salsa and a little bit of cheese.  Few ingredients, not a lot of prep time and SO deliciously satisfying without all that fat and calories.  All I can say is that this is a MUST-TRY recipe ...  I promise you won't be disappointed!

FISH TACOS

Ingredients
(for 4 tacos)
1 lb meaty, white fish (halibut, mahi-mahi, cod, etc.; fresh or thawed from frozen) *Always remember to purchase sustainably caught fish- check this Sustainable Seafood Guide for more information (they even have a downloadable app!)
Mexican spices/herbs- salt/pepper, cumin, chili powder, cilantro
2 cups cabbage (green or red), chopped
1/2 cup green onions (or red onions), finely chopped
2 tblsp low-fat sour cream
Juice of one lime
4 whole-wheat tortillas (hard shell corn tacos work also!)
Additional toppings:
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Hot sauce

Directions: 
1. Top fish with a little bit of salt/pepper, cumin and chili powder, then steam (or broil) until cooked through and flaky. Break apart into bite-size chunks and put aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped cabbage, green onion, sour cream, lime juice and mix well. Add a few dashes of cumin and some fresh chopped (or dried) cilantro.

3. Time to start building the taco (or more like a burrito!). Put one tortilla on a plate and place 1/4 of the prepared fish in the center.

4. Add 1/4 of the cabbage mixture on top of the fish.

5. Top with whatever other toppings you'd like: salsa, cheese, hot sauce, etc. 

6. Fold over both ends in towards the center, take a big ol' bite out of it and prepare to be amazed!   

Potato Leek Soup

Happy Meatless Monday everyone! Boy, have I been MIA from blogging recently! Being engaged has been incredibly distracting from things I should be focusing on - i.e. school, work and blogging - but its been a good distraction and I know I'll come down off Cloud 9 soon :-)


In the spirit of Meatless Monday, I want to share a really nice recipe for Potato Leek Soup. Though we've had some bursts of nice weather recently out here in Baltimore, it's still cold, which means it's still soup season... and I'm not sick of it quite yet. With only five main ingredients, you can't get much simpler than this recipe.. or more delicious!  Leeks may be the only unfamiliar item in this recipe, but fear not! Leeks are in the same family as the better-known scallions, onions and garlic, which means they provide many of the same health-promoting benefits associated with these vegetables.  Mild and sweet, leeks add a nice depth to foods its cooked with, and they taste great cooked on their own, or added to salads, soups, casseroles, etc.  The potatoes, onions, garlic and leeks go really well together in this super easy, healthy, hearty soup that's perfect for a Meatless Monday!


POTATO LEEK SOUP

Ingredients

Olive oil
2 onions (I used one yellow and one red, just for extra color), chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 leeks, thoroughly washed and sliced thinly (use mostly the white/light green parts and about an inch or so into the dark green leaves)
~1lb potatoes, washed and chopped into large chunks
6-8 cups vegetable broth (or water)
Bay leaf (optional)
Salt/Pepper to taste

 Directions
1. In a large soup pot, heat 1-2 tblsp of olive oil and add in the onions, garlic and leeks. Cook for several minutes, stirring often, until softened.

2. Add in the potatoes, bay leave (optional) and cover with vegetable broth.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes until potatoes are soft (check by mashing a potato with a fork against the side of the pot)

4. You can leave it chunky if you wish, or for a smoother, creamier soup, use an immersion hand mixer or blender to puree the soup.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with some parmesan cheese before serving and enjoy!

Buying in Bulk and Making Granola

Ever since cleaning out and reorganizing my kitchen over winter break, I've become obsessed with saving and stocking jars with all sorts of things in my pantry (my roommates can certainly attest to this).  One of the best cost- and time-saving tips I could give anyone, is to shop in the bulk section of your grocery store and load up on beans, grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and so on. Here are a few reasons why I love buying in bulk- 1.) Quite a bit cheaper; 2.) Less packaging involved (you can even save and reuse the plastic bags you use for bulk items) 3.) Most bulk items (not including candy) are non-processed, nutrient-packed whole foods and staple ingredients that are great to have on hand to be used in a variety of ways; and 4) I just love the rustic, old-fashion look of filled jars in the pantry, but maybe that's just me! 

One of my favorite ways to use bulk ingredients is to make my own granola, which I've only recently even attempted to do because I've never been a huge granola fan. That being said, I think most of the time when I say I'm not a fan of a particular food is probably because it's overly processed with tons of added fats, sugars and lots of other unnecessary ingredients; so it's not always the food itself (because I love just about every food), it's just how its made. That's why I like to make my own food my scratch because I know exactly what's in it and I have the freedom to make it to my own personal liking. Awesome! So when I finally got around to making granola from scratch, I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed it. Granola is such a versatile and nutrient packed snack that is great on yogurt or with milk, on its own, or even on a pb & j sandwich for an extra crunch (yum!) 

This recipe is extremely simple and can be easily adapted to your preferences for nuts, dried fruits, spices or whatever you have on hand. Don't worry about measurements or exact proportions because you really can't go wrong and it's all about how you like it. So get creative, have some fun with this one and try something different each time you make it. It's great to make one huge batch at a time so you can store it in a jar, tupperware or bag in your pantry to use for a few weeks. 

Ingredients:

1 lb old-fashion oats

few big handfuls of chopped nuts (I used chopped almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds)

handful of shredded coconut

handful of dried cranberries

2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

~1/2cup pure maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

few dashes of cinnamon and allspice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.

3. Spread into a 9 x 13 baking dish and bake for about 30-50minutes, stirring every 10minutes or so until nice and golden brown. 

4. Store in the a couple big glass mason jars, tupperwares, or plastic baggies in your pantry and enjoy in all sorts of different ways! 

I'm ENGAGED!

Just thought I'd share with everyone that I am officially engaged to the most wonderful man in the world, Matt Righter (I'll put in a little plug here for his blog, mattrighter.blogspot.com, about baseball and pitching.. we're both blogging nerds). He pulled off a very elaborate plan, scheming with all my friends and family, to surprise the heck out of me with a gorgeous ring, red roses, champagne, music- the whole nine yards.  It's been such a special weekend and I couldn't be more happier! Here are a couple pictures. 

Cinnamon Apple Chips

Happy Meatless Monday everyone! I know I haven't been quite on top of posting a new meat-free recipe every Monday, but I hope you are still trying and challenging yourself to go one entire day each week without meat.  Anyone have any comments on their own experience trying Meatless Mondays? I'd love to hear about it!

While procrastinating doing biostatistics homework, I thought I would go ahead and post an easy and delicious recipe for apple chips that I made this weekend (Okay so it's not that exciting of a hearty Meatless Monday recipe, but it's still a tasty snack that will keep you going through a meat-free day!). I eat a lot of apples during this time of year and I'm always looking for creative ways to use them (kind of like my last cabbage post.. ), especially with apples that are starting to go bad or have a few bruises here or there. Applesauce (click here for my recipe) is usually my go-to way to prepare apples if I have a ton that I need to use up, but this weekend I tried making oven-baked apple chips with a few extra apples I had laying around... and I fell in love.   I sliced them up real thin (the thinner the slice, the crispier the chip), sprinkled with some cinnamon and popped them in the oven on really low heat until they got nice and crispy and golden brown. They are great to snack on and to take on-the-go for a super healthy munchie (wayyyyy better than greasy, fatty potato chips.. yuk!). These are soooo good, you will probably want to make more than you think you will want...

CINNAMON APPLE CHIPS 

Ingredients:

(makes about 4-5 cups worth)

3-5 apples, any type

cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees. 

2. Cut the apples into chunks around the core (or use an apple corer, if you have one), and slice very thinly. A mandolin is the best option for getting thin, even slices for crispy chips. 

3. Spread out the slices in a single layer on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper (or tin foil, but use a cooking spray first). Sprinkle side facing up with cinnamon.

4. Bake for about 20min or so on the first side, until the slices start shrinking and shriveling up, turning slightly golden brown.  Then flip over the slices, sprinkle the other side with cinnamon and put back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes until this side is golden brown and crispy. You may have to work in batches depending on how many cookie sheets you have and can fit into your oven at once. I had to do two shifts of two cookie sheets. 

ENJOY!

So Much Cabbage!

I am a huge fan of cabbage. In one of my previous posts (here), I went on about how cabbage is not only nutrient-rich, but also extremely cheap, versatile and great during the fall and winter months.  That being said, cabbage can be kind of overwhelming when you get a huge head of it and have no idea what to do. Even I've been stumped and have had get pretty creative with how I prepare cabbage after buying a GIGANTIC head of it for only $2 (score!) at the market a few weeks ago. Below are three different ways to prepare cabbage- the first two are really simple raw cabbage/coleslaw-like recipes, and the third is a cooked version with pork. I am hoping to finish the last of my cabbage leftovers for today or tomorrow, and though I've thoroughly enjoyed using every last bit of that enormous cabbage in creative ways, I think I may go on a cabbage hiatus for a while. How did that crazy cabbage soup fad diet ever catch on??

CLASSIC (MAYO-FREE) COLESLAW

Ingredients: 

4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced or diced onion

For the dressing- a simple dijon vinaigrette:

(Don't worry about exact proportions- this is about how I like it, but adjust the oil to vinegar ratio as you like it!)

2 tblsp dijon mustard

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

drizzle of honey or agave syrup

1 tblsp olive oil

salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the shredded cabbage, carrots and onions into a large bowl. 

2. In a small bowl, use a fork or whisk to mix together the dressing ingredients until well-combined. 

3. Pour over the coleslaw and mix well. This coleslaw is a great dish to take to a party and can keep well in the fridge for a few days. Enjoy!

CABBAGE WITH PEANUT SAUCE

This is hands-down my favorite go-to way to prepare cabbage - very simply with shredded cabbage and a deliciously rich and creamy peanut sauce. The sauce, which is so lip-smackingly good, can easily be made ahead, stored in the fridge and used in a variety of other ways. 

 

For the peanut sauce: 

2 tblsp creamy peanut butter (softened for a few seconds in the microwave)
2 tblsp soy sauce, preferably low-sodium
2 tblsp rice vinegar
the juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
pinch of grated ginger
a touch of siracha (a spicy red chili hot sauce... use at your own risk!)
a little bit of water to thin it out

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the peanut sauce with a fork or whisk until well-combined.

2. Pour just enough sauce to cover your cabbage, but don't drench it. Save the extra sauce in the fridge for later use.

SAGE-MUSTARD PORK CHOP WITH SAUTEED CABBAGE AND ONIONS

Ingredients:

2 pork chops, preferably local, organic, and/or humanely raised

Sage mustard sauce (I found this awesome sauce at my local market, but if you don't have anything like this, than you can use a dijon or honey mustard instead and just add dried sage) 

Salt/pepper

Dried sage

4 cups cabbage, shredded

1 medium onion, chopped

sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

Directions:

1. Marinate the pork chops with mustard sauce overnight or at least of few hours in the refrigerator.

2. In a pan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. While the oil is heating, sprinkle some salt, pepper and sage on both sides of the pork, push down and then place on the pan. 

3. Cook about 5 minutes on the first side (until golden brown, try not to move it once it's on the pan) then flip over and cook another 5-10 minutes on the second side, lowering the heat and covering the pan with a lid until the pork is cooked through. 

4. While the pork is cooking, place the chopped onions in a new pan with some olive oil and cook for a few minutes until soft. 

5. Add in the cabbage and continuing cooking just until the cabbage begins to soften, but try not to overcook. Finish the cabbage off with a splash of the same vinegar used on the pork for the last 30 seconds of cooking. 

6. Once the pork is done, deglaze the pan with a few splashes of sherry vinegar to create a nice thick sauce for the pork.

7. Serve the cabbage on a plate, top with the finished pork chop and drizzle with extra sauce. Enjoy!

Herb Crusted Salmon, Sauteed Mushrooms, and Roasted Broccoli

After my nice, relaxing (and too short) month-long winter break, I am now slowly and reluctantly getting back into the hectic routine of being a full-time student with a packed schedule of classes, work and homework. It's pretty crazy, but I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't love it!  And the funny thing about adding blogging into the mix, which I've learned after a few months now, is that I keep up with my blog posts more while in school when I have a hundred other things going on than while on breaks when I have nothing better to do. Funny how that works out. So anyway, these are a string of three recipes that I have saved up from a few weeks ago that make up a fantastic meal, or also taste great on their own.

HERB CRUSTED SALMON

I am a huge salmon fan and there are countless ways to prepare and enjoy this meaty fish.  Salmon is so versatile and tasty, not to mention full of omega-3 fatty acids, the really important, heart-healthy "good" fats. When buying salmon, it is best to look for wild-caught Alaskan Salmon (pretty much any type) or U.S. farmed Coho or Silver Salmon, which are the most sustainably caught options, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Guide (click here to read more; they also have an iPhone app!). I bought a medium-sized frozen filet, thawed it out, brushed on some dijion mustard, and coated with a simple herb and panko bread crumb topping, then broiled it for about 15min or so. Delicious!

Ingredients: 

1 medium salmon filet, or 2 smaller filets, thawed

Dijon mustard

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs work too)

2 tsp. olive oil

fresh or dried herbs (basil, thyme, parsley)

salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to broil.

2. Coat the salmon with a thin layer of dijon mustard. 

3. Combine the bread crumbs, olive oil, herbs and salt/pepper in a small bowl and then it spread over the salmon filet and press down lightly. 

4. Broil the salmon for about 15min or so, checking frequently until almost cooked through and browned on top.  Serve and peel back the bottom layer of skin before eating. Enjoy!

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

Next up- a really simple and classic side dish that I love making during these cold winter days.  I know some people are picky about mushrooms, but not me - I enjoy any kind of mushroom prepared any way. Mushrooms are so earthy and hearty (a great meat substitute!), and they are extremely low in calories, high in fiber, and packed full of all sorts of beneficial minerals.  Sauteeing mushrooms with some garlic, onions and herbs is one the quickest, easiest, and most delicious way to enjoy these magnificent fungi! 

Ingredients

1 tblsp olive oil

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

~2 cups organic crimini mushrooms, sliced (or any kind of mushroom)

salt/pepper

herbs: thyme, rosemary and sage are my favorite with mushrooms!

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add garlic and onions over medium heat.

2. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.

2. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and herbs and continuing cooking until the mushrooms are soft and dark brown, another 5 minutes or so. Enjoy!

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH GOAT CHEESE

Roasting is one of my favorite cooking methods when its cold outside because of its warming effect on the body and because of how fantastic it makes my house smell (unless I burn something, of course, which happens from time to time). Broccoli is usually a favorite vegetable among people (which is awesome since broccoli is a cruciferous, anti-oxidant-packed, cancer-fighting vegetable), but most people don't typically think of roasting it. Well, if you've never tried roasted broccoli before, then you are definitely missing out! Top with some goat or feta cheese and you've got a great little side dish to complete this colorful and nutrient-packed meal! 

Ingredients:

2 heads of broccoli (about 2 cups, chopped)

Olive oil

Salt/Pepper

Goat or feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Chop the broccoli into bite size pieces and spread onto a cookie sheet.

3. Lightly coat and mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

4. Roast for about 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is golden brown and slightly crispy.  ENJOY!

APPLESAUCE!

Yummmm.. who doesn't love applesauce? It's one of those simple foods that brings back warm, childhood memories and that I still enjoy eating as an adult. That being said, store bought applesauce doesn't even come close to a homemade batch of the real deal. The store bought stuff usually has tons of added sugar (1 cup of Mott's original applesauce has 22g of sugar- that's almost 6 teaspoons of sugar!) and other unnecessary chemicals and preservatives.  Making REAL applesauce is so easy and delicious, and you get to control what goes into it.  Also- here's a BIG money-saving tip... you can buy a huge bag of apple "seconds" (the picked over apples with a few bruises here or there that you can just cut off) from the farmers market for a whopping $1.  That's right, one dollar for a large bag (see below) of a good variety of apples that no one else wanted will make two enormous pots of applesauce. You just can't beat that!

There is no real recipe to making applesauce- it turns out differently every time I make it depending on the types of apples I get in the bag and the types of spices I have on hand to throw in until I'm happy with the taste. The only real effort in making applesauce is cutting off any bruises and chopping up all the apples in chunks (skin on or off depending on your preference- I love keeping the skin on for some extra texture). 

After that, you just throw the apples in a pot with some liquid (I used the juice of one lemon and a splash of brandy) and cook them down until they are nice and mushy, stirring occasionally (about 30min or so). I also added one cinnamon stick, some freshly grate ginger, a dash of nutmeg and a small drizzle of local, raw honey for a hint of sweetness. You can leave it chunky or use an immersion blender or regular blender to get it to a finer consistency, if you wish.  And that's it! The finished applesauce will keep for a few days, probably up to a week, in the fridge, or you can easily freeze the leftovers for later use. ENJOY!

*** After sending this out to my friends and family, I received an email back from my Nana that I would like to share with everyone:

"Allison:  Remember, Uncle Fritz’s nickname for you was “Applesauce”!!  My Mother, Nanny, made her own applesauce and when the apples were cooked, she put them in a screen cone shaped colander, and mashed them with a pointed wooden mallet, turning it around until all were mashed to her liking.  I have made applesauce myself many times at Piney.  It was really neat to use...  I like your recipe."

Thanks for your note, Nana :-) It's always fascinating for me hearing stories about how food was prepared years ago, before the extreme technological innovations and the development of our industrialized food system.  The beautiful art of cooking fresh, homemade meals has been lost by too many people of our generation, and it's a damn shame.  Let's work to regain and preserve this lost art by continuing to spread the joy of cooking! 

Spinach and Arugula Salad with Oranges, Cranberries, Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Happy Meatless Monday everyone! It sure is a tired Monday for me, as I am still recovering from a weekend trip to NYC for a reunion with my college roommates, which was so much fun.. probably too much fun :-).  Though I often dread going back to school or work on Mondays, I really do treat Mondays as an opportunity to get back on track and start the week off on a good note; so no matter what happened during my weekend or the previous week, Monday brings a fresh start and a new set of goals to achieve. That is what I find so great about Meatless Monday- it is one simple goal you can set for yourself each and every week to kick start your health habits and even your creativity. Okay- that's enough ranting about Meatless Monday.. but seriously, if you haven't gotten on board yet, it's never too late to try it out! And if you already are a Meatless Monday fanatic like moi, then keep up the good work and spread the word!

So how about a nice, seasonal salad recipe for today? I'm definitely feeling in need of a healthy salad after overindulging myself this weekend (why are NY bagels so amazing?!).  I know winter is usually the time for soups, stews and lots of heavily cooked, warming foods; but it's nice to mix things up every once in a while and to eat a cold, uncooked, loaded green salad.  I made this salad with some spinach and arugula from the farmers' market, which you should still be able to find this time of year; and I added a fresh orange, some dried cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette (you'll never need to store-bought dressing again once you realize how easy and tasty homemade dressings can be.. without all the added chemical preservatives, emulsifiers and stabilizers, etc) for a really flavorful and satisfying stand-alone salad.  This salad is packed full of important vitamins and nutrients, fiber and good fats to help boost your immune system and keep you sick-free all winter long.  Feel free to be creative and add in whatever veggies, nuts and fruits you have on hand!

SPINACH & ARUGULA SALAD WITH ORANGES, CRANBERRIES, WALNUTS, GOAT CHEESE & A HOMEMADE BALSAMIC DIJON VINAIGRETTE 

For the Salad- Mix together: 

1 big handful of mixed spinach and arugula (or any mixed salad greens), washed and dried 

1 orange, peeled and cut into big chunks

Sprinkle of dried cranberries

Sprinkle of chopped walnuts (pine nuts, almonds, or pecans would also be good)

1-2 Tblsp of goat cheese, crumbled

For the vinaigrette- Combine to taste: 

~1 Tblsp dijion mustard

~1 tsp honey or agave syrup

~1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 

~1 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt/pepper and any other herbs or spices you wish. So easy, so good! 

Awesome Lentil and Barley Salad

With my new obsession of storing and organizing my kitchen ingredients in mason jars and clear canisters after reading Amy Pennington's Urban Pantry, I've been stocking up on lots of bulk items to fill all my jars - all sorts of grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, flour, sugar.. you name it.  Buying these items in bulk is not only economical (a.k.a. so much cheaper!), but it also saves the excess packaging, and you have guaranteed, hearty and healthy ingredients on hand at all times for easy go-to meals. 

This definitely came in handy tonight because we are having a potluck lunch/surprise baby shower at work tomorrow and I said I would bring a main dish of some sort. So I cooked up some barley and lentils from my pantry stash, and mixed in some currants, capers, onions and almonds with an amazingly delicious and flavorful vinaigrette.. all inspired by one of my favorite cooking blogs "My New Roots" .  This salad is so fantastic and the flavors so unexpected; as Sarah Britton of My New Roots explains, "It is this special combination of flavors that creates a truly remarkable salad that is lip-smackingly tasty and totally addictive".... not to mention ridiculously healthy! It's also the perfect food to make ahead of time for a large group, as the flavors get better over time and it keeps and transports well. And feel free to mix up the ingredients or use what you have on hand- you really can't go wrong by adding anything to lentils and barley. 

AWESOME LENTIL AND BARLEY SALAD

Ingredients:

1:1 Ratio of barley to lentils (I used about 1.5 cups of each; green or brown lentils work best)

1 bay leaf

1 medium red onion, diced

1 cup dried currants

1/3 cup capers

3/4 cup almonds, dry-roasted, chopped

Optional add-ins: 

Walnuts (or any other nut)

Goat cheese

Seasonal veggies

Fresh herbs

For the vinaigrette 

(**Don't get overwhelmed with the list- If you have everything, great.. if not, just use what you have and it will still taste great!)

1/3 cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. maple or agave syrup
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Rinse barley well, drain. Rinse the lentils separately, drain and put aside. 

2. Place barley in a large pot and cover with about 6 to 8 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. 

3. After about 15-20 minutes of cooking, add the lentils, one bay leaf, and some salt and pepper; and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until the barley and lentils are cooked, but not mushy (check frequently to see when they are done so they don't get overcooked!)

4. While the lentils and barley are simmering, make the dressing by whisking or shaking together all the ingredients until well combined. 

5. Once the lentils and barley are done cooking, remove from heat, drain any excess water, if necessary, and put back into a large pot, bowl or tupperware. 

6. Add the onion, capers, currants and almonds (and any other add-ins), and toss with the dressing. Can be served warm, or put in the fridge to hang out for a day or two before serving cold. Most awesome lentil salad ever! 

Food Resolutions for You in 2011!

Just came across this great Huffington Post article, "11 Food Resolutions for You in 2011" that I had to share with everyone. If you're not already burnt out from setting resolutions for the new year, you gotta check this out and add a few more food-related ones to your list! Also - notice how Meatless Monday is #1 !! See.. the movement is spreading and I am not alone is my belief that Meatless Monday (EVERY Monday) is a great way to reduce meat intake, while improving your health and the health of the planet at the same time. 2011 is going to be a good year for us foodies spreading the love for local, seasonal, healthy, homemade food... so join the movement!

Click here to read the article. 

Lucky Black Eyed Pea Soup

Happy 2011! I hope everyone had a blast celebrating the new year and setting those infamous resolutions to start the year off on a good note.  I can't say that I intentionally set any specific goals for the next year, but I do hope to finish my grad program off strong, figure out my next career move, and have lots of fun new food adventures.  I've already been working on the latter, and for the next few weeks I will have a partner in crime in my kitchen, a.k.a. my boyfriend's sister, Emily. She's a 26 year old, incredible opera singer, who is in between performances right now, so she is staying with us in Baltimore while one of our other roommates is home for break. Emily is a ball of energy and not afraid to push my buttons and challenge me in the kitchen, so I can assure you that there will be some fun recipes and surprises over the next few weeks!

To honor my family's tradition of eating eating black eyed peas at the start of the new year for good luck, Emily and I made a hearty black eyed pea soup with chicken, brown rice, kale and lots of herbs and spices. This was the perfect soup to have after being out in the cold this afternoon watching the Ravens beat up on the Bengals. Playoffs- here we come... GO RAVENS! This soup's got everything you need for a healthy, satisfying meal in just one pot.  And if you make a big pot on Sunday then you can freeze the leftovers for ready-to-go meals throughout the next few weeks. 

LUCKY BLACK EYED PEA SOUP

Ingredients

2 cups dried black eyed peas

8 cups water

1/2 lb chicken breast

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic

1 tblsp olive oil

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

1-2 cups brown rice or grain blend

1 vegetable or chicken low-sodium bouillon cube (not a huge fan of these, but I do use them from time to time, as they are easy to keep on hand)

Herbs and spices: salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, sage, red chili flakes, cayenne

Directions

1. Wash and sort the dried beans. Put them into a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 min.

2. Meanwhile, coat the chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper on both sides and cook in a pan with some olive oil. Chop or shred into small pieces and set aside.

3. In the same pan, heat a little bit more olive oil and cook the garlic, onions, carrots, celery with salt and pepper until softened. 

4. Once the beans have cooked for about 30 minutes or so and are nearly soft, add the cooked vegetables, shredded chicken, brown rice, kale bouillon cube, and the rest of the herbs and spices to taste.  Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes and adjust spices as needed. ENJOY!

Special thanks to my roommate Leann for being a taste tester of the soup! 

I'm back!

Phew.. what a hectic couple of weeks. After two intense weeks of finals and papers, followed by the craziness of Christmas with lots of travel and family time, I was due for a break... but now I'm excited to be back blogging! I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday filled with lots of family, love, good food and good times.  It's been so nice relaxing these past few days, spending time with my family (and seeing my new little nephew!), going skiing yesterday, catching up on sleep, and completely de-cluttering my house (it was about time...).  I've already put to use many of the wonderful new kitchen tools and cookbooks I got for Christmas, and below is one of the first new recipes I've tried. I can't wait to start updating my blog more regularly now that I'm revitalized a bit with lots of fun, new recipes to start off the new year! Enjoy!

Peanut Soba Noodles with Chicken

I thought I would start back up with a recipe from one of my new cookbooks I got for Christmas, entitled "Urban Pantry: Tips & Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable & Seasonal Kitchen"" by Amy Pennington.  Could my parents have picked out a more fitting cookbook for me? I don't think so.  This is such a fantastic cookbook, and I've changed many things in my kitchen and my cooking because of it... more to come about that. Anyway, I just had to try this recipe for Peanut Soba Noodles, which is a really simple asian dish with tons of flavor and good, hearty nutrition. Soba noodles are Japanese spaghetti-like noodles traditionally made from buckwheat flour (a great gluten-free source of protein, less calories than wheat flour) and they boil quickly in about 6-7 minutes.

The peanut sauce is so delicious that you may want to make extra just to keep on hand to use in a variety of other ways (dressing for a salad, dips for veggies, marinade for meat...yum!). This dish tastes great at any temperature, hot, room temperature or cold; and leftovers will keep well in the fridge for several days. You gotta try it!

PEANUT SOBA NOODLES WITH CHICKEN

Ingredients
1/2lb chicken, about 4 small chicken breast tenders, preferably organic, free-range
1 tblsp vegetable oil
Chinese five spice powder
salt/pepper
One 8-oz package soba noodles
1/2c peanut butter
1/4c water
1/4c soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tblsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1tsp ground ginger
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced or grated
1/4 head red cabbage, grated
3 green onions, chopped
(Feel free to add additional vegetables)

Directions
1. Sprinkle the chinese five spice powder and salt/pepper over the chicken to coat
2. Heat oil in a pan and cook chicken until nicely browned and cooked through.

3. While the chicken is cooking, cook the soba noodles as directed on the package.
4. To prepare the peanut sauce, mix together the peanut butter, water, soy sauce, lime, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger until smooth and creamy. You may want to heat the peanut butter in the microwave for a few seconds until soft.
5. Chop up the carrots, cabbage and green onions and set aside.

6. Drain the noodles when they are done and put them back into the pot.
7. Chop up the chicken and add to the noodles. Add the veggies and pour over the peanut sauce. Mix until well-incorporated. Enjoy!