A Cooking Snafu!

Hi Everyone!

Happy Tuesday morning. I hope everyone had a nice little Monday! My day got off to a snowy and slushy start, but the messy weather started to clear up towards mid day. Things around here have been fairly busy. PJ and I returned Sunday afternoon from a fun little weekend excursion to Boston. Although it was a quick trip, we were able to visit with a bunch of friends and family. Saturday turned out to be a pretty busy day, so my Mom suggested that we cook in instead of trekking out to a restaurant. We had a fantastic home-cooked meal followed by some hanging out by the fire. Pajamas, roaring fire, fabulous company, and delish food? That's a perfect Saturday evening in my book.



For dinner, we had grouper steamed in parchment with sour orange sauce and martini relish. Sounds amazing, right? It was. The presentation, name, and taste of this dish would make you think it was a labor intensive meal, but my mom said it was very simple to make. Aren't those the best meals? They taste amazing, yet the prep and cook time is quick and easy.  I have included the recipe below. I plan on making this over the weekend.

Grouper with Martini Relish

(adapted from Bobby Flay)

** Note **

My mom said  if she made this again that the sour orange sauce would be much easier to create using 1/4 cup of thawed orange juice concentrate (and then add other ingredients) rather than boiling down fresh orange juice.

Ingredients

Sour Orange Sauce:

• 2 cups fresh orange juice


• 1 tablespoon clover honey


• Juice of 1 fresh lime


• Splash of white wine vinegar


• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Martini Relish:

• 1/4 cup quartered green pitted olives


• 2 piquillo peppers, drained, patted dry and diced


• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced


• 1/2 jalapeno, finely diced


• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar


• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grouper:

• 2 grouper fillets, 6 ounces each


• Salt and freshly ground black pepper


• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


• 2 tablespoons dry white wine


• Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions

For the sour orange sauce: Put the orange juice in a small nonreactive saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until thickened and reduced to about 1/4 cup. Whisk in the honey and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the lime juice, vinegar and season with salt and pepper and more honey if needed.

For the relish: Combine the olives, peppers, shallots, jalapeno, oil, vinegar, parsley and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

For the grouper: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle both fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 grouper fillet in the center of each piece of parchment paper. Top each fillet with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon wine. Fold the edges together, and then tightly fold in the edges, crimping around all sides to seal the packets completely. Place the packets on a baking sheet or in a large oven-proof saute pan. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Place each packet on a dinner plate and let sit for 2 minutes. Then open the parchment and drizzle with some of the sour orange sauce and top with some of the martini relish. Garnish with parsley leaves.

We enjoyed some roasted green beans and wild rice on the side. I followed my dinner up with some fro-yo loaded with yummy toppings! I forgot to take a pic, but I assure you it was quite wonderful.



When PJ and I arrived home yesterday afternoon, we both took a little siesta. I don't know what it is about driving that makes me so tired. I am sitting on my butt the entire time, yet upon arrival the exhaustion sets in. Anyways, after I woke up, I made my way into the kitchen where I actually spent the remainder of my evening  (by choice, of course!). I whipped up a batch of Granola Crusted Nuts, which I previously blogged about in this post. My Mom and I made them together over Christmas, but I hadn't gotten around to making them myself. I doubled the batch per Mom's suggestion, and now I have a whole heap of Granola Nuts for my snacking pleasure! I have added the recipe below. I have been enjoying these heavenly nuggets on my Chobani in the morning as well as munching on them throughout the day.  You should go make these- Right NOW!

Granola-Crusted Nuts

(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Any nut can be used but those bumpy, craggy ones will manage to stow more granola coating. I used pecans and walnuts.

New note: If you’d like to add additional sweetness with honey or maple syrup, you can probably skip the water in the egg white. The purpose of it is just to thin the egg white enough that it coats well.

These are as excellent with breakfast as they would be for a travel snack or gift.

3/4 cup rolled oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned will work; instant might get a little dusty)
1/4 cup shredded or flaked unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons pepitas, or another nut or seed of your choice ( I used 2-3 tbsp of millet, and 2-3 tbs of sesame seed AFTER grinding in food processor! You could probably reduce to 2 tbs if you aren't doubling recipe!)
1/4 cup dark or light brown sugar (for low-to-moderate sweetness)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Few pinches sea salt
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons water (adjusted from 1 T)
2 cups (approximately 1/2 pound) walnuts, pecans or nuts that you prefer

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse oats, coconut, pepitas, sugar, cinnamon and salt in short bursts until the mixture is very well chopped but not powdery — it needn’t be like a flour. In a large bowl, beat egg white and water until frothy (but not stiff). Add nuts to bowl and coat them very well, using a few more stirs than will seem necessary because if the egg doesn’t get into the craters of the nuts, no granola will stick there. And that would be sad. Pour oat mixture into bowl and very gently fold it together with the nuts, so that it just barely sticks. (I found that if you stirred it a lot, the mixture just started falling off, so just a few folds will do.) You’ll have more granola coating than will seem necessary, but this is fine. Spread nuts-and-granola out on baking sheet in a single layer but no need to separate them. Sprinkle any granola mix leftover in the bowl over the nuts.

Bake for 20 minutes, moving nuts around just once in the baking time so that the inner nuts get as toasty as the ones at the edge, and up to 10 minutes more if they don’t look toasty yet at 20 minutes. Transfer pan to cooling rack and let nuts cool completely there. Once fully cool, break up any nut clusters and place mixture in jars/bags/your hand.

As I said, I spent most of Sunday evening in the kitchen. I decided to make this Kale and Millet Frittata for dinner. I had the ingredients in my fridge for almost a week, but never got around to making it. I'm actually glad I chose a lazy Sunday to make this as it was much more time-consuming than I had previously thought. The picture above is from the Sprouted Kitchen because I made a few errors (tired, eh?) which deterred me from posting a picture of my frittata. Instead of dumping the kale mixture into the egg mixture, I dumped the egg mixture into the hot pan that the kale was sautéeing in. You can probably infer what happened-cooked egg.As I was pouring, I knew what I was doing was not correct, but I couldn't stop! Have you ever done that? Time slows down and you are completely aware of the mistake you are actively making , but there is nothing you can do! Grrr. Despite the frusturating blunder, I continued on with the frittata. What was the worst that could happen? It would suck and I'd throw it out? Oh well, not so bad in the grand scheme of things! So, instead of pouring the egg mixture into the millet crust as the recipe suggests,  I spooned my egg and kale "mixture" into the crust. I baked it for slightly less time than the recipe called for as my eggs were already partially cooked.



After you remove the frittata from the oven, sprinkle it with parmesan cheese and then set your oven to broil. You then pop that bad boy back in for 5 min. Well, I didn't check during the 5 min, and apparently that was just a little bit too long for my frittata. I took it out only to find a sad, charred frittata. Womp, Womp. Thankfully, PJ and I both like burnt cheese and crispy greens, so I served it anyway. Winning! It was actually pretty delish despite its slightly unappealing presentation. The millet crust was AMAZING, and although the egg mixture was a little dry from my error, I was impressed with how tasty the meal was. I would definitely make this again now that I'm fully aware of what not to do! I have added the recipe below. Enjoy :)

Kale Frittata with Millet Crust 

[Adapted from Edible Perspective and inspired by baby spinach frittata with sweet potato crust from the Sprouted Kitchen cookbook]

for the millet:

• 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil, divided


• 1 teaspoon minced garlic


• 1 cup uncooked millet, rinsed + drained


• 1 cup low/no sodium veggie broth


• 1 cup water


• 1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper

*If using a full sodium veggie broth you may want to reduce salt content to 1/4 teaspoon.

1. Heat a pot over medium and add 1/2 tablespoon oil.


2. Once hot, add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until just starting to brown.


3. Add in the millet and stir frequently for about 3 minutes until it starts to toast.


4. Add in the veggie broth, water, salt, and pepper, then stir and bring to a boil over med-high.


5. Once boiling, stir once then cover and reduce heat to simmer, cooking for 15-20min until the liquid has been absorbed from the top. Avoid overcooking and drying out the millet.  Do not stir while cooking.


6. Towards the end of the cook time preheat your oven to 350*F and grease a 9-10” pie pan or cast iron skillet.


7. Once the millet is finished, fluff with a fork and place 2 1/2 – 3 cups in the pan.


8. Spread around with a flexible silicone spatula and push about 3/4” up the sides. Be sure to pack the millet down firmly. You want about 1/4” thickness on the bottom and sides. Add more millet if needed.


9. Gently brush with a light coating of melted coconut oil.  About 1/2 tablespoon melted.


10. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just starting to brown.

for the kale egg bake:

• 8 large eggs


• 1/3 cup full fat ricotta cheese


• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or 2% milk


• 1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper


• 1/2 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil


• 3 tablespoons minced shallot


• 2 teaspoons minced garlic


• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage


• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary


• 4 cups chopped lacinato/dinosaur kale, rinsed


• 1/4 cup grated parmesan [optional]

1. While the crust is baking, whisk together the eggs in a large mixing bowl.


2. Whisk in the ricotta, milk, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.  Set aside.


3. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium.


4. Once hot, add the shallot and stir for 1-3 minutes until light golden brown.


5. Add in the garlic, sage, and rosemary, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.


6. Stir the kale in and let cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly wilted.  Remove from the heat.


7. Whisk into the egg mixture then pour into the baked crust.


8. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, depending on your pan size.  I used a 10” pan and it took 33 minutes.  Bake until just set.  Give the pan a little jiggle to test and check every 1-2 minutes after 30min of baking to ensure it doesn’t overcook.


9. Turn your oven to broil on high then sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese.  Broil on the top rack until melted and starting to bubble.  Watch closely.


10. Let cool for 5-10 minutes then cut into 8 pieces with a serrated knife and serve with a small spatula.  Top with salt, pepper, and/or hot sauce if desired.


11. Let cool completely before storing covered in the fridge.

notes: Feel free to sub in other herbs instead of sage + rosemary.  1 tablespoon of basil and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme would also work well.



In other news, yesterday evening I finally got back to yoga, which I was really missing after a few days away from it. The above photo is clearly not yours truly, but I certainly wish I was doing yoga on a beach right about now! When I returned home on Sunday evening, I was going to try to squeeze in some yoga before dinner, but by the time I finished cooking it was 8 o'clock. I figured I would just wait and eat after I did yoga, but I stepped back and asked myself if I really was postponing dinner to do yoga because I genuinely wanted to, or because I felt like I had to. While there are many benefits to yoga, or any movement for that matter, there are times you need to listen to your body and give it what it needs. Actually,we should really be listening to our bodies at all times. At that time,  my body needed to sit down, eat dinner, and relax. The yoga mat would be there tomorrow. I have to continuously check myself, even with yoga, to be sure I'm doing it for the right reason and not because "I should". I am working very hard on not "shoulding all over myself" (haha). If I've learned anything over the past few years, playing the "I should " or " I should have" game only leads to guilt, and as my Dad says , "Guilt's a killer".

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Be Well.



XO

Sarah

A Day of Amazing Eats!

Hi There!

I hope you are all well on this chilly Thursday morning! I admittedly haven't been outside yet, but judging by the bitter cold week we have been having, I think it's safe to say that things have not changed much! Nothing out of the ordinary happened yesterday aside from having some pretty awesome home- cooked meals! Oh, and on a side note, I also realized that being engaged is going to cost me a lot of money as I feel the need to have my nails perfectly painted at all times :). I would try and cut down on the manicures and paint my own nails, but every time I try it looks like a five year old got a hold of my hands. I guess we can't be good at everything, right?  C'est la vie, manicures it is!

Ok, back to the food. On Tuesday evening, PJ found a pamphlet that came with a running jacket he received for Christmas. He was flipping through and realized that there were some interesting and healthy recipes geared towards runners. Now, PJ is not typically a fan of Quinoa despite my desperate attempt to sneak it into many of our meals, but his eyes were drawn to a hot Quinoa breakfast cereal detailed in the book. He read the recipe, and I decided right there that I would whip a batch up in the am. Well, the verdict is in, and we both loved it! With the mornings having been so chilly, it was the perfect warm and filling breakfast to kick off the day!



PJ's Quinoa Breakfast Cereal

(adapted from Marni McDowell)

Ingredients

1 cup cooked Quinoa

3/4 cup almond milk

Splash of vanilla extract

1 tbp shredded coconut

1 tbsp dried cherries

1 tbsp organic maple syrup drizzled before serving (optional!)

Directions: Combine cooked quinoa, almond milk, vanilla, coconut, and cherries in a saucepan. Simmer until warm and thickened. Serve!



Lunch was also delish yesterday, but it wasn't very pretty so I refrained from taking a pic. I made a sandwich using rotisserie chicken, avocado, salt, pepper, and a little plop of chobani on a whole wheat pita. It was awesome, I tell ya!



I also made a green (or red!) juice to enjoy as an early evening snack. I used kale, spinach, 2 celery stalks, a beet, parsley, ginger, and half a lemon. I don't usually measure ingredients when I juice. I instead just stuff handfuls of veggies into the juicer until I like the color or flavor :).



Dinner was the star of the show. I made a Carrot Chickpea Soup with a Lemon Tahini Dollop. My mom had sent me this Smitten Kitchen recipe a few weeks back, and yesterday's chilly temps made it a perfect night for a warm and comforting soup. The tahini dollop and roasted chickpeas really make this soup unique! I didn't have tahini, so I just used a plop of  pine nut hummus that I mixed with a little extra lemon juice, and it worked perfectly.  I would highly recommend making this delish dish!

Carrot Soup with Lemon, Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas

(adapted from smitten kitchen)

My soup vice is because I’ve already confessed to finding it a little dull, that I overcompensate with add-ins. Here, there’s a dollop (lemon-tahini), a crouton (cumin-crisped chickpeas, which might sound familiar as they’re also here), wedges of toasted pitas (brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with za’atar) and a garnish (parsley). If you’re not me, this might seem like overkill, in which case you should definitely just use the ones you find the most interesting.

Serves 4, generously or 6, petitely

Soup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 pounds (905 grams) carrots, peeled, diced or thinly sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 regular or 6 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more if needed
Pinch of Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
4 cups (945 ml) vegetable broth

Crisped chickpeas
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce (425-gram) can, drained, patted dry on paper towels
1 generous tablespoon (15 ml or so) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Lemon-tahini dollop
3 tablespoons (25 grams) tahini paste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
Pinch or two of salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water

Pita wedges, garnish
A few large pitas, cut into 8 wedges
Olive oil, to brush pitas
Za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice-herb blend) or sesame seeds and sea salt to sprinkle
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper flakes and sauté until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Toss chickpeas with one tablespoon olive oil, salt and cumin until they’re all coated. Spread them on a baking sheet or pan and roast them in the oven until they’re browned and crisp. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and firmness of your chickpeas. Toss them occasionally to make sure they’re toasting evenly.

Once vegetables have begun to brown, add broth, using it to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cover pot with lid and simmer until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small dish, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, salt and water until smooth with a yogurt-like consistency. If more liquid is needed to thin it, you can add more lemon juice or water, a spoonful at a time, until you get your desired consistency.

Spread pita wedges on a second baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with za’atar or a combination of sea salt and sesame seeds and toast in oven with chickpeas until brown at edges, about 5 minutes.

Puree soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls. Dollop each with lemon-tahini, sprinkle with crisped chickpeas and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with pita wedges. Forget January, you’d eat this anytime. Right?

OK, time to get on with it! The quote above is going to be my little mantra for the day; maybe it can be yours too :) !

xo

Sarah

It's hump day!

Hey Y'all

I hope everyone is having a fantastic week so far, despite the chilly temps! My days have been uneventful but productive, which is really all you can ask for, right? I've been working, doing yoga, and I actually went out for dinner both Monday night and last night. I will say it's been nice not having to cook!



With regards to yoga, most of you who read the blog know that it's the staple of my exercise routine. I think the reason for this is that I don't really view yoga as "exercise". Maybe some of you can related, but the word exercise is pretty loaded for me as I've had a love/hate relationship with it most of my life. I grew up dancing 6 days a week, which I loved with all my heart. I never viewed dance as an exercise, but rather a way of life. The girls I danced with and my dance teachers were like a second family to me. Sure, there were days that I didn't want to go to class; but ultimately, it was an activity that I thoroughly enjoyed for its ability to instill playfulness, discipline, strength, and self-awareness. I love yoga because to me, the benefits parallel those that I felt all those years dancing. Traditional exercise like lifting weights, running on the treadmill, or sweating it out on the elliptical or stairmaster have always been activities I forced myelf to do in order to control the size of my body. The key word here, people, is forced. If you love these activities do them!  I know plenty of people who love the gym. It has taken me about 12 years to admit to myself that I, Sarah, Hate. The Gym. What a relief it was to get that out in the open!

Anyways, I love yoga, and I really do think that I fall in love with it a little more each time I practice. As with  anything else  in life, I believe that the instructor or manager "leading" an activity (whether it is work related or otherwise) can in a way make or break an experience. I don't regularly attend yoga classes due to time constraints and limited class availability where I live. Instead, I use a fantastic site called Yogaglo. One of the instructors featured on the site is Kathryn Budig (who I have mentioned before!). I have tried a few other instructors on the site, but Kathryn is by far my favorite. Her classes are challenging, but she continually relates the practice of yoga to everyday life. The way you handle unfamiliar sequences and challenging poses in yoga is often the way you handle difficult situations in everyday life. One thing that I have been working on lately (in yoga and in life!) is remembering that no feeling is permanent. For example, yesterday the class I chose included a lot of core work. I don't like core work very much, and I tend to cheat a little bit when my body starts to shake or burn. Well, yesterday Kathryn said (and has said in her other classes) that even though this pose is uncomfortable and tough, it won't last forever. Acknowledging this fact allowed me to push through the "I'm just going to collapse into child's pose because this is challenging and I don't want to do it anymore" thought and complete the sequence. Do you know how freakin' great it felt to get through it!? I started to think about situations in my life where I tend to give up too soon because the feelings seem overwhelming or uncomfortable. I'm trying to reframe my negativity towards these unfamiliar or annoying situations, and I'm actively striving to remind myself that uncomfortable feelings or unpleasant tasks are not permanent. Remembering that the feeling is not forever makes things a little bit more bearable, right?



Moving on to food, I made a delicious and simple meal on Sunday evening that I highly recommend ! I have added the recipe below.

Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles

(adapted from Candice Kumai's Cook Yourself Sexy)

Soba Noodles

1 cup quartered and thinly sliced Japanese eggplant (I used regular eggplant!)

1 tbsp roasted sesame oil

1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1 (80z) package of soba noodles

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (I only had green, so that's what I used)

1 cup arugula or mizuna greens

2 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)

2 tbsp Thai basil or regular basil ( I used regular)

Vinaigrette

2 tbsp natural peanut butter

1 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp roasted sesame oil

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar which worked fine)

1 teaspoon of Sriracha hot sauce (I used 1 tbsp!)

1 teaspoon of honey

To Make Noodles

1.Saute the eggplant over medium heat in the sesame oil and soy sauce until just tender

2. cook the soba noodles as directed. Strain and rinse under cool water. Set aside.

To Make Vinaigrette

While soba is cooking, mix all the vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine.

To Serve

1.In the same large mixing bowl, gently toss the cooled soba noodles in the vinaigrette, then add the eggplant, red pepper, and arugula.

2. Coat all of the noodles well and top each dish with crushed peanuts or basil, if desired.



I also had to add a pic of the fantabulous green juice that I made on Sunday. The juice included kale, spinach, lemon, ginger, and parsley. It was so refreshing and also very pretty, dontcha think?

Ok, I must be going! Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Be Well,

XO

Sarah

He put a ring on it!!

Happy Friday, Everyone!

As many of you are aware,  last Saturday evening PJ and I got engaged! To say I was shocked and excited would be an understatement, which in my book means that he pulled off the perfect proposal. While I was fairly confident that we both wanted to get married and spend our lives together, I didn't know exactly when he would pop the big question. To be completely honest, after over 4 years together as an official couple (and 7 years prior as friends!), I was starting to get a bit antsy (to put it mildly!) about when he was going to lock it down!  I actually had a few "is he ever going to propose!?" mini meltdowns to family and friends in the past 2 months (cleverly hidden from PJ!). All the while, the ring had been safely tucked under my bed.

Bling, Bling!

   PJ thinks being engaged rocks, clearly.

Most of you who read this blog already know the deets of the engagement! For those of you who don't, I'll give a quick recap. Let me just say again that the boy did good!

At the beginning of last week, PJ had said that he wanted to go to one of our favorite restaurants, Maritime Parc, on Saturday evening. He didn't have to ask me twice as this restaurant is my FAVORITE local dinner spot (more on this later!). Before dinner, I decided I really wanted to see Zero Dark Thirty (so romantic!). The movie was AMAZING, but poor PJ must of  had a hard time sitting through a two-hour and forty minute movie when he knew he was going to propose a few hours later! Woops :)

Here I am at dinner, completely unaware of what the next hour held in store for me! We had a fabulous meal (as always), and then we headed home. As we entered our apartment, Toby greeted us at the door per usual, and we both bent down to give him lots of hugs and kisses. After we were done lovin' on the pup, I stood up- and PJ didn't :) He was down on one knee  presenting me with a gorgeous ring. I think I shreaked, cried, and hyperventilated all at once. I was so excited and shocked that I forgot to say yes! Once we established that I did in fact accepted his proposal, I think PJ was able to relax and enjoy the moment, too! We hung out our apartment for a bit, and then PJ said a couple of our friends were at the restaurant downstairs from out apartment and suggested we go share the good news. I have always said that when I got engaged, I wasn't going to call anyone until the following day. My reasoning for this was simply being able to enjoy the time with PJ- not spending hours on the phone! That's what the following day is for! :) As much as I hadn't wanted to go out, once PJ had popped the question I thought it might be fun to go share the news with a couple of friends. Also, we would have had no pics from the night we got engaged, so I thought that perhaps one of our friends would snap a photo for us. I changed my shirt from the one you see above (which is a "wear and repeat" might I add!), and we headed downstairs. Well, when we walked into the restaurant, PJ said "You know all those people you can't wait to call tomorrow? Well, they're all right there...". I looked up, and the loft above the restaurant was filled with family and friends. I.Lost.It. I almost couldn't make it up the stairs. Both of our families were there, my best friend flew in from Chicago, and so many of our closest friends were in attendance. It was one of the most touching moments of my life. PJ lured everyone to the restaurant by telling them it was my surprise 29th birthday party. He bought birthday decorations which were EVERYWHERE, so even if people thought it might have been a surprise engagement party, the decorations threw them off.

So, for those of you who know me well, you are aware of the fact that I am an ugly crier. It's bad, people- I know. Here is my entrance to the party captured by my good friend Sal. Thank you, Sal, for the candid!

I hope you all enjoyed the little tale of how PJ and I got engaged. It was the most amazing night of my life, and I can't wait for all the excitement that the next year and a half will hold for us, our friends, and our families!

I have a feeling that I will be doing a lot of this over the coming months!

I do want to share a couple of food related goodies from the past week! About a week ago, my friend Katie came over for dinner. I made a fabulous meal if I do say so myself! We had miso glazed salmon with a warm brussel sprout salad, and Katie whipped up a batch Quinoa for a side!

Miso Gorgeous Glazed Salmon (adapted from Pretty Delicious, a cookbook by Candice Kumai)

Serves 4

FWB (Food with Benefit!) Salmon- The omega-3s help balance inflammation; protein feeds the muscles. Pair with anything green and a complex carb, like this quinoa salad for the ultimate recovery meal.

2 tablespoons red miso paste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

4 6-ounce and 1-inch thick salmon fillets

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)

2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal

Nonstick cooking spray

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the miso with the vinegar, soy sauce, honey, oil and 1 tablespoon of water to make a smooth paste.

2. Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the pan and brush with about half of the marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 1 hour) to marinate.

3. Brush the salmon with the rest of the marinade and bake until the salmon is opaque at the edges and the very center is still pink, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before sprinkling with sesame seeds and scallions and serving.

Warm Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad with Cranberries and Pecorino Romano

(adapted from Kathryn Budig for Mind Body Green)

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 10-15 brussels sprouts, ends chopped off and sliced into thing medallions which will shred


• 1/4 cup cranberries


• 2 t garlic powder (I sauteed garlic cloves in the oil before adding brussels! I like it garlicky, so I used 2)


• 2 T extra virgin olive oil


• sea salt to taste


• pecorino cheese to taste

Begin by finely slicing your sprouts into coin slices so that they easily shred into little pieces (the heart of the sprout will stay intact).

Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat and add your sprouts and oil. (Feel free to add more if needed.)

Season with garlic powder and salt and give a good stir. Let stand for several minutes because you want the sprouts to brown and get nice marks.

Cook for a total of about 5 to 8 minutes or until nicely browned. Toss in cranberries for the last minute to warm them then add to a bowl and top with finely shredded pecorino cheese.

Alright, my friends! Time to go eat dinner and get ready to watch Girls! I will see you all sooner rather than later! Enjoy the Dr. Seuss quote below; I thought it was particularly fitting given the content of this post. :)

Be well

xo

Sarah

 

Ginger Rocks

Hi Guys.

I hope everyone is having a happy hump day. Due to the onset of some pretty intense nausea that began early today, my day as not been as wonderful as I would have hoped. For those of you who immediately thought "morning sickness", I can assure you that it's not :)! Thankfully, I don't think that the nausea has anything to do with the flu, as I don't have any other symptoms except fatigue. Not to sound whiny, but I've been in pretty rough shape all day. I haven't wanted to eat anything, but I've tried to anyways in hopes that the food would settle my stomach. No such luck there. About 30 minutes ago, I poured myself a glass of water to which I stirred in some ground ginger. I would have used fresh ginger, but I juiced it all yesterday! I usually chew on a piece of ginger if I experience nausea, and it seems to relieve the symptoms fairly quickly. I'm happy to report that the ground ginger seemed to work just as well! I certainly don't feel 100% , but my stomach seems to have settled a bit. If you were wondering why I didn't just drink ginger-ale, it's because I don't drink any beverages with "bubbles" (carbonation- bubbles was what I called the fizziness when I was little). I've never been able to tolerate the taste or feeling in my mouth from carbonated beverages; I'm sure this made things easier on my parents as they never had to worry about my soda consumption as a child. I will admit that over the years, I have incorporated beer and champagne into my beverage arsenal,but I still don't love the feeling I initially get from the bubbles!



Last night for dinner, I resurrected an old favorite- BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad.  The above picture is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats ,which I'm using since I couldn't manage to snap a good photo of my dish last evening. This dish is healthy, satisfying, colorful, flavorful, and EASY. I may have blogged this recipe before, but it's just so darn good that I'm going to provide it again! My only issue with this dish is that most bbq sauces contain high fructose corn syrup; however, the recipe calls for so little of the sauce in the dressing that I don't think it's anything to freak out about.

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

(adapted from Iowa Girl Eats)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed very well
2 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts
salt & pepper
2 ears corn, shucked (or 1 cup corn kernels)
1/2 cup black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (plus more for chicken)

Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa very well in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water. Combine with the chicken broth in a saucepan then bring to a boil. Place a lid on top, lower heat to medium-low, and cook until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt & pepper, then grill over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the center. (Alternatively you could poach the chicken, or use leftover or rotisserie chicken.) Add corn to the grill at the same time, and rotate every couple of minutes to evenly char on all sides. Remove chicken and corn to a plate and let cool slightly. Shred or cut chicken into cubes, then mix with enough BBQ sauce to coat. Slice kernels off the cob.


3. Mix together Greek yogurt and BBQ sauce in a bowl. Evenly divide the cooked quinoa, shredded BBQ chicken, grilled corn, black beans, and shredded cheese between four plates. Drizzle with yogurt and BBQ sauce mixture, then garnish with chopped cilantro.

* Note: I added hot sauce to the bbq dressing this time, and it was a fantastic addition. I also used frozen corn since fresh corn is not in season. I broiled my chicken which I seasoned with garlic salt, pepper, and old bay. I don't use additional bbq sauce on the chicken because I feel that I get enough flavor from the dressing. 

Alright, time to go sip my ginger water and snuggle on the couch.

Xo

Sarah

I Wore it Twice!

Good Evening!!!

I hope you all had an easier time than I did getting out of bed this morning! This is my first official week back at work after a very long vacation, and I think my system is slightly in shock! At least there will always be coffee, right?



PJ and I had friends from Boston stay with us this weekend, so needless to say it was a busy and friend filled weekend. We enjoyed some great food, both in Jersey City and in NYC. I'm happy to say that we changed things up a bit and headed to Brooklyn for dinner on Saturday night. We went to Building on Bond , which is located in the Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn. The food was fantastic, and we all loved the restaurant decor. Our walk to the restaurant was pretty spectacular as well since it was dark, and we could see into all the fancy Brooklyn brownstones. In a previous post, I divulged my secret hobby ( not so secret anymore!) of peeking into people's windows and checking out their digs! Well, Brooklyn definitely rose to one of my top creepin' locations after our Saturday evening stroll. The illuminated interiors of these brownstones featured gorgeous crown molding and detailed ceilings, as well as built in floor to ceiling book cases! I  love old homes and condos that have these features; I think that the intricate details add unsurpassed character to these buildings. With all that said, I'm still a creep who likes to snoop in people's windows.



What I wore...

GRRRRR this red-eye situation drives me bonkers. I don't even have software on my MAC to correct it! Please bear with me :) Anyways, the reason I'm posting this pic is to share with you my first "wear and repeat" of 2013! Woop, Woop!  I have to say, it was difficult not purchasing a new frock for my Saturday night out! There are sales everywhere right now, and I was beginning to justify my purchasing something new by telling myself that I'd be "snagging a deal".  While I probably could have purchased something unworn and inexpensive to wear,  I stuck with my decision to wear and repeat. I reminded myself that the objective of recycling clothing was not just to save money, but also to get over this "must have new ensemble for photos" obsession. Vanity at its best (or worst!). I wore the top in the photo above to a birthday dinner a month back, and I absolutely adore it. The first time I wore it, I accessorized with a chunky necklace. Saturday night, I wore a fabulous headband with a feather flower detail.

Flashback to December :0 )

I will continue to post pics of my "wear and repeats". As far as progress goes on my other  New Years goals, I'm happy to report that I've greatly improved my timeliness over the past week! I've reduced the number of activities that I would typically try to squeeze into a time period, and I've also been planning my days out more efficiently. For example, instead of making my lunch in the morning when I'm under a time crunch, I put my lunch together after dinner for the following day. My Mom made a great point with regards to making the following day's lunch after dinner. She said that the kitchen is already cluttered after preparing dinner, so why make a new mess in the morning to clean up? In addition to simplifying my morning routine, I find that my lunches are much more creative when I make them at night rather than in the morning. This is probably because  in the morning my tastebuds are screaming for coffee and oatmeal, not kale and tuna.

This picture does today's lunch concoction no justice, but it was so delish that I had to share. I made a salad out of lentils, roasted golden and red beets(leftover from last night's beet salad-more to come on that!), peppers, artichokes, kale, chopped pistachios, almonds, and pomegranate seeds. I drizzled it with a homemade vinaigrette. I would encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to constructing a salad. A salad doesn't have to be your basic lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and carrot combo; I personally find that using only vegetables in my salad leaves me just as hungry as when I started eating. Canned artichokes and beets, capers, beans, lentils,quinoa, barely, nuts, seeds, and fruits often get overlooked as fantastic and filling salad ingredients. You don't need a recipe! Throw in whatever you have on hand, and you may just create a new favorite lunch or dinner dish! I'd also like to add that this photo makes the salad look itty bitty, which I can assure you, it was not.

Yesterday's lunch. Quinoa, edamame, chopped kale, fresh beets, pine nuts, peppers, scallions, and vinaigrette.

For my homemade dressing, I typically use an empty mustard or caper jar and make a batch of dressing using olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, chopped garlic (chopped big just for flavoring...don't want to be chomping on garlic cloves!), salt and pepper. I sometimes add a dash of maple syrup or agave to cut down the acidity. I store the dressing jar in the fridge, and take it with me in my lunch box each day that I need it. Trick from Mom.

Let's talk about the amazing beet salad I made last night that I found on Mind Body Green. It was so pretty to look at; the gold and red beets sprinkled with green pistachios was an amazing color combo. Oh, and this salad tasted just as good as it looked! It was a piece of cake to put together (which I love!), and PJ and I both loved the variation to our typical dinner salad.

Roasted Beets and Pistachios over Lemony Greek Yogurt

Roasted Beets & Pistachios Over Lemony Greek Yogurt
By Sudhir Kandula

Beets are replete with folate, iron, and Vitamin A. This salad is a visually brilliant and absolutely delicious dish that just happens to be incredibly healthy as well.

Roasted Beets & Pistachios Over Lemony Greek Yogurt

Total Prep Time: 60 minutes
Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
2 bunches – red beets
1 bunch – golden beets
2 cups Greek yogurt (FAGE)
½ cup roasted pistachios
½ cup Marcona almonds
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1 lemon
Good olive oil
Salt & pepper
Directions

Roast beets separately at 450 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.

Let cool, peel and dice into bite-sized pieces. Don’t put them in the same bowl as the red beets tend to bleed!

Dress the beets with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Mix lemon juice, a pinch of salt and the yogurt in a bowl.

Coarsely chop the almonds and pistachios.

On a large plate, spoon the lemony yogurt as a base, layer red beets first, then the yellow beets.

Sprinkle chopped nuts and pomegranate seed.

Serve as a first course or a larger portion with a fresh baguette as a main course.

**Note: I cut this recipe in half to make 2-3 servings. Also, I drizzled the salad with the yogurt dressing instead of using it as a base.

I served the salad with monkfish ( Chicken for PJ) and lentils. Do yourself a favor and make this- you won't be disappointed!

In other news, I've been using my new juicer quite frequently! I'm still creating a bit more of a mess than I'd prefer, but I'm still learning. Today, I had to change my shirt and wipe down the walls after I'd completed the process. Juicing kind of makes me  feel like a little kid doing an art projet, and I really don't mind :)! Maybe I need a smock?  I made three juices today- two of which I froze for imbibing throughout the week.

Alright, kids.  I'm off to get some things done. I was hoping to do some yoga tonight before dinner, but I'm absolutely dragging this week! I guess that's what 3 weeks of vacation does to a gal. I'm going to make time for a 2o minute sesh to stretch out, but that's all I've got in me today :) !

Food for thought below :)

Be good to yourself.

xo

Sarah

Cassoulet Anyone?

Happy Thursday :)

Well, that was a nice short week, wasn't it? I wish all work weeks were this abbreviated! In keeping with the theme of brevity,  my post today will be rather short and sweet.With that said, dynamite does come in small packages, so I promise I'll provide some goodies in this little post.

Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

Last night for dinner , I used a recipe that I've had in my files for quite some time now to create a lovely meal for PJ and I.  My mother has made the dish (pictured above) multiple times, and she's  given it rave reviews. After finally making and enjoying this comforting and nutritious meal, I do have to concur with Mom that it rocks. The best part? It's easy, and it makes your house smell divine. Here is the recipe:

White Bean Cassoulet

(adapted from Sweet Sugar Bean)

 
2 pints of cherry tomatoes
4-6 hot Italian sausages OR Chorizo sausages
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 onion, cut into wedges
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
coarse salt and pepper
few sprigs fresh thyme OR rosemary
3 cups cooked white navy beans or white kidney beans OR 1 19 oz can (540ml) of white beans, rinsed and drained well
chicken broth or white wine(optional)

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 *F.
Scatter tomatoes over bottom of dish (reserve about 1/2 cup to add later).  Add garlic, onion and sausages over top.  Drizzle with balsamic and olive oil.  Toss on thyme and sprinkle with S & P.  Bake about 25-30 minutes, for sausages to be golden and tomatoes start to burst.  Remove from oven and stir in beans and reserved 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes.  If you'd like a bit more sauce with your beans, add a glug or white wine or chicken stock.   Return to oven and bake 20 minutes longer or until beans are cooked through.  Serve with bread and butter for dunking; green salad on the side.  Makes enough for 4.  Recipe adapted from Dinner with Julie via Pam Anderson and the Merry Gourmet

**I used precooked turkey/chicken sausage, so I added them in when I added the beans. You could easily use fennel sausage or chorizo, but in the nature of keeping things a little more nutritious, I chose to go the white meat route. Also, make sure to add a good 3/4 cup of chicken or vegetable broth when you add the beans!

For breakfast this am, I happily resurrected an old staple- Overnight Oats. Last evening, I was texting with a friend who said she was popping her overnight oats in the fridge, and I thought it sounded like a great idea as well! I gotta tell ya..this breakfast will stick with you(especially if you add a nice plop of nut butter on top!).

Simple Overnight Oats

2/3 cup rolled oats

1 cup almond milk

1-2 tbs chia seeds

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 ripe banana mashed

* Mix all together. cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, add any toppings you like; my faves are almond butter and some real maple syrup!

Lunch was also pretty spectacular. I recreated a salad that I had seen at my favorite local juice bar, DOCO. It was composed of quinoa, pistachio, craisins, artichoke hearts, chopped kale, and a mustard vinaigrette. It was delish and satisfying, and I also loved the change-up from the typical veggie based salad. I didn’t have a protein on hand that I thought would compliment the salad, so I brought cottage cheese to have on the side.  I am one of those people who needs protein or  else the monster in my tummy is growling about 20 minutes after eating.

My new lunch box that I toted my goodies to work in! Awesome Christmas gift :)

Back to lunch. I decided to make my lunch last night to save time this morning, as one of my goals for the new year is to be on time! I am always trying to squeeze too many things into too little time which leaves me perpetually late and stressed out. I'm sure this habit has also results in my ever patient friends and family becoming a tad annoyed.  I'm going to strive to be more present and to focus on moving a bit more slowly as I go through my day.  As things stand currently, if you see a tornado churning through your neighborhood, the likelihood is that its me! :) I hope by next year that I have downgraded to a minor tropical storm!



Ok, time for bed.

xo

Saran

Happy New Year!

Hi There and Happy New Year!

I hope that however you decided to ring in new year, you enjoyed yourself and hopefully spent some time with the people who you love!  I went to a party at a friend's apartment which happens to be located just two blocks from my apartment (score!). We all got dolled up, and celebrated with champagne, food, and a little match of Apples to Apples.  It was the perfect low-key new years celebration. I don't know about you, but I am totally over trekking in the freezing cold to a packed bar, only to be herded like cattle and mashed into a space much too small for the number of party goers in attendance. Nevermind the crazy cover charge you pay  to stand in line and fight for one cocktail! No Thanks.

PJ and I at the partayyyy. Notice my red-eye; for some reason, I can correct the red-eye on my iphone-but when I upload to my computer- it doesn't stick! Grrr.

Some of my lovely friends!

My nail color!  Clearly I needed a mani judging by my chipped thumb.

Not my best photo ever, but PJ looks so handsome!

My dress for the evening. The two great things about this fabulous frock were that A)it cost 20 bucks (marked down from 50!), and B) it was SO comfortable. I paired it with a headband, and I felt like a flapper! Oh, and another thing- I have declared 2013 the year of the headband. I know I'm late to hop on this bandwagon, but I recently remembered how much I LOVE HEADBANDS.I had forgotten what a wonderful accessory they can be!

Headband. Rock it.

Alright. I have a new obsession people. A few months back I had a sushi lunch with a co-worker  in NYC. The restaurant served us green tea, but it had a completely different taste than any other green tea I've tried.  My co-worker happened to be asian, and he explained that it was brown rice green tea. I had forgotten about the tea until Monday when they served me this same tea at my nail salon! I asked my nail girl about it, and she said that it could be purchased at any Korean market. So today, I looked up local Korean markets and picked up 2 boxes. The nutty flavor of this tea is phenomenal;  I'm already on cup number two of the afternoon! Apparently, the antioxidants in the tea are thought to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

A little bit about the brown rice tea:

This type of tea was originally drunk by poor Japanese, as the rice served as a filler and reduced the price of the tea; which is why it is also known as the "people's tea." It was also used by those persons fasting for religious purposes or who found themselves to be between meals for long periods of time. Today it is consumed by all segments of society.

Tea steeped from these tea leaves has a light yellow hue. Its flavor is mild and combines the fresh grassy flavor of green tea with the aroma of the roasted rice. Although this tea is based on green tea, the recommended way to brew this tea is different from that of green tea. To make best aroma, it is recommended to use boiled water with brewing time of 30 seconds.

 

Ok, I'm jumping from one subject to another now, so bear with me.  I had a horrendous day this past Sunday. I'm talking total emotional breakdown: tears, 6:30 am phone call to my parents, major unloading on PJ (hysterical crying) , sweatpants, and a Sex in the City marathon. I'm not going to get into the dirty details (they weren't really dirty, haha) of what spurred this complete meltdown, but I did want to just put out there that even though this is a happy go lucky blog, I have really terrible days just like everyone else. I actually have a pretty good number of hard days that leave me feeling hopeless and mentally exhausted.

My Dad mentioned to me on Sunday when we chatted that although he loves my blog, he notices that I never reference bad moods, difficult feelings, or crappy days. The desire to project a perfect "image" is something that I have always struggled with, and this rather obsessive and unattainable objective has forced me to be slightly closed off with regards to any conflict or struggle that may be occurring in my life. To be completely honest, this way of living at times makes me feel pretty isolated.  If I do something to disappoint someone, or I feel as though someone doesn't like me- I panic. The same reaction occurs if I encounter any friction with another individual. My parents say that I have been a people pleaser since I was little. Its one of my best qualities, and also one of my worst. I'm slowly learning and accepting (very slowly!) that I can't please everyone, and that not everyone is going to like me. I may piss someone off or disappoint someone, but that doesn't mean  I'm a horrible or worthless human being. I have a very small, but close-knit group of friends and family that know the "real" me, and I have other great friends that I may let down my guard with occasionally. Listen, I'm not striving to wear a t-shirt that reads "This is the shit I'm dealing with today!" , but in 2013 I'm striving to be more genuine and open. The truth is, I don't feel like being bubbly and perky all the time, even though I naturally am a pretty peppy person. Sometimes I'm tired or grumpy, and I just feel like being quiet-even if I'm with a group of people. However, my crazy perfectionist gets the best of me and forces me to put on the show so that I don't disappoint anyone else. It's not that I want to be a bump on a log, but I want to be more true to the way I actually feel- even if this means being a little more subdued and a little more exposed at times.

I'm going to give you an example of how I may glaze over things to make them seem effortless, simple, and pleasurable. In a post about 2 weeks ago, I stated that the holidays for me involved a lot of family, friends, and great food! The truth is, it did involve spending time with loved ones- but every family has their shit. This makes the holidays wonderful and really freakin' hard at the same time. I said that I enjoyed a lot of great food, and that I ate out and indulged quite a bit. In my post I said "whatever, it's the holidays, right?!". Guess what? "Whatever" was totally not how I felt about it. Although I savored every morsel of food and enjoyed  the conversation that I engaged in over the meal, I was really stressed out about the change in my eating and exercise routine. How would these temporary lifestyle alterations affect my body and my mood? Well, I'll tell you that my body didn't change, but all the negative self talk certainly affected my mood. The "I need to make up and repent for my indulgence" mentality completely stressed me out, and I became a total basket case. Now, I know it's highly common for people to reign in the food fest after the holidays, but beating yourself up and obsessing is not the way to go (I've learned this the hard way!). I'd be lying if I said that I didn't participate in my fair share of guilt and perhaps a dose of self loathing over the holidays. That may sound sad to many of you, but it's just the plain old truth. I'm happy to report I've regained my perspective, and I'm  feeling much more like myself.

This was kind of a tough blog for me to write, as I'm used to keeping it light and fun. I feel like this post was a baby step, but an important step, in practicing the act of being more open  I still intend to stay true to my  goofy and bubbly self here on the blog, but I'm going to try really hard to intersperse a little bit more of the good, the bad, and the ugly. I hope you all enjoy and can perhaps relate.

Alrighty roo. To close this one out, I'm going to leave you with a picture of  Toby , because he always (almost always!) makes me happy :)

XO

Sarah