A Few of my Favorite Things; Food

It's officially Fall. 

Which means winter's coming & I'll be packing on my hibernation weight. 

(I think I was designed to hibernate... True story.)

Anyway, with that in mind, and cold weather on the way (and already here some days), I figured I'd share with you a few of my favorite foods. They're great all year round really, but since I eat just about double in the colder months, I thought now would be a good time to share. 

TJ's Dark Chocolate

Self-explanitory.

Quinoa

Considering how much of it we eat, I'm rather price conscience of it. We used to buy our quinoa at Costco, but recently they switched suppliers which raised the prices - boo. Now we're getting it from our local grocer, which sells their own by weight, and is actually super affordable. Do a little price comparison before you buy it. You may be surprised where you find a good deal.

One of our favorite ways to eat it is in this casserole.

Cheese

Goat cheese, Feta, Gruyere, Cheddar, Brie... you name it, I'll eat it.

Whether it's feta tossed in a salad, Gruyere in my favorite (quinoa) patties, or shredded cheddar on a tortilla as a quick lunch, we always have it stocked in our fridge.

Also, Brie is particularly popular this time of year as a side or appetizer to any dinner party.
Bake it, pair it with a favorite jam, and tasty crackers, and your mouth with thank you.

Beans

Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans... again, I'll each just about all of them.

After making salsa and cold bean salads in the summer you can take these into the winter and make some tasty chili's, soups, and stews.

Corn Muffins

These are a bit of a comfort food, but oh-so-easy and scrumptious! 

I always have a box or two on hand, and every once in a while I'll pop a batch in the oven (wait impatiently for 15-20 minutes) and then gobble them up. 

You can also pair these with your chili and stew from those aforementioned beans, yum!

What are some of your favorite things - food wise?
-N

This post is part of a short series of my favorite things. 

I'm always looking to share and exchange favorites/traditions/recipes, etc. so I figured this would be a fun way to try and do that. Feel free to write your own post, share some of your favorites in the comments, and/or link-up below!

...While grocery shopping

 Just a quick post about things that I think about while grocery shopping.

1) Gosh, I'm so hungry - why didn't I eat before doing this!?

1) If you have an Aldi near buy, make sure you shop there as much as you can!

Here are a few reasons to back that up:

a) They offer a lot of really great products, at really great prices

b) They take care of their employees. The cashiers start at $11/hr

c) They work with local farms which not only lowers their costs, and thus their prices, but also gives you the chance to support your local farmers! (Of course farmer's markets are a great way to do this as well, but their hours and locations may not be as convenient.)

d) They encourage all of their shoppers to bring reusable bags - by charging .25/bag. Again, this helps keeps costs down, but it's also great for Mama earth!

2)There is no difference between brown eggs and white eggs.

While at Trader Joe's the other day (a parent company to Aldi, actually), I noticed they were charging $2.50 for a half dozen brown eggs and $1.50 for a full dozen white eggs.

Do you want to know where brown eggs come from?

Chickens with brown/reddish feathers and lobes.

Do you want to know where white eggs come from?

Chickens with white feathers and lobes.

That's it.

(Now stop overpaying for eggs.)

3) Star fruit is not only super cool to look at, but it's also pretty great for you.

It has a ton of antioxidants, potassium, and vitamin C - but it also doesn't have a ton of sugar or acid.

Although we need natural sugar in our daily diet, many fruits are quite high in sugar and can count against some diet and weight-loss programs. Also, since it is not very acidic and it still kind of tastes like a citrus fruit, you can eat them more frequently without harming the enamel on your teeth.

Bonus! - #4 - My regional grocer recently started selling ostrich eggs.

I only have one question... 

Why?

Until I think of other things while grocery shopping,

-N

Simple Summer Salad

Since it's August already (how did that happen?) I wanted to share one of our favorite summer salads that's super easy to make and incredibly tasty!  

It's also makes a great side for a BBQ, a quick fix for a lazy summer evening, or a light lunch ツ

Here's what you'll need:

2 cucumbers, very thinly sliced
2 or 3 vine tomatoes, cubed
1/2 Vidalia Onion, very thinly sliced
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp white vinegar
salt, pepper, and dill weed to taste
Feta (optional)

It's best made a day before you plan to eat it so everything can really marinate, but it's so tasty you might find yourself sneaking a few bites right after you make it! (No judging here.)

Enjoy and let me know if you try it!

-N

Weekend Update

Here's the break-down of how I spent my weekend.

Friday; I think I should just officially declare Friday "Office/Parks & Rec catch-up night"... That's basically all we do. Well, that and eat. And cuddle.
That said, I enjoyed Friday & always do.
I think just lounging around at home is a great way to wind down from the week.

Oh, and I also found out that I got the part-time job at Anthropologie! (As my friend Kate said, I'm going to look so hip!) Although I would still love a full-time teaching job, I'm excited for this opportunity to work for such an amazing company, as well as interact with people over the age of four. (I love the boys and all, but adult conversations are important, too.)

Saturday was fun & different. I did random errands and went for a run in the early afternoon, but in the evening we went to a "meet your neighbor" cocktail party that our church oversees, but individuals from our church host. I have said it before, but I'll say it again, the amount of community (and global) involvement our church has is impressive. It was such a great way to meet new people, venture to a new - but local - neighborhood, and share some hors d'oeuvres with new friends! 

I brought "caprese pops" (inspired by pinterest of course) and they were a big hit.

Plus, they looked adorable.

 They were simple to assemble, but the tricky part was crafting something to stand them in. Instead of searching/wasting money on styrofoam (which is probably the easiest option) I layered pieces of cardboard in these cute servers I had. It worked well, and was free. Bam.

All you need is:
Grape Tomatoes
Small or "pearl" mozzarella balls
Balsamic Reduction

Tooth Picks

(Make sure to drizzle the balsamic reduction on top right before you serve them)

Sunday was lovely, too! After church we caught-up with some friends, went out for pancakes, made fruit kabobs (apparently I like to eat my food on sticks...) and then had a bbq & bonfire at a friends house! It was so great to sit down for dinner with friends again. For the last few weeks everyone has been so busy with work/schoolwork/life that it's be hard to get together but I'm so glad we were finally able to make it happen.

It's days like these that get me really excited for summer.
What did you do this weekend?
-N

Strawberry Banana Goodness

I'm currently on Spring Break (from work). There are a few inches of snow on the ground, (need I remind mother nature it is almost APRIL!) And I am drinking a smoothie.

And I'm actually enjoying every minute of it. 

 Lately I've been discovering some lovely new blogs, catching up on some reading, and of course, drinking yummy smoothies. I've also been working on my 13 in '13 (the beginning of the month was rough - but more on that Friday!)

Anyway, here's a quick recipe to make a delicious smoothie!

What you'll need:
 1 cup strawberries, cubed
1 banana, sliced
5 milk cubes (or 1/4 cup-1/2 cup milk) - depending on how thick you'd like it
1 dash of honey powder

I prefer to use 2% milk (instead of H2O) so instead of ice cubes, I just freeze my own milk cubes ツ

 Just throw it all in the blender - purée for several seconds - and enjoy!

-N

Weekend Update

Friday night we hosted a game night for the people in our building.

It wasn't quite as successful as I hoped, since no one from our building showed up... but we did have four wonderful friends come and help us eat all the food we prepared, as well as play some games! 

Since it was kind of a bust, we plan to go door-to-door next week and hand out cookies (& if people don't respond to that, then I think it's fair to give up).

Oh, and we looked pretty cute ツ 

 

Anyway, I digress. 

There isn't much to report on about Saturday, but Sunday was a lovely day.

Dave and I went to church and then I made some cupcakes for dinner at our friends.

(Which was corned beef and cabbage!! A personal favorite.)

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day I made pistachio cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

I chose pistachio because it's green (and yummy) and cream cheese frosting because it is delicious!

I had never tried them together before, but how bad could it be, really? 

Turns out other people have tried them, and after googling it, I adapted this recipe. 

They too, ended up looking pretty cute ツ

What you'll need for the cupcakes:

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

1 pack pistachio pudding mix

What you'll need for the frosting:

1 8oz package of cream cheese

1 stick butter (salted or unsalted)

1 pound powdered sugar

1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Well, that about sums up my weekend & St. Patrick's day. How was yours?

Also, I think I'm going to do a "Weekend Update" every Monday... thoughts?

-N

Food For Thought

I watched this movie on Netflix many months ago, but impact it made on me is pretty tremendous. I know it's been out for awhile, but if you haven't seen it yet, please stop reading and go turn it on. This movie really brings to light all of the atrocious things that corporate food companies are doing with our food.
(If you can even call it that after the stuff they do to it.)

Now to all my vegetarian/vegan friends out there, I respect your choice, but I urge to reconsider. If of course the reason you don't eat meat is health related and you must abstain, then go right ahead.

However, if you choose not to eat meant because of the cruel ways animals are treated (and I agree) then start supporting stores that sell meat from animals that are treated fairly, given no antibiotics, & fed normal diets (when I say normal, I mean things that they would eat naturally. Grass, feed, etc.)

The more demand for these products, the more production - thus more animals will be treated well!

What's that? If you all tell people to treat me better, they will? Sweet!

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

This movie also reminded me of the impact we make on the earth in general.
Now, I'm a proud tree-hugger (no shame), but in the hustle and bustle of life I know we all forget to do out part sometimes.

Here I've created a list of things I do regularly that are super simple:

1. Don't use produce bags - they are a complete waste!
2. Bring your own grocery bags - Tons of companies give them out for free advertising & if you can't find any of those, there are always inexpensive options at your grocery store. Plus it makes carrying groceries infinitely easier, because you can put the bags over your shoulders!
3.  Eat at home! (At least every night for dinner) - this helps you know where your food is coming from, saves you TONS of money, is a healthy choice, and develops the relationships of those you eat with! (Family, roommate, friend, etc.)
4. Eat your leftovers. This should be common sense, but many people throw away extras instead of saving them for lunch or dinner, or even a snack for the next day. It can save you time to prep more once in the beginning of the week and eat the rest throughout, plus it can save you money and keep unnecessary trash from going to a landfill.
5. Reuse & Recycle plastic bags -When I buy meat I use a plastic bag to bring it home, then I use it as bathroom trash bag. Also, most plastic bags are recyclable now, so at least throw it in the recycling bin if you're not going to use it again.
6. Buy local whenever you can - This not only helps the economy & local families and business owners personally, but it has a lesser impact on the environment (since the food travels a shorter distance) and in many cases is actually more beneficial to your body (i.e. local honey can help with seasonal allergies).
7. Use your own travel mugs - We have a couple in the house to take coffee/tea out, and two that are always in our car for when we're on the go and need a pick-me-up. (Also, most coffee shops offer a discount for people who bring their own mugs. Another money saving tip for you!)

If you don't already do these things, I encourage you to start now and soon they will be such a natural part of your routine you won't even have to think about it!


Here is a slightly more complicated list, but still very important if you can figure out a way to make them work:

1. Compost! - So many things can be composted and put right back into the earth! It is a great way to fertilize your gardens, as well as keep those landfills less full. (Because who really wants thousands of GIGANTIC piles of trash lying around?) I am still trying to work out the logistics of composting in apartment living, but I've learned a few new things recently that should help me get the ball rolling. One, two, & three are some great options for other apartment dwellers who want to make composting a part of their daily routine.
2. Find other uses for packaging - I've been known to save many containers and jars for various crafts. Some jars are also great for collecting any excess oil from cooking that shouldn't be poured down the drain.
3. Recycle & Donate - (duh) Nowadays you can recycle just about everything & I fear that many people don't take advantage of recycling enough. Everything from batteries to televisions to coffee makers can (and should) be recycled if they aren't functioning. And if they are, drop them off at your local thrift store or Goodwill. (Donations are tax-deductible!)

(I was happy to recently find out that Pittsburgh has a pretty great recycling center just a few miles from my apartment. So, despite the fact that the bin outside my apartment is only for glass and aluminum, I can still recycle a bunch of other things!)

I know this was more like reading a short book than a blog post, but now you can go watch Food, Inc. & not have to worry about reading for a little while ツ 

Keep loving our one & only earth!
-N

Recipe Cards

For over two years I've been wanting to make recipe cards 

and get my meal planning off of my phone and into the kitchen. 

(Seems more appropriate, doesn't it?)

I kept telling myself to wait until I got a handy program like Photoshop or Corel Painter, because it'd be easier and better looking.

Well, I got one of those handy programs last week, and guess where I made these recipe cards this afternoon. . .

 

. . .MS Word. True Story.

"Why?", you ask

Well, it's a lot harder to learn Corel Painter than I thought it would. 

Lame, I know, but I'm just so comfortable with my old ways. 

(Which leads me to my next project)

Learn Corel Painter

If any of you have tips/tricks please share!

(Or if you can just run a class and let me attend -fo free- that'd be great, too ツ)

 

 What do you guys do as far as recipe cards/meal planning/eating, ha!

I'd love to hear,

-N

Delicious & Healthy Avocado Sandwich

I've always been a fan of sandwiches for lunch.

Sometimes they are filled with turkey & cheese, and sometimes they're not.

This is one of those times.

Today I share with you my all-time favorite lunch,

here's what you'll need: 

Use ~ 1Tbsp of mayo and 1/2 of the avocado, so you can save the other half for tomorrow... or later. 

No shame here.

In order to make it delicious, I suggest you do it like this:

Spread the mayo on the bread - right out of the toaster - lay down the avocado, thinly slightest tomato, fresh lettuce, and a dash of salt and pepper.

 (But I guess whatever order you do it in is probably okay too ツ) 

This healthy sandwich is definitely worth a try, (or two, or three, or ten),

 but I'd also love to know what your favorite thing to eat for lunch is... so please share some ideas below!

-N

Leftovers to Riches

... that's how that saying goes, right?

Regardless, did I have a fabulous meal tonight!

Dave has his first day/night of classes today so instead of cooking one of the meals I had planned for the week, I decided to search my fridge for leftovers and random ingredients to make myself dinner. We don't like to waste even the smallest bit of food, so luckily I was able to find leftover:

Grilled Chicken

Basmati Rice, cooked but plain 

& a bit of a Red Onion.

Instantly, my gears started spinning and I grabbed the quarter bag of spinach I had, tossed some olive oil and thinly sliced red onion into a pan to sauté.

Then, I grabbed some balsamic vinegar (a staple in our house), poured it over the basmati rice, and cut up the grilled chicken. 

I tossed all of that in the microwave to reheat while the spinach finished cooking and finally I mixed it all together on one plate. 

yum. 

Happy Cooking!
-N

Simple Summer Dinner

With packing in full swing, I've been eager to try some of the simple summer meals I've stock-piled in a Word Doc. Who wants to pack, clean, and slave over the stove? (Not me, that's for sure.) One of my favorite meals from this weekend was definitely these Black Bean Quesadillas. 

About 15 minutes to prep & cook

One bowl for mixing & one pan for cooking

(Heck, if you're really not feeling it, you can skip the pan cooking and make them in the microwave! - 30 seconds each side - if you're interested.)

Fun Fact: I don't really do recipes... instead, I do taste. That being said, make sure you add salsa to your liking and at least enough cheese to melt the tortillas together. Oh, and you may want to try some sour cream for dipping, but remember you'll be adding a bunch of extra calories to an already delicious meal. Just sayin'.

Then, when you're done with dinner, I suggest this beautiful fruit combo of pomegranate & apricot.

(It's even tastier if you let it sit overnight)

Well, there you have it - an easy, delightful, lovely looking meal!

Happy munching!
-N

Noms

I've been working on getting a family menu together so I don't have to decide on what to make each night (because as we know, I'm exremely indecisive...see my date night jar...) and I'm happy to say that tonight is the first night I cooked something off of the menu!
- Mac & Cheese w/ Broccoli -

Believe it or not, it's only a tad over 300 calories per serving, so if you love mac & cheese, this is a great meal for you to try since you'll be getting a serving of veggies, too. Also, it's super easy, inexpensive, and quick.

In addition to dinner, I made an easy, healthy, (yummy!), dessert. 

Instead of the cheesecake filled strawberries that have been all over pinterest, I cored my strawberries with a baster

and filled them with cool whip (a great low calorie treat to satisfy any sweet-tooth). After I filled them, I put them in the fridge for a few hours to chill - delish!

As I was taking this photo, I realized they could totally
double as Santa hats for a cute Christmas treat  (if you flip them upside down, of course)

Well, I'm now off to have a mini TV marathon with the hubs =)

Happy eating!

-N

Blog/Life Make-Over

I recently joined Pinterest, and in addition to giving me hundreds of really great and creative ideas, it has also given me the motivation I need to get off my butt and start living life. Not in the "jump out of a plane" sort of way, (although that is on my bucket list), but more in the "make the most of everyday" way. Currently, what that looks like for me is keeping up with the house, applying for jobs, starting to downsize for the move, being a good friend, spending time with God, and overall, not wasting time. I am tired of being tired and lazy and this is my first step toward change. I know I have said something similiar before, in my first post nearly a year ago, but this time I'm going to try harder. And, if I fail, I'll get up and try again.

One thing that I did recently, that was definitely a step in the right direction, was have a cooking date with a dear friend.

Here's a sampling of the delicious Spicy Quinoa Patties my friend Kate and I made the other day.

In addition to eating well, (which actually comes naturally to me), is working-out and getting fit. (Which certainly does not come naturally to me). So, I found this today, and got my work-out on.

I'm going to incorporate this into my daily routine, as well as going to the gym on days that I work (~3x/week). Everything counts, right?

Well, thanks for listening, and if you're still in a rut, get motivated, get inspired, and get out of it already ツ

(If you need more inspiration, check out my friend who is RUNNING across the US to encourage people to be organ donors. Yes, I said running.)

Goodnight! -N