Easy Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

I know I've neglected my blog for the past two weeks or so due to the holidays and being busy, but I promise to keep up! I have been doing quite a bit of research for new recipes so prepare yourselves! My blog is still a baby but now that the new year is around the corner, I hope to do some major growing. ANYWAYS, here is an easy, quick, and healthy dinner recipe - chicken and veggie stir fry featuring the ginger teriyaki blend from the Spice & Tea Exchange that I mentioned in a previous blog post. I eat chicken once in a while and I would usually just do a veggie stir fry, but I added chicken just for my special one. This recipe is very versatile so switch it up how you'd like!

What I used:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup short brown rice
• Shitake mushrooms
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Bean Sprouts
• Onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• Soy sauce
• Seseme oil
• Olive oil
• Honey
• Black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Ginger teriyaki blend
• Crushed red pepper flakes

1. Prep the chicken first so they marinate at least 4 hours beforehand. To prep marinate, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, honey, black pepper, ginger teriyaki blend. Everything is to taste which is why I don't include exact measurements. Slice chicken into strips and mix everything. Cover it up and put it in the fridge until you're ready to cook!
2. Add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of brown rice. Simmer. Be sure to start the rice 30 minutes before prepping anything else. Cook until the water is absorbed or rice is tender.
3. Prep the veggies by cutting them all up. Add asparagus and broccoli to boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain.
4. Heat olive oil in a large pan or wok. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute and be sure to watch it so it doesn't burn! Add sliced onions so they start to sweat and caramelize for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the remaining vegetables with soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 7-10 minutes.
6. In a separate pan, saute the chicken until cooked through. Add to the pan with vegetables and mix together. 

 

The Spice & Tea Exchange

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting The Spice & Tea Exchange in Georgetown, Washington DC. I had walked in a previous time but didn't purchase anything so I was happy to do so this time. There is an array of blends/rubs, teas, sugars, spices, grains, and kitchen accessories. I decided to try out a few teas and spice blends!

• Coconut Thai Spice Blend
• Ginger Teriyaki Spice Blend
• Jade Cloud Green Tea
• Chamomile Twist Herbal Tea
• Rose Mint Herbal Tea

If you're ever curious in going to purchase something for the first time, there are always random offers on Groupon that you can get and they are pretty good deals! Look out for my next blog post because I will be using the Ginger Teriyaki blend in a recipe. If you have purchased from the Spice & Tea Exchange, let me know what you got and what your opinion was! I'm always open to trying new things.

One-Pan Coconut Shrimp Noodle Bowls Recipe

I notice whenever I need to put a quick meal together, it's always asian inspired. But why not?! This is my adaptation of coconut shrimp noodle bowls, and guess what? As with all of my meals, it's easy to make! You only need a single pan for this one!

What I used:

• Olive oil
• Tsp sesame oil
• Half a bag of shrimp
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• Tsp ginger
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups fish stock
• Box rice pad thai noodles
• Tsp fish sauce
• Tsp sSrirachasauce
• 3 scallions, diced
• Alfalfa sprout (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Start by adding olive oil to a medium heated (large) skillet. Add shrimp, salt, pepper to taste. Cook the shrimp for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Add more olive oil if needed. Add garlic and minced ginger. Saute for about a minute.

3. Add coconut milk, seafood stock, fish sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha sauce, scallions, and noodles. Bring to a boil, after lower heat to a simmer until noodles cook through and the liquid as been absorbed by noodles.

4. Take off heat, mix in shrimp, and alfalfa sprouts. I chose the sprouts to add some delicate greens.

Silly Cow Farms Hot Chocolate

Now that the winter is upon us, I've been craving cozy hot chocolate. Instead of going to Starbucks for a slightly overpriced hot coco, you can pick this organic hot chocolate delight up! And let's be honest, the packaging isn't too bad either, so it'd be great as a cute small gift to holiday parties!

You can pick this up at Whole Foods, along with the bag of natural marshmallows. There are slight variations that you can choose from such as truffle, milk chocolate, marshmallow swirl, Moo-use, etc. To prepare, just follow the packaging instructions. I heated up soy milk in a saucepan and added 2 heaping spoonfuls of the mix and added marshmallows on top! SO YUM.

Panna Cotta Recipe

I have been so busy recently and haven't had the chance to post as often as I'd like. Hopefully as my life smooths out a bit, I can start posting more regularly again! For now, here is an easy recipe for a tasty and sophisticated dessert! I have slightly adapted the recipe featured in Bon Apetit

What I used:

• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1.5 tsp of unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Prep the gelatin - add 2 tablespoons of water to the gelatin. Let it stand for about 10 minutes until it firms up. Meanwhile, slightly butter the ramekins.
2. Heat cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until sugar dissolves.
3. Increase heat to a low boil, continuing to stir. Add the gelatin and remove from heat. Stir until gelatin dissolves.
4. Cool the mixture down, stirring occasionally. Add the vanilla extract. 
5. Divide mixture between ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate panna cotta for AT LEAST 4 hours or until overnight. Make sure the refrigerator isn't being constantly opened to make sure the chill doesn't escape.
6. You can keep it in the ramekin or slice around and flip it over onto a plate. Top with berries if you like!

GORDON RAMSEY HAS FOLLOWED ME ON TWITTER

I am SO beyond elated right now because my culinary icon Gordon Ramsey followed me on Twitter! Also, I was catching up on Hells Kitchen.... Coincidence?!

Pesto Stuffed Chicken with Asparagus

Yet another super easy and yummy recipe for a weekday!

What I used:

• Chicken breasts
• Basil pesto (fresh or store bought)
• Asparagus
• Tomato
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

1. Start by butterflying the chicken breasts to create a pocket for the pesto. Drizzle the breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Spoon the pesto inside the chicken pocket and spread out. Slice tomato and add to the tops of the breasts.
3. Prep the asparagus by cutting 1/2 -1 inch off the bottom of the stem. Lightly coat in olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.
4. Add the baking sheet containing the chicken into the oven at 375 F degrees. After 20 minutes add the baking sheet with the asparagus. Cook both for another 20 minutes. 

Asian Style Marinated Tuna

I was feeling a little asian inspired and decided to come up with a last minute dinner. Once again, super easy to make! Disclaimer - There are no exact measurements with my cooking (especially since it's not baking) so everything is executed to my taste.

What I used:

• 2 tuna steaks
• Wide rice noodles
• Bean sprouts
• Baby bella mushrooms
• Asian plum sauce
• Olive oil
• Rice vinegar
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Honey
• Sesame seeds
• Ginger root
• Soy sauce (not pictured below)

1. Start by marinated the tuna steaks. This should be done at least 1-2 hours prior to cooking. I mixed together soy sauce, olive oil, a spoonful of plum sauce, salt and pepper, honey, rice vinegar, and a small root from the ginger (chopped or minced). Cover and stick in the fridge until ready to cook!

2. Add rice noodles to boiling water. It takes about 10-12 minutes to cook. They might look mushy and overcooked but trust me, they'll be fine!

3. Rinse/clean mushrooms, cut up a little, add to skillet with beans sprouts. Add olive oil and cook on med/high heat for 5 minutes. They will be cooked but still maintain a bite.

4. For the tuna, make sure pan is on medium/high heat. Tuna should begin to sear immediately. If you have ever eaten or cooked tuna, you should know how you like it. Many people like it rare in the center. I cook mine so it's seared on all sides and maybe slightly light pink in the center! Not fully rare.

5. If you have leftover marinade sauce, add it to the skillet and reduce it for a minute on med/high heat. It will thicken and become a yummy sauce to drizzle over the tuna! 

6. You can use the same ingredients to make a sauce for the noodles as well. Top with sesame seeds!

Chocolate Chip Scones!

This was my first time attempting to make scones and they came out pretty good! I still have to tweak a few things to perfect them.

What I used:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• coarse sugar for sprinkling on top before baking

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Butter and flour the baking sheet.

2. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add chunks of cold butter into the mixture and combine.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream, egg, and vanilla together. Drizzle it over the flour mixture and then toss the mixture together with a rubber spatula until everything appears moistened. 

4. Slowly and gently fold in the mini chocolate chips. Try not to overwork the mixture! 

5. Press mixture into the pan and cut into triangles (or whatever shape you want?) Sprinkle sugar on top.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through. 

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

One of my favorite meals to make - Shrimp scampi with linguine! Lucky for everyone, it's super easy to make.

What I used:

• Box of linguine pasta
• 6-10 garlic cloves (depending on taste)
• 1 whole lemon for juice
• Lemon zest depending on taste
• 5 table spoons of olive oil
• 8 table spoons of butter
• 1/3 cup of parsley flakes or fresh leaves
• 1 pound of small shrimp (fresh or frozen)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Boil water and add some olive oil and salt. Cook pasta according to instructions.
2. Melt down the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped or minced garlic. Be careful because garlic burns easily!
3. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and pepper. Add shrimp and saute until they turn pink. Stir often! Add parsley. 
4. Remove shrimp from heat and add lemon juice, lemon zest and red pepper.
5. Drain pasta and toss everything all together!

24 Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes - A Buzzfeed Post

I have been lacking inspiration lately but now that the semester is coming to an end, I plan on having many new recipes on my blog! In the meantime, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and although I don't necessarily think it's a super great "holiday", these recipes are AMAZING. I'd absolutely make them regardless of whether it's thanksgiving or not. You can find the post HERE!

Sick Day Soup

I am currently dealing with random sinus congestion issues and I thought a soup would be very appropriate to make, seeing as I also don't have the best appetite at the moment. No one really wants to be cooking while they're feeling down, but this took me 10 minutes to prep!

What I used:

• Shirataki tofu noodles
• Zucchini 
• Mushrooms
• Veggie stock

1. Add the veggie stock to a pot and start to heat through.
2. Prep veggies by cutting them up.
3. Prep shirataki tofu noodles by draining and rinsing them thoroughly
4. Add veggies. Wait 3 minutes and then add noodles. Heat through.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Restaurant Review - True Food Kitchen

This past weekend I was super excited to try out True Food Kitchen which has now recently open in Mosaic District, Fairfax, VA. I had very high expectations about this restaurant because I was especially interested in their anti-inflammatory diet that is highly advertised. I honestly thought that this restaurant was going to become my holy-grail, healthy eating go-to place, especially because they boast about "honest food that tastes really good". Maybe some people agree with that bit, but my experience was nothing of the sort.

To start, we ordered two drinks from their natural refreshments list. Hangover Rx (no, I did not have a hangover) - coconut water, pineapple, vanilla, and orange juice. And the Pomegranate Limead - lime juice, evaporated cane, pom juice, and chia seed. These weren't bad at all! They were simple and could easily be made at home.

As for the entrees, at least for mine, it didn't go as well. I am usually very good at ordering and this meal just wasn't what I thought it would be. I ordered the spaghetti squash casserole - fresh mozzarella, organic tomato and zucchini. They used those ingredients very literally because there was no thought behind the dish. It had obviously been sitting because by the time I received it, the cheese had already hardened. As for the casserole, it was squash strands drowned in pulverized tomato mush... Yes, mush. It was completely inedible and I was actually very frustrated and annoyed. I asked the waitress to take it back and I quickly ordered a new meal off their menu.

I quickly ordered a wild mushroom pizza, which was also a disappointment. It was composed of roasted garlic, teleggio, and mushroom. It was basically a fondue pizza with (in my opinion) a few small mushrooms on it. That's all I have to say about that. 

As for the service, it was lunchtime so it was very chaotic. However, because it is lunchtime I expect to get my order out, receive my food, eat, and be out within an hour. That did not happen. The service was very slow, and I honestly thought we had been forgotten about a few times. It was all below satisfaction and I'm not sure if I would ever go again. If you have been to True Food Kitchen, I'd like to know your experience! 

21 Meat Alternatives You Should Be Cooking With - A Buzzfeed Post!

I just came across one of the most helpful Buzzfeed articles! You can check it out here. It features 21 meat alternatives to use in cooking and I definitely needed the inspiration! It can sometimes be difficult to think of creative ways to use ingredients as meat substitutes, so here you go!

Bangers and Beans (Vegan Style!)

Now that fall (and possibly winter) is rolling around, it's time to bring out the comfort foods! Cold weather brings out the ultimate laziness, therefore maximizing the least amount of effort into my meals. First of all, I am not a fan of sausages OR beans because they seem completely unappetizing but with a few simple and right ingredients, it can be delicious!

What I used:

• Tofurky kielbasa sausages
• Vegetarian baked beans

1. Add beans to saucepan and heat through. 

2. Pan sear the sausages. Add water and cook through for a minute.

3. Optional - If you prefer more heartiness and starch, you can cook up potatoes and turn it into a mash!

The kielbasa sausage is packed with flavor and the beans balance it out with sweetness. This took about 7 minutes to make and that's it!

Protein Isn't Just Meat!

Here's a friendly reminder!

Grocery Haul

I only purchased a few items this week, many of which are my staples!

• Soy milk
• Veggie sticks
• Bananas
• Tofurky kielbasa sausages
• Tofu shirataki noodles (recipe coming soon!)
• Amy's Pesto Tortellini
• Bagels
• Milano cookies (argh, sweet tooth)

Pesto Pasta With Roasted Asparagus

My favorite go-to lunch or dinner would have to be my pesto pasta with roasted asparagus! It's quick, easy, and satisfies my carb cravings. It only requires 3 super simple ingredients!

What I used:

• Any kind of pasta
• Basil pesto - homemade or store bought is fine!
• Asparagus

1. Boil pasta, follow box directions. Don't forget to salt the water!
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Prep the asparagus by cutting off the ends, cut them so they're an inch, toss in olive oil, sea salt and black pepper to taste. Roast until tender.
4. Mix pasta, pesto, and asparagus!

PS I am planning on doing a separate post outlining how to make homemade pesto! Enjoy!

Flashback Friday - Hot Spot Restaurant

Known as "asian-style fondue", Hot Spot, located in Fairfax, VA, is sort of reminiscent of an asian version of the Melting Pot. So basically, you cook your own food. This was my first time having hot pot and it was very interesting to say the least.

The way it works:

1. Choose a broth to cook in. I chose the veggie broth.
2. Choose your proteins and veggies. It's all you can eat, so you can check off anything from a menu they provide.
3. You have the option of preparing a sauce at their sauce bar.
4. Dip everything in the broth and let it cook up.
5. Dip in sauce and eat!

In general, I was very overwhelmed by it all and I didn't think it was a typical complete meal. By the time you feel like you have everything cooked, it's a lot to eat. Overall, it was difficult to keep up with and I probably won't go back but it was definitely a cool experience! 

Berry Crumble Recipe

My recent baking mood was kickstarted by this awesome dessert I made, a berry crumble! It's super easy to do and can even be made ahead of time.

What I used:

• Ramekins - Found at Bed Bath & Beyond or Crate & Barrel

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup of oats
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Berry Mixture

• 4 cups of mixed berries - I used blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries 
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons of corn starch

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. To make the crumble topping - combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, oats, and butter. I mixed it all by hand. Make sure to keep it cold until you're ready to use it!

3. For the berry mixture - combine berries, corn starch, and sugar. Toss it all together! 

4. Add crumble mixture to the bottom of every ramekin, divide the fruit evenly between and then top it off with more crumble topping. Don't be afraid to pack the crumble on there because the fruit will cook down and you'll end up with even less crumble topping than anticipated. 

5. Bake until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit has bubbled - approximately 30-35 minutes. You can either serve it warm or cold! 

Mmmonday - Halloween Sugar Cookies!

This past weekend was jam packed with fall and Halloween prep! I went Halloween crazy buying decorations, pumpkins, AND recipe items for my pumpkin themed sugar cookies! I've been in a baking mood lately and I know I have yet to make a baking post so now that the holidays are coming around, I have decided to do some baking experiments and improve on my baking skills.

For my halloween themed sugar cookies, I stopped by Crate and Barrel but they unfortunately ran out of most of the cookie cutter shapes so I decided to continue with a pumpkin themed sugar cookie. It's slightly ironic because I dislike pumpkin flavors... Thus I chose to do only a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter with NO pumpkin flavors (ick). I originally did a test run of a small batch of cookies and then I was able to perfect it on the second try.

You can choose to add any flavoring that you want, decorations, frosting, etc. I'm just posting a basic cookie and icing recipe, along with how I chose to decorate my cookies.

Here is what you'll need:

• Cookie cutter(s), any shape
• Sprinkles

Sugar Cookie Recipe

• 1-1/2 cups softened butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Icing Recipe

• 2-1/2 egg whites
• 2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat egg whites in clean, large bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy (use only grade A clean, uncracked eggs). 

2. Gradually add sugar and lemon extract. Beat at high speed until thickened.

To decorate: 

1. After the cookies have been baked and fully cooled, apply a heaping tablespoon of frosting and spread. I could have added orange food coloring but I was inspired by my baby boo pumpkins I got and decided to keep the frosting off - white.

2. I decided to sprinkle black and orange sprinkles all over the frosting! Once you let the frosting sit for a little bit, it will harden with the sprinkles. 

Flashback Friday - Crepe Amour

Last weekend I had the pleasure of having breakfast at Crepe Amour - Creperie and Espresso Bar in Vienna, VA. Almost a hole in the wall, they serve a variety of customized crepes! They have a menu showcasing both savory and/or sweet crepes for you to choose from. I have only ordered savory crepes in the past but I decided to switch it up and try something sweet. I ordered the fraise amour made with nutella and strawberries. It was simple and satisfied my sweet tooth.

Fraise Amour

Vegan Goodies

Following up from my last grocery haul post, I said I would make a separate post reviewing the two vegan brands that I have tried. I purchased them at Whole Foods if anyone is interested in trying them!

Amy's Vegan Meals - Margherita Pizza

I am not a fan of pizza, but since I wanted to be lazy and try something quick, I decided to give this a go. I tried the vegan margherita pizza made with daiya cheeze. Overall the taste was fine but not crispy enough for my liking... Maybe it just needed to be in the oven for longer. I wasn't able to finish the entire thing because it's a large portion for one person!

Candle Cafe - Tofu Spinach Ravioli

To my surprise (and slight dismay) I realized this was a frozen "TV" dinner (ick) so I didn't follow the cooking directions at all. I dumped the contents from the tray into a skillet and added a little water and cooked everything down and heated it thoroughly. The tofu spinach ravioli was slightly better than decent, however I wish there was more of it! I'm interested to try some of the other meals that this brand offers. 

If there are any recommendations of other vegan brands or meals to try, let me know!