rainy day food

There is nothing like a rainy day to make you want to stay inside and cook something warm and delicious. After a jump start into summer weather this month, we've been hit recently with some cold and rainy days. Now, I'm definitely a fan of the summer sunshine, but there is something nice about a rainy weekend day that just makes me want to cuddle up with a good book, and a cup of something hot. This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of doing just that. My weeks (and most weekends too) are very busy, so I definitely cherish a day to do nothing more than read, cuddle, blog, and cook.

One of my favorite kitchen tools is my immersion blender. This bad boy is seriously amazing. It is useful for so many things, but one of my favorite things to use it for is making soup. Who ever invented this thing deserves a big thank you. The immersion blender takes the hassle out of blending- it is a stick blender that you can stick right into a pot. It truly takes the mess out of making soup. There is no need to pour the soup into the blender, and back out again- the immersion blender comes to you. Essentially, you can use it to make anything you would use a blender for, but my soup repertoire has definitely been elevated thanks to my blender. I encourage you to get one of these- they're pretty cheap, and wonderfully useful. Any kind of soup you might want to make- butternut squash, carrot ginger, roasted red pepper, cauliflower...the options are endless.

Thanks to a beautiful produce supply provided to me by my parents this weekend (could a girl ask for a better birthday present?), I had some delicious looking broccoli that was calling my name on Sunday. Combined with some every day ingredients I had in my kitchen (and the wonderful skills of my sous chef, my boyfriend), the soup came together deliciously. I paired it with a delicious avocado and tomato quinoa salad. The quinoa provided the perfect base for the creaminess of the avocado and the sweetness of the tomatoes. It was a perfect match with this delicious soup. This meal was the perfect cuddle up meal on a rainy day. I definitely encourage you to check out one of my favorite kitchen tools, and make some delicious soup of your own!



Broccoli Garlic Soup and Avocado Tomato Quinoa Salad

1 tsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 medium-large onion, diced
2 medium heads of broccoli, given a rough chop (stems and florets!)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water (more if needed)
1 tbsp dill
1 tsp bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

broccoli cooking...

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat before adding the garlic and onions
Allow the garlic and onions to sweat out, and as they start to become translucent, add the broccoli
Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes before adding 2 cups of stock and 1 cup of water to the pot
Turn the heat down to low, and add the bay, dill, salt, and pepper
Cover  the pot, and cook for about 20 minutes
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and test to see if the broccoli is soft with a fork (make sure both the florets and stems are soft)
Use your immersion blender to blend the large chunks out of the soup, in the pot itself (turn the heat off for this step so it does not bubble up and burn you)
I like my soup thick, but depending on your desired thickness, add in the last cup of stock and cook on medium heat until the soup has reached your desired texture
Spoon into bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese
enjoy!

the delicious end result.

1 avocado
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lime
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

a delicious and classic combo.

Bring water and quinoa to boil over high heat, before covering and turning down to a simmer
Cook your quinoa for 15 minutes or until fluffy
Meanwhile, cut open 1 avocado and dice it into small cubes
Combine the avocado and tomatoes in a bowl
Dress them with the juice of 1/2 a lime and season generously with salt and pepper; toss well
Once your quinoa is fluffy, season it with cumin, garlic powder, basil, salt and pepper
Allow the quinoa to cool. Once it has reached room temperature, combine with the tomato and avocado
enjoy!!

the perfect forkful.

a twist on a classic

I eat a lot of quinoa. I think its a delicious and versatile ingredient to keep around your kitchen. You can dress it up or dress it down, pair it with cheese, herbs, veggies- you name it. While quinoa acts very similarly to a grain, it is actually a seed and it is filled with protein. Plus, it's gluten free. It often makes its way into my weeknight dinners, and tonight was no exception. This is a recipe that I came up with a while ago, and have since reused and revamped it.

Stuffed peppers are a classic dish- but this definitely puts a spin on the old classic. By stuffing the peppers with quinoa rather than meat and rice, the flavor levels are really elevated. I'm a huge fan of Greek food, and this is dish was inspired by my favorite Greek flavors. I definitely encourage you to make this dish for a yummy weeknight meal or to impress your friends. Play around with the ingredients- I promise, it will be delicious. I've added in basil, spinach, pine nuts, almonds, even chick peas into the mix- all work deliciously!

Greek Stuffed Peppers

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
two large bell peppers (yellow, red, or orange)
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup mini heirloom tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp feta cheese
handful fresh chive, chopped
large handful fresh dill, chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil

pre-stuffing

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Bring quinoa, broth, and water to boil in a small pot. Cover the pot and bring down the heat to low, letting the quinoa simmer for about 15 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy
Once the quinoa is done, season with salt, pepper, cumin, dill, and chive
Mix in the broccoli, tomatoes, and feta cheese
Cut the tops off of the two peppers, and remove the seeds from the inside
Scoop the quinoa mixture into the peppers, packing it in tightly and filling to just above the top of the pepper
Drizzle the tops of the peppers with olive oil, and place them in a baking dish
Fill the dish with about an inch of water and place into the oven
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until the tops begin to crisp, and then cover with tin foil and finish baking for another 10 minutes
The peppers will be done when they are soft to the touch (test with a fork)
enjoy!!

beauty.

dinner with friends

I love having friends over for dinner. Fortunately for me, many of my friends love cooking and eating delicious food just as much as I do. The other night two of my very good friends came over for dinner with lots of fresh, delicious ingredients; what resulted was a delicious and healthy week night dinner. Cooking dinner is such a de-stresser for me after a long day of work, as is seeing my friends who always make me laugh. I know that it is sometimes hard to make dinner after a long day at school or work, but with recipes like these, it is incredibly quick and easy. And I promise you, once you get into the swing of it, you'll look forward to making your dinner. Not only will you have something tasty to eat, but you'll feel accomplished as well. And if you still can't bring yourself to cook, invite yourself over to my apartment, I will be more than happy to cook for you too!!

These recipes are truly easy. A few of my friends are always making fun of me, because I'm often claiming that everything I cook is really easy. But, it is --I promise! I find that most of the recipes I create are interesting, yummy, flavorful, and creative, but not complicated. The ingredients in these recipes are some of my absolute favorites to cook with. The salad credit must go to my friend, who generously put this delicious salad together. Kale salad is delicious, and I find, often under appreciated. Kale scares a lot of people, especially when raw, but just try it out, and let me know what you think!


Tri-Color Quinoa with White Wine Mushrooms and Fresh Lemon Kale Salad

1 cup of Quinoa (I used a blend of white, black, red quinoa*)
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 shallot, chopped
A good splash of white wine
1/2 tsp of rosemary and thyme
1/4 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

mushrooms deglazing in white wine

Combine 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa in a pot over high heat. Once water is boiling, turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for about 10-15 minutes, checking frequently and fluffing with a fork once done. Add salt, pepper, and cumin and mix to combine.

Add a splash of olive oil to a separate pan, over medium heat. Add shallots, cooking until they start to turn translucent (a few minutes) and then add the mushrooms. Cook on medium-high for 5-7 minutes adding rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add a splash of white wine to the pan, turning on high and letting the alcohol cook out for a minute or two before turning down the heat to low. Combine mushrooms with quinoa, stirring and then adding in fresh tomatoes.

1 large head of Kale
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Kale salad, you must try

Cut Kale into bite size pieces and add to a large bowl. Whisk olive oil and lemon juice together with salt and pepper. Pour half of the dressing over the kale, massaging into the kale for a minute until the kale starts to turn a darker shade of green. Add walnuts and feta to the kale and toss. Add extra dressing slowly as desired.
enjoy!

a seriously delectable combination

*Quinoa is a grain, and cooks somewhat similarly to couscous. It also happens to be full of protein, and gluten free, and one of my favorite things to eat! Quinoa comes in multiple colors, but white/regular quinoa is most often eaten. I like the combination of the three --red and black are a bit nuttier and harder than the white, so it gives a dish a nice textural contrast.