Kicks (& Citrus Fruits)

I have a confession. Are you ready? Don't judge me... Sometimes I get on these "kicks" where I am just ALL about something. I can not get enough of it. Especially when it comes to food. But I've also been known to play an album on repeat a time or two (Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours"  anyone?)

While we were staying with my cousin, Trish, in Houston she introduced me to grapefruit. Well, RE-introduced me, I guess. I found  her drinking grapefruit juice one morning and she went on to tell me all the awesome things she does with grapefruit-- like putting it in white wine! Whoda thought?! She's so creative, that Trish.

Anywho, the first thing I did when I got home was buy a bag of grapefruit and some juice. How long has it been since you've had a grapefruit? If you're like me, too long! Tangy, sweet, tart.... so good. Ever since we got home I've eaten AT LEAST a grapefruit a day. I told you, when I'm on a kick...

Another thing I am all about is lime. It's a never-ending kick. I. Love. Lime. They're perfect. Lemons? Amateur hour. Lime adds the perfect amount of flavor to just about anything. Thai dish need some sprucing up? Lime. Guacamole missing a kick? Lime. Can't seem to add enough salt to whatever you're cooking? Citrus juice will bring out the flavors you're looking for without upping the sodium content. #win

When I made this soup the other night I maaaaaay have gone a tad overboard on the lime juice.... I don't wanna talk about it... Mister (w)Right carefully declared "It's really..... FRESH". And indeed it was. And talk about easy!  It was stupid easy. If you have a can-opener, a knife, and a pot - congratulations! You're already half way there. Don't worry, I adjusted the recipe to reflect a more manageable amount of lime juice.

Easy Weeknight Black Bean Soup (adapted from Fresh 365)

1 Large Onion (diced)
1 Bell Pepper (diced)
1 tbsp crushed garlic
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Ancho Chili Powder
1 tsp Red Pepper
(2) 15.5 oz Cans of Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
(1) 15 oz Can of diced tomatoes (still in the juice)
1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Stock
2 tbsp Lime Juice
1 Handful Chopped Cilantro (because we are SO exact here)
Cheese (for garnish)

Begin by sauteing the onions, peppers, and garlic in a large soup pot until onions become translucent. Add the spices and cook until spices become fragrant. Dump in the rinsed beans, the tomatoes (with their juice), and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes (or however long you want.) Just before serving, add the lime and cilantro and stir until incorporated. Serve with cheese, salsa, avocado, greek yogurt... whatever you like!

This soup was SO easy. And received two big thumbs up from Mister (w)Right. Sometimes life is hard. Good thing this soup isn't!

Comfort (& Quinoa)

We had a great time in Texas, but we were so so SO glad to be home. There's just something about your bed, your kitchen, your coffee mug. It's just so comforting. To make it even better, we finally put up our Christmas tree! I'm pretty much done Christmas shopping and my goal is to have all the presents wrapped by the end of next week. I can do it.... right? Anyways, it was so comforting to be home and to have our cozy Christmas tree up that classic comfort food was definitely in order Friday night.

But before we get to the food, let's clear something up. This is NOT a casserole. That's right, you heard me. You may think to yourself that it looks an awful lot like a casserole. And it's even baked in a casserole dish. But it is NOT a casserole. Casseroles are disgusting conglomerations of random things that no one ever wants to eat. Which is why this is a "Cheesy Bake". So much better, right? Spread the word-- casseroles are on the way out. Make room for the new Cheesy Bakes!

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bake (adapted from Eating Well, Living Thin)

- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1 Head of Broccoli
- 1 Small Onion
- 1 Large Carrot
- 1 Can "Cream of" Soup
- 1/3 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 2 Tbsp Milk
- 1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
- 2 tsp Thyme
- 2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Cup + 1/4 Cup Shredded Cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. While the quinoa is cooking, cut the head of broccoli into florets. You don't need to be exact. Leave some stems on, some florets can be bigger than others... we'll fix all that later. Blanch the florets in salted water until tender (about 5 mins).

Dice the onions and carrots and saute with garlic until onions are translucent. Cut the cooked broccoli florets into small pieces. Once you start running a knife through them, they should just fall apart into little bits. Mix the next 6 ingredients plus the 1 cup of cheese in a large mixing bowl.

Note: I used cream of potato soup because that's what was in the cupboard. But feel free to use cream of broccoli, cream of mushroom... the world is your oyster. I'm usually against processed food and canned soup (SO much sodium). If we weren't so pressed for time, I would have attempted the recipe for homemade "cream of" soup included in the original recipe referenced above. Also, I used half cheddar cheese, half swiss cheese in this recipe. But again... we're all about whatever's in the fridge at our house.

Combine quinoa and vegetables with the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl. Pour into a casserole dish and spread evenly. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese to sprinkle over the top. Bubbly, cheesy toppings are always bueno. Place the dish in the oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and quinoa mixture is heated through. Casa Wright recommends enjoying this recipe while sporting your favorite Snuggie for maximum comfort-ness.

Here's hoping all the sweet magic of Christmas gladdens your heart while we wait to welcome the Lord! A very Merry Christmas from our house to yours. Cheers!

Life in an Instagram (Tejas Edition)

This week Mister (w)Right and I skipped out on our jobs, left the kittens with their BFF Fritz, said Adios to The Ville and road tripped it down to Tejas.

We saw my beautiful cousin, Corie, marry her sweetheart, Willie. Learned to two-step. Shopped for cowgirl boots. Had Mexican Food for almost every meal. Drank our weight in Margaritas. Stopped at a gas station bigger than our grocery store. Remembered the Alamo. Had a drink in the bar where Teddy Roosevelt recruited the rough riders. Bought all the blankets in El Mercado (almost). Learned about Robert Hugman and the River Walk. Ate lunch at the best little car wash/laundromat/dive bar. And lent our brains to Flying Saucer Trivia. Tejas was so good to us!

Looking for more Instagram Inspiration? Hop on over to YepIndeed. Not only does she have the sweetest name ever, but my awesome friend Graylin's instagram-ing makes me wanna marry my high school sweetheart, move to Norway, and have a yoga studio in my backyard. You'll dig her. Promise.

Thanksgiving (Simple Gifts)

My Mother is a wonderful woman with many gifts. For one, she's incredibly smart. She went back to college at age 50 and graduated with a 4.0. She's a beast when it comes to reading, finishing an entire book in a matter of hours. She and my father have also been married 35 years this month- a feat unto itself and an example I am forever in awe of.

However, cooking would not be on the top of her list of gifts. Growing up, if you couldn't take it out of the freezer and put it in the oven, we didn't eat it. The chair at the head of our dining room table was used less for sitting in and more for climbing up on to reach the screeching smoke alarm. So it's a little ironic that Thanksgiving has, for as long as I can remember, been my Mother's holiday.

When my Mother asked me what I was making this year for Thanksgiving, my Dad immediately said "Derby Pie?" He flatters me by asking me to bake this pie for every occasion. But that's what I love about my Dad. :) So even though I had a slew of recipes from Thanksgiving to choose from to post, I figured I'd share this one.

Padre's Favorite Chocolate Pecan Pie (a Hand-Me-Down Recipe)

(1) 9" Pie Crust
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Pecan Halves or Pieces
1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Melted Butter
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 Cup Cornstarch

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once again, I ALWAYS forget that. Pour the chocolate chips into the bottom of the pie pan. You can adjust the amount depending on how chocolate-y you like your pie. The Padre loves him a chocolate coma. Pour the pecan halves or pieces on top of the chocolate chips. Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl until smooth and pour into the pie crust. Gently tap the pie on the counter to settle the filling. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Side Note: I did not label this recipe "Derby Pie" because I've been told before that if it doesn't have bourbon in the recipe, it's not a TRUE Derby Pie. The Padre doesn't like bourbon, so I usually omit it. But I have added it before. Usually I just adjust the amount of liquid and replace it with a few tablespoons of bourbon. Mister (w)Right, the bourbon aficionado, would recommend Four Roses Small Batch.

Another Thanksgiving win! This pie was the first one to disappear and received rave reviews all around. Hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving!

Gobble Gobble!

Yogi (Bear?)

You would think after so many years, Mister (w)Right and I would just learn to accept some things about each other. For example, Mister (w)Right hates to run. But for the longest time I kept trying to get him to run with me. Then, he finally relented and ran a 5k race with me. And he whined so much that I have never invited him to another race.

On the other hand, Mister (w)Right always wants me to go climbing with him. He's tried everything from blackmail to bribing. It's a lost cause. Unless there's a giant plate of steaming hot french fries at the top of that rock wall, I really don't see the point in suspending myself by a tiny rope 40 feet above the ground. On second thought... why would there be a plate of french fries at the top of a rock wall? You see my dilemma.

I think we ARE finally learning to accept these things, though. And maybe even enjoy them. Most Sundays, Mister (w)Right kisses me goodbye at the crack of dawn to head to the Gorge. I've started to look forward to and cherish my lonesome Sundays. I sleep late, drink gross amounts of coffee, watch TLC, go to yoga... it's a beautiful thing.

This Sunday, I attended a Kundalini Yoga Workshop at River's Edge. We strengthened our auras, did deep relaxation with gong sounds, participated in an 11 minute healing meditation, and painted watercolor pictures based on our meditation. We also drank this DELICIOUS tea. Mister (w)Right loves Chai tea and I knew he'd love this. So when he and Matt showed up, cold and tired from a day of climbing, I had dinner and steaming mugs of this tea ready and waiting. That's what happens when he lets me miss him a little bit...

Yogi Tea (via River's Edge Kundalini Yoga Workshop)

6 quarts Water
1 Tbl Cardamon Seeds (w/o pods)
2 tsp Cloves
2 tsp Black Peppercorns
4 Cinnamon Sticks
Handful of fresh Ginger (sliced w/o skin... or dried in a pinch)

Pour the water into a LARGE pot. Note: 6 quarts doesn't sound like a lot of water. Ahhh, my friend, but it is. Add all spices. Boil gently for an hour. Let sit overnight. Strain out the spices and refrigerate.


This tea was INCREDIBLE. And it makes your house smell like Christmas. While the boys still drank it right after it had been boiled, I definitely recommend letting it sit overnight. The flavor increases by about a billion. Give or take a thousand.

Namaste!

Nov 8 - Required Listening

If you haven't guessed yet, a glass of wine and some good tunes are some of my favorite things. Add someone you love and some good grub to that list and it's a perfect night. My sweet friend Laura came for dinner the other night and we jammed to some of the songs below. Here's to love, understanding, old friendships, new beginnings, and above all - forgiveness.

Cheers!

Oct 28 - College Night

Something I've learned recently is to never do the math. Just don't. If you think you want to know how many years you've been out of college (4) or how long you've known your boyfriend (8), just stop wondering. It'll make you feel really REALLY old.

The first time I met Mister (w)Right's family was the day his little brother, Zak, made his Confirmation. Zak was 13. Recently, Zak, started his first year at college. Be still my aging heart! Luckily, he picked the same engineering school as his older brother. Just a few miles from our condo. As soon as he got his acceptance letter, I decided he'd come over for family dinner every week. Whether he liked it or not. :)

At about the same time, Mister (w)Right's best friend, Matt, decided to go back to school as well. To the same college as Zak! So family dinner morphed into College Night. Because if there's one thing college kids appreciate, it's food. So once a week our itty bitty condo turns into a boarding house for engineers. And I love it. Even when they spend all night talking about Calculus. Or chemistry. Or making fun of my inability to use the oven.

The first thing Zak said when I put this in the oven was "Did you set a timer? Are you going to watch that?" Yes, young padawan. I set a timer. And what do you mean "watch it"? Do you think I WANT to relinquish my title as worst baker ever? Either way, I put aside my fear of the oven for the sake of feeding the college masses.

Poblano Pepper Cornbread (via Prevention RD)

• 2 poblano chiles
• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Cut the Poblano peppers in half and remove the seeds. Lay the halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Turn your oven to broil. Place them under the broiler for about 5 minutes until the skins are charred. Do not - I repeat - do NOT forget about them. There's a fine line between nicely charred peppers and molten pepper lava. And that line is about 30 seconds wide.

Remove the charred peppers and place them in a ziploc bag for about 15 minutes. The moisture well help loosen the skin and make them easier to peel. Peel off the skins and dice the peppers.

Now preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Add the oregano and peppers to the wet ingredients and then stir both the wet and dry ingredients together. Do not over mix. Tough, heavy batter is no bueno.

Melt butter in a 10-inch oven safe skillet. Side note - Do you have a teflon skillet? If you answered yes, go get that skillet. Don't worry I'll wait... now promptly throw it in the trash. You're welcome. Google PFOA. You'll never buy another Teflon skillet again.

Anywho, remove the skillet from the heat. Pour the batter into the skillet and pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes. The end.

Wine of the night: Cutler Creek Cabernet. Meh. Coulda been better. No thumbs.

The boys loved this. It was a perfect side for the Aged White Cheedar and Roasted Cauliflower soup. Make it for someone you love. Or just for you. :)

Oct 21 - Lazy Weekend

Mister (w)Right and I are do-ers. When we went to Jamaica, it was like herding cats to get him to lay on the beach for 5 seconds. He had to have a beach chair. Under a palm tree. With his tablet. And even with all the booze you could drink and food you could eat, he STILL wouldn't sit still.

But that certainly wasn't the case this weekend. Lazy was an understatement. And maybe we had it coming. With how busy we've been, we have a whole lotta lazy saved up. Even after two full days of lazy, by the time Sunday evening came around... I still wasn't feeling an elaborate meal. Add to that the fact that we had just gone to the farmer's market and had a fridge full of delicious fall produce... it was definitely a stir fry night.

Veggie Peanut Stir-Fry

• 2 carrots (peeled and cut)
• 1 green bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
• 1/2 head of broccoli (cut into florets)
• 1/2 lb green beans
• 1 jalapeno (very thinly sliced)
• 3 green onions (sliced)
• 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Spicy Peanut Stir-Fry Sauce

• 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic
• 1 tbsp crushed ginger
• 1 tbsp Asian red pepper sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp honey

Cut all your produce into stir-fry sized pieces. I like slices. If you like chops or dices or whatnot - go for it. Whatever shakes your groove-thang. If you don't have broccoli or green beans or whatever, just use what you've got. That's the beauty of stir fry. It's most certainly the lazy man's meal. Or the full-fridge man's meal.

Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a large frying pan until shimmering. Add all produce EXCEPT cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Fry veggies in the pan until desired crispiness has been reached. We like them pretty crispy. But if you like them cooked within an inch of their life and bordering on mushiness... well, then just don't tell me.

While veggies are cooking, mix all sauce ingredients in a large mixing bowl. There's really no trick to this. Just stir slow at first. That peanut butter makes everything all splashy.

NOW add your cilantro. Add it at the end to make sure it doesn't get nasty and brown and wilty.

Pour the sauce over the veggies in the sauce pan. Stir until all veggies are coated and sauce is heated through.

Garnish with more fresh cilantro. And peanuts if you've got them. Which we didn't. Serve over rice or rice noodles and enjoy!

Paired with: Long Arm blended California Red. $6.99 Trader Joe's. Two thumbs up!

A perfect, lazy Sunday dinner. Use whatever veggies you have in your fridge. Because peanut butter makes everything taste delicious. Hashtag real talk. Hopefully these leftovers will make going back to work in 80-degree gorgeous fall weather more bearable.

Oct 19 - Yogi (Bear?)

When I took my first yoga class, I was unimpressed. I don't remember where I took the class. I don't remember what kind it was. Which probably speaks to how unimpressive it was. But as a certified cardio addict.... I was SO not into it. A year or so ago, I bought a Groupon for a yoga studio down the street from my apartment. I originally bought the deal with some of my girl friends. I had visions of relaxing yoga classes on Saturday mornings followed by leisurely coffee dates. This wasn't far from the truth. But it certainly didn't end up being the whole truth.

From the minute I started practicing with Julie, the owner of the studio, I was hooked. There was something more to it than anywhere else I'd been. It had a depth to it I had been completely missing. Now I've gone from a non-believer (Shuuuunnnn the non-believer) to a regular.

The other day, I was visiting with Mister (w)Right's mother. She's getting ready to fly out to Denver to complete her yoga teacher certification. I'm jealous. Majorly jealous. We got to talking about the books she was reading for the class and she mentioned one that spoke to the spiritual aspect of yoga; yoga as a lifestyle more than an exercise. She explained how discovering the spiritual aspect of yoga was giving a depth to her practice she had been missing.

Which brings me to Tuesday night. I dropped in on my first Naam yoga class. When I walked in, I was a little uncertain. To be honest, I had no idea what Naam was. I figured it was another version of Hatha. But Anna, the instructor, struck me from the very first as beautiful. And not just in appearance. Her voice was beautiful. Her demeanor was beautiful. She radiated beauty. And when Julie herself came in and put her mat down -- on the student side of the class -- I knew it was going to be a good class.

Wikipedia describes Naam Yoga as "a spiritual science and art that merges Eastern Yogic practices with the practical esoteric teachings of Universal Kabbalah. The philosophy within Naam Yoga is aimed at revealing the hidden truths of various spiritual traditions and mystery systems so that humankind may draw from both Eastern and Western practices to ultimately conceive the true nature of the Divine." Beth gave us all "cheat sheets" at the beginning with a list of different chants and matras. The whole class was set to a soundtrack of chanting and singing. If you've ever participated in a class-wide "Om", imagine that on a whole new level. Every posture had a purpose. Every word we said was calculated. We did Dead Bug pose for 3 minutes.



If that doesn't make you happy, you need to get that checked out. At the end, I felt incredible. Energized, relaxed, and connected. To the divine, to my class mates, and to the universe. If you've never done Naam, I highly recommend it. And if you've had your doubts about spiritual yoga or the yogic lifestyle... well, life starts now.

p.s. Looking for a good studio? River's Edge Yoga on Bardstown Rd. You won't regret it.

Oct 13 - Fall and Squash

If there's someone out there who doesn't love Fall, they should be placed in a laboratory and studied. Fall is the skinny-jeans-and-converse-sneakers seasonal equivalent. Hipsters everywhere rejoice when the leaves get their first hint of color. Seemingly overnight, Pinterest is flooded with ironic cardigans and pumpkin EVERYTHING. On second thought... maybe Pinterest is like that every day.

Sarcasm aside, I do love - LOVE - Fall. Maybe it's the band kid in me. Too many chilly romantic nights on school buses. I still have a soft spot for letterman jackets. But Fall Famers Markets are pure magic. Lots of leafy greens and multicolored root vegetables that I have no idea how to cook. When I spotted the first batch of acorn squash, I knew this was how I was going to bring our little house into fall.

Fall Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 2 large celery stalks (diced)
• 1 large carrot (peeled and diced)
• 1/3 cup quinoa (cooked according to package directions with vegetable stock)
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Don't forget to do this. Because I always do. And then I get distracted and my oven is still cold when I go to put food in it. The oven isn't really my strong point. Obvs.

Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the guts. Put about 1/2 inch of water in a baking dish and place squash cut side up in the dish. Pop that bad boy in your pre-heated oven for 30 minutes.

Heat your vegetable stock in a saucepan, add your quinoa and cook according to package directions. Vegetable stock  > water.

Meanwhile, dice your onion. Dice the celery and carrots, too.

Mmmm... If you haven't already, pour yourself a glass of wine. And put on some Black Keys. Because if there's a world in which a glass of wine and some good tunes isn't relaxing, I don't wanna live in it.
Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a medium pan until shimmering. Add your diced veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender.

Toss your sauteed veggies in the saucepan with your quinoa. Mix it up. Add your walnuts and dried cranberries. Season the whole mixture with cinnamon, nutmeg, and poultry seasoning. Hold onto your hats.
Remove your acorn squash from the oven and add the stuffing mixture to the center of the squash. Mound it up real good. More is always better.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and place back in the oven for 20 minutes. If want a little crunch to your stuffing, take the aluminum foil off about 10 mins before it's done.

Finally, remove the stuffed squash from the oven and grate some fresh Parmesan cheese over it. Or Asiago. Or Fontina. We don't discriminate when it comes to cheese.

This squash made the whole house smell like fall. And the leftovers were just as tasty the next day. Mister (w)Right and I are planning to get out this weekend and enjoy the last of the beautiful warm(ish) weather. Happy Fall!