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.