Tasty Things

Tasty things from this week…

Mango in plain Greek is my latest favorite yogurt combo.  This bowl had nectarine in it, which was fantastic as well.

IMG_9419

Some of my favorite coworkers and I went out for a goodbye lunch at Dekalb Market Hall and I had great tacos.  Mushroom and corn / smoked crab.

IMG_20180606_130208_963

I finally got my hands on this new Reese’s Pieces bar and it was outrageously fantastic.

IMG_9437

IMG_9441

For almost a week I had been having an oddly specific craving for rotisserie chicken and butter lettuce and this strangely topped salad was everything I was hoping for – spinach and butter lettuce mix dressed with evoo, salt, and sumac / warm, shredded, rotisserie chicken / pine nuts / sriracha and kewpie mayo.

IMG_9427

We made chilaquiles nachos.  Tortilla chips, roasted salsa, cheese, shredded chicken and sauteed onion and bell pepper baked with an egg on top.

IMG_9459

Three Kinds Of Eggs

Highlights from this week included eggs served three different ways, a new take on pesto, and my current favorite snack combo…

The week started out on a high point – a breakfast date at Golda.

IMG_9088

Quad espresso + ice + cream.

IMG_9084

I had the grilled asparagus toast – strawberry-chili mostarda / alfalfa / ras al hanout / soft egg / charred lemon / local sourdough.

IMG_9096

Homemade coffee combo = half and half, ice, and Stumptown Founders blend.

IMG_9159

Snacks of note include fresh alfonso mango with cottage cheese.

IMG_9166

Our Deadpool movie snack was right on the nose.  DP 2 was not as good as the first movie but still laugh out loud funny.

IMG_9137

My current favorite snack combo is roasted chickpeas with blistered peanuts.  Eaten in bulk.

IMG_9104

Tuesday – my early day, when I leave the house before 6 am – I drove across town after work to attend what ended up being a very disappointing lecture on TPN.  The speaker ran a bit late and I didn’t start heading home until after 9 pm, at which point I was basically whimpering from hunger.  Suffice to say, this is the most satisfying Chipotle bowl that’s ever been eaten!

IMG_9135

The other three nights I cooked legitimate meals and had some major successes in the kitchen!  Like a Mediterranean frittata, complete with a new recipe page.

IMG_9119

Replete with feta, zucchini, and sumac.

IMG_9125

One night I made okonomiyaki.  We use three eggs and a heaping 1/3 cup flour for 2 servings.  With shredded garnet yam, roasted cabbage, and ginger.  Topped with Sriracha, Kewpie mayo, green onion, and seaweed.

IMG_9147

I also tried a new take on pesto that turned out to be delicious.  The last time we made homemade pesto we found the raw garlic and basil to be a bit too spicy, so this time I cooked them.  Sweet onion, green onion, and garlic sauteed in evoo / basil cooked with the onion for 90 seconds or so / tossed in the food processor with more evoo, parmesan, and pine nuts.  Served with whole wheat pasta with baby kale, toasted white beans, and roasted heirloom tomato.

IMG_9170

Weekend plans include a bridge walk, a bar date, and a bbq spot.

My New Favorite Thing

This weekend was all about fancy coffees, restaurant brunches, and yummy home-cooked dinners.

I took a vacation day on Friday – just for funsies – and had lunch with one of my favorite former co-workers and her new baby!  Plus I took myself on a long walk: Penn Station down to Chelsea Market, over to Gramercy Park, and back up to Penn Station.  Saturday I had a literal every cloud has a silver lining situation – the gloomy weather gave me an excuse to wear my snazzy new rain boots!

IMG_8885

Here were the highlights…

Fancy coffees –  Iced latte from Seven Point Espresso.

IMG_8849

Rose iced latte from Terremoto.  <– best coffee of the weekend

IMG_8836

Crack pie latte from Milk Bar.

IMG_8830

Restaurant brunches – MeMe’s Diner.

IMG_8857

IMG_8855

The O.C. = cara cara and blood orange, tequila, and Tang.

IMG_8862

I ordered the greens with chili oil and a fried chicken biscuit sandwich with spicy maple syrup and root vegetable slaw.  The picture does not do justice to just how gigantic that sandwich is.

IMG_8869

Cake!  I wish I had more photos because this cake is officially my new favorite thing I’ve ever eaten.  Vietnamese iced coffee cake with condensed milk frosting and cocoa cardamom fudge.  Moist cake, fluffy icing, perfectly balanced.

IMG_8877

Midwinter Kitchen.  I had a salad with pistachio crusted goat cheese, frisée, watercress, a sunny side up egg, and sherry vinaigrette.  Those goat cheese balls were out of this world.

IMG_8839

Home-cooked dinners –  Trout salad melts.  Trader Joe’s canned smoked trout with mayo and gojuchang on toast with sharp cheddar.  Plus roasted zucchini with sumac.

IMG_8906

And I had this killer drink line-up while I cooked – creamy mango soda and key lime pie gose.

IMG_8899

Eat Live Run’s green chile crock pot chicken.  I subbed in cauliflower rice to get some more veggies in there.

IMG_8847

Gojuchang turkey burgers on toast, smothered in a tasty sauce – kewpie mayonnaise, honey, dijon, and miso.  With a side of pear slices and chips – gojuchang kettle chips from Whole Foods and kettle popcorn chips from Trader Joe’s.

IMG_8893

Have a great work-week, guys!

 

Three Day Weekend

My three day weekend is actually a ten day weekend!  I took a week+ off from work because I am going home for Carnival.  By the time you read this post I will (hopefully!) be on a plane to St. Thomas.

Here were the top three from the past three days…

{1}  Coffee (coffee, coffee).

[a]  I am still loving Trader Joe’s shade grown espresso blend.

IMG_8509

[b]  I found my new spot for coffee and cookies – For Five Coffee.

IMG_8473

They served me an perfectly roasty and creamy quad iced latte.

IMG_8477

And they have crispy yet cakey cookies from Duchess Bakeshop, including unicorn cookies stuffed with cheesecake.

IMG_8482

{2}  Fun in packaged foods.

The chile rellano from Trader Joe’s is my all-time favorite frozen meal and the mojito kombucha was even better than expected.

IMG_8470

{3}  Our best meal of this year.

Glasserie in Greenpoint pretty much blew our minds.  Their deal is Middle Eastern flavors mixed with contemporary techniques in a stunningly gorgeous former glass factory.  We swooned over every bite!

Sour from Grimm.

IMG_8487

Griddle bread that was chewy and perfect and sort of reminded me of funnel cake.

IMG_8496

Roasted cauliflower with cured labneh and marjoram.

IMG_8489

An assortment of mushrooms with celeriac puree, hazelnuts, and a soft boiled egg.

IMG_8495

Chicken with roasted sunchokes, fried potato, and sesame.  I almost never order chicken in restaurants but this was one of the best proteins I’ve ever tasted.

IMG_8500

Rose milk custard with candied pistachios for dessert.  This was just a bit tangy and just a bit floral and totally delicious.

IMG_8503

10/10.

Pig Squared

Highlights from the weekend…

We went in to Manhattan early Saturday morning to check out the SNL line.  <– never going to happen, people had been camped out for at least 24 hours  On the plus side, we got to check out the leftover Easter decorations in Rockefeller Plaza.

IMG_8190

IMG_8198

IMG_8203

We spent the day with a Buffalo friend who is living in the city for a year for fellowship.  We took him to two of our favorite porcine named restaurants and on a long walk from Lower East Side to Tribeca and back.

IMG_8229

Pig Bleeker for lunch.  Smoked fried chicken sandwich with mayo, mustard sauce, hot sauce, and pickles, plus the crispiest fries.

IMG_8232

Pig and Khao for dinner.  I ordered the half hainanese duck, which came with duck fat fried rice which is apparently my favorite thing.

IMG_8242

We had birthday cake croissants at Union Fare.  Can sprinkle dust be a part of my everyday life?

IMG_8219

IMG_8216

We had a variety of cinematic favorite tributes this weekend.  90’s throwback snacks while we watched Empire Records on Rex Manning Day!

IMG_8247

And a Thackery Binx inspired Daiquiri Binx cocktail – apple cinnamon infused white rum, simple syrup, fresh lime, egg white.

IMG_8237

Eggcellent dinners using up our Easter leftovers.

IMG_8110

Egg salad – with mayo, dijon, smoked paprika, and red and yellow bell pepper.  Plus roasted broccoli.  We scooped the salad with Trader Joe’s honey butter potato chips which was pretty fantastic.

IMG_8181

Salad salad with a mango kombucha.

IMG_8254

Romaine / cilantro salad dressing / blue cheese / smoked almonds / fried tofu / hard-boiled eggs.

IMG_8257

Have a great week!

IMG_8208

Pepperoni Pizza

The five best things I ate this week –

This week’s coffee combo.  Trader Joe’s espresso blend.

IMG_8104

A protein-packed yogurt bowl.  Plain Greek with vanilla protein almond butter and an apple on the side.

IMG_8094

A spring-y snack.  Candied lemon slices and dark chocolate violet marshmallows.

IMG_8118

Fancy toast.  Topped with strawberry jam, Kerrygold Dubliner cheese, and a hard-boiled egg.

IMG_8172

The highlight: pepperoni pizza with buttery roasted green beans on the side.

IMG_8144

Trader Joe’s garlic crust / cooked in a casserole dish with olive oil on the bottom / topped with sliced mozzarella / tomato sauce with anchovy / turkey pepperoni / and Parmesan cheese.

IMG_8137

Green With Fun

We had a great weekend!  My aunt and uncle came into the city and we had a wonderful time showing them around.  I even caught some of the parade.

Top three best things I ate…

{1} local beers

Greenpoint Brewery.

IMG_7746

Brooklyn Brewery.

IMG_7740

Iconyc‘s saison with soursop!

IMG_7693

{2} homemade turkey reuben cheese fries

Fries / swiss and gouda cheese blend / sliced smoked turkey / sauerkraut / 1000 island dressing / parsely.

IMG_7680

With broccoli on the side for green.

IMG_7675

{3} brunch at Sunday in Brooklyn

How adorable is my aunt’s cocktail?

IMG_7726

And my Care Bear Stare was one of the best drinks I’ve ever had.  With Aperol, cream sherry, redeemed fruit, and cinnamon.

IMG_7730

We shared the pancakes, which are a must-order if you visit SiB, but my flatbread was still my favorite.  Ramp kimchi, mushrooms, fried eggs, and toasted spices on top of the most wonderfully chewy flatbread.

IMG_7731

Have a great week!

IMG_7633

IMG_7701

IMG_7705

IMG_7711

IMG_7718

IMG_7688

And Now My Favorite Color is Zhough

Highlights from the week…

Fancy shmancy coffee.  I cold pressed espresso roast with vanilla bean powder, brown sugar, and clove.

IMG_7575

Honestly though, my current favorite-favorite combo is espresso, ice, and chocolate milk.

IMG_7536

Milkadamia sent me a box for review [no cash was exchanged, all opinions are my own, yadda yadda].  Their macadamia nut milk is vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free.  The unsweetened vanilla has 50 calories, 1 gram of protein, and zero grams of sugar (1 gram carbohydrate) per 8 oz serving.  The milk has almost no flavor, but that is pretty much what I’m looking for in my nut milks because I want them to make my coffee creamy without distracting from the coffee taste.  The unsweetened vanilla went perfectly with a cup of iced coffee this week, no clumping or separation to be found.

IMG_7518

I also used it in a smoothie with frozen blueberries and coconut chunks, vanilla, maple, and chia seeds.

IMG_7534

My packed work eats were all about the Sumo mandarin and plain Greek yogurt combo.  With maple or granola.

IMG_7547

IMG_7614

Snack attack.  Peanut butter puffs.

IMG_7585

Mexican marshmallow shortbread cookies.

IMG_7544

Super sour soda and cola hard candies.

IMG_7583

Mini sundae from Van Leeuwen.  Cookies and cream topped with hot fudge, almond brittle, and sprinkles.

IMG_7606

IMG_7608

All of our dinners this week had a Middle Eastern bent, thanks to lots of zhough and copious amounts of olive oil.  Like scrambled egg pita sandwiches.  Scrambled eggs / sauteed orange bell pepper and red onion / whole wheat pita / zhough.  With roasted zucchini.

IMG_7590

Pita chip nachos!  Sharp cheddar / red onion and cucumber / marinated chickpeas with lemon juice, olive oil, fresh parsley, oregano, cayenne, and paprika / zhough and tzatziki.

IMG_7561

Veggie bowls.  Sauteed red onion, yellow bell pepper, and roasted eggplant / tomato sauce / marinated chickpeas / zhough and tzatziki / fried egg.

IMG_7628

Also pizza.  Is there a better food on the planet than buffalo chicken pizza??

IMG_7617

It’s almost the weekend!  Who has green beer on their Saturday agenda?