Weekend Highlights

by Emily

This “peanut butter and jelly” yogurt bowl I brought to work was legit.

Plain Greek yogurt with KIND peanut butter granola, grapes, chia seeds, peanut butter, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Peanut butter in yogurt is so good!

We made deviled eggs that were only ok.

And cookies that were fantastic.

Number 2 pencil’s recipe with chocolate-covered pretzels crumbled in.

Plus watermelon cocktails.

Woo-hoo! We’ve got to squeeze the last out of summer.

I made big bowls of pasta with red sauce.

Whole-wheat rotini topped with ground turkey cooked with tons of sautéed mushrooms and onion and TJ’s marinara.

This was the best meal of the weekend though.

Scrambled eggs with corn and leftover bbq collards.

Plus buttered ~~burnt~~ toasted baguette.

Yum!

23Jul2015

Reunited And It Feels So Good

by Emily

I had an absolute blast in Buffalo but this past week I have been so freaking excited to be home with my boys. I usually miss them by the end of my workday so a long weekend away feels like an eternity. I am lucky to have a husband and dachshund who are both so great! {/sap}

breakfast

Black and white coffee.

Or Vanilla Chameleon Cold Brew with chocolate milk and an apple on the side.

Cereal with milk. And blueberries.

Plus Guava Mandarin Polar seltzer.

I lugged that back from Wegman’s in Buffalo and it was so worth it.

Coffee-eee-eee.

Always worth it. I’d be lying if I said my birthday drink freebie wasn’t bringing me a lot of anticipatory joy.

lunch

Asian-ish.

Microwave noodles and roasted seaweed.

Oatmeal bowl.

Chai-spiced oats from Target with maple almond butter on top and 2 black pluots on the side.

Yogurt bowl.

Vanilla Skyr Icelandic yogurt with blueberries, KIND peanut butter granola, and chia seeds. This was so tasty; I need more of that yogurt immediately.

dinner

Adam was at the hospital when I got home on Sunday so we had to turn Monday into date night. He picked me up at work and came bearing red velvet cupcakes.

We went to dinner at East Wind Snack Shop by Prospect Park.

We came in for the foie gras bao, which ended up being only ok. For the cheap price the amount of foie gras was very fair, but I would have rather paid a bit more and gotten a better meat-to-bun ratio.

But my Happy Buddha Vegetables were yummy.

They describe this dish as “jasmine rice, fermented tofu, seasoning, and all sorts of vegetables.” I’m not sure what the green sauce was but it was worth going back for. Then we walked to the theatre (our movie theatre) to see “Ant-Man.” The character development was weak but the movie was still hilarious so we’re glad we went.

I didn’t have time to do a real grocery trip this week so the following two nights were admittedly a little weak. This meal was fine but it’s not winning any prizes.

Cheez-its, leftover roasted veggies that Adam made last week, and a turkey and Havarti cheese sandwich.

This meal was a bit better. It definitely tasted good.

We needed a carbohydrate side so we had beer! Tusker is one of my all-time favorite beers, and pretty much the only lager I enjoy.

With roasted veggies – asparagus, okra, and zucchini – with Applegate chicken nuggets.

A copious amount of ketchup was added after I took that picture.

My parents come to visit tomorrow. And Friday is my birthday. I’m old, but excited!

22Jul2015

Honey Chipotle Chicken And Vegetable Quinoa Bowls {Recipe Redux}

by Emily

From the Redux team –

Fresh from the Garden

The season of bountiful produce has arrived. Whether your produce comes from the Farmers Market, a CSA share, or a plot of dirt out back, show how you are using fresh July fruits or veggies.

Bowls of grains and protein topped with big piles of roasted vegetables are a dinner favorite in our house year-round, but in the summer-time it’s nice to be able to count on in-season produce that’s both fresh and locally grown.

For these bowls I used both veggies and fruits – zucchini, grape tomatoes, and yellow peaches. Plus some slightly out of season fresh lime juice.

Honey, chipotle, garlic, and lime marinated chicken strips. Roasted zucchini. And white quinoa with tomato, peach, honey, chipotle sauce.

Honey Chipotle Chicken and Vegetable Quinoa Bowls; makes 4 hearty servings

1/2 tsp and 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground garlic
2 limes, juiced
1 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp and 1.5 Tbsp honey
7.5 oz can chipotle peppers in adobe
1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 cups sliced zucchini, sliced in 1/8 inch thick circles
10 oz grape tomatoes
medium sweet onion, cut in half and then sliced into 1/4 inch thick half circles
2 cups chopped yellow peaches
2.25 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup white quinoa
1/2 Tbsp canola oil

{In advance} In a large, durable baggie, combine 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, lime juice, 1 Tbsp evoo, and 1 Tbsp honey. Remove six chipotle peppers from the can (be sure to keep them!) and then dump the rest of the peppers and sauce into the bag. Stir marinade until well-combined. Add chicken breasts and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.

{When you’re ready to get cooking} Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prep two baking sheets with baking spray (and aluminum foil if desired for easy clean up). On one tray, place the zucchini in an even layer; they can be bunched but try not to overlap. On the other tray, place tomatoes, onion, and peaches in an even layer. Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp of evoo evenly over the vegetables, then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

Roast the tomatoes, onions, and peaches for 20 – 25 minutes, until the tomato skins have begun to blister but not brown. Remove that tray from the oven and set aside to cool. Bake the zucchini for an additional 15 – 20 minutes, 40 – 45 minutes total.

{While the vegetables are roasting} Stir together chicken broth and quinoa in a medium pot on high heat. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Pour the canola oil into a large, lidded pan over medium-high heat, turning the pan to coat. Working in batches as needed so as not to overcrowd the pan, cover the pan and cook chicken breasts 5 – 7 minutes on each side until cooked through. Set aside cooked chicken until cool enough to handle then slice into thin strips.

{Once the quinoa is cooked} Allow the cooked tomatoes, onion, and peaches to cool for at least 5 minutes. Place them in your food processor and process 5 – 10 seconds until homogenous. Add the remaining 6 chipotle peppers and the remaining 1.5 Tbsp honey and process until combined. Stir the sauce into the cooked quinoa. Note – you most likely will have more sauce than you need, we used about 3/4 of our batch and then saved the rest for turkey sandwiches and tortilla chip dip.

{When you are ready to serve} Divide the quinoa evenly among four bowls, topping with additional sauce if desired. Top with cooked chicken and zucchini slices. Serve outdoors, if possible.

Click the link below to see what other Redux members cooked up. I’m hoping someone tackled watermelon!

13Jul2015

I’d Have To Say April 25th

by Emily

This was the most boring week of the month (July includes my trip to Maryland, a trip to Buffalo, a visit from my parents, and my 30th birthday!) but Adam and I kept things fun with lots of little dates. Honestly, I have more fun going to the grocery store with my husband than I would have doing almost anything with someone else, so grabbing donuts before work with him is pretty thrilling.