FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Dear Blender, I Love You

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My mid-year resolution should include blending daily for no other reason than I love it (my blender that is).  It’s the one tool in my kitchen that never fails at producing miracles.  And it’s the only tool in my kitchen that guarantees vitamin packed-ness with the touch of a button.
I’ve been randomly craving cream of asparagus soup for too long to have not already posted something. Perhaps it has something to do with creamy soups and 100 degree weather not jiving.  But more likely, it has to do with forgetting my sporadic craving each and every time I pass through the market’s automated entrance.

You’ll need:
1 lb Fresh Asparagus, Chopped
3 Leeks, Sliced
2 Garlic Cloves
1 – 16 oz Can of Vegetable Broth
1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp Parmesan, Shaved

Boil asparagus, leeks, and garlic until tender (about 15 minutes).   Blend vegetables until 100% smooth.  Add vegetable broth and yogurt and blend again.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Healthy Pants Pizza

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Some days you crave fatty pants pizza, some days you settle for lazy pants pizza, and the other days?  Well the other days you just need healthy pants pizza.

A few weeks ago during one of my all too frequent grocery store trips, I stumbled upon a sample stand.  And if you’ve been with me to the market, you know that by stumble upon, I mean ran to.  Rarely do I ‘stumble upon’ a sample stand and think “I’m happy I just ate that”.  In fact, before that day, it had never happened – a scrunched face and search for the nearest paper towel is more like it.

To create your own healthy pants pizza, you’ll need:
– 1 Eggplant
– Pizza Sauce
– Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
– Typical Toppings (I chose spinach, mushrooms, and onions)

Thinly slice eggplant.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place eggplant disks.  Broil eggplant on each side for about 4 minutes or until browned.  Watch closely as they burn easily, especially the ones in the back!  Cover with sauce, cheese, and toppings, and broil another minute or two until the cheese is bubbly.

Flopping Flounder

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You’re not imagining it; I’m partial to seafood these days.  Since the acquisition of my fish cooking skills during ‘Technique de la Hanz’, I just can’t stop.  The thought of cooking chicken has always caused an urge to snooze, there’s a limit to how many times you can pretend turkey tastes differently than chicken, and beef?  Beef lost its attraction after living steps from the Bern’s Bar.  So fish it is.

And if you thought spending a lifetime within eye shot of water would create a connoisseur of some sort, you’d be wrong.  Beyond salmon, tuna, and grouper…  I’m clueless.  If you can imagine someone spinning me in circles, blindfolded, and telling me to point – that would be a fairly accurate description of tonight’s seafood department experience.  And, that would be the only possible explanation for how I ended up with flounder.
Due to my lack of grill, I brushed the filet with olive oil, sprinkled it with Northwoods Seasoning, and broiled it for 5-7 minutes on each side.  I served it atop seasoned and sauteed baby bellas, asparagus, green beans, squash, and zucchini.  The veggie medley equaled “woah!” and distracted me from my new found dislike – flounder.

Beautifood

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Tonight’s meal inspiration stemmed from an article that was sent to me a while back entitled ’10 Ways to Eat Yourself Gorgeous’.  The article was shelved and I’m not certain why.  But from this point forward, food brain-block or not, I will be referencing it quite often.

My plate consisted of broiled salmon brushed with olive oil and fresh dill and boiled artichoke with dill garlic butter for dipping.  The salmon/artichoke combo created a dish rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Protein, Vitamins B/C/D, Magnesium, Folic Acid, and Biotin.  And chances are, if the last sentence bored you, you’re in dire need of a meal like this!

I am beyond pleased.  So pleased, in fact, that I am immodestly giving myself the highest rank on every scale – A+, 5 stars, all 10’s.