FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Spicy Broccoli & Leek Soup

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Broccoli and Leek Soup

After making this recipe, my friend Molly and I wondered if we could use it as a formula for other veggie soups.  Asparagus and broccoli came to mind first and they’ve been stuck in my head ever since.  So today when I was at Wheatsville Co-op {becoming an owner!} and saw a beautiful bunch of broccoli, I decided to give it a go.

Almond Slivers 1

I modified a couple things about the recipe to make life a little more simple.  Like using 4 cups of broth instead of 3.  Since broth is packaged in a 4-cup container, you were always left with a cup of broth in your fridge that never found a home.

Broccoli and Leeks

Beyond quantity, I added a complimentary veggie, more nuts, more lemon, and more spices.  The addition of cayenne pepper gave the soup a welcomed kick.  And the drizzle of olive oil gave the soup a little complexity that made it feel restaurant worthy.

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Filet With Broccoli

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Filet with Broccoli

When my friend Alana returned from three weeks in Asia, she brought back a set of chopsticks for FoodFash.  And since I seemed to have thrown away any set of sticks I had accumulated over the years, it was a gift I received with much excitement.  A gift I couldn’t wait to use {and photograph}.

Peppercorn Crusted Steak Filet

So I decided to make a dish that I typically enjoy, but always wish was better: beef with broccoli.  And I bettered it up by buttering up a 6 ounce filet, using this steak recipe that’s so amazing there’s never a need to deviate.

Broccoli Stir Fry

When the steak was finished, I cooked the broccoli using this recipe as my guide.  I used similar quantities, but replaced soy sauce with liquid aminos, peanut oil with sunflower oil, sesame oil with coconut oil, and added 1 tablespoon of fish sauce.  I loved that the broccoli was seasoned but not drowning in an overpowering syrup.  And naturally, subbing whatever cut of beef that is typically used with a filet was an A++ choice.

Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

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Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

There’s something about organizing kitchen cabinets at home and presenting in front of a first-time crowd at work that put an extra pep in my step today.  I borderline skipped to Whole Foods this evening, enjoying the slightly crisp air and an even more crisp mind.

Shrimp

The last thing I wanted to do was fog everything up with a heavy dinner.  I wanted light and flavorful.  Seafood, fresh veggies, and herbs would do the trick.  Seafood, fresh veggies, and herbs… always do the trick.

Shrimp Scampi

Add music, breeze-filled windows, and quality time in the kitchen – it was the best weeknight I’ve had in quite some time.  I got to cooking to the tune of this album.

Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi 2

And when it was all said and done, I was left with the exact dinner I had in mind sitting front of me, ready to photograph.  It was lovely.

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Avocado Cream for Quesadillas

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Veggie Quesadillas with Avocado Cream 2

It’s been quite some time since I’ve done the quesadilla thing. The beany, cheesy, spinachy quesadilla thing that makes me all sorts of happy.

Vegetarian Quesadilla

And tonight, the quesadilla thing got even better because I didn’t go for a typical dollop of sour cream.  And maybe it’s because I couldn’t {for the life of me} find the sour cream at Whole Foods.  So I headed to the Greek yogurt area, grabbed a small 2% plain, and headed to the produce department.

Avocado Cream

It was there I found the tiniest, ripest avocado that I would later season and whip with yogurt to make my new favorite thing to dollop.

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