FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Sick Girl Seasonings

by

Holy SXSW recovery!  It turns out the reason why Ariel and I were so achy was because we caught some sort of mini-flu that knocked us out for a few days.  But now that I’ve found my way out of a sloth-like state and back to the kitchen, it’s all good.

Joy the Baker’s Spicy Lentil Soup seemed like the right, hearty choice for my first home-cooked meal in ages.

I followed Joy’s recipe almost to a tee.  Even though I’ve been venturing into the meat scene on occasion when I dine out, I’m still keeping a mostly veggie kitchen at home.  I subbed chicken sausage with Smart Sausages and quadrupled the crushed red pepper (addiction?).

From what my stuffy senses can tell, this is a darn good soup!  The kick and texture are a far cry from the mushness that I remember lentil soup to be (mom, why was your lentil soup so mushy??).

And then…  I headed to my first ballet lesson!  The class was so great that I found myself asking “whyyyyyy??” when the instructor announced it was time to pack up.  That never happens.  Perhaps I enjoyed my time suited in ballerina gear so much that I forgot I was in “class”?

Sketti Squash

by

So…  hip hip hooray for spring and daylight savings time!  It’s such a relief to have natural light beaming through my living room windows well into the evening.  Less rushing, better photos, happier Kristin.

To avoid overdosing on spring too, too much, I added a winter spaghetti squash to the mix (even though I’m not the biggest fan).  They’re typically so gynorm that they take forever to cook and even longer to eat.  Buttt…  I noticed an itty bitty spaghetti squash at Whole Foods last night that I felt the need to own.  So I owned it.

FoodFash Spaghetti Squash (yields 2 servings)

1 small spaghetti squash

4 tablespoons olive oil

6-8 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 cups frozen spinach

15 kalamata olives, quartered

4 tablespoons dry roasted pumpkin seeds

3 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

salt and dill to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, remove seeds, and bake for 45 minutes.  While the squash is baking, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add the crushed garlic cloves until browned.  Pour the frozen spinach into the pan and cook until thawed.  Remove pan from heat and stir in the olives and pumpkin seeds.  When the spaghetti squash is finished,  spoon the inside of the squash into the spinach mix until the spinach is evenly distributed.  Add feta cheese and serve.

Both the pumpkin seeds and dill were middle-of-the-recipe thoughts, but the added texture and flavor made for a more satisfying meal.

What seasonings would you have added to this dish?

Back To The Press

by

Look what I found!  I haven’t used my tofu press since well before I left Tampa.  And not because I didn’t want to, but because I may or may not have packed up my kitchen gadgets about a month too early.  So I was a little excited…

I stil have a pretty bare fridge since I spent most of last week in Dallas and this week in Portland, but I did have a lone brick of tofu waiting for me when I got back from yoga.  Tofu and a frozen stash of veggies totally equals a finally-back-in-town recovery meal.

I pressed the tofu for about an hour and then submerged it in ponzu sauce.  I let the tofu marinate while I unpacked some suitcase, which was about another hour.

I browned the tofu in coconut oil and then added frozen broccoli.  Solo ponzu sauce seemed a bit on the boring side, so I stared in my spice cabinet hoping something spoke to me.  Red pepper flakes and ground mustard?  Sure, why not?  It ended up being a pretty flavorful and slightly spicy combination – right up my alley.  This is a good recipe for a quick Asian inspired craving, but by no means compares to the thick ooey gooey sauces that typically come with take-out.

Toasted Cheese, Avocado & Sriracha Sandwich

by

This sandwich was a total accident.  I had planned on making a piece of cheese toast before heading to an appointment today and was unexpectedly inspired by the lone avocado in my fridge.  It was begging to be included.

Ok avocado, you win.  I’ll slice you into three fat chunks and smother you with melty cheese.  It’ll be a good day for both of us.

I toasted a piece of pumpernickel rye topped with two slices of organic cheddar until the cheese was transparent and bubbly.

I cut the cheesy bread in half and arranged the avocado on one side, swirling a generous amount of sriracha over the top.

I closed up the sandwich and took my first bite.  Wow.  This combo was so delish that I must have lost the ability to hold the sandwich together.  I took my second bite and sriracha coated avocados went flying everywhere.  I reassembled the sandwich, pulled myself together, and focused on carefully eating the remaining bites.

Are you a sucker for a fancy grilled cheese?  What’s the most exciting combo you’ve had to date?