Friday Favorites

I’m currently on my way down to Richmond for the weekend to run the Richmond Half Marathon and spectate the full! While I was hammering away at work yesterday to make sure I had everything in order for the long weekend I was taking, I found myself also thinking about some things I’m currently loving. And obviously, that makes for an excellent blog post.

So without further ado, here’s what I’ve been loving lately!

Candy Crush
I’m kind of embarrassed about this one. But obviously not embarrassed enough to not share it. After months and months of resisting, I finally gave in and downloaded the app about two weeks ago. Well, it’s safe to say I’m obsessed with it. I’m currently stuck at level 35, battling my way through some extra “quests” to earn the right to carry on past Lemonade Lake.

The Cinnamon Snail
If you live in the New York/New Jersey area, you NEED to try Cinnamon Snail (known as @veganlunchtruck on Twitter). They are in NYC most week days at various locations, Jersey City on Thursday nights, and Red Bank, NJ on Sunday mornings. I am yet to have something from this delicious food truck that I haven’t been in love with. My favorites (if I had to pick) would be the Chipotle Breakfast Burrito, and any of their doughnuts.

I mean, just look at that! So far I’ve had the breakfast burrito, Korean BBQ Seitan, Blue Corn Hempseed Crusted Tempeh, and one of their specials, a Red Curry Tofu Bahn Mi. All magically delicious, vegan, and served up with a smile. Can’t beat that if you ask me!

RAC’s Chapter One
I suppose it isn’t really fair to include this on my list since I just discovered the album yesterday, but it’s been on repeat ever since. Thanks to Spotify and its ability to creep on what other people are listening to, I found the album by accident. I saw Sarah had listened to a track on it, and decided to see what it was all about. After listening to that track, and all subsequent tracks, I was hooked. Remixes of some of my favorite artists that are workday friendly? Yes please.

Oiselle Runfinity French Fleece Scarf
I love a good infinity scarf (or any scarf for that matter) and seem to hold the mindset of “bigger is better” when it comes to them. So, when I saw this scarf on Oiselle’s website, I knew I had to have it. Not only it is big and cozy, but I’m obsessed with anything French fleece.

I got bold and ordered it in ghost, so it’s only a matter of time before it’s covered in food and coffee (that’ll add character?). I found myself wishing it was cooler so I could wear it in the early days of November, but then when it dipped below freezing this past week, I was singing another tune. But at least I had this big and cozy scarf!

Erica Sara Designs “Run” Ring
I had been eyeing this particular ring since it was introduced, and had it on my “Giftables” Pinterest page for ages. For whatever reason, I never bought it for myself, and no one else seemed to be interested in getting it for me either. About a month ago, I finally decided it was time to treat myself, and I ordered one. And now I’m kicking myself for waiting so long.

This is the second Erica Sara Designs piece I own (the first is a Say It Do It bracelet I got earlier this year) and I absolutely love it. It’s small and delicate, yet represents something that is far from small and delicate. The best part is that her ring sizing starts small, and as a 4.5, I always have trouble finding fashionable rings that fit my fingers. I’m already thinking about ordering some stackables to add to the collection, and I’m looking forward to her small wrist friendly bangles that will be coming out in the spring!

So there you have it, the things I’ve been loving lately. I’ll be in Richmond this weekend running the half marathon and then cheering for the full with some Oiselle teammates, and enjoying delicious food (mac ‘n cheese specifically) with Dori! I’m not planning on all-out racing the half marathon, but running it at about 90% so I can use it as a starting point for potential spring marathon training. It should be a great running, friends, and food filled weekend.

Accepting Fall & A Giveaway Winner

First up, the winner of my Oloves Giveaway thanks to Random.org is commenter #2: Lauren G.! Send me an e-mail with your shipping information and the olives will be on their way!

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My favorite season is summer, and I have no problem admitting that each year as fall creeps up, I get a little sad. Sure, fall means apple picking, cider, cooler (but not cold) weather, pretty foliage, etc., but it means we’re that much closer to winter, which I dread. It probably doesn’t help that I’m not into the whole pumpkin obsession either (except for pumpkin beers) since I don’t really love the flavor. Despite my love affair with summer, I don’t loathe fall – I appreciate all the things that come with it, especially when it comes to food and fashion.

Even though peach season is almost over, it’s perfect weather for apples here in New Jersey. So my fresh box the last few weeks has included peaches and apples, resulting in an overflowing crisper drawer full of the two fruits. My sister is a baking fiend, and any time she’s home, she’s in the kitchen just throwing together desserts on a whim. While she was still home during the summer she made a phenomenal peach and blueberry crumble, so I decided to try an recreate it with peaches and apples.

I love cooking, but baking still intimidates me. Some people (like my sister) just have a knack for baking and can throw things together easily; that definitely isn’t how I roll. I’m extremely comfortable in the kitchen cooking savory dishes, but for whatever reason, baking requires a different level of confidence I just don’t have, so I rely heavily on recipes when it comes to baking. But this past Sunday, I went a bit out of my comfort zone and threw together this simple peach and apple crumble, that is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert!

Peach & Apple Crumble
– serves 4 –

Ingredients:
2 apples, seeds removed and sliced (I used Gala, but you can use your favorite type)
2 peaches, pitted and sliced (I used white peaches, but same applies here – any kind will work)
2 Tbsp butter, cut into little pats (8 squares)
2 tsp flour
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
For Crumble:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp butter, cut into little pats

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the apple and peach slices, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and pats of butter.
3. Spray a a cake pan with cooking spray, and add in the fruit mixture.
4. In the same bowl you had the fruit, add the remaining flour, sugar, butter, and oats. Use a fork to mix everything together, slightly mashing the butter in the process. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the fruit.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown.

Meatless Monday: White Bean Basil Burgers

One of the things I miss most about no longer eating meat is a good hamburger. I can easily turn down a steak, chicken (even wings!), and seafood. But I won’t try to pretend that I don’t miss a juicy hamburger (well, 99.9% of the time it’s a cheeseburger) from time to time. There was even an period when I was in middle school that my go-to order when out to eat was some type of burger and fries. It wasn’t because I was picky eater – it was simply because I loved them that much! So now that I’m a vegetarian, I think it’s natural that I find myself making some type of veggie burger frequently.

In the past my go-to base for a veggie burger has been black beans… partially because I love black beans, and partially because they seem to be the default for most restaurant and packaged veggie burgers. As I’ve delved more and more into a vegetarian diet and cooking in general, I’ve come to realize that you can really transform almost anything if you’re willing to take a little time and get creative.

These particular burgers came about due to a craving for both falafel and a veggie burger. I knew I had white beans at home (but no chickpeas), so my first instinct was to try and make a generic falafel based on white beans instead of chickpeas. While trying to remember what else I had laying around at home, I remembered the fresh basil from the previous week’s fresh box that was definitely on its last legs. That’s when I realized I could use the white beans and basil together, and satisfy my veggie burger craving; enter the White Bean Basil Burgers!

With the perfect combination of basil, red onion, and fresh sliced tomato and mozzarella, these burgers are a great end-0f-summer treat. I didn’t have mine on a bun simply because I didn’t have any, but they would be great on an Italian roll!

White Bean Basil Burgers
– makes 4 burgers –

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can white beans (cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, diced
10 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade (just chopped works too)
1 tsp rosemary
2 tsp oil for cooking
Optional: Sliced tomato & fresh mozzarella cheese to top the burgers

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mash the white bean burgers with a potato masher or a fork.
2. Once the white beans are mashed, add in the rest of the ingredients: bread crumbs, garlic, onion, basil, and rosemary, stirring to make sure everything is combined well. Form into 4 patties.
4. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook on each side for about 6-8 minutes, flipping once.
5. Serve with sliced tomato, mozzarella cheese, and additional fresh basil if desired.

Oh Hello!

Hey friends, remember me?!

I know I haven’t posted in awhile, but that’s because I’ve been busy trying to enjoy the last days of summer (while refusing to believe it’s almost over), and more importantly, because I really haven’t had much to say.

I’ve been in the kitchen cooking up some really great dishes. There have been a few that I’ve come up with on my own and hope to re-create for blog post purposes, but the majority of them have been based on recipes I found online. I’m not one for “photo dump” posts, but I want to share these recipes with you guys, since they were big hits in my house.

With a lot of baking involved, I have to rely on my home oven and a lot of gas so I have to contact my propane dealers often.

Clockwise from the top left:
1. Vegan Oreo Pancakes: Reminded me more of an Almond Joy (it uses shredded coconut) and is awesome. Definitely a “dessert for breakfast” type pancake.
2. Flourless Chickpea Chocolate Chip Blondies: I know, chickpeas in your dessert? It sounds weird, but is absolutely delicious. It’s vegan so you can eat the entire thing raw if you want (and it’s gluten free)! I need to make these again ASAP.
3. Peach & Blueberry Spiced Muffins: I’ve had a surplus of blueberries and peaches from my CSA box, and this was the perfect way to use some. The spices added a nice hint of almost-Fall, with fresh summer fruits.
4. Agave Lime Tofu with Asian Slaw and Chipotle Sweet Potato Mash: First time using The Conscious Cook cookbook I’ve had forever – SO awesome and easy to make.

Aside from cooking and eating, I wish I could say that I’ve been running and crushing marathon training with my ankle issue far behind me. Unfortunately that isn’t the case. I took a full week off per my doctor’s suggestion, and seemed okay when I started back up for that first week. I was a little achy and sore in places, but it wasn’t unbearable. I assumed that I would just have to run through the discomfort, and eventually things would start to feel better. I started the second week after seeing the doctor with a decent 6 mile run, and followed it up the next day with a 4 miler that just didn’t feel good. I woke up the following morning barely able to walk, and extremely frustrated. I saw my podiatrist that afternoon, and he really didn’t have any suggestions for me. He told me to come back in a month, and if the pain was still there, I’d be sent for an MRI. Nothing like a non-answer to make you feel better! I haven’t run since then (it’s been a week), and to be honest, I’m kind of lost. Do I wait until the pain is completely gone from walking (it is now), and try to run again? Do I wait longer before trying to run? I need to find someone with answers, or at least suggestions! I’ve had a few suggestions to go to a chiropractor and get some ART done, so I think that is next on my to-do list. I’m still planning to run (or walk, if I have to) the 10k and half marathon for the Disneyland Dumbo Dare at the end of the month, but I’m undecided if I’ll still run the Richmond Marathon. I may drop down to the half, or defer to next year. I’m so thankful that this particular race at least provides those options!

At least I have this sweet all-sport Picky Bars water bottle to keep me company!

Even though I haven’t been running, I’ve been trying to stay in shape. I also figured if I couldn’t run, it would be the perfect opportunity to try and get myself a 6-pack, and increase my overall strength (LOL on the 6-pack). I’ve been participating in Kat’s August Core Focus, and adding in my own variations (hello Pinterest). I’ve also come up with some decent arm workouts that use only your body weight and 5-10lb. dumbbells. Maybe I’ll share it in a fun little graphic one of these days. I’ve done a few biking sessions at the gym, have done yoga almost every single day, and have a swim planned for tomorrow — first time back in the pool in at least a year… wonder how many yards I can do!

The biggest thing I’ve been doing during this whole “situation” is trying to stay positive, which I think I’ve actually been pretty successful at. In the past, as soon as I felt a twinge of discomfort or had a bad run I would immediately freak out and become a ball of misery. Recently I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may not run a fall marathon, but there are marathons all over the country every single weekend, and my health is more important.

Have you ever dealt with a non-injury, injury (or as I’m calling it, a “situation”)?
Any great non-running cross training things I should try?

Veggie Packed Enchiladas

Just the other day I was counting how long I’ve been vegetarian, and it’s been 10 months! Sometimes it seems like it’s been much longer than that, and other times I’m so impressed with myself for still going strong. When I first made the switch to being a full-on vegetarian (I hadn’t been eating meat often for a year or two prior, but still had it once in awhile), people would often ask “why” and I never really had a good reason. While I still don’t enjoy people asking me “why,” as though I need to validate my choices, I’ve come to realize that it is definitely more of an ethical thing for me than not – I just hate the idea of seeing animals suffer or be hurt. I realize it’s the “circle of life” and how things go, but I’m not going to participate in something if I’m not comfortable with it! And don’t get me wrong, hamburgers are delicious so I understand and have no problem with you eating one, I just won’t eat one myself.

So why the blabbering about my vegetarian lifestyle choices? Well, I’ve found that there are so many dishes that seem to have meat in them “just because.” There are plenty of dishes where meat is the centerpiece and main focus, but there are also a lot of dishes that seem to include meat more as an accessory. I love the versatility of Southwestern food, because even though it can be very meat-centric, there is also plenty of wiggle room for vegetables (and beans)! I love Southwestern food for the flavors, too, but it’s great that it is something I can continue to enjoy as a vegetarian.

So with a hankering for enchiladas, I took a look at the CSA box ingredients I had for the week, and put together a pretty tasty, meat (and fake meat) free enchilada! I suppose you could say I cut corners by not using homemade tortillas or enchilada sauce, but the time and effort required for those two things in addition to the rest of the cooking just isn’t realistic for your average working, marathon training, zonked from the heat wave person. If you have the time, by all means, go for it… but if you don’t, I promise your dish will be just as tasty!

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Black Bean Enchiladas
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 scallions, diced
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup corn
1/2 bunch of kale, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp Adobo
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp water
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend)
6 fajita size flour tortillas
1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the begin to become translucent.
3. Add the cubed sweet potatoes, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes, until they begin to soften.
4. Add the black beans and corn, followed by all of the spices (chili powder, cumin, adobo, and paprika).
5. Begin to add the kale, a little bit at a time to allow it to wilt a bit and make room in the pan. As it’s wilting, add the 2 tablespoons of water to help deglaze the pan of the spices and aid in the wilting. Sauté until everything is combined and kale is slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat.
6. Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 8 x 11 dish.
7. Take a tortilla and add three spoonfuls of the mixture to the center of the tortilla, and roll. You don’t need to roll it like a burrito (but you can); just roll it more like a taquito – it’s okay if some of the “guts” are coming out of the sides. Place it in the dish. Repeat for the remaining 5 tortillas, layering them next to each other, slightly overlapping.
8. Top with the remaining sauce, the shredded cheese, and the scallions.
9. Bake for 18 minutes. Serve with avocado or guacamole, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Tropical No-Bake Bites

With the temperatures heating up (or should I say, staying hot), putting on the oven and baking when you could be outside enjoying the beautiful weather or cooling off in some air conditioning isn’t always high on a summer to-do list. So when Visalus contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in trying their nutritional shake and creating a recipe with it, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to create a no-bake treat.

I’ve made plenty of no-bake desserts before, but always gravitated towards some type of chocolate flavor. But since the ViSalus nutritional shake was sweet cream flavor, I figured I would embrace that flavor and work with it as-is. I decided the best course of action would be to sample the shake with some coconut almond milk to get the full effect of it’s flavor profile, and then decide on my no-bake flavors from there. The first thing I noticed when I opened the container was the smell of the powder… it smelled just like cake batter! I was shocked. I mean, most nutritional shakes and protein powders have a smell to them, but this truly smelled like cake mix. Keeping my fingers crossed I had the shake, and I’m happy to report the smell wasn’t misleading. It really did taste like a vanilla cake milkshake of sorts… with some impressive nutritional stats!

Since it’s summertime I thought it would be only appropriate to springboard off of the sweet cream flavor and go with a “tropical” no-bake bite. Conveniently I had all of the ingredients laying around that I figured would go well together, so this came together in a matter of minutes. I think these could easily be turned into cookies as well, but considering it was already 80 degrees when I made these at about 8:30am, I wasn’t about to turn on my oven and give it a try. I’ve been snacking on these little bites left and right, and they’re going to be gone before I know it!

Tropical No-Bake Bites
– makes 16 bites –

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used chunky, of course)
1/4 cup ViSalus sweet cream flavored nutritional shake mix
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Directions:
1. Combine the peanut butter, protein, and coconut flakes in a medium bowl with a spoon. Add in the oats a juice, making sure everything is fully incorporated.
2. Shape into tablespoon sized balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to an hour before serving.

Disclaimer: ViSalus provided me product and compensation in return for creating a recipe. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Friday Favorites

From time to time I like to share things I’m really loving at the moment. If you hang out with me in person, you’ll likely hear me refer to these things as “my jam.” I guess it isn’t as bad as calling them epic? I don’t know. But anyway, here are the things (completely unrelated) that I am currently enjoying.

Jack Rogers Sandals

I’ve had my eyes on these sandals for awhile, but never knew the brand, or where to get them. My sister (who is very fashionable, but is picky) refers to these sandals as “preppy Southerner shoes,” and while I am neither of those things, I liked them. So when I saw that RueLaLa had them on sale, I figured I’d grab myself a pair, because I’m not really willing to spend more than $100 on sandals.

You can typically find me wearing flip flops or basic (read: cheap) sandals in the summer, so these were a nice change of pace. The construction of the shoe is serious, and its obvious that you get what you pay for. I bought them in white so I could wear them with pretty much anything (and they have a little sparkle!), but I love a lot of the colors they offer.

Local CSA – “Fresh Box”

This is my second year participating in the “Fresh Box” program with a local fresh foods grocer, Alan’s Orchard, and my love for it grows each week. I really love getting a fresh box of produce every weekend and figuring out my meals for the upcoming week based on what I have. The grocery stores by me don’t always have the freshest produce, so it’s nice to know that I’m getting something that is from a local farm. My only complaint is that things can be really dirty (which I would expect considering they literally pick it out of the ground, and bring it to the store!), so it takes some extra time to wash things. If you have a CSA program near you, I definitely recommend checking it out!

Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo

This stuff is the bomb.com. Seriously. (Yes, I’m aware of what I just said). I actually tried this for the first time before becoming a vegetarian, and was really impressed with the flavors and texture… so naturally once I became a vegetarian I continued buying it (it’s actually vegan!). While I’ve only had real chorizo a few times so I don’t think I can compare the two fairly, I can say that regardless of it’s close proximity to real chorizo taste, it’s awesome as it’s own product. I’ve used it in burritos, casseroles, grilled cheeses, omelets… the list goes on and on! I’ve found that both vegetarians and carnivores really enjoy it, so if there’s a Trader Joe’s near you, I definitely suggest giving it a try.

Nathan “Power Shower” After-Run Wipes

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I sweat a lot. So naturally I’m drenched after each summer run (whether it’s a speed workout or an easy run). So if I don’t have the opportunity to shower right away, having a wipe available is a great “get me a few extra hours” option. These wipes were particularly handy last weekend when I “ran” a color run with a bunch of my college friends. I wound up using two wipes, but was able to get all of the powder and color off of me, and I didn’t feel grimy and gross.

As I was using them I noticed that there was a little soapy film, which I appreciated, since I definitely needed something substantial to get all the color gunk off of me. I just wish they came in bigger packages – I’m almost through the package I bought not too long ago!

How To Be A Heartbreaker, by Marina & The Diamonds

I don’t remember how or why I happened upon this song, but it’s been constantly stuck in my head since. I play it while I’m sitting at my desk at work, if I’m cleaning around the house, and even though I don’t listen to music while I run, this would be a perfect workout song too.

Hope everyone has a great first official weekend of summer! Any big plans?

Reunited

Two weekends ago, I attended my college’s 5-year reunion! It’s hard for me to believe I graduated 5 years ago from The University of Scranton, because it seems like just yesterday (isn’t that what all old people say?), but so much has changed on the campus since I was there as a student back in 2008. It was a lot of fun to check out the brand new science building, stay in one of the new apartment styled dorms, work-out in the amazingly fancy new gym, and reconnect with people I haven’t seen since the glory days.

My friends and I didn’t have much planned aside from the cocktail hour and class dinner on Saturday evening, so I took to the Internets (of course) to see what, if anything, was new in Scranton in terms of food to check out. I figured I might as well get some good eats while I was in the area! My college roommate and I headed to a Mexican restaurant that I had been to once before for dinner on Friday night, and obviously started things off the right way – with a margarita! I got the coconut margarita, which was delicious. It tasted like a lighter version of the typically creamy and heavy pina colada. It was a perfect match for my combination plate of enchilada, chalupa, and burrito.

We were planning to race a cross country 5k on Saturday morning, but thanks to the rain and some flooding on Friday those plans were thwarted. I didn’t really mind too much, though, because we were staying in the dorm apartments, and I forgot just how uncomfortable dorm room beds are… so extra “sleep” was appreciated. We eventually got up and made our way to the new gym on campus – SO amazing! I spent my college years in a gym from the 80’s that definitely needed some updating… though I never complained while I was there because it served its purpose. But man, the new gym is spectacular – rows and rows of treadmills and elipticals, tons of free weights and weight machines, all in a well lit and spacious area. Plus, it’s on the bottom floor of one of the dorms, which is perfect for people that live in the building!

[Source]

After our time at the gym, I convinced my roommate to check out Eden A Vegan Cafe for lunch. I found the restaurant on Yelp, and whenever I have the opportunity to eat at a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, I do it! It’s nice to be able to walk into a place and order anything I want, instead of trying to find what I can have. When we first walked in and looked at the menu, my roommate turned to me and said; “wait, I’m confused…” because everything on the menu seemed to be a meat dish (burger, turkey sandwich, BLT, etc.). It was funny, but at the same time I could understand how it was confusing – so tried to explain it to her the best I could. Eventually she settled on a tuna melt, and I went with a chili cheeseburger and a green refresher smoothie. The restaurant is actually right next door to a tattoo parlor (where I got my very first tattoo – looks like it moved a few blocks), and I was tempted to go and get something… but I didn’t! The food was awesome, and I have every intention of heading back on my next trip to the electric city!

After lunch, we wanted a little something sweet, so we headed to Northern Light Cafe a few blocks away. This was the place to go when you were trying to get your serious study on in college. It was a nice change of pace from the library, and sitting in a coffee shop typing or reading away gave us all a sense of being “grown ups.” I ordered a soy chai latte and a 7-layer cookie bar, and was definitely stuffed by the time we got back to the dorm where we were staying.

By the time we had finished gallivanting around downtown Scranton, we had to get ready for the all-classes cocktail hour and then class dinner. The university does their reunions in 5-year increments (obviously), so since I graduated in 2008, my class was there for their reunion along with any other class that graduated with a ‘3 or ‘8. So we had the opportunity to mingle with other graduating classes during the cocktail hour, and then sat down for a dinner with just our class, which was served by plenty cafeteria workers I recognized! It was fun to catch up with old classmates, but it was clear that being only 5 years out of school, the different groups of friends that hung out while we were in college still exist today. There wasn’t a ton of mingling, but I imagine that will change as the years go by.

After cocktails and dinner we headed to some of the local bars to continue the fun, and before I knew it the weekend was over and I was driving on route 380 and 80 back to good ‘ole Central Jersey. It was great to spend time with people I don’t see too often (and people I get to see all the time!) and check out some new and old favorites. I have every intention of heading back to Eden next time I’m in the electric city, and with all the changes and updates that are happening at the University, I can’t wait to see what’s new next time.

Where did you go to schoool? Do you still visit?
Have you ever been to a high school or college reunion?

Summer Simple

Does anyone remember the acronym/mnemonic device KISS (keep it simple stupid) from elementary school? Well, that was the first thing I thought of when I decided to make zucchini “pasta” and basil pesto for dinner on Monday night.

I signed up for the “Fresh Box” from Alan’s Orchard again this year, and I can’t say how much I love getting a fresh box of produce each week. It’s such a fun surprise to show up on Saturday morning not knowing exactly what I’ll be getting for the week (they send out a newsletter that day, but I enjoy the element of surprise). Once I have the box I’m able to plan my meals for the week around the fruits and vegetables, and having farm fresh produce over less than impressive grocery store produce is a real treat.

When I saw that we’d be getting basil this week, I immediately thought of making a simple basil pesto and having it with spaghetti. Then I saw we also got zucchini, and decided to give zucchini pasta a try. I’m not going to lie, when I first saw vegetables being used in place of pasta I scoffed at the idea… I think mostly because I saw them being pushed simply as a low calorie alterative to pasta, which isn’t how I roll (bring on the calories, people!). But I can say that they are in fact delicious – but this definitely isn’t filling enough to have on its own (so have it as a side dish). And it only took a few minutes to throw together!

So try this… you can thank me later.

Simple Zucchini Pasta with Basil Pesto
– Serves 2 as a side –

Ingredients for pasta:
1 Tbsp oil
4 medium zucchini
Ingredients for pesto:
1 cup fresh basil
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Peel the zucchini with a vegetable peeler, set aside.
2. In a blender, combine the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and blend until well combined.
3. In a medium skillet, heat the 1 tbsp of oil and sauté the zucchini until heated through (about 3 minutes). Add the basil pesto and stir to combine, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Garnish with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese if desired.

Food Should Taste Good: Review & Giveaway!

UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed!

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I’m a firm believer that there are certain things everyone likes. And when you meet someone that insists they don’t like it, they’re a liar or crazy; or maybe both. One of those things is chips. So when Food Should Taste Good contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in trying some of their chips to review and subsequently give away, I couldn’t resist. I mean, if I did, wouldn’t that just make me a crazy liar? I’ll do whatever it takes to stick to my guns! [Scroll to the bottom for giveaway details!]

The box of chips arrived on a Friday afternoon – the perfect opportunity for ultimate chip snacking. The box was labeled with a “fragile” sticker, which I thought was clever… no one likes broken chips! I immediately ripped open the box and was thrilled with what I found: four bags of chips including sweet potato, barbecue, and classic salt and pepper. They’re all certified gluten-free and Kosher, and you can see all their varieties here. But the bag that caught my eye? The chocolate ones. Yes, you read that correctly – chocolate tortilla chips! As soon as I saw them I knew what was to become of those chips… dessert nachos! I always snack on savory things like nachos and popcorn and think to myself “it would be really fun to experiment with a sweet version…” yet I never get around to making them. Thanks to FSTG, that all changed.

With a name like Food Should Taste Good, it’s no surprise that I’m about to tell you the chips taste good. In fact, they’re awesome; and I know I’m not alone in thinking so. I started with the sweet potato chips and had them alongside a wrap with dinner. They were super thick and crunchy (something I love in a chip), and also had a distinct sweet potato flavor without just tasting like a dried sweet potato or just a tortilla chip. And even though I’m not a health food nut, it was nice to know I could enjoy a hefty amount (serving size is 18 chips) without feeling guilty! I sampled all of the flavors that were sent, but saved the chocolate for my special concoction. These dessert nachos are SO easy to make and really fun. And depending on what you have on hand, you can really use whatever ingredients you have. I have every intention of making them again in the future, and even changing it up a bit!

Quick Dessert Nachos
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
2 generous handfuls of Food Should Taste Good’s Chocolate Tortilla Chips
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 Tbsp shredded coconut or toasted coconut chips
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
4 strawberries, sliced

Directions:
1. Melt the chocolate, either in the microwave or with a double boiler (I just microwaved in a greased ramekin in 30 second increments until it was melted).
2. Layer the tortilla chips, coconut chips, walnuts, and sliced strawberries on a plate. Lightly spoon the melted chocolate over the chips… and that’s it!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS! Want your own Food Should Taste Good pack of chips? Well, here’s what to do:
Leave me a comment here telling me – what is your favorite nachos combination? Or, just leave me a comment telling me what you did last weekend, or what you’re doing this weekend!
You have until Monday 4/29 at 9a.m to enter!

Disclaimer: Food Should Taste Good provided me the chips for review at no cost to me, and will be providing the winner a prize pack as well. All opinions are my own.