Spicy Peanut & Tofu Stir-Fry

Is it possible to die of sleep deprivation? Is it normal to fall asleep in the shower? Will the baby ever sleep? I'm sure every new parent ever has asked these questions. What does this have to do with stir fry? Not a thing. Wait, maybe I can salvage a decent segue:

If someone this tired can pull off this yummy stir fry recipe, then anyone can!

Did you see that? I still have some brain function left.

Joking aside (but really, I'm so tired), This recipe is super easy to make, really healthy, and so freakin' flavorful. Join me in making it, and feel free to use it to impress your friends.

Let's get started!

Pasta Aglio e Olio

I have been so obsessed with a new YouTube channel I found called Binging with Babish. Have you seen it? Are you also obsessed? Are you also a fan of Frasier?

Even though I'm vegetarian, and a lot of the dishes he makes are meat-centric, I can't help but watch in a trance-like state. I love watching people cook in general, but I'm especially in love with this channel. It's stylish, and funny, and everything he makes looks so good...well maybe not the Milk Steak, but everything else...okay, maybe not the Grilled Charlie...you know what? Maybe just stay away from any foods thought up by the Always Sunny team 😩.

Anyway, he recreates the Pasta Aglio e Olio from the movie Chef with John Favreau and I thought "YES!!! Something I can make!"

Was it as good as it looked?

Yes.

Should you make it?

Also yes.

I just made a couple of changes to it - adding zucchini noodles, mainly because I wanted to try out my new Veggetti (so excited!), and reduced the amount of olive oil I used, because weight loss reason. So good, and I already want to make it again.

Let's get started!

Cajun Cauliflower Po'Boys with Homemade Remoulade Sauce

I've visited a lot of places and tried a lot of food, but there are only two places I've gone that had me thinking about the food long after I got home, and I mean desperately dreaming and wishing I could have another bite/lick/slurp of whatever goodness they were serving up: Amalfi, Italy; and New Orleans, Louisiana. There is so much that could be said about both from a food standpoint, but for me the two major things they have in common are: 1) The food is so good it's almost not believable, and 2) In both places the food feels like such a cultural cornerstone that it's really, really hard to recreate once you get back home.

Orzo Topped with Greek Style Roasted Veggies and Feta

Another day, another roasted veggie recipe! It really does make things easier with a little one around. Once everything is in the pan, I can just toss it in the oven and forget about it for the next 25 minutes - no stirring, mixing, or flipping required! Plus I can roast more than I need and reheat throughout the week when I'm feeling tired and not at all like cooking.

Honestly, I'm always surprised by how good it turns out as well. I don't have to do a dang thing to it, and there it is all steamy and aromatic, caramelized bits hiding on the bottom, and veggies that just want to melt in your mouth. Plus there are just about a million different flavor combos you can throw together. This time I opted for a Greek twist with the feta, red onion, and oregano. I paired it with orzo, which I've never actually made before (I know that seems unbelievable considering how much I love pasta) and topped it with a little extra feta. As we say in my house, "it's always betta with feta." Or, in this case, "it's always betta with extra feta."

Roasted Veggie Lasagna with Creamy Pesto Sauce

Have you ever made something so delicious that you thought you may never be able to top it? Like you might as well hang up your apron and call it a day? This was that recipe for me. Legitimately, this might be the best thing I've ever made; and it's the kind of recipe I get really excited to share with you, because I know it's really good. My husband even said he wished people could taste it through their screen, which is high praise coming from my own little food critic.

When I first started working out this recipe, I decided that I wanted to do something a little different. I knew I wanted to use a creamy pesto sauce instead of the standard marinara, but I also didn't want to leave out tomatoes completely, plus I really wanted to have something at least a little green in there. Fast forward through several Pinterest inspiration scrollings and I decided to try adding some yummy roasted veggies to the mix. I used a recipe I've been making a lot lately (see info below), which served to really balance out all of the creamy goodness going on, and it turned out to be the perfect compliment. I'm absolutely sure you'll love it, and I hope you'll share in the comments below if you do! Let's get started.

Roasted Veggie Chimichangas

Chimichangas!!! Mmmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about these. I had the idea last night as I was roasting some fajita style veggies and wondering what I wanted to do with them (besides the obvious fajita use). I don't usually fry things, mainly because I don't want the added fat, but these chimichangas just sounded sooooo yummy. Plus I had all the stuff to make them, which is a rare feat! I decided to go for it, but I used whole wheat tortillas to make them healthy...oh who am I kidding? Let's just call it a cheat day :)

I ended up combining my favorite roasted veggies, vegetarian refried beans, lime juice, cilantro, and ooey-gooey cheddar cheese; stuffing them inside whole wheat tortillas; and then pan frying them to golden brown perfection. I finished them off with another squeeze of lime, and a healthy dollop of sour cream flavored with garlic and chives. It. Was. So. Good. I already can't wait to make these again, and, as an added bonus, I had lots of roasted veggies left over to use for other things. The wheels are already turning.

Avocado & Chickpea Salad Pita with Cilantro & Lime

I don't know about you, but I practically live on Pinterest these days. DIY projects I'll never get around to, decorating ideas for my future mansion, fashion I could definitely wear if I just lost a few pounds, you name it! I mean, have you seen my Pinterest boards?? I'm pretty sure I'm a pin hoarder at this point...I might need an intervention. My favorite thing, though, is perusing all of the delicious looking recipes out there (these, at least, are within my grasp!). There are so many vegetarian and vegan recipes to try out, and lots of recipes that seem like they could easily be adapted to fit a vegetarian lifestyle. It definitely sets the wheels turning on Sunday afternoons when I'm planning out my meals for the rest of the week, especially when I feel like I've been stuck in a food rut...which is pretty much always.

One thing I've noticed a ton of in my searches lately is garbanzo bean salads. There are so many different kinds out there! And you can make them with just about anything your heart desires, which makes them great for last minute dinners or lunches when you're trying to figure out what the heck to do with the random ingredients in your fridge. I decided to throw in some of my favorite ingredients, like avocado, tomato, lime (I'm addicted to limes right now), and cilantro and came up with this yummy version, which I promptly stuffed into a whole wheat pita. This is a super versatile recipe and you could really add anything you like and have it turn out great. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Spicy Vegetable Stir-Fry

With the holidays mostly under my belt (literally), new resolutions just around the corner, and self-righteous bathing suit collections on the horizon, I'm feeling pretty motivated to start the new year off right. That means trading in the stuffing and pie (so much pie) for something a little healthier. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, as any overworked piece of gym equipment will tell you over the next few weeks, so I thought it would be the perfect time to share this quick and healthy stir-fry recipe.

Perfect Vegetarian Gravy

I love the holidays. LOVE them. I like the camaraderie, the pretty lights, the goody bags that suddenly appear on your desk while no one is looking, the chaos, the dysfunctional get-togethers - all of it. So it made sense to me that I would host a holiday dinner this year, a decision that took me on a teensy roller coaster of emotions as I simultaneously excited over cooking a great meal for the people I love, and agonized over how to make our non-vegetarian, and REALLY non-vegetarian guests, still like me afterward.

Heirloom Tomato and Mushroom Frittata

What can I say about frittatas? Actually, I could probably say quite a bit, but any anecdotal quips I might have regarding my love for them would invariably boil down to three main characteristics: they're delicious, easy, and versatile. Here are some more words of affirmtion in case you don't believe me:

Delicious - that one doesn't take a whole lot of explaining. If you've ever had a frittata, most likely you're on board with this statement. 

Easy - I guess this could be debatable depending on what you would consider easy. I usually consider things to be easy if there aren't too many ingredients, steps, or time involved. This particular recipe meets at least two of those three requirements, so I think we're good there as well. 

Versatile - that's a no-brainer. You can pretty much throw any suitable ingredients you have in your fridge into this thing and it will turn out great; it's kind of like soup that way. Also anything that can be prepared for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a winner in my book. The only other food I can think of that has a similar versatility is cold pizza - I once ate leftover pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next day. I'm not necessarily proud of this achievement, but it was delicious nonetheless.

Now that we're on the same page, let's take a closer look.

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes with Black Beans & Olives

Have you ever bought a bag of potatoes, but couldn’t think of anything to do with them? Of course not! You can do practically anything with potatoes! Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew (sorry, I couldn’t resist). They can be initially time consuming, but if you bake them in advance, you can quickly make roasted potatoes, homemade French fries, potato salad, and now these delicious twice baked potatoes. You’re welcome.

I got the idea for these from a cheesy bread recipe my mom used to make when I was a kid. She would scoop out the inside of a long piece of French bread, mix it with cheddar cheese, red onions, olives, and mayonnaise, then put it back in and bake it until bubbly and delicious. It was always the first thing to go at any party, and I thought it would be easy to adapt to twice baked potatoes. I was planning to make them ahead of time for dinner tomorrow, but we ended up eating most of them tonight. I think that means they’re blog worthy!

Peppers Stuffed with Couscous & Veggie Sausage

Lately it seems like I’ve had zero energy when I get home. I feel all kinds of motivated on my drive home, thinking about all the cleaning, cooking, and general productiveness I’m going to accomplish; but the second I kick off my shoes and put on my comfy clothes, all of that is pretty much out the lounge-loving, internet-surfing window. But today I found the solution…caffeine! Ha ha

I’ve been excited to make these peppers for a while now, so I took advantage of my sudden burst of energy and decided to finally give it a try. I used flavored couscous and Italian veggie sausages to make it easy, and even used baking time to do the dishes AND a load of laundry. That means I don’t have to be productive for the rest of the week, right?

By the way, I apologize for the bad pictures – I was hungry and impatient!

Herbed Flatbread Pizza with Artichoke Hearts and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Yumm - I am so glad I got a picture of this before we devoured it! Dustin actually gave it a 9 out of 10 on his "No B.S." scale (that's what he calls it), which is practically unheard of. Let me tell you a little about Dustin and his little scale. Most of the time when I ask him to rate my meals he takes a bite, churns it around in his mouth thoughtfully, swallows it, and the says astutely "it's a solid 7." Never. Fail. There has been one other occasion where he rated something higher than that, because, as he puts it "if you give everything a 10, then what are you going to give an actual 10? If everything you cook is a 10, then the scale becomes useless and you might as well not measure anything."

I give his reasoning a solid 7.

Anyway, where I was going with that is that if Dustin broke his own rule to give this recipe a 9, not an 8, mind you, but two full numbers above his usual rating, then it must be good!

Here's what you do: Soften the butter in the microwave for a few seconds, then mix in the herbs and spread evenly over the flatbread. Top with parmesan cheese, artichoke hearts, golden cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, and fresh basil; then pop it in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Done and done!

I didn't measure anything out this time, but you can't really go wrong here. Just don't use too many sun dried tomatoes - they can really overpower a dish.

Ingredients

2 flatbreads (I use the StoneFire brand)
2 Tbs butter
Dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder (a few shakes of each)
Handful of golden cherry tomatoes, sliced into rounds
Marinated artichoke hearts to taste
Sun dried tomatoes to taste
A few leaves of fresh basil, thinly sliced
Shaved Parmesan cheese, about two handfuls

Servings: 2

 
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Perfect Pasta Salad

Right now I’m on a serious pasta salad kick. I love it. I eat it for lunch every day…then I come home and have it again for dinner. Every day, you say? Yes (well, mostly for the last week anyway). Why, might you ask? Because it’s delicious! Also because it’s super-duper easy to make, and it’s ideal for leftovers (you don’t even have to heat it up, for goodness’ sake!). Are you crazy, you might think? That is yet to be determined, BUT, in my defense, this is a much better kick than the strawberry cake kick I was on a few weeks ago, or the McDonald’s dipped cone kick before that, or the hummus and spicy pretzel kick before that – none of those were doing me any favors. I’m also on a grape kick, and a carrot/cucumber kick at the moment, but I don’t have any recipes for those. You may or may not have come to a conclusion about my sanity at this point, so I will move on.

This recipe is pretty simple – the only thing you have to cook is the pasta! (are you on board with me yet?) I use a mix of fresh veggies and some favorite preserved items, like kalamata olives and marinated artichoke hearts. The thing I love is that it’s really adaptable for your taste preferences; and there’s nothing better than coming home and NOT having to cook dinner because it’s already waiting in the fridge.

Sweet & Spicy Grilled Cheese on Sliced Pugliese

The other day I was in the grocery store, wrestling to make my way through the hordes of holiday shoppers picking up their last minute Christmas dinner items (I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who waits until the last minute - high five, guys!), and I noticed these really wonderful looking, golden pineapples. 

This triggered a memory of a recipe I had seen recently for a baked, rice stuffed pineapple dish, and I immediately thought wouldn't that be the perfect side dish to bring for Christmas dinner?! I had visions of presenting this perfectly prepared dish, oohs and awws abounding as I placed it directly in the center of the table (ha!), so into the basket it went along with all my good intentions...then in a bag...then on the counter where it took up residence - long past the holiday festivities. My good ole friends Lazy and TV convinced me that it was too much trouble! (Perhaps it's time to make some new friends in the new year?)

Anyway! There was a point to this story, which was that I needed to do something with this miserable pineapple that I bought before it turned to mush on my kitchen counter. So it got demoted from Christmas side dish extraordinaire, to a sweet and spicy grilled cheese! Sorry pineapple!

Mushroom Medley Burger with Feta and Herbs

Every now and then, while perusing my local grocery store, and usually while feeling totally unispired, I will come across something that totally sets my wheels in motion. What starts out as a mundane venture turns into a sudden surge of possibilities. A furry of ingredients leap into my basket, piling up into precarious positions; bags are flying; produce is being squeezed; and I can hardly keep up with my own train of thought.

I appreciate moments like that because they remind me of why I love cooking so much - that spark of an idea that gets ignited into something I can share with the people I love.

That is exactly what happened when I got the idea for this burger. I came across a package of fresh herbs, diced onions, and cheese intended for topping a steak, and instantly the mushroom medley burger unfolded in mind. I picked up some fresh herbs, two kinds of onions, crimini and oyster mushrooms, and some delicious onion rolls; I couldn't wait to get back and start cooking!

Red Pepper Quinoa and Chipotle "Sausage" Stuffed Yams

Nothing says fall like the vibrant orange and earthy goodness of my favorite root vegetable. Yams, with their rough and tumble outside and surprisingly sweet inside, are the one thing I always have to have after the long summer months are over. Even though they’re available all year round, they just don’t taste the same to me unless the air is a little cooler, the breeze a little stronger, and the leaves a little yellower.

I like to use yams in many different ways; they really are a versatile vegetable, pairing well with both sweet and savory dishes. I like to bake them, roast them, add them to stews and casseroles; sometimes I’ll even throw leftover yams into a nice autumn salad. This time I decided to bake them and stuff them with roasted red pepper quinoa and Mexican chipotle veggie sausages. I let flavored ingredients do most of the work for me, so this one is super easy!

Pasta Malafemmina

Although fall is just around the corner, inspiring visions of the pumpkin pies, simmering soups, and steaming cups of hot chocolate to come, summer is still very much clinging on, outside as well as inside my kitchen. Usually I am ready for fall within the first couple of weeks of the sweltering Central Valley summer, but this time I'm holding on a bit - mainly because I'm still enjoying the myriad of produce the summer brings.

Indeed, I'm not quite ready to give up my favorites, such as the beautiful red, yellow, and orange tomatoes I used for this dish. But, luckily, I still have a few more weeks to get my fill before jumping headfirst into fall!

This recipe was inspired by a pasta dish I had while in Italy (Check it out here!). The original dish I had was literally one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. I didn't know exactly what went into it, but I of course wanted to try it out as soon as I got home. I knew the original had a very light tomato sauce, which was probably more olive oil than tomato, so I started there. Then I added in a healthy helping of capers, some kalamata olives, and a few other ingredients I discerned from taste and picture. It turned out very yummy!

Black Bean Tacos with Lime Infused Rice

I know I haven't finished part 3 of my European Adventure, but I made these yummy black bean tacos the other night, and I just couldn't wait to share it with you! More of my adventure to come soon, but in the mean time - enjoy!

One thing I adore about tacos is that there are literally endless possibilities for ingredients, flavor combos, textures, and presentations. The resourceful cook (and scattered cook alike!) can cultivate any number of wildly different and seriously mouthwatering recipes by ever so slightly tweaking ingredients, adding fresh herbs, trying out flavored rices and tortillas, adding different types of beans or tofu, grilling, sauteing, chilling, infusing, adding hot sauces, cheeses - whatever your heart desires! In fact, you could probably have tacos every day of the week and never eat the same thing twice! That may be going a little far, but you get the point.

Due to its aforementioned versatility, tacos are a steady thing around these parts, and with the bounty of agreeable veggies during the summer months, you simply can't go wrong!

For this particular recipe I combined lime infused white rice, black beans, and a few simple toppings that paired well, looked great, and tasted even better!

Pesto Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Kale

After taking such a long break from the blogging world, I decided to ease back in with a simple recipe that’s easy to throw together and takes very little time to prepare (basically the time it takes to boil pasta). I used whole wheat spaghetti and loads of vitamin-rich kale to make it a healthier dish that I can make regularly without hurting my waistline. Earthy, meaty mushrooms provide some bulk, fresh lemon juice brightens everything up and compliments the mushrooms amazingly well, and the rest of the ingredients just kind of happened as I was going along, as most of my recipes tend to do. I think it turned out pretty well, and I hope you do too.

Let’s get cooking!