Announement people! You need to know about this cute, new coffee shop on 14th street NW between Q and R. It’s called Mid City Caffe and it’s adorable. The wi fi is fabulous, the coffee’s great (the muffins not so much) and the atmosphere is really fun. Check it out!
{ 1 comment }
For those of you who aren’t familiar, migas is a traditional spanish dish (that I have no clue how to prepare) as well as a Tex-mex breakfast dish consisting of scrambled eggs with corn tortilla strips mixed in. As I am a big fan of mexican inspired foods, I love eating migas whenever possible. Recently, I visited my sister in Austin, TX and was able to eat my fill of migas goodness, but went through serious withdrawls afterward and just had to recreated it myself to help me cope (addict!).
My (very basic) version is more deconstructed than the traditional dish, as I didn’t mix the ingredients together. It was easy to make, really inexpensive and took almost no time at all.
Ingredients:
black beans (canned, drained)
2 eggs (scrambled)
sprinkling of cheese
a few tortilla chips
avocado, salsa, sour cream (optional)
Directions: Simmer black beans on stove top until tender (add salsa for some heat!). While beans are cooking, fry scrambled eggs in pan and season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve up eggs and beans with tortilla chips and avocado slices. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with salsa and sour cream if desired.
{ 1 comment }
Sadly, few of us know what real farm fresh eggs actually look and taste like. We typically see perfectly uniform white or brown eggs in grocery stores. So, I thought I’d share a picture of farm fresh eggs from my boyfriend’s family farm. As you can see, the eggs vary in size, shape and color. What they don’t vary in is taste. These eggs crush the flavor competition. They cook up creamier and lighter than anything I’ve found in the grocery store. These are truly free range, cage free, naturally fed, healthy chicks and it shows. The proof is in the yolk. Check your local farmer’s market to find comparable eggs.
{ 3 comments }
Yeah, I know what you are thinking. Fruitcake? Ewww. A totally unappealing, mysterious holiday tradition that no one can understand. Usually consisting of dry bread ensconsed in gelatinous fruit bits, the fruitcake has all but died out among my generation. But, maybe that could change?
Baby, let me tell you, the fruitcake is back in a big way. Thanks, that is, to Pinehurst Cake Company of Pinehurst, NC. These family friends have been baking up batches of fruitcake for the past 30 years and this year decided to go commercial. (Ah, it’s good to have friends who bake.) Knowing that I am a food blogger, Pinehurst Cake Co. generously offered me a sample of the famous fruitcake that took them from at-home holiday production to year-long commercial baking, and I happily accepted.
Of course, I must admit, I knew what I was getting into. Last year, while visiting my boyfriend’s family in N.C. I was able to sample this luscious cake. True, I initially scoffed at the offer to taste the old-timey confection that I had come to loathe. But, when promised it was like no other, I just had to have a taste. And I’m glad I did. With one bite, I learned that all fruitcakes are not created equal.
This cake is like none other. It’s petite, dense, and loaded with fruit and nuts. It slices like butter to a hot knife and is just sweet enough to satisfy that tooth. Dry, it is not. Gelatinous? No way. Delicious is truly the only word to describe it.
Who cares that the holidays are over? Anytime is a good time for this fruitcake.
{ 0 comments }
In exploration of non-dairy creamers, I recently posted an article proclaiming Silk soy creamer as a truly delicious coffee cream alternative. And I stick by that proclamation. Only now, I must I must add that So Delicious Coconut creamer is also truly delicious (possibly even more delicious) and must be tried. Immediately. I warn you it is powerful stuff. It’s frothy creaminess and smooth flavor keep me hooked- or maybe that’s the caffeine in the coffee- but in any case, I love it and you will too if you give it a try. Right now, I’m sipping on the french vanilla flavor and Jessica’s trying out the hazelnut. We are both big fans and now on a proselytizing crusade for So Delicious Coconut creamer! Join us!
{ 4 comments }
My boyfriend found this incredible, easy to make recipe in Men’s Health magazine. I must say that I’m rather impressed by the vast array of healthy, quick meals found in Men’s Health-far better than most women’s magazines. Sorry, ladies.
Now, on to the shrimp!
Ingredients: (for 2 to 4 servings)
approx 1 pound of shrimp shelled and deveined (only buy American!)
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice (low sugar, low acid)
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 pinch sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
dash of dried red pepper flakes (or dried red chilis)
6 scallions chopped (save green part for garnish) (I subbed shallots for this)
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger root
1 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 unroasted, unsalted peanuts
Directions: Combine soy sauce, oj, vinegar, cornstarch and sugar in a bowl. Set aside. Heat wok (or pan) on high heat and add oil. When oil starts to smoke, toss in pepper flakes (or chilis), scallions, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Do not let garlic burn! Next, add bell pepper and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Then, add shrimp and peanuts and cook until shrimp are pink (approx 3 min). I pre-cooked my shrimp so I only just tossed them a time or two in the wok. Stir in suace and cook just long enough to thicken (30 sec or so). Serve over brown rice if desired.
{ 1 comment }
As promised, my good friend Bex has shared her recipe for these highly addictive, crunchy, cheesy, buttery crisps. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups parmesean cheese
3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine the cheese and walnuts in a bowl and spread onto the paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake about 5 minutes until the cheese melts and is golden and bubbly. Be careful not to burn. Remove from oven and allow to cool. To serve, break into pieces and place in a bread basket or a cute take-out container. These are great munchies for dinner parties or a decadent alternative to popcorn. But, be careful because once you “pop” you can’t stop!
{ 1 comment }
What better way to celebrate the new year than feasting on lots and lots of food! My boyfriend and I rung in 2010 with friends, fun and of course all we could eat good food. Cheers to resolutions!
We started out nibbling on a few kalamata olives and cornichons.
And let’s not forget about that homemade “pimenta” cheese with whole wheat crackers. Creamy and spicey and good enough to make a hater of pimento cheese (that’s me) change her mind!
We piled on a smorgasbord of blackeyed peas with chilis, squash casserole, collards (cooked with raisins, pine nuts and garlic), fresh corn, black rice, fried catfish, and homemade sauerkraut. It was quite a feast! I def didn’t need to go back for seconds.
For dessert, we shared blood orange slices and a few assorted chocolates. Simple and sweet.
Then, it was time for the real fun!
After a few too many glasses of champagne and several rounds of Jenga, I moved on to these babies.
These parmesean crisps (compliments of my friend Bex) were one of the food highlights of the night. I seriously ate like 45 and my boyfriend kept hiding them from me so I wouldn’t eat them all! Total fail, but whatever, it was worth it. Will post the recipe soon!
Happy New Year!
{ 1 comment }
Happy New Year everyone! This morning I woke up hungry and decided to whip up something hearty, but also celebratory-pancakes! I confess, I typically do not think of pancakes as being “stick to your ribs” type of food. Usually, they are too sweet, overly refined and spike the blood sugar with a hard crash shortly after eating. This time, I decided to make a “real food” version to last me through my morning workout.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
dash salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract
Directions: Combine all ingredients (add more liquid if batter too thick) and cook on a hot griddle or on the stovetop in a large skillet/pan. Serve hot with maple syrup, nut butter, or whatever you like. I served mine up with almond butter and chocolate chips like so.
{ 1 comment }
