Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

There are nights when I just want a fresh, healthy, light but fulfilling dinner, but I can't say that I have tons of recipes for those. So I got really excited when I found this recipe for quinoa stuffed bell peppers from Nature Box. I can't say that I frequently have stuffed bell peppers, but I think this may become a go to dinner for me. You can do so much with it and they are beyond simple to make. This vegetarian version is made with quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, feta cheese, cilantro, cheddar cheese, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.
There are two directions to this recipe: mixing all the filling ingredients together and then fill and bake the peppers for 25-30 minutes at 350 in a parchment lined baking dish. The best part was how simple it was to make. The recipe calls for 6 bell peppers, but I only made 3 and froze the leftover filling. That way I can make more stuffed peppers or just eat the filling itself. If you are preparing and want to have some kind of protein in it, you can throw in some chicken, ground turkey or ground beef. These are easy to entertain with and are perfect for a summer dinner.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup canned black, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
6 bell peppers, stemmed and seeded

Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients (except bell peppers) in a large bowl. Spoon filling into bell peppers and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Pasta Turned Up a Notch

I kid you not this is the most heavenly and easy pasta recipe that you will ever encounter. It is tasty enough to serve to company and you will probably never go back to eating plain pasta again. I have to admit that the simple pasta dishes, those that use only a few ingredients, are usually my favorites. Not that there is anything wrong with the fancier ones, but they are usually less healthy and make me feel pretty guilty after eating them. I found this recipe on Pinterest (of course) via Yumsugar. This is a traditional Italian dish and I am pretty sure it will become a staple recipe for me. I can almost guarantee that you will have all the ingredients on hand... there are only 6. You will need pasta, olive oil, garlic, red chili pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.  From my experiences in Italy, I found they have a very unique perspective on food. It isn't about taking the ingredients and smothering the flavors, it is about celebrating each one and using it in a way that combines well with other ingredients, but still keeping each individual flavor in tact. This dish does exactly that.

All you have to do is cook the pasta until it is al dente (which is a lot shorter than I usually cook mine) and then top with the rest of the ingredients. I guess that means I overcook mine, but to be honest I put it on the stove and don't use a timer (maybe something I should consider using). I used a spinach and chive linguine from Trader Joes, which had a great aroma when you pulled it out of the package. After the pasta is done, drain it and mix in with one clove of minced garlic, red chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste. I made the whole package so I could have leftover pasta, but I was only making one serving so the spices were all to taste. First of all the aroma was intoxicating and just made you feel good inside. But the flavor was even better! There was heat from the red chili pepper flakes and a spiciness from the garlic, but it wasn't so much that it killed your taste buds. The pasta was yummy as well and the subtle chive flavor added an onion flavor to the dish. It was so yummy and I urge everyone to try it because this is one of the simple things in life that you need to take a moment to enjoy. Besides it take all of 10 minutes to make, so there's really no reason not to try it.

Table for Tapas, Please!

Photo Courtesy of Amsterdam

So getting to go on vacation and see a friend was a real treat, especially when it happens in the beautiful city of New York! I haven't had the opportunity to visit the Upper West Side during my previous travels to New York, so this was great. We went to this place called Amsterdam Restaurant and Tapas. I love tapas because you get to try a ton of different things and you don't feel overly full afterwards. We opted to try fried calamari, spicy Thai garlic shrimp, duck tacos, and sweet potato and apple pierogies. We got so caught up in the delicious food and chatting that I didn't get to take many pictures, so forgive me.

The calamari had a great seasoned coating and the remoulade sauce was amazing. The spicy Thai garlic shrimp were super spicy, but they were light and full of flavor. I have never had duck before, but we were feeling adventurous so we gave it a shot. It wasn't too bad, but it really wasn't my favorite and I probably won't be trying it again. The duck was similar to chicken and the sweetness of the pear added an interesting twist to it. However, it was the sweet potato and apple pierogies that were the favorite of the night. For those of you that don't know what a pierogi is, it's a dough that is first boiled and then fried and stuffed. I would have never put together sweet potato and apple together but it was heavenly! It was fluffy, sweet, and full of autumn spice. These are definitely something that I would eat more often if I was closer... but it's probably good that I'm not.

Since we were in the area, we of course had to take a detour through the Columbia campus. Even at night it was beautiful, though much smaller than some of the other campuses I have been to (which isn't all that surprising). This was the main library of the campus when it first opened, though it has since been changed to an office building. I didn't get to see it during the day, but I am glad that I got a chance to visit while I was up there. It's definitely something to stop by and see if you are in the area.

Rolling to Cadillac Bar

 

Next stop on the Houston Restaurant Weeks Tour - Cadillac Bar. The Mexican gem on Shepherd was definitely worth the trip. It started off with a frozen sangria swirl margarita that was full of fruit that balanced well with the zip of the lime in the margarita. For the first course, I chose a shrimp and scallop ceviche. I have tried ceviches, but have never ordered one so this was a first time for me. This one had onions, pico de gallo, and avocado. The cool avocado and the fresh tomato cut through some of the acidic of the seafood marinade. The dish had great flavor, but I am not sure if I would order it again...Mainly because it's a weird texture and sometimes that really bothers me. It came with chips, but I had a few of those before the ceviche came so I tried not to eat too many more.

 

I do like faijitas, but usually they are too big for one. This time I decided to go for it. It was a combination of chicked, bacon wrapped shrimp, and ribs. You are probably thinking ribs at a Mexican restaurant? I know it was a bit surprising, but they turned out to be very good. The chicken had a great smokey flavor to it and the bacon wrapped shrimp (which turned out to also have a little bit of cheese with it) were amazing! Not the epitome of a healthy meal, but hey there were only two of them and I am not eating them every day. This was served with rice, beans, corn tortillas, sour cream, and my favorite...guacamole.

 

What Mexican meal would be complete without a nice piece of Tres Leches? However, I have noticed that throughout Houston Restaurant Weeks, that it has been a popular option. This was a bit fancier than some of the other ones I have had, but honestly it wasn't the best. It had a nice texture and the cake held together very nicely. The topping was a bit heavy and tasted a little too much like a whipped topping. I am more of a whipped cream girl to begin with. The cookie banner was really good though and provided a little bit of crunch for an otherwise untextured dish.

If you haven't tried out Cadillac Bar, then you should stop by. Plus I heard that they have a great brunch. Don't forget that Houston Restaurant Weeks supports the Houston Food Bank. So for all you foodies out there, keep eating for a cause!

 

 

Ouisie's Table

Ouisie's Table is a quaint little place on San Felipe, tucked away behind trees and twinkling lights. Known for it's upscale southern cuisine, this was a must stop place on my Houston Restaurant Weeks tour. We sat on the cozy little porch that felt like it was pulled out of a magazine from the East Coast. The meal starts with bite size muffins-gingerbread, jalapeno, and bacon and chive corn muffins. Then we tried a very lovely Pinot Grigio by Bottega Vinaia. It was crisp and light with aromas of pear and citrus. A great summer wine that was easy to sip on and went well with the meal.

The first course was mini crab cakes with a corn relish served with a jalapeno tartar and house cocktail sauce. The crab cakes were moist and well seasoned. The breading had a nice crunch to it, but still allowed the crab to shine without being too fishy. The corn relish added a bit of sweetness and the sauces was an extra burst of flavor.

 

Next was the entree course. There are very few times that I will eat or order red meat. However, I was feeling adventurous and decided I should break my mold and order something different. Besides when it is served with lobster risotto, who would turn that down?...definitely not me. This piece of beef tenderloin had a demi-glace sauce that kept the meat tender and added an extra layer of flavor. The green beans were well cooked so that they still had some snap to them. The lobster risotto was creamy and had large pieces of lobster in it. The texture contrast through the dish was delightful.

Last, but certainly not least, came my favorite part of the meal - dessert. It was a tough choice between the tres leches and the strawberry ice cream profiterole. A profiterole is like a cream puff, except that it is larger and this one was filled with strawberry ice cream. It was then given a healthy coat of chocolate, so that it was almost like eating a chocolate covered strawberry. Though it was a little awkward to eat, it was delicious. The tres leches didn't disappoint either. It was very light and not overly sweet. The texture of the cake was very fine and held up well by not turning into mush. The topping was heavenly and the fresh berries added a nice touch. It was definitely one of the best tres leches I have had! 

If you haven't made it to Ouisie's Table or any where for Houston Restaurant Weeks, you should! Plus they are extending the event until September 3! Check houstonrestaurantweeks.com for those places that will be extending their offering. Don't forget that when you participate, you are eating for a cause and get to have some delicious cuisine, so there is really no downside.

Just a Little 'Taste'

 

 Houston Restaurant Weeks is one of the most awesome things that takes place in Houston. When a friend called me and wanted to do an impromptu dinner, of course we wanted to go somewhere for Houston Restaurant Weeks. This time took us to The Tasting Room in City Center. This was my first time out to City Center and boy was I missing out. There are tons of shops and restaurants.... it is a place to see and be seen. Their cozy atmosphere and impressive wine list compliment an absolutely delicious menu. I started off with some mini grilled cheese sandwiches and some parmesan truffle french fries. The fries were served with a garlic butter dipping sauce. (So unhealthy, but so good!) The grilled cheese was made with goat cheese and topped with a tomato jam. The jam helped balance out the saltiness of the cheese. It was melted and gooey, like a grilled cheese should be. 

Next came a chicken tortilla soup. It was served in more of a puree style in that there was a slight bit of texture to it. It was topped with a pinch of cheese, a drizzle of avocado cream, and a few tortilla strips for crunch. It wasn't too terribly spicy, but would be perfect for a cold fall evening. (I know, I know. Keep dreaming.) Up next was a garlic and sage chicken served with cippolini onions, spinach, and potatoes. The sauce was a pan gravy so it had all the flavors of the dish soaked into it. The onions were a bit sweet, the spinach wasn't too terribly soggy, and the potatoes still had their shape. This dish was earthy and comforting, moist and full of a ridiculous amount of flavor. I have to be honest though. By this point, I was getting pretty full, however, I have never turned down a dessert. I know that there is a first time for everything, but this was not going to be that time. 

 Finally, it was time for dessert. Since I was with a friend, I had the opportunity to actually taste two desserts. I ordered a pistachio pound cake and she ordered zeppoles with raspberry and chocolate dipping sauces. Zeppoles are sort of like doughnuts holes, but have a slightly different texture. They weren't all that flavorful plain, but add the sauces and it was a whole new world. The pistachio pound cake was a Bon Apetit editor favorite and it was probably one of my new favorite desserts. It wasn't too sweet, there was crunch from the pistachios, and sweetness from the honey and cream it was topped with. The pound cake was delicious the cream was whipped to perfection. It was like eating a cloud (though I haven't actually done that). The Tasting Room was an amazing choice and I will put it on my list of places to go back to! I am so glad that I was able to try it out and definitely enjoyed what I ate. Be sure to let me know where you go for Houston Restaurant Weeks!

Super Simple Seafood Supper

I am a little bit picky about my seafood, mainly just because I don't like when it tastes fishy, so I don't usually tend to cook it at home. However, I was ready for something different. During one of my recent visits to Pinterest, I found this recipe for spicy shrimp on Cooking Melangery. It is simple and fresh and takes about 5 minutes to make.

The ingredients you need are shrimp, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, lemon juice, white wine, and salt and pepper. The directions are pretty easy. Saute the garlic and red pepper in the olive oil. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and white wine. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp turn opaque and begin to curl. That's it...seriously. I don't know how you could not want to make this. This is definitely a keeper recipe! The shrimp had a nice spice to them from the red pepper and soaked up the cooking broth, so they were moist and delicious.

I got some rather delicious garlic basil pasta from Trader Joe's that I served the shrimp with. I paired it with some homemade garlic bread and a salad. It was a super healthy and fresh dinner that took less time to make than it did to eat. Now that's what I call a simple supper that is easy to entertain with. You can find the full recipe at http://www.melangery.com/2012/01/shrimp-with-garlic-and-parsley-best.html or on my Pinterest board. Try and see for yourself how simple and yummy it is!

Crock Pot Chili

I have a crock pot, but don't really use it all that often because I don't have that many recipes. I found this recipe for chicken taco chili on Pinterest. It's super simple and really yummy. The best part about crock pot recipes is that you put in all the ingredients and then just let it cook away. Plus, it starts to release all these delicious aromas and makes me feel really cozy. The recipe is available on my Pinterest board, but here's what you need to know.



 Ingredients:
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 bag of frozen corn
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes (I used no salt added tomatoes)
1 16 oz. can of tomato sauce
3 boneless chicken breasts, frozen
1 tbsp chili powder
Either 1 packet taco seasoning or spices to taste (cumin, oregano, salt, pepper)

Directions:
Put all ingredients into the crock pot and cook for 6 hours on high or 10 hours on low. Once it's done, shred the chicken and mix in. Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, lettuce, tortilla strips or guacamole.

Dig in and enjoy! Try it out and let me know what you think. If you have any great crock pot recipes, post them so I check try them out.

Sushi, Sushi

When I was little I was huge fan of popcorn shrimp, but then one day it just didn't taste like popcorn anymore. Since then I have shied away from all seafood. Then for some reason I decided that I wanted to try sushi, even though a lot of it is raw fish. What I came to find out was that there are plenty of choices for those of use who aren't huge fans of the raw stuff. When I eat sushi, I tend to stay with cooked things like shrimp, crab, occasionally lobster, and anything with veggies. Yes, people still tease me for not eating the "real thing", but hey at least I started eating fish again.

This sushi outing took me to a place called Miyako. It's interesting because it offers regular seating, as well as traditional seating. This is where you have to take off your shoes and sit at sunken tables, which is a great way to mix up the idea of going out to eat. I decided that I would have one healthy and one unhealthier sushi. I started off with a vegetable roll that had shitake mushrooms, avocado, red onion, a little bit of rice and was then wrapped in a thin slice of cucumber. There were also a few pieces that had lettuce tucked. The other roll I had was the crunchy maki roll. This was shrimp and avocado that was topped with little bits of friend tempura batter and drizzled with a spicy mayo. It was crunchy and spicy and the avocado created a "glue" that held it all together. You can still eat sushi, even if you don't want raw fish. These were both fully cooked and very filling. If you hadn't been here or tried either of these rolls, I suggest that you do so as soon as possible. Comment with your favorite cooked rolls and I will be sure you give it a try the next time I stop by Miyako.

Welcome Home!

Nothing says 'Welcome Home' like a home cooked meal and that's exactly what I got from my mom. Lasagna rolls, salad, and three cheese bread. So it wasn't low-cal or fat free, but that's not a priority when you go home. Besides everything tastes better with the real thing. For good measure, I got a leafy green salad with lots of veggies to make up for the cheese and pasta. Next, was lasagna rolls with ricotta, spinach, and meat, lightly topped with marina and melted, golden brown cheese. This was very filling, but surprisingly didn't make me feel so full that I couldn't function. The touch of tomato sauce allowed each of the filling flavors to shine without being overwhelmed with a tomato taste. The cheese acted like the perfect glue to keep everything together so that each bite had a bit of pasta and filling. Sometimes with lasagna, the filling squirts out and you are forced to eat either the pasta or the filling. Fortunately, I didn't have to choose because I could have both!

An Italian themed meal would not be complete without a side of bread. Let me say this one is worth the calories. This three cheese semolina from La Brea Bakery had a light and airy texture with a crust that crackled perfectly. It was definitely not limp or tasteless. It was everything that you would want in a piece of bread. Just talking about this dinner makes me want to have it all over again. However, I think that might not necessarily be so good for me and it makes it special when I do get to have meals like this on special occasions. Since the lasagna rolls will be hard for you to get your hands on since they don't ship very well, you can keep your eyes out for the delicious La Brea Bakery bread. They have a variety of flavors, and though I can only vouch for this one, but I am sure that you won't make a wrong choice.