Zucchini Pasta & Curly Fries

My boyfriend got me the Paderno Spiralizer for Christmas and I am in LOVE. We decided to make zucchini noodles and I wanted to share my recipe

Recipe
Serving Size: 3

3 zucchinis - cut in half and spiraled

Boil the zucchinis for 3 minutes and set aside when the the sauce is 5 minutes to completion.

Sauce

1 lb of fat-free ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large can of organic crushed tomatoes
1 small can of organic crushed tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
1 tbs paprika (or less)
1/2 tbs fresh cracked pepper
1/2 tbs onion powder
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried paprika
1/2 tbs dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste

Cook the onion and turkey till browned and add the sauce and spices. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes.

We also made potatoes with the Paderno and seasoned with EVOO, pepper and salt and baked on 400 for 1.5 hrs for crispiness. For extra crispiness - make sure you soak the potatoes in water to remove the starch

Add ketchup with some sriracha and serve!

Pad Thai Saturday!

So I found this amazing Pad Thai Recipe on Bon Appetit. So naturally, my boyfriend and I headed 35 minutes the opposite direction to the Asian Market to get all our ingredients to make this for dinner. It's my first time making Pad Thai but this is an excellent base recipe. We added basil, snow peas, etc.... just because we love extra veggies... and subbed in chicken instead of shrimp. You add more spice like us or just keep it simple! We used chili paste.

Update: We realized we had the Pok Pok Cookbook which we purchased earlier this year during our Memorial Day trip to NYC. There is actually a Pok Pok near the NYU campus which has amazing pad thai and drinking vinegar! (Don't knock it till you try it). If you live around the area or are visiting and enjoy thai food, I highly recommend it! Reasonable price and fantastic food!! We ended up cooking up a Pok Pok Bon Appetit Hybrid recipe.

Brand Spotlight: Whole Spice (Napa Valley)

I recently had a fantastic trip up to Napa Valley. Of course the wine and amazing food stands out to most people... for me.. it was the spices at the renowned Oxbow Market!

The market itself is just amazing and offers everything from Michelin Nodded Restaurants, to juices bars, olive oil and the most divine cream puffs I have ever encountered! Although, around the corner and across from a gelato shop was Whole Spice. Whole Spice is a spice shop with tons of organic spices in various large containers. I literally spent about $50 getting an ounce of everything I could. I went overboard knowing I may not be back again. However, at the checkout line, a very nice lady told me that they had an online presence and you can purchase these spices on there. I about died from excitement.

Anyways, this weekend I ventured onto their website and she was right! Regretfully you can't really buy an ounce of spice like I could at the market, but the prices are still just as reasonable as the grocery store. Right now, you get 20% off you order and free shipping over $75. EXCELLENT deal. I imagine a lot of my Christmas gifts will come from here.

Above are some photos of the market and the spice shop. The amazing taco at C Casa (Michelin Nodded Restaurant) and my cream puff as well! Please visit the website to purchase! A few of my favorites are as follows:

1. Organic Roasted Chicken Rub
2. Napa Valley Rub
3. Chipotle Honey Rub
4. Zhug Spice Blend
5. Turkey Brining Blend

Weeknight Dinner: Stuffed Sweet Potato

Another easy weeknight with my rotisserie chicken. This is so quick to make, tastes delicious and is healthy!

Recipe

1 large sweet potato, microwaved for 15 minutes
1/2 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 small onion, diced
1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp salt (add more as you cook and taste)
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp of coconut oil

Fire up your pan and add the coconut oil (start with 1 tsp but add more if the pan starts getting dry). Add the onion and cook till transparent and browned. Add the shredded chicken and all the seasonings for about 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another 2 minutes.

Once the sweet potato is done, slice in the middle and make room for all the filling. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe: Brunch Fiesta!

It's the weekend everyone and I wanted to share with you a brunch recipe you can make at home this weekend! Very easy, healthy and delicious.

Recipe

Guacamole
1 avocado
1 small roma tomato
1 tsp of chopped red onion
1 tbs of cilantro
Pinch of salt
Pinch of freshly grounded pepper
1/2 of a jalapeño chopped without seeds

Mash the avocado with all the ingredients and place in the fridge for later.

Omelet
3 eggs whites
1 tsp of cilantro
Pinch of salt and pepper

The best way to cook this is by mixing eggs whites with a pinch of cilantro, salt and pepper prior. Add mixture to the pan on low heat. Put the cover over the pan and let cook on both sides. Should take about 4-5 minutes.

Cajun Potatoes
1 large russet potato
1 large white onion diced
2 garlic cloves chopped fine
1/2 cup cilantro chopped (you can add more or less... I just love cilantro
1 tbs cajun seasoning
Pinch of salt and pepper (start with a little and keep adding while you taste and cook - over-salting is a nightmare!)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp of crushed red pepper (for some heat)
1/8 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp Badia - all purpose seasoning (can be purchased at the hispanic aisle in a grocery aisle)
1/2 tsp Badia - fajita seasoning (can be purchased at the hispanic aisle in a grocery store)

** I find the Badia seasonings add that extra kick!

(I recommend using a cast iron pan for this as it heats up quickly and allows the potato to be crispy... but you can use whatever pan want)

In a cast iron pan under medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook till translucent. Add potatoes on an even layer and all seasonings with a pinch of the cilantro. Toss together and let cook.

Note: If you are in a rush, bake the potato in the microwave. I just cut the potatoes in small cubes so it all cooks faster.

Let the potatoes get brown on the bottom (takes about 6-7 minutes - contingent upon your stove) and then flip. Cook the potatoes until they are to your liking (some people like it mushy and some like it hard... so it's all preference). Add the remaining cilantro and serve with eggs. guacamole, and your favorite hot sauce!

Labor Day Weekend Grill Feast: Red Snapper with Veggies on a bed of Quinoa

Happy Labor Day Weekend all!

Since the warm days are about to turn chillier, we wanted to use our grill to make a Labor Day Weekend Grill Feast. It's a very simple and easy dinner. Grilled red snapper and corn with sautéed zucchini and baby broccoli on a bed of quinoa. Now a lot of my recipes, especially this one, doesn't really give step by step instructions, just a general guide. Everyone has their own preference and some my recipes don't call for exact measurements because I just like going rogue! Makes cooking more fun.

Recipe

1.3 lbs fillet of red snapper
1 bunch of baby broccoli
2 zucchinis cut into circles
1/2 cup of quinoa
1.5 cups of water
Seasonings (your choice)

I first seasoned the fillet of red snapper with a bunch of difference whole foods seasoning from their seafood isle (they have everything!) Put it on the grill for 15-20 minutes.

Baby Broccoli - chop up some garlic in a pan with a little bit of olive oil. Put the broccoli in with some lemon juice with the pan cover on. Let it steam for 10 minutes. Soggy vegetables are the worst, so keep an eye on how high the stove is set.

Zucchini - Toss it in olive oil, seasonings of your choice, salt, pepper and cook in a pan for 10 minutes. You want it to remain crispy so make sure it doesn't start getting brown ... it's a sign that it's now overcooked. No bueno!

Quinoa - Boil 1.5 cups of water and 1/2 cup of quinoa. Quinoa to me isn't very good seasoned, so I avoid seasonings.. Don't worry, the other flavors in this meal will compensate. Let it cook for 5 minutes on high, and when the water is bubbling, put the stove on low and let sit. The quinoa will seep up the water and become fluffy.

Corn - Season with your favorite seasonings (I used paprika, dill, garlic&herb, Betts seasoning (all time favorite) and Morton's all purpose seasoning) Cover in foil and grill for 10-12 minutes.

Gnocchi with Shrimp and Asparagus

Recipe


Gnocchi - 

2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 large russet potatoes

Boil or microwave the potatoes until soft and mushy. Mix in with the 2 cups of flour and kneed into a nice ball. Take a small piece from the large dough and roll it into a skinny snake (you can determine how skinny you want it based on how fat your want your gnocchi to be) Cut with a knife and put in boiling water until the gnocchi comes floating to the top (about 2-3 minutes). Make sure you don't overcrowd the gnocchi, so complete in batches.

Shrimp - 

10-15 Medium deveined shrimp
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional ... I just like spicy food)

Sauté the shrimp in a separate pan and just lightly brown each side. Put aside on another plate

Asparagus

Chop the asparagus into large long chunks and blanche in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Rid of the excess water and set aside.

Shallots -

1 shallot
1/2 tbs of coconut oil

Meanwhile with some coconut oil, sauté 1 large shallot until gold brown. Move the shallots to a separate plate and use the same pan to make the sauce.

Sauce -

1 cup of chicken broth (sodium)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tbs of butter
2 tbs of all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped italian parsley
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground pepper

Deglaze the shallots pan with broth, wine and butter. Let the ingredients simmer and then slowly add the all purpose flour to thicken the sauce. I would add a little flour at a time until you get the consistency you want. The 2 tbs requirement is a rough estimate I begin with and add more if I need to.

Add some of the italian parsley, red pepper flakes and ground pepper to the sauce. I didn't add any salt because the broth had plenty but feel free to add to your liking!

Once the sauce has thickened, add the shrimp, shallots and asparagus to the sauce. Let simmer for about 5 minutes and toss in the gnocchi. Add the last bit of fresh parsley, some fresh grounded pepper (optional) and toss. Serve immediately.

Sausage and Tomato Bow Tie Pasta

Good Afternoon Readers! Just a quick introduction to this blog. I started out with Instagram but decided to broaden my horizons and create a lifestyle blog featuring fashion, cooking and home decor. Enjoy.

This is a pasta recipe that I came up with one weeknight with some random items in my fridge. As far as recipes go, I will try to be as accurate as I can, but I usually just eyeball.. so my motto is start with less because you can always add more.

Recipe

3/4 Box of bow tie pasta
3 spicy italian sausage links (In case you were looking for a recommendation, Whole Foods has the best italian sausage out there)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves (I'm a huge garlic and onion fanatic --- you can put more or less garlic based on preference)
Salt, italian seasoning, oregano, and pepper, crush red pepper to taste (1 teaspoon each) - add more while you taste - or less based on preference
2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 of a green, red, and yellow pepper
1/2 cup of fresh parsley, basil, and oregano
Olive oil (you can sub in coconut oil)

1. Boil water, with half water and half low sodium chicken broth (1 cup of broth - if you want to be exact). Add a little bit of salt so the pasta doesn't stick. Right when the water is boiling, add your bow tie pasta and cook for about 7-8 minutes; stirring occasionally

2. Meanwhile, get out a large pan with olive oil to cook your italian sausage. (the pan should be large enough to mix your pasta and sauce for later) That should take about 6-7 minutes, but make sure you check the inside so its not pink and cooked thoroughly. I usually chop up the sausage while cooking to make sure everything is evenly cooked. Once the sausage is done, set it aside on a plate with a paper towel on top to soak up the fat and oils.

3. In the same pan, add a little bit of olive oil to cook your garlic and onions. (trick of the trade: if you remove the middle stem of the garlic, it won't be as garlicky tasting, in case you don't to sweat garlic later on). Once the onion and garlic has browned, add the crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of broth, 1/2 cup of wine, and chopped up fresh parsley, oregano, and basil, with all the seasonings listed above. Let it all simmer for about 5-10 minutes

4. Now, time to cut the peppers length wise (thin strips) and toss them with a little olive oil and pepper. Preheat your oven to 400 and roast the peppers. A little char on them is a good thing, as it will enhance the flavor. (You can also do this on a grill, but I used the oven since my boyfriend doesn't let me use the grill when he isn't home.. as he is afraid I will burn the house down #legitimateconcern).

5. Add the sausage and roasted peppers to the sauce. Let simmer for another 5-10 minutes and toss in the pasta and serve immediately. I always add a little bit of fresh basil, oregano, and parsley for garnish. You can add parmesan cheese at the end... but it's all preference.