Crunchy Noodle Salad

Note: I was sent coupons from Nasoya in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Despite working from home for nearly a year now, I feel like I have less time to cook! I have a feeling I’m not alone, so I wanted to share a healthy, quick, and comforting recipe for a yummy Crunchy Noodle Salad that you can get on the dinner table in ~40 minutes.

This Crunchy Noodle Salad is made with glass noodles, sugar snap peas, shredded carrots, bell peppers, and crispy tofu tossed in a yummy peanut dressing, and can be served at room temperature or cold, so it makes for a great dinner-plus-leftovers option.

Don’t let the whole vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free part of this recipe throw you, it will fill you up! I this recipe uses Nasoya’s Organic Super Firm Tofu that delivers 15g of protein per serving to keep you full. Nasoya’s Organic Super Firm Tofu is also pre-pressed and drained so it’s perfect for quick dinners. Plus Nasoya’s Organic Super Firm Tofu is non-GMO project verified, USDA organic, cholesterol free, gluten free, and made with no preservatives. Nasoya is widely available in most grocery stores; I stopped into my local Shop Rite (it’s also available locally in Philly at Walmart Supercenters, Giant and Giant Heirloom Markets, The Fresh Grocer, and Wegmans), plus you can use their store locator to find which local grocers near you carry it.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 6 oz glass noodles
  • 8 oz sugar snap peas
  • 1 package Nasoya Organic Super Firm Tofu, cubed
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
  • 1 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup tamari (or low sodium soy sauce if you don’t need this recipe to be gluten-free)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon roasted white sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

Continue reading Crunchy Noodle Salad

Soup Joumou (Haitian Beef and Squash Soup)

Happy New Year! There are a bunch of traditional dishes around the world to help usher in a new year. In past years, I’ve shared a Black Eyed Peas Hash, Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens, and a bunch of recipe for what to do with the leftover champagne (assuming you have any), like this Champagne Risotto Primavera and these Honey Citrus Champagne Cupcakes.

Some traditional dishes eaten on New Year’s Day have less to do with the new year and more to do with a country’s history. So this year, I’m sharing my adaptation of an Independence Stew from Haiti. Celebrated every January 1, Haiti proclaimed independence from French colonials on New Year’s Day 1804 following a 13 year revolution. Soup Joumou, a comforting stew traditionally made with beef, pumpkin, pasta, and a bunch of veggies and spices, has become a New Year’s Day dish to commemorate Haiti’s independence.

I adapted this recipe from Epicurious, scaling it down quite a bit and swapping butternut squash for the pumpkin because I couldn’t find any pumpkin that wasn’t already pureed.

 

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), coarsely chopped
  • 1 scallion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup parsley leaves
  • 1 basil leaf
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Remaining Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, divided
  • 1 pound stew beef cubes
  • 7 cups chicken or beef broth, divided
  • 2 beef bones
  • 1 pound butternut squash, cut into cubes
  • 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, sliced
  • 1/4 small green cabbage (about 1/2 pound), very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small onion, sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
  • 1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped
  • 1 small turnip, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon habanero chile hot sauce, or to taste
  • 1 cup uncooked rigatoni
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 parsley sprig (optional)
  • 1 thyme sprig (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (omit to make dairy free)

Continue reading Soup Joumou (Haitian Beef and Squash Soup)

Coconut Curry Lentil Chickpea Bowls with Kale

I really love receiving cookbooks for review, especially when they are filled with recipes that are both intriguing and simple to make. Since I received a copy of The “I Love My Instant Pot” Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipe Book for review, I have become obsessed with this recipe for Coconut Curry Lentil Chickpea Bowls with Kale.

It’s insanely easy to make, is filling, and is absolutely delicious!

I’ll admit, it isn’t the prettiest meal I’ve ever made, but the combination of ingredients makes for a crave worthy dish you’re sure to put in your rotation!

 

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup red lentils
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened lite coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups chopped and deveined kale
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

Continue reading Coconut Curry Lentil Chickpea Bowls with Kale

Smoky Baba Ganoush

Smoky Baba Ganoush is one of those appetizers that basically any time I see it on a menu, I feel the need to order it. The eggplant-based appetizer, originating from Lebanon, uses grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a smoky dip that is perfect for outdoor eating.

It’s also a great way to use up a bunch of eggplant if you happen to have a few on hand. There are a bunch of recipes out there for oven roasting the eggplant, but there really is no substitute for the flavor added to the dish by grilling.

Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):

  • 2 pounds Italian eggplants (~2-4 eggplants, depending on size)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • the juice and zest from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground sumac (optional)
  • chopped parsley, for garnish
  • crackers, pita, bell peppers, carrot sticks, etc., for serving

Continue reading Smoky Baba Ganoush

Slow Cooker Granola

I am a big fan of my slow cooker (I have 50+ slow cooker recipes on my blog); especially recipes I can set them and walk away (or leave my house) for 4 to 8 hours. But like a lot of people, I’ve been home quite a bit more, given the pandemic, so I decided to try to make a recipe that requires you to stay a bit closer to your slow cooker – Slow Cooker Granola.

My mother-in-law mentioned making granola in her slow cooker, and how great the results were, so I wanted to try to make my own version!

This recipe is very adaptable, you can substitute in any nut, oil, liquid sweetener, and dried fruit you prefer. This recipe also makes a good amount of granola, but if your house is anything like mine, it will be gone before you know it!

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 5 cups old fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free oats to ensure this is gluten-free)
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (or any nut you prefer; omit to make nut-free)
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon each of
    • ground cinnamon
    • ground nutmeg
    • salt
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup agave (or maple syrup or honey if you prefer)
  • 1 tablespoon almond extract (or vanilla extract to make nut-free)
  • 1/2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit you prefer)

Continue reading Slow Cooker Granola

Homemade Bruschetta

Note: I was sent vinegar from Lindera Farms, including their Ramp Vinegar, in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Hands down, my favorite summer produce are tomatoes. Peak tomato season in the Philadelphia area begins just after July 4th and continues through mid-October, so it is the perfect time to share a recipe highlighting tomatoes like this Homemade Bruschetta!

Luckily, tomato season has coincided with the opportunity to try out a bunch of yummy vinegar from Lindera Farms, a small artisan vinegar producer in Virginia.

source: www.linderafarms.com

Lindera Farms takes locally and sustainably sources agricultural products and ferments them into wines which are then aged into vinegar. They have a wide selection of vinegars (nearly 30 types!) and pantry goods, including soy sauce, hot sauce, and syrups.

The ingredients from Lindera Farms are raised in a non-interventionist process, meaning they don’t introduce anything to the growing process. The process is subject to the whims of the environment completely; think Darwinian farming. The positives of this practice are that you get these stronger, more resilient, more flavorful fruits, herbs, and flowers with no carbon footprint or residual impact to the environment.

The results speak for themselves. The few vinegars I’ve sampled so far all have incredibly different flavors, acidity, and finish than what you can typically find in your supermarket. For example:

  • The Gardener Vinegar came about through Lindera Farms’ continued efforts to curb food waste. They collect organic summer vegetables from small local farms to make a complex and vegetal vinegar. The result is a very high acidic, savory vinegar with notes of cucumber, tomatoes, peppers and leeks. Lindera Farms suggests using it with salad greens, summer veggies, fish, or poultry, or even adding it to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe (I love this idea!)
  • Lindera Farms’ Apple Cider Vinegar is made with organic Virginian Heirloom Apples, and then is aged with applewood, adding a smooth, smoky finish. The Apple Cider Vinegar has a medium acidity, and medium-low sweetness, and can be used anywhere you’d use traditional apple cider vinegar, or just for probiotic consumption. (I used it in a pulled pork recipe, and it was fantastic)
  • I used the Ramp Vinegar in the recipe below. Ramps are a garlicky wild onion, and the ones in this vinegar are foraged in the woods of the Shenandoah valley. The result is a savory vinegar with notes of garlic, ramps, and onions with medium acidity. Lindera Farms suggests using it as a substitute anywhere you might use lemon and garlic in a dish. (I recently used it in my Italian Pasta Salad)

I have yet to tap into the other Lindera Farms vinegars, but I’m sure they are going to be just as delicious.

Traditional bruschetta uses balsamic vinegar, but I thought the garlic/onion flavors in Lindera Farms’ Ramp Vinegar would enhance the fresh flavors of the tomatoes and basil.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):

  • 4 plum (roma) tomatoes, evenly diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Lindera Farms Ramp Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Italian bread, sliced and toasted for serving

Continue reading Homemade Bruschetta

Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon and Sriracha Mayo

Note: I was sent a sample of Bear Mountain Gourmet Blend BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I absolutely love grilling, and love to grill anything I can get my hands on. I do not have much experience with smoking foods on my grill though. So when Bear Mountain contacted me about trying some of their wood pellets, I couldn’t wait to get started!

source: bearmountainbbq.com

Smoking adds an additional layer of flavor to your grilled foods that can completely change the taste of a dish. If you’re new to smoking your food, wood pellets are a great “intro” option – you don’t have to soak them ahead of time and they can be used on any normal grill. Bear Mountain offers a bunch of different blends to pair with poultry, seafood, lamb, pork, beef and vegetables. Their wood pellets don’t use any fillers, binders, or bark so their premium all-natural wood pellets deliver a perfect, clean smoke – every time.  They’ve also refined the pellet-making process, creating the perfect pellet structure with only 5% moisture.  This means that Bear Mountain pellets grant the perfect burn, infusing mouth-watering flavor with little ash to clean up.

source: bearmountainbbq.com

I was looking through Bear Mountain’s recipes for a little inspiration and was intrigued when I cam across a recipe for  potato salad that smoked the potatoes on the grill before tossing them in a yummy sriracha mayo.

I decided to add some bacon to further highlight the rich, smoky flavor of the pellets. The result is this amazing Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon and Sriracha Mayo!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pound red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1-2 cups Bear Mountain Gourmet Blend BBQ Pellets
  • 4 slices of cooked bacon, finely chopped
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha, depending on your preferences
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions

Continue reading Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon and Sriracha Mayo

Pan Fried Salmon with Brown Lentils, Cherry Tomatoes, and Basil

Note: I was sent a PDF copy of Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round by chef Lei Shishak in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I think we could all use a bit of escape right about now. So what better way to get in a beach-state-of-mind than through easy home cooking? I recently had the opportunity to page through Lei Shishak’s new cookbook: Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round, which is filled with over 80 recipes perfect for summer cooking.

Lei Shishak is the founder of Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in San Clemente, CA and the author of Beach House Baking, heralded by USA Today as one of the top 10 cookbooks of summer 2014, Beach House Brunch and Farm-to-Table Desserts. She is an established pastry chef who trained at the CIA in New York and has worked in restaurants in Sun Valley, Los Angeles and Orange County.

I’m not going to lie, quite a few recipes caught my eye — Coconut Shrimp, Creamy Thai Curry Quinoa, Pot Roast Tagine, Israeli Pearl Couscous — this cookbook is filled with awesome sounding recipes! I decided to highlight a beautifully simple but oh so flavorful salmon recipe to show off this cookbook.
I adjusted Lei’s original recipe of Pan Fried Salmon with Green Lentils for what I had on hand, so be sure to pop over to her blog or to pick up this cookbook to try the original version. Green Lentils have a slight peppery flavor to them, so I bet they would make this dish even more amazing!
Ingredients: (serves 4)
Lentils:
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup brown lentils
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted (or margarine, to make dairy free)

Salmon:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 (1/4 lb) salmon fillets
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (10 oz) container cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Continue reading Pan Fried Salmon with Brown Lentils, Cherry Tomatoes, and Basil

Slow Cooker Lamb in Zesty Lemon Sauce

 Note: I was sent a copy of The Greek Slow Cooker for review. Opinions are mine alone.

It’s been quite a while since I posted. Since sheltering-in-place became our new normal in Philadelphia, I’ve been cooking a lot of my old recipes, but haven’t had the creativity (or honestly, the energy) to make many new recipes. In the hopes of having some inspiration, I started paging through some of the many cookbooks I have, and came across this recipe for Arnaki Lemonato – Slow Cooker Lamb in a Zesty Lemon Sauce.

This slow cooker lamb recipe is from The Greek Slow Cooker: Easy, Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the Mediterranean.

Written by Eleni Vonissakou, the cookbook is a great source of Greek dishes adapted for slow cookers and includes 75 different Greek recipes. I adapted the recipe below a bit for what I was able to get through my local grocery delivery options.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs baby potatoes (cut the larger ones up so that the sizes of all the potatoes are similar)
  • 2 large carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • the juice and zest of 2 lemons, divided
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed in a garlic press, or very finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sumac (can omit if you cannot find this spice)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 lbs lamb shoulder (I used lamb shoulder chops)
  • 2 medium onions, quartered

Kitchen Tools Used:

Continue reading Slow Cooker Lamb in Zesty Lemon Sauce

Chia Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

NOTE: I was sent a container of BetterBody Foods Organic Chia Seeds in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone. 

Breakfast cookies. Those should totally be a thing, right? I was recently sent Organic Chia Seeds from BetterBody Foods, and I wanted to try to use them in a way I haven’t already, so Breakfast Pudding, Chocolate Pudding, Jam, and Muffins were out. But for whatever reason, I tend to think of Chia Seeds as a breakfast food, so I started thinking about some of my other favorite breakfast ingredients, and these Chia Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies were born!

Chia Seeds also can be used as an egg substitute when baking, so I decided to make these cookies both vegan and gluten free.

These little guys have a ton of flavor and are surprisingly filling! Chia seeds have a ton of fiber; when eaten with peanut butter and oats, it’s a great way to help feel fuller longer.

Ingredients (makes about 3 dozen cookies):

  • 4 tablespoons chia seeds, divided (I used BetterBody Foods Organic Chia Seeds)
  •  1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (check the label to make sure they are gluten free)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (check the label to make sure they are vegan)

Continue reading Chia Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Edamame Hummus

Since originally making this Edamame Hummus as a snack for Christmas day, I’ve made this recipe multiple times and have gotten rave reviews each time.

Calling this a hummus isn’t exactly accurate: there are no chickpeas in this recipe. The edamame is basically substituted in for them, and it makes for a light, citrusy spin on one of my favorite apps/dips!

Note: You can make this in a food processor, or a blender.

Ingredients:

  •  1/3 cup tahini
  • the juice and zest of 2 large lemons (or 3 medium to small lemons)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 (10 to 12 oz) bag of frozen shelled edamame, defrosted
  •  1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Edamame Hummus

Quinoa Con Pollo

Note: I was sent a Flying Fish Can Variety Pack in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

There are some recipes that almost instantly become a go-to comfort food. One of those recipes for me is arroz con pollo. It has a ton of flavor, an assortment of different vegetables, and is wonderfully filling. Plus, it can be made ahead of time and reheated. What more could you ask for?

My husband has recently taken a liking to quinoa, so I thought making a quinoa version of arroz con pollo, or Quinoa con Pollo, would be an awesome spin. Flying Fish’s Can Variety Pack features five different beers including their OnShore Lager. One sip, and I knew it would be the perfect ingredient in (and accompaniment to) my quinoa spin!

If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably seen a couple of posts / stories about the variety pack. The outdoor themed variety pack truly has something for everyone, including two IPAs (Hopfish and Outside IPA), a Pale Ale (XPA), a Session Sour (Salt and Sea), and a Lager (Onshore Lager). The Hopfish is awesome with spicy food, and the outside IPA has been my go-to when I’m relaxing in my hammock, or hanging out with friends on my roof deck. The XPA is Flying Fish’s original beer, and continues to be a staple for a reason; it goes great with everything! The Salt and Sea was the perfect complement to our friend’s crab feast and barbecue. And the Onshore Lager has a crisp, clean finish making it perfect for both cooking with and drinking.

So let me show off that lager!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil to make dairy free)
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)
  •  1 medium onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced
  •  2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (12 oz) can lager (I used Flying Fish Onshore Lager)
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (omit to make gluten free)
  • 2 cups dried quinoa
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 10 oz frozen cut green beans
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • Black olives, to taste

Continue reading Quinoa Con Pollo

Slow Cooker Paleo Frittata Jars

Note: I was sent a copy of Slow Cooked Paleo by Bailey Fischer. Opinions are mine alone.

On weekends, I do my best to prepare some meals for the week. Typically, that means dinners, but every now and then I’ll bake muffins to have for breakfast. My husband is much more of a “savory” than a “sweet” breakfast eater, so he was thrilled when I was saw this recipe for Slow Cooker Paleo Frittata Jars in Bailey Fischer’s Slow Cooker Paleo Cookbook.

This cookbook is filled with awesome and easy slow cooker meals that are also Paleo, taking out much of the effort of maintaining a paleo diet. Some other delicious recipes include Coconut-Lime Poached Halibut, Simmering Hawaiian Fajitas, and Pumpkin-Maple Pudding.

The concept of these jars is brilliant and can easily be adapted to include whatever you want (perfect opportunity for a “fridge cleaning” breakfast).

Ingredients:

  • 2 2/3 cups thawed hash browns (~2/3 cup per jar)
  • 1 1/3 cups diced butternut squash (~1/3 cup per jar)
  • 1 1/3 cups diced green bell peppers (~1/3 cup per jar)
  • 12 eggs
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 handful baby spinach leaves

Continue reading Slow Cooker Paleo Frittata Jars

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Note: I was sent samples of Divine Chocolate’s cocoa powder in order to write this post for #Choctoberfest. Opinions are mine alone.

I love baking, especially when it helps me prepare for a busy week ahead while also relieving some of my stress. I do a lot of my food prep for the week during the weekends. When I can, I like to make something for breakfast that is easy to bring to work during the week. One of my favorite make ahead breakfasts is this Cranberry Pistachio Zucchini Bread, so when I received samples from Divine Chocolate, I thought it would be a great opportunity to make a chocolate version for #Choctoberfest. (For more information about #Choctoberfest and details about the giveaway, see my post here.)

Divine Chocolate’s baking like consists of three premium quality flavors ranging from 55% to 100% cocoa for a wide variety of delicious desserts. To make this Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread, I used Divine Chocolate’s Cocoa Powder. The unsweetened cocoa powder is made with the finest fair trade cocoa, in compliance with fair trade standards.  Plus, the packaging is gorgeous!

I wanted to highlight vegan baking in this recipe as well, which isn’t nearly as difficult as it seems. This tasty bread is make without butter or eggs, but includes ingredients that are really easy to come by.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups packed grated zucchini
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) coconut oil, melted
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup Divine Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon coffee or vanilla extract

Continue reading Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Marinated Swordfish

NOTE: I was sent Carthage Co.‘s Dadasi Dinner Plate in order to write this post with a recipe for Marinated Swordfish. Opinions are mine alone.

Unsurprisingly, I have quite the affinity for dishware. I especially love plates, bowls, and platters that are matte (they present and photograph beautifully!) No matter how pretty dishware is, I still need it to work for my lifestyle, so I look for options that are microwave and dishwasher safe as well.

I was recently introduced to Carthage Co., which offers exquisite, ethically-sourced pottery made by Tunisian artisans, including plates, glasses, pitchers and serving-ware. The best part? This artisan stoneware is both attractive and affordable, plus its dishwasher and microwave safe! Named after the ancient city of Carthage that once served as a connecting point of Mediterranean trade, the Carthage Co. mission is to provide a valuable point of connection that starts in Tunisia and ends at your dinner table. The company works to honor and empower Tunisian artisans and create jobs in the U.S., partnering with local manufacturers that employ and empower their communities with dignity and equity.

source: Cathage Co.

I immediately gravitated toward their Dadasi collection, which is even more beautiful in person. I personally love the basalt color, it really make the food served on it pop!

I wanted to show off my snazzy new plate with a recipe that’s really become a staple in my household: Marinated Swordfish, served over rice with sautéed baby bok choy. I’m not going to pretend it’s the prettiest recipe, but it sure looks nice on the Dadasi plate, doesn’t it? It’s amazing what a difference a good looking plate can make to the presentation of a meal!

This recipe requires very little hands-on time, but you do need to allot some time for the swordfish to marinate.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos/tamari to make gluten free)
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  •  1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 swordfish steaks
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 4 baby bok choy
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Continue reading Marinated Swordfish

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