One of the best things about living in Portland was the amazing restaurants. My favorite of which was probably Toro Bravo. I think I ate there more than any other restaurant in Portland. It's a Spanish tapas type restaurant and I enjoyed it so much because most of the time the menu looked quite simple like "tomato rubbed toast" for example. What came out was … [Read more...]
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Ready, Set, Spinach
Looking for a super quick, delicious, healthy side dish? Ready… set… spinach. Reality, folks. I make dishes like this all the time. Sometimes I feel like I have to share elaborate, complicated, fancy dishes on the blog. Maybe it's the overachiever/ perfectionist in me that feels like something has to be over-the-top or perfect to be well-received. But it doesn't. After all, it's not how I cook all the time! Whose standard am I following? … [Read more...]
Simple Sautéed Plantain Slices
Wanna know what lesson I most recently learned? Take more videos! I learned this for the first time when I studied abroad in Australia. Somehow, I forgot. I lived there with two awesome ladies, Lauren & Melissa. I think it was Lauren who said, "we must take videos", and she was right. The videos are so much more fun to watch after the fact than looking at the pictures!! Hearing people's voices, hearing the way they say things, seeing … [Read more...]
Roasted Eggplant with Miso Dressing
This is one of my favorite creations as of late. I've made it time and time again. Mostly because my husband claimed he didn't like eggplant... until this dish. Do you ever feel like you make the same things over and over? Or at least you cook with the same flavors over and over? I sure do. This is such a simple dish, only 5 ingredients (minus oil, salt and pepper) and bursting with different flavors. At least they're different than my … [Read more...]
Parm & Parsley Spaghetti Squash
Parmesan and parsley reminds me of my mom :). She used to make me mac and cheese every day. By every day I mean every day from preschool through high school. I take that back, she didn't make it every day. It's one of the first things she taught me to cook when I was seven years old so she didn't have to do it ev-er-y-day. And I'll get into that recipe more someday, but for now I bring it up because every once in a while I'd want it just a … [Read more...]
Warm Tomato Eggplant Relish
This recipe completes the meal shown below: Cracklin' Chicken (from Nom Nom Paleo) served with Caramelized Cauliflower and Warm Tomato Eggplant Relish. This relish is both spicy and sweet. It was one of those Chopped nights in the house where I opened the fridge, looked at the veggies I had on hand and thought hmm, "what can I do with all of this?" With the cauliflower tossed in the oven, and the chicken cracklin' away, this quick relish … [Read more...]
Caramelized Cauliflower
If you haven't figured it out by now, I love roasting vegetables. Roasting makes any vegetable better. Ok, maybe not iceberg lettuce, but you catch my drift. There's just no better flavor than that caramelized sweetness that comes from roasting. Lately with my schedule it's been all about simplicity. Quick and easy does it these days. This dish is no exception. … [Read more...]
Tuscan Salad with Tuna Steak
If ever I'm in a food rut, I turn to the food network. As soon as I watch show, I get inspired with flavor combinations, ingredients, and dishes. That's where this one came from. It's an adaptation of a Bobby Flay recipe that combines classic Tuscan flavors like lemon, fennel, rosemary, tuna, basil, olives, and anchovies. Do you read "anchovies" with a scowl? You like caesar salad right? What do you think is in that dressing? Delicious … [Read more...]
Ginger-Garlic Bok Choy
Ever since my sister-in-law and her husband made a grilled, marinated baby bok choy alongside dinner one night I have been on a baby bok choy kick! … [Read more...]
Italian Roasted Mushroom Salad
This is one of those dishes I like to prepare and enjoy throughout the week. When I have a day off, I'll whip dishes like Homestyle Beef Brisket and Mediterranean Sweet Potato Salad so that throughout a busy week I have excellent, tasty choices for breakfast, lunch or dinner. All you need to do is … [Read more...]
Thai Beef Salad
There's nothing like fresh, crunchy ingredients and exotic flavors to satisfy my taste buds. My version of Thai Beef Salad does just that. I cannot eat the same thing every day. It would be so much easier if I could, but alas, my cooking adventures continue. And kudos to you people who can eat salmon and broccoli for every meal. I could never be you. I need spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and umami to satisfy me. I need both new flavors from … [Read more...]
Mediterranean Sweet Potato Salad
Today's post is my favorite way lately to enjoy sweet potatoes. My lifelong friend Sarah came to visit recently, and when we were out to eat and had this dish together we knew we had to re-create it. Simple, bright, and flavorful. Start by tossing the chopped sweet potatoes with olive oil, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Then bake for 30 minutes, tossing once half way through. In a large bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, … [Read more...]
Sour Cream and Onion Kale Chips
Ever miss or crave the crunch some non-paleo foods provide? These kale chips are your answer. I first heard of kale chips several years ago and thought they were such a good idea! When I tried to make them I was sorely disappointed. I baked them in the oven and followed the recipe (I don't usually follow recipes... even when I set out to, so this was a feat). Despite my diligence, they turned out terrible. Oily and burnt tasting. I … [Read more...]
Portland Forest Mushrooms
It is so easy to say that I really enjoyed my time living in Portland, Oregon. Don't even get me started on my favorite restaurants or favorites places I adored because this post will turn from 400-some words into 5,000. One of my favorite things to do in Portland was on Saturday morning to take the street car from my South Waterfront neighborhood into the Portland Farmer's Market at Portland State University. It was close, just into … [Read more...]
Roasted Fennel
Roasted fennel is one of those foods that I can eat, and eat, and eat, and eat. I just love it. This recipe is only fennel, olive oil, salt and pepper. That's it. You'll notice the serving size is only two, because in my family (Shaw and DiCello) we love our fennel. So I plan for 1 fennel bulb per person, … [Read more...]