by Kimberly | Apr 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
Wow – here we go! 🙂
I already love living in Raleigh – have eaten at Chipotle, Tripps, Whole Foods, and the Cheesecake Factory – good stuff! This week will be some leftovers, eating out, and over at a friend’s home.
So, since I haven’t sat down to plan out my daily menu – I’ll just give you a run down of what I will be eating this week. Usually I will take Fridays to plan for the next week – sitting at Caribou – planning my work, home, exercise, and cooking schedule for the following week
Breakfasts will probably be fruit and banana pancakes.
Lunch: leftovers of cheesecake factory’s chopped vegetable salad with chicken – at least 2 days; majudra leftovers – maybe topped on a salad.
Dinners: salad with egg whites – grits and egg white – and then whatever else I didn’t eat for lunch.
Thursday I’m hanging out with Bonnie for dinner. Saturday for lunch will be BBQ in Morrisville with Janel. The recipe of the week will be Tuscan Bean Soup from BH&G 2/2008. I know it is getting warm, but I still find something so comforting in soups. I love things you can eat with a spoon! And it is really easy and full of vegetables! I’ll probably go ahead and make this completely vegetarian by using veggie broth instead of chicken broth.
by Kimberly | Apr 4, 2010 | vegetarian
Majudra, majadra – however you spell it – spell it my new fave comfort food. Cheap, warm, perfect as a salad topping, caramelized onions – can it get any better?
I had seen this as a recipe, and I have had the recipe, but I had not made it yet. Then, 2 weeks ago I went to
The Grape Leaf in Louisville and ordered this. I LOVED IT. But, I knew the caramelized onions would have to be more prominent for me!
So, I had everything I needed in my pantry when I moved this week, so I decided to make this…
1 1/2 cup rice
3 cups water, boiling
2 cloves chopped garlic
olive oil
3/4 cup green lentils (no need to pre-soak)
2 cups water
1 tsp cumin
salt
2 onions, thinly sliced
olive oil
Heat olive oil and pour in rice – cooking till opaque – like you would risotto. Pour in water and garlic – simmer with lid on till done.
Cook lentils till done but not mushy – then add seasonings.
Sauted onions, stirring a few times – not a lot.
Bowl: rice, lentils, caramelized onions. Top with either melted butter or olive oil.
Next time: I’ll make it with more cumin and brown rice, maybe switch out the all olive oil for half oil and butter on the onions.
SO GOOD!
by Kimberly | Apr 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
My Dad is from the South and he loves grits. So, when I knew he was staying for a few days to help me get settled here in Raleigh, I knew I wanted to make this recipe. I halved the recipe and glad I did because their serving sizes are huge! This was rich, creamy, nutty (due to Parm cheese). So good. Cooking Light has a winner here.
2 cups milk (I used skim, in a glass, from a local farm: delish)
2 cups water
pinch of salt
3/4 cup quick cooking grits (scant, I just like them thicker)
2 oz grated parm cheese (about 2/3 cup)
2 1/2 egg whites
pinch of black pepper
2 T chopped fresh chives
pinch of salt
Bring milk, water, and salt to boil. Stir in grits, turn down to simmer, cover and let cook, stirring occassionally, for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, grate cheese, seperate egg whites, chop chives.
Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks (don’t over beat) with pinch of salt. Add chives, pepper, and salt to grits when they are done. Fold in the egg whites (don’t deflate them). Pour in greased 8×8 pan and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. Lightly browned, little wobbly in middle.
Enjoy. I cooked some eggs and decorate the plate with remaining chives.
About 200 calories – and worth it!
by Kimberly | Apr 1, 2010 | Uncategorized
Is oatmeal a meal? Good, I agree. Its not. Therefore, my first real meal I cooked was SO GOOD. I told my Dad while eating it – that it was the best salmon I have ever had second only to the time I was in Craig, Alaska and had it right off the boat.
zest of one mandarin orange
1 tsp chopped fresh chives
8 oz fresh atlantic salmon (w/skin, got it from Whole Foods)
evoo
s/p
425 degrees. Place aluminum foil on a small baking sheet. Spray with pam.
Pat dry salmon. Drizzle with evoo. Zest orange and chop the chives over the top. Bake for about 15 minutes, maybe a little more till the fish easily flakes.
Enjoy. I served mine with roasted asparagus and roasted new pototoes.
by Kimberly | Mar 29, 2010 | Uncategorized
Perfect timing. On the way to Chattanooga on Thursday, my Mom called with news of her new Southern Living magazine. She said there was a right up of Chattanooga. Well, this might prove very helpful.
We chose to go to Niko’s – which was featured in Southern Living.
We called and made reservations for Friday night at 5pm, but none was needed – it was really early on a Friday night so it was pretty quiet. I’m sure it was hopping by the end of the night.
Drew was our exceptional waiter – who even knew the greens that we had on our main course and recommended a great dessert. He was also friendly and very prompt.
The atmosphere was slightly trendy yet classic. Liked it. It was also quiet, but not pretentious.
To start: calamari: oh goodness yum and tender – we downed it all!
The bread came out then – light loaf with I think asiago on top which made it a bit salty – so I just took the top off. Even asiago bagels I don’t like because of the saltiness of this particular cheese.
We order twin filets with brandy jus, greens (arugula and spinach) and roasted red potatoes. My steak was cooked perfectly medium and Aarica’s was a little too done for her exceptional liking. But the greens made up for her medium well steak – they were outstanding. The brandy jus brought the sweetness out contrasted with the peppery bite of the arugula.
For dessert we shared the white chocolate torte with grilled pineapple – I loved the white chocolate torte, let Aarica have the pineapple after it also had a charcoal-y grill taste much like the steak.
Over all – price was decent – 44$ then tip. Atmosphere was good, food was good, and the service was exceptional.
