foodie: cauliflower steaks

the past few weeks, every time i go to the grocery store, i come home with a head of cauliflower.  this vegetable that i used to despise as a child has now become one of my new favorites to play cook with.  it's mild, tender flesh is buttery and is a great "vehicle" for a number of flavors.  a few days ago, craig and i had my sister, hannah, over for dinner, and i was inspired by a recipe that i saw on martha stewart's show earlier that day - cauliflower steaks.  using martha's recipe for inspiration, i added my own twist to it to create a yummy meal that was both delicious and satisfying!

what you'll need...

1 head cauliflower
olive oil
curry
salt

1. from the cauliflower head, cut four 3/4-inch-thick "steaks". (save the end pieces for another meal.)

2. in a large skillet, heat approximately 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. once oil is hot, add 2 cauliflower steaks, sprinkle with salt and curry, cover, and cook until the underside of the steaks is golden brown, about 5 minutes.  next, flip the steaks, season with salt and curry, cover, and cook until they are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

3. transfer the steaks onto a baking sheet, loosely tent with foil, and keep warm in the oven until you're ready to enjoy them.

4. repeat the process with another tablespoon oil and the remaining 2 cauliflower steaks.

reviewing martha's recipe

i served our "steaks" over couscous and topped them with a roasted red pepper and caramelized onion chutney.  they were delicious!!!

credit {here}

bon appetit : )

foodie wednesday: overnight oats (the encore)

yes, i have posted about overnight oats before, but they are so simple and delicious, they are definitely worthy of a second mention.  overnight oats are my go-to breakfast.  this awesome breakfast is hearty, healthy and will leave you feeling completely satisfied and ready to take on your day.  even better?  you whip up this simple recipe the night before, so when you're ready for breakfast the next morning, there is no wait!

1/3 to 1/2  of a (very) ripe banana
1/2 cup soy milk (you can also use regular milk or another nut milk)
1/2 cup oats (both quick oats and old-fashioned oats work great)
cinnamon & nutmeg
(1 tbsp peanut butter)

1. in a small bowl, sprinkle banana with a some cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg and mash with a fork until smooth

2. mix oats into banana and then add milk and stir

3. cover and place in fridge overnight - by morning you'll have thick, creamy oats

have oats?  will travel.  craig's are ready "to-go" and mine are all set for breakfast at home.

4. in the morning, uncover and heat in the microwave on 50% power for approx. 2 mins

5. add a dollop of peanut butter and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon, if desired  (they are also great with a drizzle of honey, chopped nuts or raisins!)

finished oats with cinnamon & peanut butter

happy breakfasting : )

foodie wednesday: mexican stir fry

last night for dinner, i was feeling like mexican, so i whipped up a quick mexican stir fry.  though i love cooking (from scratch), i took some short cuts - like using a boxed rice mix - in order to save time and energy.  overall, the reviews were good, and craig and i both filled our plates more than once!

here's what went down:

1 box goya spanish rice mix - arroz con tomate
1 medium vidalia onion, chopped
2 red lombak peppers (i.e. mild cayenne)
1/2 cup baby portabellas, chopped
1/4 pound lean ground turkey
1 cup chopped romaine (optional)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp red curry
salt to taste
olive oil

toppings:
avocado
salsa
cilantro or basil

1. get the rice going according to box's instructions, so it can cook while you prepare the stir fry.

2. saute the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil.  season with garlic, curry and salt.  continue to saute until onions are translucent and veggies are beginning to brown.

3. create space in the center of the pan and add a bit more olive oil and the turkey.  season turkey with a bit more salt and cook until turkey is cooked completely.

4. allow stir fry to cool slightly and add in some chopped cilantro (i was completely out of cilantro, so i used some basil from our garden, which did the trick nicely!)

5. when rice is done, fluff it lightly before serving.

6. assemble plate: romaine covered with rice & stir fry mixture and topped with chopped avocado and salsa.  yum!

this recipe makes approx. 4 servings.  meaning craig and i both had a hearty dinner and there was still enough for our lunches the next day : )

want some more simply delicious dinner ideas?  check out vegetables & vodka {here}.  a FREE e-cookbook filled with healthy dinners and low-cal cocktails!

how to detox

do this: spinal twists.  in yoga, they compare twists to wringing out a washcloth.  they purify your system and detoxify the blood.  plus, they feel goooood.  (stand with your feet parallel, 4-5 ft apart.  hinge forward at the waist and place hands/fingertips on the floor.  keeping your back flat, twist your right arm up to the sky, leaving your left hand on the ground.  look up, if you can.  hold for a few deep breaths.  repeat on the other side.)  still not sure what to do?  check out the pose {here}.

another spinal twist option.  credit {here}

eat this: veggies!  there is nothing like simply prepared, wholesome veggies to set you right again.  {shameless plug coming} and, i have just the thing {wink}, my lovely (and FREE) cookbook, vegetables & vodka!  all the dinner recipes "star" veggies and are less than 450 calories per serving.  so, what are you waiting for?  download it below : )  and if you love it, please pass it along...



drink this: water.  that was a given...  but, if you're finding h2o a little boring, opt for seltzer or add a squeeze of fresh citrus to your glass or enjoy a cup of tea with 1 tsp sugar in the raw & lemon.

try this: too often, we plant ourselves in front of the tv or computer screen until moments before bed.  we give our bodies no time to slow down and relax.  try to turn off all electronics 30 min before bed.  spend that last bit of time reading, chatting with your spouse or writing in your journal.  you'll feel infinitely better, i promise!

here's to a simply fabulous (mini) detox!  what are your detox tricks?

foodie wednesday: vegetables & vodka

first off, i want to thank you all for your lovely words of encouragement regarding my (in)decision about taking yogadharma teacher training.  in no small part because of your feedback, i have decided to do it!  by may of 2012, i will be a certified yoga teacher : )  very exciting!

on a different (but no less exciting) note, my cookbook, vegetables & vodka, is complete!  after a lot of contemplation about the best way to distribute it, i've decided to forgo traditional paper printing and am instead offering it as a FREE ebook as a thank to all of you, my wonderful supporters.

the ebook format is much more in-line with lifestyle maven's philosophy: it's green, it's shareable, and it allows you to easily access the blogs of all the fabulous contributors that made vegetables & vodka possible.


i am so excited to share these delicious healthy dinner recipes & low-cal cocktails with all of you.  all i ask is that if you love the cookbook, share it!

cheers, mavens : )

foodie wednesday: chicken & peppers

i found some locally grown green peppers when i was food shopping the other day.  i'm usually more of a red pepper girl, but since they were local, i figured i'd go with the green.  when i came home, i found 3 small cajun bell peppers (1 oz each) had ripened to perfection in our garden.  with so many lovely peppers on hand, i decided to go "mexican" and created a chicken & pepper saute to go over rice.

here's what went down:

1 green pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 small peppers, chopped (optional)
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 medium-large chicken breast
1 tsp cumin
olive oil
salt & pepper
optional: avocado, salsa, rice
(makes 2 hearty portions)

1. saute peppers & onions in a bit of olive oil over medium heat.  season with salt & pepper.

2. while that's cooking, prep the chicken.  cut it into cubes and season with salt, pepper & cumin.

3. once peppers & onions begin to soften, add garlic.  continue to saute until caramelized.

4. make room in the center of the veggie pan, add a bit more olive oil and add chicken.  continue to cook for a few minutes until chicken is cooked through. 

5. remove from heat and add tomato.  voila! 

we enjoyed ours over rice and topped it with avocado & chipotle corn salsa.  the fresh peppers really made this dish! 

other ideas: you could also enjoy this over salad greens or use the mixture to fill tortillas or tacos!

cherries

i have been loving the fresh cherries that have been available the past few weeks.  they are so sweet and delicious.  i've been snacking on them ever since they came into season.  i know some people avoid cherries because of the work involved to remove the pits, but believe me, this time of year it's so worth it.  my favorite way is to enjoy them fresh, but there are lots of other simple ways to celebrate this lovely little fruit. 

new to cherries?  check out the basics - like how to check for ripeness, how to store, etc. {here}

i <3 cheesecake.  and no-bake is even better.  how i wish i had a slice of this cherry-topped delight right now!  recipe {here}

cherries aren't only for dessert.  they make for a great sweet/savory side, too.  check out this recipe for cherry couscous salad {here}.  yum!

so, if you haven't been enjoying this seasonal treat, get yourself to the grocery store or farmers' market asap!  (pretty-please-with-a-cherry-on-top)

portabella caps & potato packets

first off, i apologize for my absence these past few days.  a tree came down on our property and took out cable and internet.  comcast was just restored this morning : )


ok, post time.

gorgeous day = time to fire up the grill.  in my opinion, fresh grilled veggies are the perfect way to celebrate a summer evening, so the other night i decided to grill up some portabella caps, potato packets & peaches.  (just realized now the lovely alliteration that was our dinner : ) 

our simple grilled meal was summertime on a plate, and we thoroughly enjoyed every last bite.

here’s what went down:

portabellas

marinate 2 portabella caps (washed & dried) in ¼ cup italian dressing
grill on high, 4-5 minutes on each side, until caps are tender and delectable grill marks appear

potato packets

cut 1 potato, 1 zucchini and 2 large carrots into ½ inch cubes
toss veggies with 2 tbsp mustard (any kind), 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tsp chopped garlic, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper
divide veggies into 2-3 foil packets coated with olive oil and seal packets well so veggies don’t fall out while grilling
grill for 30-40 min until veggies are tender and lightly browned

peaches

2 peaches, halved
brush the cut surface with a bit of olive oil
grill for 3-4 min face down until grill marks caramelize

in addition to our veggie feast, i sautéed up some chicken sausage seasoned with feta and spinach.  the sweet peaches with the savory sausage were fabulous!

simple summertime goodness!  yum!

simple toppings, dips & marinades

anything can be made better with a simple sauce or marinade.  you can turn bland chicken into a brilliant entree or a boring salad into an impressive side.  below are a few of my go-to favorites to zest up dinner any night of the week!

toppings & dips:

1 avocado + 1 tbsp minced garlic + 1-2 tbsp grated parmesan
mash all the ingredients together and use it on chicken, fish, rice or as a salad topping

credit {here}

1/4 cup mayo + 1 tsp curry
mix together and use as a dipping sauce for sweet potato fries, beer battered fish or homemade chicken tenders

marinades:

1/4 cup mustard (any kind) + squeeze of lemon + salt & pepper
coat 2 chicken breasts in this simple marinade and let them sit (in fridge) for at least an hour.  then pan saute in a bit of olive oil.

mustard marinade - credit {here}

2 tbsp teriyaki (or soy sauce) + 1 tsp minced garlic (bonus: + sesame seeds or sesame oil)
marinate 2 fish filets in this asian-inspired sauce for at least 30 min before cooking.  try cooking your fish "en papillote" (i.e. in a foil packet with veggies).  it makes the fish super tender and ensures that it doesn't dry out!

do you have any simple cooking secrets to share?

carrot ribbon salad

this super simple salad is the perfect summer side.  (you like all the alliteration?  thank you, ap english.)  anyway, if you have 5 min, you can pull it together...and it's so pretty : )

2 large carrots
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp teriyaki
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic

makes 2 side dish servings

1. peel the outer layer off the carrots and toss it
2. keep peeling...and peeling...
3. toss the ribbons with the soy, teriyaki, oil and garlic
4. done!

i didn't have any (unfortunately) but fresh chopped chives would be awesome on this! 

we enjoyed our carrot ribbon salad along with homemade turkey burgers, sweet potato fries with chipotle salsa dipping sauce and sauteed onions & zucchini.

sweet potato fries

the other day at the natural foods market i found local sweet potatoes.  upon seeing them i knew what i wanted to make - baked sweet potato fries.

when i started peeling them, i noticed something peculiar.  the flesh was not bright orange, as i am accustomed to, it was pearly white.  hmmm...intriguing...

don't worry, they tasted amazing - even better than the orange-colored fries i've made before.  i'm not sure if it was the fact that they were fresh & local or perhaps white-fleshed sweet potatoes are just better, but they were seriously the sweetest sweet potatoes i've ever enjoyed.

1 large sweet potato (will make 2 hearty side portions or 4 small servings)
1-2 tsp olive oil
salt & cracked pepper
red curry

preheat oven to 400

1. peel the potato and cut into 1/4 in sticks

2. place on an oiled baking sheet and spray/drizzle with more olive oil

one of my favorite cooking tools -  my olive oil mister

3. season with salt, pepper and curry and give them a light toss

4. make sure fries are laying flat on the baking sheet, and bake for 25-35 min until golden brown, flipping fries 1/2 way through

we enjoyed ours with an easy dipping sauce i whipped up quickly.

1 part bbq sauce
4 parts salsa

i used honey bbq for subtle sweetness and corn & chipotle salsa for a little smoky heat.  yum!

p.s. oh happy day is giving away a 7 day trip to PARIS for 2!  enter {here}