keep it simple - egg salad

to me, good egg-salad is like a good grilled cheese. or a good BLT. or a really good PB+J. 

super simple things. but yet when done right, so delicious! 

keep it simple, stupid.

hard boil eggs.

[6-8] 

peel + rinse. 

roughly chop eggs.

place in a bowl.

add 2 tbsp low-fat mayo + 

2 tbsp spicy brown mustard.

add 3-4 green onions, finely sliced. 

and salt + pepper to taste.

mix well.

serve with crispy pita chips for a yummy snack, 

or in a wrap with shredded lettuce. 

enjoy! 

xoxo

pssst. wanna do something kind?? 

click here for a deelightful idea by the peeps of  KIND snacks. 

i think it's pretty swell. 

five for five

5 ingredient meal in less than 5 minutes. 
on your mark...get set...COOK!

5 minute dinner winner! 

serves 2

1. heat soup over med-high heat on stove. 
2. cook rice [90-seconds!!] in microwave. 
3. remove soup from stove, add 1/2 cup greek yogurt + 1 tbsp [or more] red pepper flakes. 
4. empty rice into bowl, add 2-3 tbsp pesto. 
5. portion rice into individuals bowls + top with [jazzed up] soup. 

time! 

seriously fast. seriously cheap. seriously easy. seriously good. 

no, seriously. 

for more Campbell's Chunky Soup dinner ideas click here. 

and now for...

5 for 5 awkward/awesome moments
[inspired by the weekly musings of TheDaybook's awkward + awesome Thursdays]

Read more »

Hoisin Glazed Pork Tenderloin

in honor of the Oscars I made Hawaiian-inspired pork tenderloin. that would be because the only nominated movie I saw was The Descendants, which took place on the beautiful islands. the meal gets an A-, however the Oscars were a little more average. more about that later. 

Hoisin Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Pineapple 
adapted from The Recipe Girl 
serves 6

• 1 pineapple, sliced into chunks [1 inch]
• [2] 1-1/2 lb pork tenderloin
• 8 tbsp hoisin sauce, separated 
• 4 tsp ginger, minced + separated
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• Montreal Seasoning 

1. pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. prepare glaze by mixing 6 tbsp of hoisin sauce, 2 tsp of ginger, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. 
3. brush glaze over pork and cover with Montreal Seasoning.
4. place in oven safe dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temp reaches 155 degrees.
5. meanwhile, in food processor blend 1 cup chopped pineapple, remaining hoisin, ginger, and soy sauce. 
6. when blended well, empty pork sauce into desired dish and set aside.
7. after pork is finished, remove from oven + let rest for 5-7 minutes. 
8. switch oven to broiler [low], add remaining pineapple to oven safe dish, season with salt + pepper and place right underneath broiler. 
9. cook for 7-10 minutes or until pineapple begins to brown. 
10. slice pork and place roasted pineapple over top. 
11. serve with blended hoisin-pineapple pork sauce. 

I served this with sauteed french-cut green beans + garlic-butter grits. I also made vegetarian option [for a special peskatarian friend] by glazing a veggie burger the same way I did the pork. Judging by her clean plate, I think  it was good! :) 


so about those Oscars...

Read more »

Quiche!

there's something about the word quiche - that makes me want to chant...QUICHE! QUICHE! QUICHE! not sure why. but just thought you should know what goes through my head when I think of one of my favorite breakfast foods. 

Savory + Spicy Quiche 

serves 4

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup almond milk [or your dairy of choice]
• 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 3 chicken sausage links, sliced
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• s+p, to taste
• 1 [pre-made] pie crust

1. heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. roll pie crust into pan, push down sides and prick bottom with fork
3. bake for 8-10 minutes, or until pie crust begins to brown
4. meanwhile, mix eggs, milk, cheese, onions, sausage and s+p
5. pour egg mixture into cooked pie crust
6. reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes 
7. quiche is finished when you can place a tooth-pick in the center and it comes out clean! 

serve with fresh fruit + a hot cup-a-joe! 

xoxo

* using almond milk reduces the fat + calories like whoa! give it a try if you're interested in making a breakfast classic with figure-friendly twist. 

Grilled Chicken with Polenta + Roasted Tomato Sauce

what's for dinner tonight??

in the mood for something light + savory?

check out this quick and easy recipe I came up with. 

I always cook with wine.
sometimes I even put it in the food! 

Grilled Chicken with Polenta + Roasted Tomato Sauce

serves 4

• 4-6 [depending on size] chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
• to make this extra quick I used Tyson's Frozen Grilled Chicken Breasts-4 mins microwave and you've got tender, juice, right off the grill chicken. seriously. 
• 1 package polenta [sun-dried tomato if you can find it!]
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 1 cup baby-bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1/3 cup red wine 
• 2-3 tbsps parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp red pepper flakes

1. begin by sauteing onions in EVOO over med-high heat.
2. when onions become translucent, add mushrooms and garlic.
3. after mushrooms become tender and golden, add tomatoes.
4. stir to combine mushrooms + onions, add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and wine. 
5. once mixture is bubbly, add spinach and season with s + p. 
6. let simmer until spinach wilts and liquid reduces by 1/4. 
7. remove mixture to separate bowl. 
8. return pan to stove, coat with non-stick olive oil spray, add 5-6 slices of polenta.
9. cook 2-3 minutes per side or until it becomes tender and golden.
10. layer your plate with polenta, chicken, tomato sauce, and parmesan. [as seen below!]

hope you're enjoying your weekend! 

come back tomorrow for a yummy quiche recipe :)

xoxo

Vegetable Fried Rice

sometimes [not often] I have happy accidents in the kitchen. yesterday I was trying to come up with something [without going to the store] to have on hand for my husband and I to have for lunches. I had veggie burgers, a couple of ready rice options, frozen broccoli, and eggs. with some quick thinking and my "go-to" ingredients, I came up with a delicious and fast fried rice recipe.

and it goes a little something like this...

Vegetable Fried Rice 

• 2 veggie burgers
• 3 cups frozen broccoli
• 1 package Uncle Ben's Ready Rice -- Teriyaki Style , cooked 
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp EVOO, separated
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce 
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, separated
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed in 1/2 cup [cool] water

1. heat 2 tbsp EVOO, chili garlic sauce, honey, and ginger over med-heat in a large pan.
2. blend mixture with whisk. 
3. when it begins to bubble--add cornstarch liquid and whisk together until well blended. 
4. then add broccoli and toss in sauce. 
5. reduce heat and cover. let cook [stirring occasionally] for 8-10 minutes, or until broccoli is no longer frozen and cooked through. 
6. empty cooked broccoli mixture into a separate bowl.
7. return pan to high heat.
8. add remaining EVOO and veggie burgers to pan.
9. sprinkle 1 tbsp of soy sauce over veggie burgers.
10. break apart veggie burgers into small chunks as you cook them. 
11. when veggie burgers are browned, add rice to pan. 
12. saute until rice begins to brown and crisp a bit.
13. push rice + veggie burger mixture to one side of the pan, and scramble eggs in free pan space. 
14. once eggs are scrambled, fold into rice mixture.
15. add broccoli mixture to rice mixture and saute together. 
16. remove from heat and serve it up! 

thinking of switching up your daily lunch routine? 

check out these great sandwich solutions I spotted on Pinterest! 

xoxo 

pizza party!

last night some girlfriends came over and we had ourselves a little pizza party ! I provided the pizza crusts, sauces, cheese, and they brought toppings to share. it was such a nice mid-week break. nothing like pizza, wine, and giggly girls to make things all seem right with the world!

we used sandwich thins for pizza crust--they make perfect mini pizzas!

[[only 50 calories per slice + 100 % whole wheat!]]

for pizza sauces we had pesto + homemade tomato sauce

[1 can tomato paste + 1 tbsp italian seasoning, 1 tbsp garlic powder, s+p]

toppings included:

sliced black olives, chopped green pepper, chopped yellow onion, 

pepporoni slices, sliced baby bella mushroom, sliced cherry tomatoes, baby spinach,  

shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded mexican-blend cheese, and fresh cilantro

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

choose your pizza sauce, spread on pizza thin, and layer with desired toppings!

[the more the yummier!]

sprinkle toppings with Italian seasoning for a little extra kick!

place pizzas on foil lined pan. spray foil with a non-stick olive oil spray.

bake until cheese begins to melt + crust is crispy!

the possibilities are endless--enjoy!

pork + sauerkraut

slow cooked pork + sauerkraut...

smells like Thanksgiving. 

feels like one of mom's hugs. 

tastes sensational! 

best part---it's soooo easy! 

Pork + Sauerkraut with Whipped Mashed Potatoes
recipe by: Momma Marj 

• 1 1/2 - 2lbs of pork shoulder, trim most fat and cut into large chunks
• 2 bags of uncooked [uncanned] sauerkraut
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 bottle of beer [we use Yuengling]
• 1 tbsp caraway seeds

1. combine all ingredients in a roasting pan. 
2. place in oven @ 325 for 3-4 hours covered. 
3. if it seems like the meat is drying out, add more beer.
4. serve over mashed potatoes.

best served with homemade applesauce...like grandma used to make!! :)

enjoy! 

breakfast of champions

morning! saturday mornings' mean breakfast in our pjs, no alarm clock, catching up over coffee, and staying in our pjs until it may no longer be "morning." saturday mornings also mean I have time to make things like this...

Poached Eggs with Soy Sausage and Butter Grits 
240 calories. seriously!

• eggs
• soy sausage [Morningstar is the best!]
• instant butter grits
• green onions
• salt + pepper 

1. cook grits + sausage according to directions. 
2. poach eggs [[add 2 tsbp of vinegar to gently boiling water]] 
3. layer a bowl with grits, sausage, and eggs.
4. sprinkle with green onions and s+p to taste. 

enjoy! 

not sure how to poach eggs? check out this how-to. trust me--it takes practice. don't be hard on yourself if they aren't perfect the 1st time 'round. ;)

Quinoa Cakes

lean-mean-high-protein-fighting machines! that's what my husband and I hope to become in the next 90 days...well, my husband is a tad more motivated than me. I would just like to tone it up [[Jane Fonda style]]. last month he got P90X--so our meals have been aimed at being high in protein + fiber and low in calories.  


Here's one that hit the spot ! 

EVOO + lemon juice + salt and pepper @ 375 degrees. perfect roasted asparagus. 

Grilled Steak with Quinoa Cakes and Roasted Asparagus 


Quinoa Cakes

• 1 cup of cooked Quinoa
• 1 tbsp pesto
• 2 egg
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp EVOO, separated 

definitely not perfectly round cakes. ehh--still were delish! 

1. saute onions with one tbsp of evoo, until soft + translucent. 
2. meanwhile; combine eggs, pesto, red pepper flakes, italian seasoning, bread crumbs, and cheese in medium bowl. 
3. add egg mixture, onions, and cooked quinoa to bowl. 
4. stir until evenly coated. 
5. using your hands, create small [palm-sized] balls of quinoa mixture. 
6. add remaining EVOO to med-high heated pan. 
7. place cakes in pan, cook for 2-3 minutes or until crispy and brown on each side.  

curious about quinoa? check out some nutritional facts about this incredible grain. 

fly me to the moon

you ever have one of those weeks when you blink and suddenly it's Wednesday night?! yeah..that just happened. guess this phenom occurs when you spend your weekend in another state, dancing your little bum off, and laughing till your sides hurt or you just fall over. this weekend was perfection. catching up with friends as if we didn't miss a beat. taking trips down memory lane--like it's going out of style. it's these kind of weekend retreats that I savor...I will be treasuring this past weekend for a long-long time. 

apparently we were the only ones who got the memo...

the happy couple! xo

lets catch up a bit-- shall we?!

smash notebooks-->found at JoAnns. in love with all the little bits + pieces.

messy/random scrapbooking--yes please! i will be starting mine this weekend. 

[[when I catch my breath!]]

arm-candy. layering bracelets upon bracelets.
accessorize it peeps. 

this fashionista from Atlantic-Pacific inspires me daily.
check. her. out.

completely head-over-heels for this show...again!
currently reliving all the awkward Felicity moments,
followed by the long thoughtful pauses + indie rock soundtrack.
thank you, Netflix.

met my husband while student-teaching at an elementary school. 

 truth is--I watched the kindergartners chase him around the playground. 

[[heart--melting]]

my valentine's dinner for one. 

awww.

don't worry, I wasn't having a pity-party. 

the hubby had to coach...I survived :)

roasted asparagus, red pepper hummus, pita chips, genoa salami + capicola 

[[annnd a couple episodes of Felicity]]

fun fact: 3 months from today we will be celebrating 

our 2nd wedding anniversary. [[say whhaaat?]]

brownie points to the hubs for pointing that out this mornin'. 

whitney houston...died? 

so strange. so sad. [[so preventable?!]]

leave it to GLEE to have the most amazing tribute.

on that note...

i'm out. 

toodles! 

back soon with some recipes...promise. 

xoxo