salmon, veggies & rice

Ok, so yeah, this recipe is pretty straightforward. But delicious, nevertheless.

Salmon + Veggies + Brown Rice (for one!)

Thaw frozen salmon filet in cold water for 30 mins or defrost in microwave for 1.5 mins (checking every 30 seconds so it doesn't cook).

Stick 1/4 cup dry brown rice in a pan and cover with adequate water. Boil.

Throw 1 cup frozen broccoli medley-style veggies in a steamer above water.

Heat grill pan.

When rice starts to get to a rolling boil, turn down to medium-low and cover.

When veggie-water starts to boil, turn down to medium or medium-low.

Season salmon filet with garlic salt + lemon pepper.

Plop salmon skin-down on olive oil-misted grill pan. Cook for 7 mins.

Stir rice and veggies.

Flip salmon over to seasoned side. Cook for 5 mins.

Turn off rice and let sit, covered for 5 mins. Fluff.

Check doneness of veggies.

When everything's completed cooking, remove salmon skin.

Line pasta-style bowl with the cooked brown rice.

Top with steamed veggies.

Top THAT with salmon.

Slice. Toss.

Enjoy!

egg white strawberry-pineapple smoothie

don't knock it 'til you try it.
So, in anticipation of Vegan April (as orchestrated by my sister), I decided to use up as much of my last carton of egg whites as I can.  Which meant I had to get a little creative...

The carton itself had a recipe for a protein shake, so I whipped one up.
And you know what?
It was good.
And PINK!

recipe, courtesy of Egg Beaters egg whites:

1/3 c (PASTEURIZED!) egg whites

6 oz pineapple juice (can also use other fruit juices, preferably low-sugar)

a handful of frozen strawberries

3/4 c of ice

Blend to pink perfection. Enjoy!

(Preferably in a hot car with the windows up and a baby spoon. Gotta love warm weather!)

free cone day

If you're within proximity to a Ben & Jerry's, get thyself a free cone! Now!

I tried the new Cookies & Milk flavor. I approve!

(It's got oatmeal cookies and chocolate-chocolate chip, all mushed up in one delicious melty vanilla ice cream. MMMMMMMM.)

let them eat cake!

So, all this wedding business tends to put my sweet tooth on a specific track:  it wants wedding cake, and it wants it NOW.
What is more classic or perfect for wedding cake than a perfect, classic white cake? Nothing. So what did I do this evening in lieu of attending Greek Sing practice? Baked a white cake. :)

recipe courtesy of Magnolia Bakery in nyc

old-fashioned white cake

1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
4 large egg whites


grease and flour pans. cream butter. add sugar until fluffy. add flour in three parts, alternating with milk and vanilla. beat egg whites until soft peaks. fold into batter. do not overmix. pour batter into cake pan and bake at 350 for 22-25 mins.

frosting (also courtesy of the magnolias)
vanilla buttercream

1/2 cup (a stick) unsalted butter, very soft
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

mix and frost away, frost away!

And yes, I did try to get fancy, and no, it was no great beauty or masterpiece. But it tastes DIVINE. DIVINE.

Go taste some heaven.

(and thank you Dani for going to look up this recipe for me at home!)

(and thank you sweet parents for taking me to sweetwise to learn to frost cakes properly. i still haven't perfected them, but i'm working on it!)

peanut butter tortilla VARIATION!

Early morning breakfast. Required energy boost. What to do?

Peanut butter tortilla time!

But wait... there's only CREAMY low-fat Jif!

What to do?!?!?!

Peanut butter

+

Low-carb tortilla

+

Almond slivers

=

Mmmmmm.

(+ milk)

Grilled to perfection.

UPDATE! Chef's Market Tasting Recap

Check out Ashley's blog post about the Chef's Market Tasting I highlighted last week!

(Lovely pictures are by Donald Yeager)

And if you look REAL carefully at the first picture, you can see me in the top left hand corner! I'm wearing a camel-colored fur coat. :)

eggless crepes

Who knew crepes could taste just as good (maybe better!) but be eggless?! I didn't. But now you (and I!) know. They can.

How to substitute?  Plop down one tablespoon of Greek (or other light vanilla) yogurt in lieu of an egg white. Pour just a teensy bit more skim (or almond) milk to make it a little more liquidy, and there you have it... heaven on a plate.

I realize my pictures are starting to all look alike. I'll work on that.

Recipe as follows....

For 2-3 crepes:

1 tbsp Greek vanilla nonfat yogurt

a little over 1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 scant teaspoon sugar

Mix ingredients, whisk with a fork until smooth (no flour lumps!), and sizzle to your heart's content on a nonstick skillet. Flip. Garnish with mini chocolate chips while still hot if you so desire. A dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip would be lovely too, I'm sure.

grilled pear-and-cheese

Mmm... the not-so-unusual combination of fruit + cheese meets a slightly-more-unusual form by being melted into a delicious grilled sandwich. The results? Delicious.

Ingredients:

2 slices sprouted wheat bread (or whatever you've got)

1/2 slice American cheese

1/2 slice Swiss cheese

2 thin slices ripe pear

Assemble sandwich.  Press in Griddler (or George Foreman Grill, or toast in the oven, or heat on a nonstick pan on the stove). Cut in fours and enjoy!

The combination of both American and Swiss cheeses leads to a wonderful flavor profile:  you have the stronger cheese flavor and more melt from the American, and a more subtle taste from the Swiss (which highlights the pear).  Feel free to try out different combinations of cheeses, and if you want more than 2 half-slices, put more! I just like the ratio of bread-to-cheese to be 2-t0-1.

:)