For the last couple of weeks my boyfriend had been exploring Canada and Alaska with his mom. I've become so accustom to cooking for two that cooking for one was quite the challenge! I realized a couple days in that the best course of action was to make things that would hold up well into the next day so I could have leftovers for the next day's lunch.
Yes, I am a little crazy...I mean, it's like 100 degrees out and super humid so naturally I decided this was a perfect day to bake. I was going to be hot anyway, right? But I'm happy I'm crazy. Because boy did I come up with a treat!
You might recall earlier in January when I posted my recipe for Iced Blood Orange Shortbread Cookies. In that post I mentioned that the basis for any shortbread cookie I make is the same. Think of these as that cookie's tart, summery cousin. Baking on a hot day may be crazy, but enjoying the flavors of lemon and cherry in crisp buttery form makes it well worth it. I really wasn't sure what I wanted my next post to be. All I knew was I wanted something super easy. I ran a half marathon over the weekend (my first! I'm now addicted) and needless to say I've been very sore since. So the less time spent on my feet doing anything - even cooking - the better.
While grocery shopping a couple days ago I bought some crunchy sesame pita sticks for no particular reason other than they were in front of my face and looked good. I thought maybe I could munch on them throughout the week with some hummus or guacamole or something. After getting home from work today I remembered the sticks. So I looked in my cabinets and figured out what I wanted to make. I took the main ingredient of hummus (chickpeas) and the main ingredient of guacamole (avocado) and combined them in this ridiculously easy, super healthy, absolutely delicious dip. Have you all seen the movie Chef? I have a few times now and have not gotten tired of how many food-porn worthy scenes there are. My mouth waters practically the entire time! Anyway, you know the scene where Jon Favreau is cooking pasta for Scarlett Johansson at his apartment? I think that is where I drool the most. It's such a simple looking dish with his heart and soul going into it and Scarlett's reaction upon eating it looks soooo satisfying.
This pasta dish was inspired fully by that scene. Haven't seen the movie yet? I recommend you make this with a friend or two and watch while eating (it's on Netflix currently!). And don't blame me when everyone wants seconds when they see that scene! I am ready to be done with winter. This one has been so cold! I had a tiny break last weekend in Florida and since then I've been craving the sun's warmth. Luckily I have a longer trip in just a week to sunny Australia! But in the meantime I want to feel like I'm already soaking up the sun, even if I'm actually bundled up in a sweater and its 20 degrees outside. The best way to do this? Eating food that reminds me of summer!
And that's where this delicious salad comes in. Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries come together in all their berry-glory to brighten up a bed a spinach. With the addition of thinly sliced cucumber, creamy blue cheese, and a lemon vinaigrette it becomes instantly refreshing. Ahh, I can already feel that summer sun beating down on me. |
AuthorAli is a Brooklyn based blogger and Certified Health Coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, providing you with recipes to inspire you to cook more at home! She is a firm believer in knowing that eating healthy can be made easy and inexpensive if you simply know how to cook and understands that for the average person there needs to be balance between "healthy" and "unhealthy". Whether you are looking for easy weeknight recipes, delicious snacks, or want to try something new, Ali's recipes are easy to follow at all skill levels! For more info about Ali and her offerings, check out the About page. Categories
All
|