 When I got home from work today I peaked in the fridge and was convinced there was nothing to make for dinner. Just as I was on the verge of ordering takeout, a minimalist idea popped in my head. I had pasta shells which are a great, filling base for a meal! It was just a matter of what could go with it.
When I think pasta my mind goes immediately to tomatoes. Luckily I had some cherry tomatoes on hand! I had some fresh sage leftover from a few days ago that I figured could be used in place of the classic, basil. Lemon and extra virgin olive oil are things I always have in the pantry (as you should, too!) and with all of that I was set!  Nothing inspires me to bake more than a rainy Sunday. I love being cooped up inside with the sound of rain tapping on the windows and the smell of baked goods in the air! It's so relaxing and home-y. And in the winter I feel it just adds a layer of comfort and warmth.
I'm all about any type of cookie. You just can't go wrong. But shortbread cookies hold a super special place in my heart. They're basically crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth butter and I just love that. I use the same base recipe for my shortbread cookies every time but depending on my mood they either stay plain or get flavored. Being that it is winter and citrus fruit is at its prime, the mood struck for me to flavor them with the sweetness of blood orange.  I LOVE beets. Roasted, pickled, pureed...whatever cooking technique is used I'll eat them right up. My boyfriend, on the other hand, strongly dislikes them. In a perfect world this is ideal because then I can have all of the beets. But this is not a perfect world and what this actually means is I rarely eat beets because we are always cooking for two.
I've always told him I will get him to like beets someday. It may have taken nearly five years, but I've finally done it in the form of beet chips! This was a total win for me. He ended up eating more of the finished product than I did! So if you already like beets or think you dislike them, let this recipe nurture your loving taste for them!  I grocery shop once a week (every Sunday). My boyfriend and I sit down, plan meals for the week, and make a grocery list based on that. Despite the thinking ahead, we always seem to end up with items at the end of the week that need to be used ASAP before they go bad - I'm sure you can relate. Thanks to this unfortunate weekly occurrence, however, this amazing dish was born!
This week's victims? Fresh basil and brussels sprouts. The basil started to brown and wilt in spots. The brussels sprouts were looking sad. I knew I had to rescue them and let them shine in all the glory they were meant to. So the brainstorming began and with the addition of quinoa and sesame these "victims" of my over-shopping became stars in their own right!  With it being holiday party season, chances are you have have been asked to bring something to a party you've been invited to. Buying something totally pre-made just doesn't seem special enough, yet making something from scratch just seems so time consuming - especially for this time of year when you have gifts to buy and wrap and work to finish up before the actual holiday. The solution? Meet in the middle and bring something semi-homemade!
I originally had planned on making puff pastry for this recipe from scratch. But then I started thinking about the day ahead of me - I had Christmas cards to make, presents to finish crocheting, grocery shopping to do...and not enough time to do all of it! Buying pre-made, frozen puff pastry sheets makes a world of difference in time management! With just a few other ingredients you'll be ready to make THE holiday appetizer people can't stop raving about. |
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
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