Tag Archives: Food

Nourishment Lately 3.4.2018

smoothie
{smoothie bowl breakfast, 3/3/18}

Here are some things that have been nourishing me lately!

This salt and pepper roast chicken. I have very little experience cooking meat, so when we started eating it regularly, I turned to NYT Cooking and have been loving this simple salt and pepper roast chicken. I’ve been roasting a whole chicken just about weekly and have been keeping it pretty simple like this – except I’ve been stuffing lemon and garlic into the cavity and adding some other seasoning (thyme and turmeric are my favorite so far).

Popsugar Fitness. I know I’m late in discovering this, but I have been loving Popsugar Fitness videos lately, especially the ones using weights. 

Smoothie bowls. See above! I have been obsessed with smoothies for breakfast for a long time, but mostly just during the summer. I have been craving smoothies lately though, so on weekends I’ve been making smoothie bowl creations. My current obsession is: 1 banana (save a little to slice on top), handful of frozen berries, ~1/4 cup hemp seeds, 1 spoonful of peanut butter, 1 spoonful of yogurt, handful of spinach, small splash of almond milk. I’ve been serving it in a bowl, topped with sliced banana, granola and a drizzle of peanut butter.

These dark chocolate hemp energy bites. I crave chocolate all the time, and these energy bites are a perfect way to healthfully satisfy that craving. They are super easy to make and hold up well if not refrigerated all day.

Comment on this post and let me know – what recipes, food, thoughts, ideas and things have you been loving lately?

Nourishment Lately 2.22.18

unnamed
{sunset battlefield walk 2.20.18}

I sat down to type a nourishment lately post and realized that so much has changed since I last shared. I’ll keep a long story short, but after not eating meat for years, I am eating meat again (ahhhh!!!). Greg and I have changed the way we eat in the last few months and while we’re still consuming lots of plants, we are both now regularly eating animal protein too. Other than that, we’re still focused on eating whole, real foods. One of the main reasons I stopped eating meat was because of factory farming, so it has been important to me that the meat we consume is raised locally, humanely and naturally. Among other things, eating meat has reinforced my appreciation of food and nourishment, and I’m surely grateful for that. So, that all being said – I so badly want to get back into blogging a little more regularly and if I do, don’t be surprised if things seem a bit different food-wise. 😊 I do hope to be posting here more often, and while I’m not sure what that is going to look like, I hope to share more of what makes me happy and what nourishes me.

For now, what has been nourishing me lately:

Farmstead Butcher. I’ll start off with the amazing place where we have been getting our meat! We have been loving Farmstead Buther and would highly recommend it to anyone in the Gettysburg area!

Bota Box Wine. Can’t hide my love of wine and this one has been nourishing me greatly lately. 🙂

NYT Cooking. I have been needing to use recipes more than ever and while NYT Cooking has been a go-to for me for years, I have been loving what I am getting from them lately. 

GT’S Living Foods Trilogy kombucha. This has been life for me lately, and Greg too! We started drinking this a few months ago and now I can’t seem to go a day without it. I have a glass a day – before breakfast, and it makes me so happy :).

I’d love to know – what has been nourishing you lately?

Nourishment Lately 11.2.17

FullSizeR{sunset at my house, 9.27.17}

I’m back for a Nourishment Lately – which has become one of my favorite blog things, even if it is infrequently that I post. I just love the idea of nourishment, I’m always thinking about what nourishes me, and I find it so important to share! I’m realizing right now that enjoying things that nourish me is going to be so very important as we enter this next season of cold weather and little light, as I thrive on sunshine and being outside as much as possible. So, with that, I’d like to share with you some things that have been nourishing me lately, so that maybe they can nourish you, too!

Yoga with Adriene’s Movement Medicine – Energy Practice. I’ve shared my love of Yoga with Adriene before, and this won’t be the last time, but this practice has been LIFE for me for a few months now. When we first got Forest (our puppy) I found myself not doing much yoga and missing it a whole lot. So I decided to change that and I now get up early and do yoga before work and this practice is just what I need(ed).

Dreaming Tree Cabernet Sauvignon. I don’t know that I’ve ever shared an alcoholic beverage in my Nourishment Lately posts, but this wine is definitely a worthy first. It’s not the cheapest bottle of wine that I buy (I buy cheap wine) but I love getting this on occasion. This wine + Yoga with Adriene = medicine. 

Jeopardy. Anyone who knows me knows that I am so, so so not into TV. But one of my mantras lately has been ‘small joys = big deal.’ And as silly as it sounds, I’ve got to be honest with ya – that has been Jeopardy for me. I can’t explain it, but watching Jeopardy makes me so happy lately. The message here: find your Jeopardy and roll with it.

Siggi’s yogurt. Just like I’m not a TV person, I’m not a yogurt person, except for apparently, now I am. I have been OBSESSED with this Siggi’s yogurt lately. I get the 4% mixed berry and have been eating one every single day. A siggi’s a day = one happy girl. It’s even better topped with fruit + granola.

National Geographic magazine. Greg got a free subscription to National Geographic magazine a few months ago and I’ve started reading them, sometimes with breakfast and sometimes before bed, and never have I ever come across a magazine with such amazing content! Greg and I both are reading the magazines cover to cover. It always seems like I get a magazine and am interested in one article, but not with Nat Geo. Again – small joys = big deal!

Other things that have been nourishing me lately, but I don’t have specific links for: hot coffee, homemade bread, butternut squash anything and any and all soup.

I would love to know – what has been nourishing you lately??

Also, to view my other Nourishment Lately posts, click here.

Favorite Brussels Sprouts

Less than a week from now, we’ll be sitting around a table for one of my favorite meals of the year!

And these Brussels sprouts will be in front of me.

words

Greg and I have been cooking together for just about three years now. Over those three years, a few dishes have emerged as a specialty of his, and these sprouts are one of them. 

Greg loves this vegetable and cooks it like a boss. Today, I’m sharing his recipe!

1

2

And really, his recipe is not even a recipe. He does it by taste and by smell and sound. He knows what we like and he makes them awesome. But for today, for you, I put these sprouts into a recipe. Because they are too good to not share. 

This dish is simple. It requires few ingredients. It requires some chopping, some slicing and a little, but not much, attention for cooking. Here’s what you need:

Brussels sprouts
Shallots
Garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

That’s it!

It is one of our favorite side dishes for the two of us, but we also love making it for groups. We have made it the last couple of Thanksgivings for my family, and this year will be no different.

5\

We often talk about how Brussels are one of the most underrated veggies out there, and that is most likely due to many people having a bad Brussels experience. They were served Brussels that weren’t fresh, or that were simply boiled with no seasoning. If you are one of those people, a Brussels sprouts hater, this recipe could change your mind, I promise! 

Part of the magic of cooking is how so few, simple ingredients can come together to taste so darn good. But this, this is a perfect example of that.

When simple Brussels sprouts and shallots come together and get caramelized together in a pan, it is nothing but pure magic. When you sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on those sprouts and shallots, it’s even better. The taste is sweet and smoky. You want to just keep eating more and more and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

6

 The recipe I give you today is somewhat loose. The amount of sprouts you need is dependent on a couple of things – 1) how many people are eating and 2) how hungry those people are.

When making this for just Greg and I for a side dish for a normal dinner, I usually buy 10 Brussels sprouts for each of us.

For every two servings of Brussels sprouts (so in our case, for every 20 sprouts) I use 10 shallots. Yes, 10. It sounds like a lot and it will look like a lot, but the shallots are what make this dish. They get caramelized and sweet and flavorful and as I always say, the more shallots, the better! When you slice them up, you will feel like you have just as many shallots as sprouts, and that’s okay!

Now, Greg and I are big eaters (especially Brussels sprouts eaters!) so this may sound like too many for you. Or not enough! Use your best judgement on how many sprouts each person could eat when making this. 

If you are making this for a large Thanksgiving-like meal where there are tons of other side dishes, then you can probably plan for less Brussels per serving, maybe 5-7 sprouts per person. You can also plan to use less shallots. It would be unreasonable to use 80-100 shallots to serve a large group of people, in my opinion (but go for it if you want!).  

Have questions about making these for a large group? Leave a question in the comments section!

7

If you’re still searching for a simple, no-fuss veggie for your Thanksgiving meal, give these a try! They are always a crowd pleaser. Or maybe, you’re just looking for a simple and delicious way to eat Brussels sprouts any night of the week. These are for you, too! Enjoy!

Favorite Brussels Sprouts
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. Brussels sprouts (I usually do 7-10 per person, depending on the size)
  2. Shallots (For every 15-20 Brussels sprouts, I do 10 shallots)
  3. Fresh garlic, minced (2 large cloves for every 15-20 Brussels sprouts)
  4. Olive oil
  5. Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Cut Brussels sprouts in half and rinse. Thinly slice the shallots.
  2. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot or pan over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and stir.
  3. Add the sliced shallots and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir. Cook shallots over medium heat, stirring every so often, for about five minutes, or until slightly softened and browned.
  4. Add Brussels sprouts to the pan and stir. Cook sprouts over medium heat, covered but stirring frequently so that they don't burn, for 15-20 minutes. Add oil to the pan as needed. I usually add more oil 1-3 times during cooking, so that the sprouts don't burn and stick. Brussels should get browned, caramelized and soft.
  5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
  1. The amounts I provided will serve 2 big servings or 3-4 small servings. See the entire post for info about making these for a large group.
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Shrimp Chowder with Veggies + Vodka Sauce

Time for more soup!

words

The photos of this soup look very similar to the photos I posted a couple weeks ago of sweet potato + black bean chili.

And while the photos look similar, the taste is completely different. This soup is very special and has been a long time coming to you. 

4

I’ve been making this soup for a few years now. It all started after a visit to Greg’s dad and stepmom. His stepmom made us a version of this soup for dinner, and like a lot of things, after one bite, I was in love. 

I asked for the recipe, and Karen wrote it down on an index card for me. Through a couple of moves, I have misplaced the index card, but I have been making and enjoying the soup ever since. 

3

Let me tell you how I’ve been making it.

I start with a lot of veggies. I prefer there to be too many veggies over not enough. I use the classic soup combo of garlic, onion, carrot and celery and also add bell peppers. Green bell peppers are excellent in this soup, and in this batch, I added a yellow one as well. 

Next comes shrimp. I suggest using fresh, good quality, large shrimp. It’s hard to choose a “star” of this soup, but it may just be the shrimp. The shrimp make this soup unique, and having really wonderful shrimp makes it wonderful. I buy fresh shrimp and I peel and devein them myself, but choose whatever you feel comfortable with. 

Vodka sauce. Similar to the shrimp, try not to skimp. Use a good quality jar of vodka sauce. Use a trusted brand, with an ingredient list that is short and recognizable. The best thing, really, would be to make your own, if you’re up for it. I tried homemade vodka sauce once, and it didn’t turn out, so I go the good quality jar route. The vodka sauce in this soup is what makes it so special. To the person eating it, it makes them think, “Just what is that flavor?”

The last element of this soup is broth. If I remember correctly, the original recipe called for beef broth. I don’t usually keep beef broth on hand so I have drifted to using veggie broth for this soup. I love it with veggie broth, but like me, feel free to experiment to find what you love!

8

This soup is: hearty, filling, delicious, warm, a bit spicy and satisfying.

Try adding this recipe to your fall soup rotation, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! 

9

Shrimp Chowder with Veggies + Vodka Sauce
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  2. 1 large yellow onion
  3. 3 medium carrots
  4. 3 celery stalks
  5. 2 bell peppers (I used one green and one yellow)
  6. 1 pound raw peeled + deveined shrimp
  7. 1 jar of good quality vodka sauce
  8. 32 ounces veggie broth
  9. Salt and pepper
  10. Dried oregano
Instructions
  1. Start by prepping all of the veggies. Chop the onion, carrots, celery and peppers to all the same size. Also, cut the peeled and deveined shrimp into bite-sized pieces. I cut each shrimp into three.
  2. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir.
  3. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and peppers to the pot and stir well to coat in oil. Add a pinch of salt and cook 5-10 minutes, until veggies has softened and slightly browned. Add the raw shrimp to the pot and stir. Let cook about 2 minutes, or until the shrimp just begin to turn pink.
  4. Add the vodka sauce and veggie broth to the pot. Stir, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and let soup simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked completely through and veggies are tender.
  5. Season the soup with salt, pepper and dried oregano, to taste.
  6. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/