What I Ate Wednesday #25

Week 25! Woot woot! It’s hard to believe I’ve been sharing my meals for 25 weeks now. It sure has been fun to look back at all my posts and see how much (or little) my eating patterns have varied!

And can you believe it is going to be August tomorrow? Not me. I do not know where this summer went. There are so many fun summer things I want to get done before I’m back in school! Like see a movie in the park, walk along the waterfront, picnic in Central Park, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, try a new farmer’s market, and the list goes on and on!

But for now, let’s get to the food! This past weekend I went shopping at Trader Joe’s and had a grand time. I love grocery shopping! I also ended up picking up something I haven’t had since I was back in undergrad, Trader Joe’s frozen waffles.

Oh yes. I made a glorious peanut butter banana and honey waffle stack.

Look at those layers!

And that drippy peanut butter and honey. Mmmhmm.

Lunch on the weekend consisted of a pita, veggie and hummus plate. With a grape banana, vanilla orange yogurt fruit salad on the side.

My plate was full of green and gold, my Wisconsin roots and the Green Bay Packers must have been in the back of my mind!

For snack I ended up having a chocolate brownie Zbar. I really loved these things a few years ago and thought I’d get a box since I found them on sale (score!). However, they were a bit disappointing and not quite as tasty as I remember…They were actually a little dry, maybe they were a bit old? Who knows.

For dinner I made veggie burgers. My fav! This time I made a Curry Turmeric Chickpea Burger. Delish.

And for dessert I had a slice of the banoffee pie I made the day before at a cooking class in the city.

I had a blast baking with a bunch of food-loving people and creating this banana, dulce de leche pie with espresso whipped cream. Phenomenal!

Super super sweet though, so you only need a sliver of pie at a time. I didn’t even eat this whole piece, I just wanted to make sure to get a good picture of it!

Have a wonderful, wonderful Wednesday!

Thanks to Jenn for hosting!

And of course, Happy Birthday Harry Potter!

Sydney

Orange Vanilla Cardamom Overnight Oats

Good Morning, Sunshine! If you want to start your day off on the right note, you must make this for your next breakfast.

Orange Vanilla Cardamom Overnight Oats. Absolutely incredible. Here is what you’ll need (plus chia seeds)!

In this version of overnight oats I used a ripe banana and orange vanilla Chobani to give the oats a light, fruity and sweet flavor. Perfecto!

I also used cardamom for the first time. And, oh my word, cardamom is pure bliss. I’ve always wanted to try cardamom, and I’m glad I finally did. Although it tends to be a bit expensive in comparison to other spices, you don’t need to use a lot to get an amazingly complex sweet and spicy burst of flavor in your dishes. A little bottle of cardamom goes a long way!

The texture of these oats was also perfect. They were creamy, chewy, and a bit soupy. It was almost like an oatmeal smoothie, which I loved!

The combo of flavors in this jar turned out to be so satisfying that I didn’t even want to add any toppings in the morning. Which is bizarre. Because I always love adding toppings to give the oats extra flavor, texture and nutrients. But for this time, I kept it plain. Sometimes keeping things simple gives you the best results!

Orange Vanilla Cardamom Overnight Oats

Serves 1

1/2 cup of old fashioned oats

1 ripe banana (not too ripe or spotty though), sliced

1/2 tbsp chia seeds

3 tbsp of Orange Vanilla Chobani

2 cardamom pods

3/4 cup of almond milk

To make these oats, grab a mason jar, lid, and all the ingredients.

Start by adding the oats and sliced banana into the jar. In the ingredients list I said to use a ripe banana, but not too ripe, because I don’t want the banana flavor to overpower the orange, vanilla, and cardamom. Use a banana that is just ripe enough to be sweet.

Next add in the chia seeds, Chobani, and almond milk, put the lid on the jar and shake away. This is the best part of making overnight oats, mixing everything right in the jar without making a mess or using extra dishes!

Lastly, you’ll want to break open the cardamom pods to extract the dark brown, blackish seeds from within. This will smell heavenly, by the way. And once you have the seeds extracted, you’ll want to crush and grind them into a powder as best you can. I just chopped the seeds into as small of pieces as I could and then crushed them with a knife on a cutting board.

When the cardamom is the consistency of a powder, sprinkle it inside of the mason jar, and give the whole thing one more shake.

Place in fridge overnight, and when you wake up in the morning you’ll have a lovely breakfast awaiting you. Enjoy!

Such a wonderful way to start your day,

Sydney

Tangy Lemon Tahini Mustard Dressing

I eat salads a lot. Like, a lot a lot. However, I never buy dressing when I am at the grocery store. Basically I always use balsamic vinegar or maybe a little hummus to dress my salads.

I’m not sure why I don’t ever buy dressings, maybe it’s because a lot of the brands contain a lot of unnecessary ingredients, or I don’t want to spend a few extra dollars on something when I enjoy using ingredients I’ve already got around my house…Anyway, today I thought I’d break out of my balsamic vinegar and hummus box and make my own dressing! What I ended up creating was a Tangy Lemon Tahini Mustard Dressing, which I used on top of a fresh kale salad with tomatoes, yellow zucchini and cucumber.

The dressing was delicious! It was tart, tangy and super creamy. The tartness from the lemon, the tanginess from the mustard, and the creamy yumminess from the tahini.

Seriously, why haven’t I made homemade dressings more often!? There are endless ways to make flavorful dressings with just a handful of ingredients. I cannot wait to try out some more!

Tangy Lemon Tahini Mustard Dressing

Makes enough for one salad

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon of hot and spicy mango mustard

1/2 tbsp of tahini.

To make the dressing simply whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl with a fork. Ta-da! Homemade salad dressing! Enjoy!

Happy Saturday,

Sydney

Sweet and Spicy Rice and Beans

I fell in love with the simple, delicious, and nutritious dish of rice and beans a few months ago when I made them myself for the first time. Rice and beans make a wonderful foundation for a meal that can be jazzed up with all sorts of veggies, spices and sauces!

This time I made Sweet and Spicy Rice and Beans, totally a winner.

I found this hot and spicy mango mustard in the grocery store the last time I was in, and I couldn’t wait to start incorporating it into my dishes. I used the mustard along with some BBQ sauce to give the dish a little more flavor.

And it worked! It turned out to be full of flavor! There was a subtle hint of sweetness, but also a good kick from the mustard and red pepper flakes. All in all it was a great dish.

And chock full of veggies too. You can’t go wrong!

Sweet and Spicy Rice and Beans

Serves 4

1 cup of brown rice, uncooked

3/4 cup of corn, frozen

1 cup of bell pepper and onion mix, frozen

1/2 cup of peas, frozen

1 can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp hot and spicy mango mustard

1 tbsp of BBQ sauce

1 tbsp ginger citrus seasoning

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp chili powder

a dash of crushed red pepper flakes

To make this dish, start by cooking the rice according to package directions.

WIth about 10-15 minutes left to go on the rice, heat a skillet with olive oil to medium heat.

When the skillet is hot, add in the frozen bell peppers, onions, corn and peas. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes.

Add in the beans and all the spices and stir to coat the veggies.

Turn down heat to medium low, add in the mustard and BBQ sauce, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so (stirring occasionally and until warmed through).

When the rice is done and the veggie/bean mixture is hot (in spiciness and in temperature), you are ready to eat! Enjoy!

Trying new foods is fun,

Sydney

What I Ate Wednesday #24

Mmmm, breakfast on Monday morning was absolutely scrumptious!

I finally mixed up my morning food routine a bit and thought it would be great to share for WIAW!

It was a glorious yogurt bowl! Featuring a new (at least for me!) Chobani flavor. Coconut!

I layered the yogurt on the bottom of my bowl, and then I started piling on the toppings. Oh the toppings!

I had banana, blueberries, Kashi’s Blackberry Hills cereal, drippy peanut butter and chia seeds.Yes please.

After I chatted with my Dad on the phone for a bit, I had some of this tea mid-morning…and I liked it! I liked tea! The mint flavor was so refreshing, and the slight sweetness was spot on.

On Mondays I am at my internship for the summer, so I had lunch sitting at my desk. It didn’t make for an exciting picture though, so since lunch ended up being the same as the day before I used the pic from the at-home version instead! I had hummus and lettuce, zucchini and cucumber stuffed pita pockets, and a juicy, juicy nectarine. Nature’s candy!

Afternoon/early evening snack was a ginger peach cookie, and some grapes. This was the first time all summer I bought grapes, and boy was it worth it!

For dinner I made Spicy Rice and Beans. Well, spicy for me at least. I can’t handle much heat but I am trying to build up my tolerance. These beans included diced jalapeños and a hot and spicy mango mustard.

It was quite lovely! Recipe coming soon.

And to finish off the night, while I was doing a little fun reading, I think I may have discovered one of the best desserts ever. Seriously, it was so simple, and so insanely delicious. Behold…Triple Drizzle Rice Cakes.

Dark chocolate. And peanut butter. And honey. Oh my!

Sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy. I think I’ll have five more please.

As always, enjoy your Wednesday friends!

And thanks to Jenn for hosting this WIAW fiesta.

TGIW,

Sydney

Ginger Peach Cookies

Helllllooo peaches! After buying a bunch of peaches at the farmer’s market at the beginning of last week, I came to the realization that they would all ripen at the exact same time…Which means I needed to come up with a recipe that would allow me to use up a handful of them at once, or I’d be left with like fifty overripe, mushy peaches. And that wouldn’t be any fun.

And after debating about whether to make peach pie or peach cobbler or peach crisp, I finally decided to go in another direction and that making peach cookies would be the best! Ginger Peach Cookies to be exact.

To be honest, these cookies really grew on me as I ate them. Initially I made them to bring to two of my friends’ housewarming party, but when I took them out of the oven and had my first bite I thought the taste was a bit too subtle for winning over a party crowd. They were good, but not shut the front door good.

The flavor from the peach was overshadowed a bit by the ginger. I had initially hoped the peach would be the star of the show, however, with the hint of sweetness from the brown sugar and the warm cinnamon spice I think it created a very complimentary flavor palate. I ended up quite enjoying the blend of flavors and the texture (especially when you got a bite of the peach).

I think these would make a great breakfast cookie. If there is such a thing!

These cookies are also vegan and a cinch to make. So what are you waiting for? Go get your breakfast cookies on!

Ginger Peach Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

3 ripe very peaches, peeled

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp ginger spread (like ginger jam)

1 flax egg

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup of old fashioned oats

To make these cookies begin with making the flax egg. Simply combine 1 tbsp of ground flax seed with 3 tbsp of water, stir, and set in fridge for about 7-10 minutes (or until the mixture becomes gel-like).

While the flax egg is setting, mash the peaches in a large mixing bowl and then add the brown sugar, vanilla, and ginger spread. Stir with a fork to combine.

When the flax egg is ready, add to the peach mixture and stir again.

In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. When combined, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together.

Place the batter in the fridge for about 30 minutes before baking.

When ready to bake, turn the oven to 325 degrees, and place 12 cookies on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15-18. Enjoy!

Heading out to go grocery shopping,

Sydney

Golden Delicious Summer Side Dish

Yellow. The most glorious color of them all. Sunshiny, bright, cheery, warm and comforting. Yellow.

This summer side dish was inspired by all things yellow I found at the farmer’s market.

Corn, zucchini, onion and dried lemon peel. Yellow, yellow, yellow, and yellow!

Hope this brightens up your day, and your taste buds!

Golden Delicious Summer Side Dish

Serves 2

1/2 cup of farro, uncooked

1/2 of a yellow zucchini, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 ear of corn, raw, cut off the cob

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1/2 tbsp dried lemon peel

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic, minced

In order to make this dish, start by cooking the farro to package directions.

While the farro is cooking, heat a skillet with olive oil to medium heat and add in the zucchini, onions and garlic. Stir mixture occasionally for 10-12 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

When the veggies are tender, turn off heat and mix in basil and dried lemon peel.

As soon as the farro is done cooking, combine with the ear of corn in a medium mixing bowl. Then add in the zucchini mixture and stir. Eat while warm! Enjoy!

Yellow is a girl’s best friend,

Sydney

What I Ate Wednesday #23

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday. Such a wonderful day! In the food blogosphere, Wednesdays often lend themselves to a peek into the typical daily eats of food bloggers from across the globe. An amazing, fun, inspiring and delicious concept! Thanks as always to Jenn for hosting this WIAW party!

As for my post today, this represents my eats from yesterday. After sleeping in until 9:00 (which is very late for me), and then catching up with emails and phone calls for an hour, I didn’t actually eat breakfast until 10:00. Crazy. By that point I didn’t want to eat a big meal and throw off my eating schedule for the rest of the day, so I decided to go with a Bananas Foster Uber Larabar.

It was pretty good, I liked the flavor which was a blend of sweet banana and a hint of nuttiness. But the ultra-sticky texture made it a bit hard to eat.

Loved the ingredient list though!

For lunch I made a big farmer’s market salad! I used the lettuce, tomato and cucumber I bought at the market a few days ago, and then drizzled some pomegranate balsamic vinegar on top. Heaven! Around the plate were pieces of kalamata olive loaf bread that I also bought at the market, and some of the pieces I spread a little sun-dried tomato hummus on. Taste! I had a couple more slices of the bread after that plate, it was just that good.

The balsamic vinegar I brought back with me from Wisconsin, so glad I did!

Then I also had a glorious nectarine on the side. Nectarines are definitely my favorite fruit. Of all time!

As I waited for the repair man to come fix our dishwasher that afternoon I made myself a glass of tea. I am not a huge tea drinker, I love chai, but that’s about it. I really want to love tea, there are so many varieties that I don’t want to just dismiss the whole tea category, so I bought a new kind to try.

This stuff smelled amazing, and the ingredient list had so many things that I love! Cocoa, chili, ginger, cinnamon, bourbon vanilla cinnamon and cloves!

I made my tea in a mason jar. I love using mason jars for food and drink! And I thought the tea was pretty good too. Definitely better than some other flavors I’ve tried.

By mid-afternoon I became a bit hungry. I was working on preparing for my new internship (which by the time you read this post I will have officially started!), and decided to finish up my peanut butter rice crispy bar from Kavarna (my favorite vegetarian restaurant back home). These are the best, most scrumptious peanut butter bars I’ve ever had. Yum!

For dinner I went out with a lovely NJ friend, and we had the most amazing meal. It started with this delicious bread basket, full of a variety of breads.

We both ordered the Avocado Asparagus Sandwich with Halloumi Cheese, which came with a Watermelon Radish salad.

Both the sandwich and the salad were phenomenal. So fresh and full of flavor!

Afterwards we stopped on the way home for some ice cream. It was still about 90 degrees out and ice cream never sounded so good. Look at all these options!

In the end I went with the Banana Peanut Butter Chunk. Best. Decision. Ever. It was pure creamy, dreamy yumminess.

My friend and I ended the night with a much overdue Gilmore Girls marathon. We went for a season one throwback night. Ahh, the early days of Luke and Lorelai.

Hope you have a fabulous Wednesday!

TGIW,

Sydney

Blueberry Coconut Mojito

Summer in a glass. Light, refreshing, and oh so tasty! A Blueberry Coconut Mojito.

Mojitos have to be my favorite summer drink. Whether a classic, passionfruit or mango mojito, I always love the result. Yum!

The coconut rum in this mojito compliments the fresh blueberries and mint so well. Loved it! So what are you waiting for? Go make yourself a mojito and enjoy it outside while you are soaking up the glorious summer sun!

Blueberry Coconut Mojito

Serves 1

Recipe adapted from The Novice Chef

1/2 cup of fresh blueberries

2 oz. coconut rum

10 fresh mint leaves

1 teaspoon of sugar

Juice of one lime

6 oz. of sparkling water

Ice

To make the mojito start by blending the fresh blueberries in a blender until puréed.

Then, add the mint leaves and sugar to a cocktail shaker and use the end of a wooden spoon to muddle the leaves and sugar.

Next, add in the blueberries, rum, lime juice and sparkling water and shake. Shake, and shake some more.

Finally, add the ice into a glass and pour the mojito mixture over top. Enjoy!

Mint makes my day,

Sydney

What I Ate Wednesday #22

Happy WIAW! Week 22! I cannot believe that I have been sharing the foods I’ve eaten in a typical day for the past 22 weeks. This time, however, since I’ve been traveling a lot lately I’ve decided to just share some recent meals that I’ve consumed.  And some delicious meals at that!

My first morning back in Wisconsin I had a Udis gluten free lemon streusel muffin with fresh grapes and raspberries. Delish!

Up north this past week I had a salad of greens and veggies topped with a cold quinoa salad, carrots and a roll.

This was so fresh and full of flavor. I love salads!

My mother baked a blueberry basil and goat’s cheese pie the other day, and it was definitely the best pie I’ve ever had. Hands down! Fresh basil, sweet blueberries and tangy goat’s cheese. Perfection!

On a family vacation in Door County, my family and I had dinner at The Cookery.

To drink I had their house made ginger ale. It was unbelievable. The fresh ginger flavor was wonderful and I cannot wait to try to recreate this drink at home!

For dinner I ordered the vegetable kebobs that came served over a wild rice mix with an apricot mustard sauce. Another phenomenal meal!

Make sure to stop by Jenn’s page, the lovely host for this blog party every week!

TGIW,

Sydney