YUM: Strawberry Brie cups

I just made these for a New Years party and they were not only quick and easy but also delicious.

Buy:
1 wedge of Brie
Strawberry jam
Phyllo cups

Do:
Cube the Brie and place it into the phyllo cups
Bake at 350 for 7 minutes
Remove from oven and scoop jam onto each cheese cup
Bake again at 350 for 3 minutes

Ready to eat in 2 minutes!!!! Crispy and delish!

YUM: Labor Day Guacamole!

Holy guacamole, this stuff is AMAZING!!!!

3 ripe avocados
1 clove garlic
2 small slivers of chopped red onion
1 plum tomato
1.5 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt (plus a pinch)

Mix it all together (without completely smashing the avo's) and you should be set. If you need to keep it fresh for a party (like me) wrap it in saran wrap with the saran actually touching the guac.  Air is what ruins it, so don't leave any room for it.  Also, you can be paranoid like me and throw the pit in along with another glass cover on top.

Enjoy your long holiday weekend!
L

YUM: Overnight Oats with Chia

A friend of mine posted a recipe for this on facebook and I just knew that I had to steal it and make it.  

Done and done.

The hubs and I did a test-run last night with a taste-test this morning resulting in a tastebud explosion, resulting in a unanimous decision. Chia shall soon become my sister-wife. We're in love! This breakfast is SO easy and SO healthy. And even more than that, it is SO filling.  It's definitely an amazing alternative to an egg and cheese bagel sandwich.  Although, I probably shouldn't mention those guys in a post where I'm trying to get people excited about eating chia seeds. I apologize. My b.

Here's the Overnight Oats with Chia recipe (with a couple alterations from yours truly):

1/2 cup Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt (you can use Plain)

2/3 cup Almond Milk (you can use regular Milk)

1 tbsp Chia Seeds

For later:

Healthy (less ingredients on the label/no processed stuff) strawberry jam

1 Banana

Mix all of the top ingredients together in a glass bowl or jar and leave overnight in your fridge.  The next morning, add some strawberry jam and half of a banana or a whole one if you're crazy and voila! Breakfast is served.

My camera is on the fritz, so these awful phone pictures will have to do. Sorry!

Yes my chia is in an old salsa bottle.

It's possible you think this looks grosser than the food in your grandmother's nursing home cafeteria.  That is possible, but please...hold your throw up.  This stuff tastes good! I promise. Now, close your lids and try some. You are going to LOVE it!


xoxo
L

FREE NYC: Madison Square Street Food

Madison Square Park (the home of Shake Shack) is having a super fun extravaganza for hungry folk and foodies alike! (you: YAAAAY!)

Food trucks from ALL OVER park and set up shop to offer you their very best.  The only downside and reason why the title of this post isn't totally true is that the food costs money, but it's free to walk around and pull up a chair should you want to be in the presence of massive meat sandwiches, organic pizzettes, and tasty smelling wine.

OPEN TIL JUNE 1ST, 11am - 9pm.

xoxo
L

All Day BBQ tips

Thompson tips for a successful, chilled out, all-day backyard BBQ:

1. First off, you need a Party Box-o-music along with a Ron Burgundy wearing husband to deejay.

2. WATCH THAT VOLUME! Or don't.  I just wanted to post this picture of my nephew being adorable.  I mean...isn't he?

3.  Don't forget your sunglasses during the day...

...and at also at night. 

4. Next you're going to need to grab your friends. To put in deck jail. Obviously. 

5. As for food...that's the best part!  Tons of fresh, tasty food MUST be around ALL day long. Unfortunately our feast was not pictured, but was thoroughly enjoyed.  Actually, it is not pictured because we were busy thoroughly enjoying it...a little too much.

The menu included: Turkey Burgs/Crockpot Salsa chicken/fresh salad with lemon juice dressing/Spiralized potatoes.

Please notice the purple hippo plate.

6. Lastly, don't forget to bring an awesomely selfless friend with a storm trooper-esque camera to take all of the amazing memory-filled pics!  Thanks, Jac!

xoxo

~L

FREE NYC: 'wichcraft ice cream

I'm sorry (not really), but how purple-y weird and good does this look?!  JOG, nay RUN to 'wichcraft in Bryant Park and grab your free tasty treat!

Veggie Loaves are...not attractive.

Guess what this lucky girl had for lunch?!

A veggie-filled monster turd with cat throw up poured over it!   

Stop, I'm drooling. 

If the 8 year old version of myself ever caught wind that I would later in life become someone who willingly consumed veggies in loaf form, I would have passed out flat on the playground.  Which is actually great because it would give now-me a chance to slide a nice slice of veggie loaf down my little kid gullet.  Gotta get those taste buds ready! YUM!!! This stuff is awesome.
 

YUM: Crock-pot Salsa Chicken

Holy awkwardly easy recipe alert!

I may have stumbled upon the world's easiest crock-pot recipe (from my sister's cooking blog). How did people survive before crock-pots? And how will I exist NOW that I know such a domestic dream exists?!  Will I ever be capable of cooking non-crock-pot again?

Only time will tell, I suppose...

So, here's how the Salsa Chicken taste-fest went down:

My hand-me-down crock pot.

Hour 0: Chicken and slime. YUM.

  

First, I tossed a whole SLOP of Tomatillo green salsa along with Medium Tomato salsa into my cauldron without measuring. Next, I dumped 3 nakey chicken cutlets into the mix and proceeded to shake an ungodly amount of chili powder atop.

Then, I waited.

Hour 4: A bit on the soupy side from the Tomatillo salsa

Four hours later, I turned the heat level from LOW to HIGH and I stirred, chopping at the chicken ever-so-slightly with my witches wooden spoon.

Then came abandonment phase numero dos.

SEVEN hours (total) later, dinner time was upon the Thompson household and THIS is what I found in my crock-pot-o-love:

Poorly photographed, shredded chicken bliss!

We topped with "Follow Your Heart" Vegan Nacho Cheddar, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Remy waited with bated breath for some chicken delicious-ness to fall his way but sadly, it did not (too much chili powder).

I really wish this computer had smell-o-vision.  For your sake.  

Ultimately, I'd say that this meal is quite possibly the crowd pleasing recipe of the century.  It's pleasing for me because I threw stuff in a pot and checked on it twice before delivering perfection, and it's pleasing to hungry burrito lovers because it makes Mexican dinner night WAY more zest-filled and flavorful than ever before.  

Needed:
Chicken breast (however many you want)
Salsa (however much you want to use...I used an entire small container)
Tomatillo Salsa (I used 4 or so "dollops") 
Chili powder - this is better than using taco seasoning (I sprinkled this on there every time i checked on it...about 29 times)


You can't mess this up. I promise.

YUM: Corn on the cob

Try this: 

Corn on the cob with

Cotija cheese  and

smoked paprika

Delicious!

YUM - Mac and Cheese with a side of Spinach, please!

Tonight's dinner only took 3 hours.  Juuuust kidding...it took 2, but it was glorious.  So so glorious.  

Unfortunately, I am a mac and cheese addict.  To the core.  Nowadays I try to use Annie's organic mac and cheese when I want some, but mostly I just avoid the stuff.  Especially if I'm out.  That's why last year, Jeff felt SOOOOOO bad for me (can you imagine never having a baked version of your favorite food?!) and made this fabulous rendition of S'mac.  It's made with whole wheat shells, 1% cottage cheese, low fat extra sharp cheddar, paprika, breadcrumbs, olive oil and organic fat free milk.  Oh, and a couple tablespoons of flour.  

The recipe isn't exactly GOOD for you, but it's a snazzy alternative.  

Cheesy goodness +

Whole Wheat Organic pasta shells +

a tid bit of breadcrumbs =

YUMMY GOODNESS!!!!!

And for our side...

A quick little stir fry of broccoli, garlic and spinach did the trick. 

For all you doers, here's the recipe:

3 Tbsp breadcrumbs

1 Tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 Tsp Paprika

1 3/4 cups low fat milk
1 cup 1% or fat free cottage cheese

3 Tbsp flour

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar or cheese alternative

1/8 Tsp ground nutmeg (we've never had this around to use)

1/4 Tsp salt

Pepper to taste

8 ounces whole wheat pasta (Use an extra cup)

Boil pasta for 4 minutes and then add to:

Heat milk in large sauce pan over medium/high heat until steaming.  Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until meltied.  Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

Add pasta to this delicious sauce. Sprinkle your breadcrumbs atop. And then send it off into the oven (Which is heated to 450 degrees) for 25 to 30 minutes.

VOILA!!!! Yum-ness is yours.

YUM: Valentine Dinner = Complete Success

Woohoo! It's cookin time!  General Tao's Chicken made the Vegetarian way (Yes, I eat a lot of vegetarian food.  No, I'm not a full-fledged vegetarian.)

SO...since Jeff has a crying problem, he threw on my sunglasses and got to chopping the onions.  We used 1 onion less than the recipe from Vegweb.com called for.

 We also threw in some broccoli to sautee.  I love broccoli!

 Morning Star Chik'n Strips are more bomb than 1999.  Try them! 

 Here's our whole battering, or as I like to call it, "antiquing" process:

 And into the cornstarch, you go.

 

 Here were our ingredients.  We will definitely be making this again with so many leftovers!

 Pre-frying.

Mid-frying.

 Post-everything! YUM!!!

 

 Time to eat!

This dish rules.  Next time...a tad more sugar and we'll be as good as gold!

Recipe time:  General Tao's Chk'n.

12 ounce box firm tofu, in 1" cubes (frozen and thawed)  OR Morning Star Chik'n (That's what we did!)
1 egg or egg replacer prepared
    3 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons water, divided
    3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
    vegetable oil (we used virgin olive. Made no difference) for frying + 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
    3 green onions, chopped
    1 tablespoon minced ginger
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    2/3 cup vegetable stock
    1/4 cup granulated sugar
    2 tablespoons soy sauce
    1 tablespoon white vinegar
    1 tablespoon sherry, optional
    red pepper, to taste
    steamed broccoli, to serve

By the way...we had no idea what "divided" meant.  We just kept ingredients away from each other. 

1. Mix the egg and add an additional 3 tablespoons water.  Dip tofu/Chik'n in egg mixture and coat completely.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup cornstarch over tofu and coat completely.  Watch out that the cornstarch doesn't clump up at the bottom of the bowl.

2. Heat oil in pan and fry tofu pieces until golden. Drain oil. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in pan on medium heat.  Add green onions, ginger, and garlic; cook for about 2 minutes.  Be careful not to burn garlic. 

3. Add vegetable stock, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, and red pepper. 

4. Mix 2 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and pour into mixture stirring well.  Add fried tofu/Chik'n and coat evenly.

Serve immediately with steamed broccoli over your choice of rice.

Serves: 4, Preparation time: 30 Minutes

Dessert - An odd rendition of the old Krispie Treat

Kamut (the recipe uses puffed rice) puff krispie treats made without marshmallows may sound kinda terrible...but they aren't!  They're just different!  Be nice.  These treats may not be like the old krispie treats made from the blue box, but they're still super dessert-y and awesome for curbing a sweet tooth in a healthier way.

Here's the recipe, taken from vegweb.com and altered a bit:

Crispy treats!

    1/2 cup agave syrup
    3/4 cup sugar
    1 tablespoon whipped

    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    5 cups puffed rice cereal or Kamut, divided

Directions:

1. Begin by heating the syrup in a small pot over medium heat, then add the sugar to the pot. Stir continuously for a few minutes; you might start to notice it bubbling at the bottom. If it starts to become frothy, turn down the temperature some.

2. When it starts to look like it's boiling, add the margarine. Stir until evenly mixed, then add the vanilla, still stirring. If you notice that the syrup/sugar mixture does not boil, you can turn up the heat.

3. Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, measure out about 5 cups cereal. Pour the heated mixture over the cereal. Stir all ingredients with a heat resistant spatula making sure to evenly combine.

4. You might want to add the remaining cup or more of the cereal, depending on the amount of saturation you're looking for. Lay out a 9x13" piece of wax paper, and lightly spray with oil.

5. When mixture is stirred to satisfaction, pour the cereal on to the wax paper, using the spatula to push it into a large rectangle, approximately 1" or so thick. Allow the rice crispies to cool until hard, about an hour or so (although sampling of a chunk of warm rice crispies is possible for instant gratification!)

Serves: about 20 medium sized squares, Preparation time: 15 prep, 1 hour to cool
 

NYC Love

I've been living in the city this week with my hubby (sans our super pup Remy) due to an unpredictable work schedule of mine.  I was set to have night edits starting at 6pm and ending...whenever they ended which left me a tad worried.  The last train to Maplewood leaves NYC around 1am and I was scared that I may not make it in time.  Missing the train would be horrifying; inevitably leaving me abandoned, homeless, with nowhere to lay my little head but Penn Station's urine soaked linoleum.  HOWEVER, as bleak as that sounds, I was even more scared TO make the train home and endure the 8 minute walk to my front door (train station parking is impossible) all by my lonesome to possibly endure a mugging or worse...a deer mauling.   Needless to say, (my imagination needs saving) staying in NYC was my only real choice.

With two of my best friends off for a whirlwind vaca/business trip to Belgium and Paris leaving their Hells Kitchen apartment wide open AND my parents willing to adopt Remy for the week, The hubs and I were sold.  It was back to the place we met.  Our old stomping grounds. NYC, baby!

We've been here for 3 days now and let me tell you...in the 1.5 years that I have not lived here, nothing has changed.

Immediately after setting my stuff down, I scoured my new territory for a cafe from which to work and landed on Cafe Europa across from the Letterman building. Inside, I grabbed my Hazelnut coffee and went-a-lookin for a seat.  What do you know? None of their 65 tables were free.  Of course not!  It WAS 3:15 on a Wednesday, after all!  Prime lunch/dinner/whothehellknows time for everyone.  I resigned to taking my coffee outside and people-watching from a little cement planter.  Work shmerk.

Next up, I met with my friend to grab a second lunch.  Do I normally eat two lunches, you may ask.  The answer is, "only in New York."  The second lunch was an old reminder that "if a friend is in your neighborhood, do ANYTHING to keep them there."  They're hungry, but you already ate?  Who cares!  Once they leave the confines of your 'hood, they're gone.  And let's be honest, you don't feel like riding out to Brooklyn to visit them, either.  In the city with the best mass transportation system, a subway ride can be as daunting as a plane ride.

After the second lunch on Wednesday, everything fell into place.  The 5 story walk up.  The crowds at 10pm on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  The take out menus.  The happy hour specials that end at 11pm.  The huge dogs peeing all over the defenseless plastic newspaper holders.  The entire block that smells like throw up.  The feeling that you can't get where you're going fast enough.  And just everything.  New York was the first place that I ever really fell in love with because it evokes an actual feeling from me.  I may not miss living there every day...but I couldn't live without it.

YUM - Almond Milk

Yesterday morning was the BEST morning of ALL mornings EVER and it will forever go down in infamy SO LONG AS I AM ALIVE!!!!!  I made almond milk, it was amazing and I highly recommend you do the same.

If you choose to do so, you will need:

-1.5 cups of raw almonds
- small handful of dates (7ish)
- 6.5 cups of water
- 1 tsp of vanilla
- dash of cinnamon

First step: soak your almonds overnight...or 8 hours for you people that only sleep 4.

Next, it's time for you to take their little jackets off until they're left in their skivvies. Once they are, it's WASH (bath?) time!

Grab your dates (that you've already pitted by now) and throw them under the water as well.

Now, throw ALL ingredients into your blender and BLEND like you've never blended before!!!

Once you feel that you've pureed the crap out of this concoction, it is time to open the lid and scoop out the foam.  This stuff is perfect for your morning espresso or coffee.

 Next, it's time to grab your super fine (not meaning attractive) strainer and strain.  The bigger your strainer, the better.  Mine was patience-is-a-virtue sized.

After that, taste a bit and you're all set!!!  Your friends and/or puppy will be green with envy...

as you taste the perfect coffee and granola companion.