baked tofu summer rolls

Pin It I know what you're about to say.  Why would we eat summer rolls when it's not even February?  Shouldn't we be eating winter rolls?  Is there such a thing?  Oh, the questions!!  Let's pretend for a minute that it's warm outside.  Let's pretend that we haven't fallen away from our healthy eating ways too much this week.   Let's eat baked tofu summer rolls! With sweet spicy sauce!  Weee!

These are totally easy to make, especially once you get the hang of rolling the rice papers.  I only managed to tear one.  I don't know how I got so lucky.  Maybe I am a rice paper guru.

You can throw anything you want in these.  I made them vegetarian for the sake of lightness, but I imagine pork or chicken would be mighty tasty.

Recipe for Baked Tofu Summer Rolls


2-3 large rice paper wrappers (found at health or asian food stores)
1 cup baked tofu
1 cucumber, cut into thin spears
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup shaved carrots

Using two hands, run the rice papers under running warm water, one at a time, until pliable.  Lay on cutting board and fill with 1/2 of ingredients.  Fold paper in at ends, then one side, and finish by rolling (like a burrito!).  Cut diagonally and enjoy with dipping sauce!

Sweet Spicy Sauce (whisk with fork to combine)

2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce
dash of red pepper flakes

farro salad

Pin It If you haven't heard it from me or Dr. Oz, you've probably heard somewhere that we all have way too many white starches in our diets.  White flour makes up an insane amount of what we eat: bread, pasta, baked goods, cereals... ahh!  It's endless.  We use these white starches because they are cheap and tasty (well, sort of...), but they aren't doing much for keeping us healthy.  Enter: whole grains!

No... whole grains don't mean cardboard hippie food.  They mean rounded nutrition and a fuller, healthier, and slimmer version of you.  Make it your resolution this year to cut out as many white foods as possible and replace them with their tastier counterparts, like this awesome farro salad!

lemony coffee cake

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Who says coffee cake has to be cinnamon-y or cream cheesy?  Why can't it be lemony?  Oh wait, it can?  Cool!  Let's do it!

This bad boy is like a lemon loaf with buttery streusel topping.  And lemon icing.  And sour cream keepin' it juicy.  Ooooh yeah!!

If you can't tell by now, I'm totally getting my energy back.  I feel like a million bucks compared to the past few days.  Next year, I WILL get a flu shot!  When will I learn these things?

Ok. Back to coffee cake.  You should totally make this for your family this weekend.  Or for yourself tonight.  I won't judge.

hot toddies

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You probably shouldn't listen to much of anything from my fever induced delirium, but I highly suggest you sip one of these hot toddies if you are feeling under the weather.  To give myself an extra boost, I used echinacea tea instead of regular old black.

This has been one of the only things that has given me instant relief.  The honey soothes you, the lemon brightens your spirits, and the whiskey and echinacea numb your pains.  Just don't have more than one or two of these babies.  Echinacea is a powerful thing!  (err.. so is whiskey)

Hot Toddy Recipe
8 oz boiling water
1 echinacea tea bag
1 tablespoon honey
1 slice of lemon
1/2 jigger fine whiskey (I used Makers Mark)

Let steep for a few minutes and sip it down!

chicken pot pies

Pin It If real life is anything like facebook life, I know lots of you are suffering through some sort of cold/flu bug.  Of course, the day after returning from vacation I was hit with the sore throat + headache + body ache woes.  While I thank my body for not ruining my holidays, I curse it for giving this to me RIGHT as I am back to work.  I only have one choice in this matter: muscle through work and get better... fast!

Step 1 for recovery:

Step 2 & 3 include a hot toddy and maximum sleepy time.  

quick & easy apple crisp

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Sometimes dessert just needs to happen.  Sometimes it doesn't need to involve a kitchen-aid mixer or twenty ingredients.  Sometimes it just needs to be easy.  And delicious.  And moderately good for you.

This is great for 2 or 3 people, but can easily made for more.  I didn't even really measure any of these ingredients and it turned out great.

Apple Crisp for 2
5-6 honey crisp (or any) apples, cored and sliced
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup  granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash of salt
1/2 cup butter, diced
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Toss all ingredients together and layer in metal baking pan.  Bake at 375F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake about another 35 minutes.  Remove when apples are soft and fragrant.

Serve with crushed vanilla bean ice cream.

road trip home: the finale!

Pin It Going home only a few times a year has its perks and downfalls.  The downfalls mainly consist of not seeing everyone you hoped to, being spread too thin, and having to say good-bye.  Fortunately for me, I have awesome friends and family who understand and shower me with hilarity at all moments. A glimpse:

Cookbook browsing in my favorite kitchen.

Dead pan photo-ops.

Don't be fooled.  This was immediately followed by giggling.

A puzzle that may or may not get finished.

+

Treasure hunting in my parents house.

& Brian in full participatory spirits.

Yes, that is a version of enthusiasm.

Do you all live far from home?  How do you deal?

Norwegian Cheese + Crab Omelette

Pin It We made it!!  Back in the arms of our hometown- the land of dance parties, nature hikes, and bottles of red wine.  Besides spending quality time with my parents' couch, I get to raid a fridge stocked full of surprises.

meet my friend:

a Crab Meat Omelette with Jarlsberg Cheese, Onion, and Tomato

road trip home: part 1.

Pin It aka is mozart still in the car? or, kentucky highways are alright + have endless amounts of fencing.