Sprout & Pea

Improvised meals with leftover ingredients in my refrigerator often wind up being the most fun to cook. I suppose it’s due to the element of surprise that comes from tossing ingredients together and hoping for the best. And when the dish comes out tasting delicious, it’s a rewarding reassurance that maybe I do know what I’m doing in the kitchen. So, with red chard leftover from my tacos, I rummaged through my kitchen and decided on a garlic and chard pasta. Continue reading “Red Chard & Garlic Quinoa Linguine” »

When I arrived at work on a recent Monday morning, my computer wouldn’t turn on so I took it as an opportunity to finally flip through the beautiful cookbook that I had scooped up at a recent book giveaway. It turned out to be a perfect way to start my morning. Recipe after recipe after beautiful photo, my mouth began to water and I grew inspired to play in my kitchen when I returned home that night. Continue reading “Red Chard, Onion & Goat Cheese Tacos” »

It’s always a treat to have my vegan friends join me for dinner because it presents an opportunity for me to get even more creative than usual in my kitchen. Of course there are a many quick, simple vegan dishes that I could have prepared when my friend came over last week, but the problem was that I was craving something warm, savory and creamy. I’m not a fan of fake cheese or meat so I was stumped for a moment. Then I came across quite possibly the most perfect solution- butter bean sage sauce. Continue reading “Quinoa Linguine With Vegan Butter Bean Sage Sauce” »

As we all can attest, the climate has reached extreme levels of unpredictability. So when you find yourself in a t-shirt on a 60 degree day in the middle of winter, you take the longer walk to work, enjoy the sunshine and go with it. It’s also a perfect excuse to enjoy a summer meal one last time before the real cold hits, and this past Monday I did just that. Continue reading “Quinoa Pasta With Asparagus, Lemon & Goat Cheese” »

Sometimes you just can’t eat enough of your favorite food. For me, that’s goat cheese (or any cheese for that matter). This is why I decided to take advantage of the giant log of the tangy, smooth and crumbly white fromage that I had leftover from my Saturday morning breakfast. It was Sunday night, and I wasn’t about to go out to the market and purchase groceries for an end of the weekend dinner, so I decided to make do with what I had around. Continue reading “Quinoa Pasta With Creamy Tomato Goat Cheese & White Wine Sauce” »

Welcome to the start of my twelve plus weeks of one handed meals. Turns out, my little bike accident resulted in me in a hand splint and the possibility of surgery. Crossing fingers that the latter is not necessary. When I heard this news, my first thought was- I’m not going to let this hold me back in the kitchen. Then, I tried to open a can of cannellini beans. I was only partially defeated, getting the can halfway open with the use of a can opener, a knife, a spoon and my armpit. But after a good twenty minutes, I got those beans into the food processor and made myself some delicious bean purée. That was when I decided to take this little set back as an opportunity to get creative, and to invest in an electric can opener. And so I present to you, my first installment of one handed meals. Continue reading “Cheesy Parmesan Quinoa With Sweet Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes” »