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Such an amazingly beautiful and romantic video of food!

It seems that the possibilities for a delicious meal are endless when you have some good chunky red sauce on hand. 

My favorite thing about making things from scratch is the fact that I have complete control over the ingredients that go into what I am eating! This means no long list of supposedly edible items that I am unable to pronounce, but rather healthy and wholesome real food! I also really believe that when you make things from scratch you are also able to save a lot of money, which is always what we are aiming for. 

My easy, go to tomato sauce is simple and can be used in so many different ways (forget the pasta….for now). 

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 onion diced

3 cloves garlic minced

1 can diced tomatoes

Salt pepper and herbs to taste! I use about 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tsp dried basil. However, as always, if you have access to fresh herbs USE THEM!! 

A splash of balsamic vinegar (2 tbsp)

Saute the onion in the olive oil and add the garlic. Throw in you tomatoes, followed by herbs/salt/pepper and vinegar. Allow to simmer. Feel free to puree if you like a smoother sauce. 

This is totally all to taste. Adjust as you see fit and until it tastes good to you!. 

Some Ideas of what to do with it

1. Toss with spaghetti squash and spinach and pair with your favorite sausage (I had chicken and apple sausage!)

2. Add some vegetables (peas, spinach, mushroom….whatever you have on hand) to the sauce and crack some eggs in and bake the eggs in the sauce. Pair with a crusty piece of bread, dipping into the beautiful running yoke and soaking up all that delicious sauce!

3. Toss with quinoa, ground turkey and roasted brussels sprouts (my new favorite vegetable…I simply do not understand why they have such a bad name.)

Really just add it to anything and you will be happy!

YUM!

THE MOST AMAZING PROCRASTINATION TOOL EVER!

Simple is DELICIOUS!

 Tonight, what I thought was going to be an extremely boring meal turned into something way too delicious that had me appreciating the deliciousness of God’s creations. I made some rice in the hopes that it would help with my upset stomach. While the brown rice was cooking up, I sauteed some onion, added some mushrooms and sauteed for a bit longer. I then added some kale with about 2 tablespoons of chicken stock. I searched the cabinet for some herbs and decided to throw in a pinch of sage, thyme and oregano and then the tiniest dash of nutmeg. I then covered it and lowered the heat and allowed that to cook for a little bit. I finished with some salt and pepper and threw that on top of the rice and it was the perfect meal for a cozy and calm night at home. 

It's beginning to look as lot like Christmas!

Well, for the first time in my life I got a REAL Christmas tree. My two best friends/roomies and I got all bundled up and trenched in the snow through a beautiful lot of trees. After much debate (well…really I was the only one debating between the one we all loved and the fat tree that was alone in the corner that I felt bad for), I eventually realized that trees don’t have feelings and gave the ok to buy the one that is pictured above. I loved everything about this experience and now it DEFINITELY feels like christmas! We then came home, strung popcorn, hung ornaments and made our cute little heart string (made with a bunch of paint chips cut into hearts and sewn onto a string) while listening to Christmas music…talk about the perfect evening! We also got stockings for a dollar and decorated and hung them (unfortunately I don’t think Santa will be filling those…) Oh and our beautiful ornaments are courtesy of Emily who went and got old sheets of music and decoupaged them onto ornaments over break. Talk about decorating on a budget! Considering none of us get home until the 23rd…we had to make it feel like Christmas in our apartment!

The tree got halfway decorated…we will see if we ever finish.

Who said you have to be sick to have Chicken Noodle Soup?

I have been back for nearly two weeks now and I am still going strong and I am excited to say that I have had some delicious dinners. I will start with the most heart warming on these cold nights as we head into winter..Chicken noodle soup. Sick or not, this seems to be one of the most satisfying bowls of soup you can have! 

Now if there is anything I have learned while working to create diverse meals on a budget it is the importance of cross utilization! I have had to find a way to use every ingredient multiple time and in many different ways. Now I have also been tyring to buy hardy vegetable that can handle not bening used right away. I picked up some napa cabbage and I have fallen in love with it and have gotten quite a bit of use out of just one small head. One of my favorite ways I have used the cabbage so far has been as a special ingredient to kick the typical chicken noodle soup up a notch.

Soup-er (yes I had to) Simple Chicken Noodle Soup

(My recipes are all made based on what I have around so really just adjust to you liking.)

1 chicken breast (cut into small chunks)

1/2 head of cabbage (maybe 1/4 depending on how large it is) cut into thin slices

2-3 carrots (don’t cut them too thin! So much better when you get a hearty piece of carrot)

Onion, diced

Garlic, minced

Dried (or fresh if you are so lucky :)) thyme, sage parsley…. or whatever herbs you have!)

2/3 cup noodles (whatever you enjoy! I used whole wheat penne and I really love it! A healthy alternative and just kind of fun to have penne in there)

Chicken broth (I used better than bouillion…so easy, a great bang for your buck and a really good resulting broth!) 

Saute your onion until translucent. Add carrot and garlic (note: you can add celery too but I never buy it and am not a big fan and I certainly didn’t miss it…especially with the cabbage.)

Add broth. Add chicken (if it is already cooked wait until the end). Add cabbage. Add seasonings and flavorings. Add pasta (I cooked the pasta in the soup because I like the noodles to get nice and soft but if you like your pasta al dente just cook it and keep it separately and add some noodles in each time you heat yourself up a bowl of soup.)

Allow to simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings.

*Serve with warm toasted bread (HIGHLY recommend the french or italian baby boule from whole foods. They will slice it for you and it is about $1.20 for the loaf…so good right out of the toaster.)

Curl up on the couch with a blanket and your big bowl of chicken noodle soup and dip your crusty french bread as you make your way through the steaming bowl of brothy, vegetably, noodly goodness :) Happy winter (almost…it sure does feel like winter here in Colorado!)

Unfortunately, I wasn’t all snuggled up and cozy when i enjoyed this soup but it did help give me the energy to get through the rest of the night at work!

Feeling like a typical college student....

First Days

DAY 1 and 2:

So I got home after bible study yesterday at 8:30 and right after I entered the door I got my soup going. I knew that if I didn’t start right away I might just end up grabbing the jar of peanut butter. If you get something started right away and then go about your usual after work/school/etc. routine, it is much easier to come back to the kitchen and finish up. Tonight I made the most simple and delicious soup…butternut squash soup paired with a piece of toast with fresh cut tomatoes and an egg on top! MMMM so good. 

Soup:

Saute some onion and garlic in a bit of oil.

Add butternut squash (I recommend buying it pre-cut…it is definitely worth the convenience!)

add just enough broth to cover (veg or chicken, whatever you have on hand)

simmer until the butternut squash is tender

puree

season with salt and pepper and a dash of nutmeg if desired.

I used about two pounds of butternut squash which was perfect because it made for plenty of leftovers! SO…tonight I had soup again, but this time I added a few dashes of cumin and paired is with a corn tortilla filled with a nice salad. It changed up the soup so I didn’t feel like I was having the same thing again and I still have leftovers that I stuck in the freezer for later on! Perfecto. 

My Dinner Challenge

Alright, so it is about time I start practicing what I preach. I LOVE to cook and I LOVE nutrition and I am often pushing for and supporting the idea that people should make their own nutritious balanced meals each night. I know everyone is busy, but it shouldn’t be that hard to throw together a nice meal at the end of the day right? Well last quarter I was thrown for a bit of a loop as I quickly learned the true meaning of the word “busy”. I was guilty of making a peanut butter and jelly for dinner a few times (but don’t worry, I refuse to buy ramen!) I lacked any organization and would grab a few things at the grocery store without any clear idea of the meals I would make. 

Now that I am starting off a new term, fresh from my thanksgiving break, I have the opportunity to get out of my little rut and present myself with a bit of a challenge. My goal is to come back to my apartment and make a nice meal each night. With this comes organization; making a clear menu for the week, creating a really precise grocery list, and prepping and making things ahead of time. I need to prove that I can maintain a busy schedule, and still create nutritious meals each night on a budget and limit waste and PB&J dinners! With this comes the challenge of buying and cooking for 1, which can limit inspiration and motivation. However, I want to prove that whether you are cooking for 1, 2 or twenty, it doesn’t take that much time or effort to put a homemade and nutritious meal on the table each night despite the business that life presents!

Thanksgiving break in pictures...

Chipping Away

Today we did ice carving in labs. It was cold but actually quite fun. My partner and I decided to do a cartoon whale. So….here is the result. 

PHO-nomenal

So it finally happened…I got sick. After an extremely emotional and exhausting week, I woke up on Thursday with a sore throat and I knew, after what has seemed like a few years of wellness, my immune system was down. By Friday night I was feeling pretty awful but my friends and I had all planned to go out to Pho. Now, we tried to see if anyone would deliver, and after that plan failed, we laid on the ground, basically kicking and screaming in hunger and exhaustion, until we finally all convinced ourselved to hop in the cars and get some food. This was a decision I will never regret!

We walked up to was looked like a small dive on the road called and I was beginning to question why and how this had gotten such good reviews. I was quickly reminded of the whole “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” rule. My jaw dropped as I opened the door to see a huge open space with tons of tables completely packed with people. Each person had their bowl of pho and condiments and the room was filled with the tinging of chopsticks, the slurping of noodles, and happy chatter throughout.

In case you don’t know what pho is, it is a vietnamese noodle dish. It is basically a huge bowl of extremely flavorful broth, a ton of noodles and your choice of meat. You order based on the size of the bowl you want…the sizes range from a huge bowl of soup to a bowl of soup that could feed a small country. The best part is that on the side you get a plate full of tons of basil, dendelion greens, bean sprouts and jalapenos. There is also a big platter of soy sauce, siracha, hot chili sauce, hoisin etc. The idea is that you add whatever you want to it to make it as hot, mild, or whatever flavor you want. I got the chicken pho so it was basically a big bowl of vietnamese style chicken noodle soup. It was exactly what the doctor ordered and I can’t wait to go and get more pho soon. Oh and you have to use chopsticks. I am probably the absolute worst at using chopsticks but it adds to the experience and somehow makes it taste that much better. 

Oh and did I mention that I ordered the small and it was more than I could eat and it was only like $5 or something. That made it taste just a bit better :). 

I wish I could live here! Oh wait..I do! Ok last picture of the beauty that is Denver right now… (ok that is probably a lie)

Homemade Potstickers

Homemade potstickers…sooo simple and soooo delicious! Cook up some chicken, throw in some herbs, spices, chilie sauce, zucchini, or whatever you have on hand, throw in the food processor and fill your dumplings. Throw in a lightly* oiled pan, allow to brown a bit, throw in a little broth, cover and steam. YUM!

Morning Bartender

I am quickly learning the art of being a barista. Having barely even brewed a pot of coffee before in my life, this job has declared a challenge for me. After a crash course in the drink making (in which I swear my “teacher” was speaking a different language) I was sort of thrown onto the stage as a “barista” (I keep using that word because it makes me feel so much more official).

Now, nothing will make you feel more clumsy than trying to take people’s highly specific drink orders as you balance in your mind the type of drink, the kind of milk, the size of the cup, the recipe for the drink…Interestingly enough I now find myself easing into the role and speaking the language that is coffee. This may be my only time in life that I feel similar to or relate to a bartender. I find that being a barista is in a sense tending to the “early morning bar”. People come up with their problems, stories, good and often bad moods, desperately in need of their drink, their caffeine, their little pick me up, to get their day started. 

Oh but don’t worry, when I am at work I often find myself reinacting scenes straight out of a movie. Yes, I have brewed coffee into an already full pot, and yes I have turned around to find coffee spilling everywhere (everywhere!), and yes I have done this multiple times. (It is just so hard to remember to switch out the full pot for the empty one at 6 in the morning) I sometimes feel like I am actually getting more practice in the art of cleaning up coffee rather than the art of making it.

 The point is that I really don’t have a point. I am just really starting to enjoy coffee. I feel like a part of a club or something being able to take orders and catch on to the lingo. And who hasn’t always dreamed of using the fun coffee equipment. Can you say skinny, decaf pumpkin spice latte, hold the foam, two extra dry cappuccinos and a light roast drip? 

Slight Change in Weather...

I am pretty sure this past weekend I was happy as a lark, feeling as though it was late-summer, as I rode my bike along beautiful sunny streets and sipped coffee at the farmer’s market. Now I am whistling Christmas tunes thinking about feasting over holiday meals as I stomp through the snow, bundled up from head to toe. The snow is here again but probably not to stay which will only add to my confusion. So as for now…welcome winter? But I will say, as much as I dreaded this dumping of snow when I first heard it was coming, I rather enjoyed my walk through to school this morning. There is something so incredibly peaceful about the snow, it is magical seeing a blanket of white as far as the eye can see covering the world that was oh so recently laden with sunshine. So, it is exciting for now, but come May I will be MORE than ready to see it go. Here we go again…now let the holiday season begin!

Bike Ride Anyone?

Bikes!

Gas is just too expensive so I searched craigslist and found an awesome bike and it has made life even more amazing! This weekend I got home from work and went exploring with my friends. We rode down the gorgeous streets surrounded by bright and vibrant leaves due to the beautiful fall weather. We stopped at a little church with a pumpkin patch in front and then made out way to a little bakery and sat down and enjoyed the sunshine. It was the perfect afternoon. 

This morning my friend and I woke up early and went on a little adventure and rode out to the farmers market. We both got a coffee and strolled the market. We were also each given a free apple and it was beyond incredible :). It was the perfect start to the day!

The weather is perfect and I really wish it could be fall all year long so that I could ride my bike everywhere all the time and enjoy the beautiful colors, the nice cool breeze and the fabulous farmers markets!!

The food ain't so bad in Denver either...

So I have decided that Denver is like this hidden gem. You really have to live here for a bit to truly understand the amazingness of it. For starters it is BEAUTIFUL. I mean, the mountains are in the distance ya, but the trees and cute little streets and parks ah. Also it is no wonder that it is the healthiest city seeing as everywhere you turn there is another cute park where everyone is out walking, running, playing sports, biking, roller skating (and doing all these things with their dogs…which I think is my favorite part!). Yes, the weather is beyond random but you can’t ever say you get sick of it seeing as one day it is below freezing and the next you are outside in shorts and t-shrt soaking up the rays. The houses and little communities are out of a picture book and there are so many fun restaurants and food spots to enjoy. So….can you tell I might like Denver just a little bit???

Pictures are worth a thousand words right? So while I could tell you how amazing Denver is, here is a little peak to help you better understand :)