Coconut Curry Shrimp. Cilantro-Ginger Brown Basmati/Wild Rice. Sesame Snap Peas. Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Dry Gewurztraminer.

At the end of the day I want three things: sweat pants, a glass of wine and a good meal. Typically I am cooking for one. All the more reason to be fancy and treat myself to some good cookin’!

So what is the key to cooking for one? I have three tips:

1) Use fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients and flavors make meals exciting! A healthy and fresh meal is the best gift you can give to yourself. It’s worth the splurge!

2) Be fearless. Try new dishes! If you find a lasagna recipe meant for 6 servings, MAKE IT! Life is too short to pass up on your cravings.

3) Have fun. Cooking is a release. An opportunity to relax and be creative. Even if you set the fire alarm off and create a disastrous dish no one has to know . Live and learn.

In other news: I am obsessed with sesame seed oil and ginger. I thought of a million new things I HAVE to make while eating dinner tonight. I also had a brief moment when I contemplated making coconut-curry encrusted French toast. The coating on my shrimp was composed of coconut, panko, egg and curry. The “crust” reminded me of French toast. Maybe for dinner one night…I’m seriously debating the French toast idea, it was really good.

I’m off to search for a dessert to eat while watching Glee.

Planning New Meals,

Nora

Do you make fancy meals if it’s just for you?

I was VERY thankful to be in an air-conditioned office building all day. It was about 97 degrees and humid. Not. Good.

When I left work today I knew that I needed a game plan. There was no way I would have survived if I went directly back to my sauna like apartment for the night.  So I asked myself, “What would a foodie with a Target gift card do?”

Answer: Fuel up (it’s going to be a while until you have dinner).Go to Target to buy a food processor. Proceed to the bookstore near target to drink your body weight in water and read about wine.

I gobbled down a Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar, filled my water bottle, and braved the heat. ONWARD SPEED!After about two hours of studying my wine guide, I had to face the sad reality that dinner time was quickly approaching and it was time to head back to my sauna.

Wine Fact of the Day: The “Old World” refers to Europe, where the wines are classified by region. All other wine producing countries must classify by grape.’White Burgundy’ is really just a chardonnay produced in the Burgundy region.

The entire way home I was thinking, “What would a foodie with a food processor and fresh herbs make for dinner when it is 100 degrees out?”

Answer: Make fresh herb pesto. Find a grain, veggies and a protein and make a cold salad.

Basil, Tarragon, Parsley, Mint

My mom sent me back to my apartment yesterday with herbs from her garden!! I wanted to use them as soon as possible and this was a fun, fresh and flavorful way. (Pesto post coming soon!)

For my cold salad, I mixed about 2 TBS fresh herb pesto into 1 serving of brown rice (microwave made haha), asparagus, grape tomatoes, red pepper and topped with pre-cooked shrimp.

This dinner was  easy to make and full of crisp summer time flavors. It almost reminded me of a risotto. Brown rice tends to be sticky and the nutty Parmesan Cheese I added to the pesto gave it a ‘risotto’ feel.

For dessert I had a frozen nut brownie.I’m not sure if I was actually in the mood for a brownie, but I am lacking in the ice cream department. and wanted something cold. Plus, I think I sweat off about 10 pounds while I was making dinner. Need. More. FOOD.

I’m swollen and sweaty but at least I ate well.

Snuggling With My Fan,

Nora

What is your favorite way to use fresh herbs?

Friday Post:

I’m not sure how, but I woke up this morning at 6:30am. I felt completely awake at this ungodly hour, and parted the blinds to reveal the radiant sun. I decided to go for a run. I haven’t exercised in weeks and it was the perfect morning to start-up again. I grabbed half of a petrified Chocolate Almond Fudge Clif Bar and strapped on my running shoes.

It felt so great to run again. I saw many other people out and about running, dog walking and biking, taking advantage of the beautiful morning before it was consumed by the sweltering heat of the afternoon sun. I’m not sure how far I ran, but it was a leisurely 40 minute adventure through my new neighborhood. It made me realize how much I miss running. In the past I have run many races, including a half-marathon in the Fall of 2008. I’m not in any sort of shape to compete, however; it is something I desperately want to get back in to.

When I got back to my quaint apartment, I made the most refreshing green monster smoothie. My smoothie was composed of: 1 large frozen banana, 5 ice cubes, 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder, 1 scoop GREEN Superfood, cinnamon, 1 TBS crunchy natural peanut butter, 2 handfuls of spinach and 1 cup vanilla soy milk.

For some reason it was thicker than usual, and completely rejuvenated me after my run. Shortly after I enjoyed a crisp Jonagold Apple as I read through old food magazines on my floor while waiting for the delivery truck to arrive with my futon. They told me they would arrive sometime between 10:30am and 1:30pm. Good thing I had a bunch of paper sorting to do and didn’t mind being home-bound for the time.

The delivery men came around 11:30am and finished assembling my futon just in time for lunch. I got a bit creative with the contents of my fridge and made a wrap with lots of Cedar’s Original Hummus, feta cheese, grape tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, spinach, cucumber, carrots, button mushrooms and hot sauce. I also had the other half of my navel orange from the previous night’s dinner. My sweet tooth was calling me and I had a piece of dark chocolate almond bark for dessert.

After lunch I headed to the mall. I had ANOTHER appointment at the Apple store to “Meet My Mac” and learn some of the basics of using my new computer. I went a bit early with hopes of using the mall Wi-Fi to post my blog, but the slow connection failed me. I snacked on a PB&J Larabar and Grande Ice Coffee with Soy Milk while feeling completely defeated.

After my appointment I came home to make a semi-real dinner. Using my resources, I marinated some shrimp in BBQ sauce and grilled them on my panini maker. I also assembled a broccoli slaw using 2 cups of pre-made broccoli slaw blend mixed with a sauce composed of 2 TBS Plain Greek Yogurt, juice of 1/4 a lemon, 1 TBS Dijon mustard, cracked black pepper, a few dashes of Sriracha hot sauce and topped with ~1/4 cup garbanzo beans. This was such a refreshing meal for a hot evening and I enjoyed it with a glass of Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve 2008 Chardonnay.

Dessert was exceptional. I have been loving the juicy and sweet strawberries this season and wanted to incorporate them into dessert. I ran out of vanilla ice cream but I found a Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt in my freezer. I let it defrost a bit and topped it with fresh strawberries and MaraNtha Dark Chocolate Almond Spread.

I’m realizing with all of these new changes in my life that there are some great expenses. During college, I never had to worry about paying rent, a gas bill, internet/cable bill and a food bill. I have always paid for grocery store items, however; I did have a meal plan so it wasn’t a burdensome bill. I’ve always had car and cell phone expenses, but after factoring in all of these additional expenses I starred at my bank account and financial spreadsheet dumbfounded by the reality that I am broke. I know everyone struggles at some point to “make ends meet” so to speak, but it has forced me to reconsider my spending. I’m not a big shopper when it comes to clothes, shoes and accessories but when it comes to food and food related products I tend to throw my money at it. Honestly, there is no real reason that I spend $2 on a snack bar or $9 on a nut butter jar other than curiosity and a love of food. I’m not going to stop eating the things I enjoy, I just need to make sure that I am being a bit more economical.

My internship position is full-time, requiring me to be in the office from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday.  I want to have time after work to do things I enjoy such as exercising, reading and socializing, therefore; in order to avoid eating dinner at 9pm every night or spending unnecessary money on take out, I need to start meal planning, making things ahead of time and getting creative with leftovers.

My blog writings this summer are going to revolve around the mentality of planning healthy, sensible and easy to prepare meals.

Economically Minded,

Nora

What are ways that you save money at the grocery store? Do you create “make-ahead” meals?

Today was a whirlwind. I worked in the bakery from 11am-5pm, headed home to quickly put together dinner before an unexpected commitment  from 6-9pm. I hate days where I am completely thrown off schedule. I end up feeling disorganized and unproductive. The bakery was amazing as always. I seriously love my coworkers and the fast-paced customer service environment. We had our “weekend” pecan sourdough bread, which I happily sampled (multiple times). The best part about working at a grocery store, especially on the weekends: lots of samples. You are guaranteed to never go hungry. On my break, I sat outside and had a few snacks that I packed. It was still a bit cold out, but the sky was a stunning shade of blue that I had to take advantage of. Included in my lunch box were 2 large carrots with hummus, strawberries, Chai Spice Kardea Bar, a large Empire apple and the Mixed Berry Chobani Champions.

I absolutely LOVED this Chobani. It was creamy and had small bits of fruit mixed in. The flavor was outstanding, and I preferred it to the chocolate and honeynana Champion flavors that I have tried. I think this is the perfect light afternoon snack!

I love the texture of Kardea Nutrition Bars. They are dense, chewy and satisfying. You can really taste the cardamom and cloves in the Chai Spice bar. It reminded me of mulled apple cider in the fall. I really liked this bar but wish it had a bit more flavor to it. Maybe more cinnamon?  I might just be a little critical now because I am OBSESSED with the flavor of their Banana Nut. I can’t wait to try Lemon Ginger. Those flavors are so clean and potent that you really can not go wrong!

When I got home I made a mini Green Juice using a small Gala apple, lemon, parsley, celery and kale. This really hit the spot and calmed my “moving-a-million-mies-a-minute” state. It only made a tiny amount, so I think I’m going to have to amp it up a bit with more apple next time. P.S like my new cup? That is my new iced beverage travel cup complete with a screw on top and straw. I LOVE IT! I have been looking for something like this for a while now, and it will be essential this summer for smoothies and juices on the go. I’ll post a better picture later, because I was actually RUNNING out the door as I snapped this.

For my fast and easy dinner I had leftover: Orzo and Veggie Salad with Lemon Shrimp. I added extra veggies and shrimp to my leftover orzo and a bed of spinach. I packed it all up in an old Chinese food container and put it in my lunch box. I like going green! After dinner I grabbed a Non-fat decaf Vanilla Cappuccino at Starbucks, to cure my chill and sweet tooth. It warmed me right up but did not satisfy my dessert craving. A few hours later, and finally home I grabbed some Easter Candy (small handful of PB MMs and few solid chocolate eggs) and a small bowl of Greek Yogurt with 1 frozen banana, sliced strawberries, peanut butter and cacao powder. I wasn’t particularly THAT hungry but it surly dissolved all of my cravings and left me nice and satisfied!

I have a paper due on Monday and I am struggling to focus on it this evening (blooging=work break). I briefly fell asleep and have a lot of other things on my mind. I think the “end of college” mentality is impacting everyone who is about to graduate. I have blissfully been counting down the days until graduation, and can not wait to start the next chapter of my life. I’m not sure what it will be but hope to be HAPPY and work in some section of the food/wine industry. Although I feel like this, my friends do not. They are hanging on to the “precious” month we have left and are anxious about the future. It is a bit frustrating, but I find that when friends have strong opinions that differ, it produces and atmosphere of stress. I’m a lover not a fighter. I try to live my life with a positive approach, however; this stress has been extremely present in my life these past few days. I know that NO one is perfect and that everyone has differing opinions/interests, so I try to embrace things that I do not agree with or understand. Bottom line: I need to remember that it is important to be considerate and value the opinions of others but also honor your own. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to live your life, and it is your life to live the way that makes you happy.  I feel like I have been ranting a bit in my blog, so I’m just going to leave it at that.

Hoping for a Peaceful Sunday,

Nora

What do you do when you are in a “high stress” situation with friends or co-workers? Do you address the issues at hand or let them slide?

For dinner tonight I made a simple cold orzo salad filled with spinach, asparagus, red bell pepper, tomato, sliced kalamata olives and cucumber and topped with seared lemon-thyme shrimp and roasted broccoli. I also had a glass of Spanish Quarter Cabernet-Sauvignon on the side.

Orzo:

-Bring 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Add 1/2 cup orzo pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes.

-Strain the pasta and run under cold water. Place in a medium-sized bowl and add 1/2 TBS olive oil and 1/2 TBS white wine vinegar and toss to coat. Add chopped asparagus (about 2 large stalks) red bell pepper (about 1/4), Roma tomato (about 1/2), kalamata olives (about 5 sliced), cucumber  and torn spinach.

-Top with feta cheese, shrimp and roasted broccoli to serve.

Lemon-Thyme Shrimp

-Defrost 8-10 medium sized shrimp (or use fresh whatever you have access to). Coat with the juice of 1/2 a lemon, cracked back pepper and finely chopped thyme.

-In a small saute pan heat olive oil and garlic. When garlic slightly browns add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes per side.

-Remove shrimp and place on top of pasta.

This was a fantastic and simple dinner. I had ended up having about 3/4 of the pasta mixture (I forgot how much 1/2 a cup of dried pasta ends up being!) and saved the other part for a nice salad topper or side dish for tomorrows lunch! After dinner I had multiple desserts. I started with one of my new samples from Chobani: Chocolate Greek Yogurt. I received a sample of their Champions line in the mail today and have been dying to try the chocolate flavor. It was delicious! It still has the sour taste of Greek yogurt with a slight cacao flavor. It was a bit too sweet for me but delicious nonetheless. When I finished I needed a real chocolate fix. The yogurt was good but I wanted more of a true chocolate flavor. Another Mr. Chocolate Bunny Attack ensued, along with a mini chocolate egg that was in the basket. What can I say, I really love chocolate!

Last we saw.

Became this at one point.

What remains. officially one bite left!

I am beyond stuffed at this point. Good food for a dreary night.

Happy Almost Weekend,

Nora

SIDE NOTE: I took a picture of my dinner with my iphone, thus the poor quality. I was in the comfort of my own apartment with access to a camera but decided against snapping a photo. My room-mate was also making dinner and doesn’t know about my blog. I am a very open person, my family follows my blog and I have told some of my co-workers, however; my friends have a negative connotation associated with the blog world, so I refrain from telling them. When I mentioned my juicer purchase to my room-mate she ridiculed me for it. Every time I “plate” a dish in her presence I get funny looks, and when I speak of my breakfast I get a “I don’t eat breakfast, and if I do then I just grab fruit or something easy…why do you bother?” reaction. In the past when I have documented food at restaurants I receive similar ridicule, so typically it is just easier not to explain my blog to my friends.

Do you openly discuss your blog? Thoughts? I blog because it is what I believe in, and no one would change that for me. In fact if anyone read the New York Times Dining section yesterday, there are LOTS of people who document their food. One of my favorite sentiments in the article was “In the unconscious mind, food equals love because food is our deepest and earliest connection with our caretaker.” People also mentioned that they liked to show off what they are eating and share it with others.  Ultimately the two most important things in my life family and food. I like to share my discoveries, comfort and love of food with those I am closest to because it represents an element of care.  Okay, sorry for the rant.  CHECK OUT THE NY TIMES LINK!!