Grubarazzi

We lead busy lives that are haphazardly, if not intentionally, guided by rather large to-do lists pushing us in multiple directions. If I’m not careful, these tasks of everyday living can leave me hanging on for dear life, drinking water in spurts, and eating out of to-go containers. In order to maintain a sense of self and my hard earned cooking style, my mantra in the kitchen is “Keep it easy. Keep it fresh. Keep it fun.” When it’s time to plan my favorite meal of the day (dinner) in the middle of busting through work and homework assignments, I think about one ingredient, and then I ask the Google Gods for help. This google search started with “ bacon wrapped pork tenderloin ” and a million recipe links popped up. Five star recipes for a “pork on pork” bonanza had me bouncing from page to page probing the internet for the most amazing bacon wrapped pork tenderloin recipe ever, only to be left torn and confused, oversaturated, like I myself was bacon wrapped pork tenderloin abo...

Anyone who follows me on Instagram or Facebook might know about my obsession with Thomas Keller and finding the perfect roast chicken recipe. When I discovered Keller’s super easy recipe a few years ago, my heart melted. Three ingredients will, every time, without fail, make the best roast chicken you will ever eat. Don’t mistake my love for simplicity as a renunciation for other, more difficult, methods of chicken roasting. There is something god-like about a chicken slathered in butter, stuffed with aromatics with fresh sage or thyme delicately pressed underneath the skin for added flavor. But if you can create the best roast chicken ever with just three ingredients, would you at least try it? Would you make it at least one night a week and then use the leftover carcass for chicken stock the next day? Yes. You would. And you will.    I made two of these simple birds last night and coupled them with asparagus, whipped butternut squash, and pan ...

Some people dream of being President. Other people dream of saving the world. My dream: To have nonstop access to chocolate all day and all night. I’m not proud of this. I should really want more out of life. But I lose a mass of brain cells and lots of stamina when chocolate is around, especially these brownies.   Avocado Brownies with Chocolate Glaze look and taste like fudge made with lots of butter. But guess what! There is no butter. Not a trace. And they are gluten free. True story. Make these and you’ll give up that dream of being President one day. Who has time to save the world when you have a dozen brownies to eat? Avocado Brownies with Chocolate Glaze Inspired by Dr. Oz Time in Kitchen: 45 minutes Servings: 12 (or 6 large brownies) Ingredients: 4 eggs ½ cup white sugar ½ cup light brown sugar 10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted 1/2 cup cacao powder 1/2 cup rice flour (or almond flour) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ...

Weekends are for pancakes stacked high and drizzled with maple syrup, fruit, and nuts. I relish lazy days filled with the sweet ease of rolling out of bed sans alarm clock, reading in my cozy sun room, and doing whatever the hell I want. I’m writing to you about pancakes while I sip on my first cup of coffee with my hair glamorously matted from bed. Life is good, people. Life is good. These healthy pancakes are stuffed with bananas, homemade oat flour (gluten free oats ground in a food processor until smooth), and a little bit of extra protein from vegan vanilla protein powder. They are gluten free and dairy free, just what my body likes, and not loaded with added sugar. What a lazy day treat! I enjoyed a stack of three topped with warm blueberry maple syrup, a handful of walnuts, and thin slices of banana, because, hey, it’s Saturday, and life is good.   Go make some pancakes. Oatmeal Banana Pancakes Inspired by CookieandKate Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking ...

It’s really cold outside, like super polar vortex cold. On my walk to work a couple days ago I swear my face froze off. I haven’t felt it since. It's scary, but not that scary. This is when my Florida roots really start showing. Who has time for single digit temps? Not this girl. No no no. In this weather all I want to eat is oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch, and soup for dinner. It gets real weird. Since I can’t live on chicken pho alone for the next two months, I have been experimenting with different cultures in my soup pot. This week I took major liberties with the traditional Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup which usually features white potatoes and sliced Portuguese linked sausage. Since I (like 90% of the American female population) am watching what I eat this January, I used spicy Italian chicken sausage for the protein and sweet potatoes for the starch. The result was a simple yet robust man-approved soup.  This hearty recipe will keep you coming back for mor...

New Year’s resolutions are for the birds. At least that is what the media wants us to believe as they spout out how most of us make hefty resolutions only to fail time and time again. Personally, I love making over-the-top resolutions. I make quite a long list of things I want to change about myself and do for others. I find a category everything falls under, and then I narrow it down to one word. I use that word to give meaning to my entire year. When I’m feeling frustrated, or tired, or simply not amused, I remember my word and everything I have done to make it happen. We can all stay in touch with one word, right? My word this year: Family Speaking of family and traditions, New Year’s Day has rules, ya’ll! Real simple rules to follow in order to gather up luck for the year ahead. One of those rules is to make a big ole pot of porky black eyed peas, rice, corn bread and greens to bring on the prosperity. The recipe below is tried and true. I learned it at my parent’s...

You might be expecting a Halloween recipe from me today. It would make sense considering I’m a member of the food blogging community and it’s almost a law to participate in candy making. Marshmallows made to look like ghosts. Maybe a cake that looks like witch.  Please don’t make me.  The party must stop.   Just give me a few days to detox. Cleanse. Breathe. Srsly.  My body is craving everything green and purifying after months of partying, eating, and drinking like I was contributing to the downfall of the decadent Roman Empire.   Many sins were committed to this vessel, and until the holidays completely take over I will be doing what I can to reverse the damage.  Let’s start the day with a delicious Green Detox Juice. Sure, it’s green. This might not be your ideal color for breakfast. But I will tell you this. It’s good. It’s sweet from the pears and a little spicy from the ginger.   Oh, and it is jam-packed with really ...