Grubarazzi

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 ...

Some things come naturally to me like cooking, eating, and day dreaming.  Other things I work really hard for like running, attentiveness, and, apparently, writing about quinoa salad. How many words can I use to describe a delicious blend of healthy ingredients tossed with an Asian inspired dressing, and decorated with a confetti of toasted black sesame seeds? Well, that just about says it all.  I do know one thing… this salad is tasty. Tasty, pretty food makes me happy, and happiness is the key to life. Nuff said. Dig in. Sesame Quinoa Salad with Stir Fried Vegetables Time in Kitchen: 1 hour Servings: 10 Nutrition Information per serving: 240 calories, 35 carbs (3 grams sugar), 8 grams protein, 9 grams fat Ingredients: 2 cups dry tri-color quinoa (rinse before cooking) 4 cups organic vegetable stock 1 bunch of large asparagus (sliced in a thin diagonal) 2 zucchini (sliced in a thin diagonal) 3 cups baby spinach (chopped roughly) 1 pint heirloom cherry ...

Sometimes a girl needs something sweet. But not too sweet... Something nutty, rich, and decadent that goes well with a glass of wine after a long week. Something that helps you kick up your feet and hum a show tune in your head. Cocoa nib and peanut butter macaroons are a perfect blend of natural ingredients that make you feel naughty even though you are being super nice to your body. Slightly sweetened with a hint of raw honey, these macaroons are mostly shredded coconut with the bitter-sweet bite of roasted cocoa nibs and creamy natural peanut butter. No egg whites or baking is required for this macaroon recipe. I would have labeled them raw but that is not entirely true since some ingredients are roasted and toasted. Make a batch of these to satisfy that naughty sweet tooth.   Cocoa Nib & Peanut Butter Macaroons Time in kitchen: 1 hour Servings per recipe: 30 Nutrition information per serving: 65 calories, 5 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 4 carbohydrates (1 gram...

Life is filled with daunting questions. What came first, the chicken or the egg? How do I get enough protein and vegetables in to my diet when I am running around like a headless chicken? Just call me Ms. Know-it-all. The egg comes first. Well, at least in this recipe (depending on how you look at it). Roasted Chicken and Egg White Cups are packed with lean protein; they are fast, easy, and healthy. As an added bonus you will have 12 portable little snacks to carry around as you run around in circles being the wunderkind you are. Eat them hot or cold, on a plane, at your desk, before the gym or while dancing. You get the point. Just do it. Roasted Chicken and Egg White Cups Time in kitchen: 45 minutes Servings: 12 portable cups  Nutrition information per serving: 50 calories, 2 carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 8 grams protein Tools: Blender Non stick muffin pan that makes 12 small muffins Ingredients: 1 dozen organic egg whites 2 tablespoons soy milk 1 tablespoon ...

Since my parents moved to Texas I am the lone wolf of my immediate family still living on the East Coast. Fortunately, my paternal grandparents, aunts, uncle, and cousins are close by, so I am happily surrounded by family during the holidays even with mommy and daddy so far away. ... Never judge a grown woman who still calls her parents “mommy and daddy". FYI  We all gathered at my grandparent’s house Easter Saturday, and I came prepared with this light and fresh Persian Cucumber and Brown Rice Salad. It got along great with rare filet mignon from the grill, baked potatoes, salad, and gorgeously cooked asparagus.  Make a boat load of this quick and healthy salad to eat for lunch or dinner throughout the week. It gets better and better as the ingredients mingle. Persian Cucumber and Brown Rice Salad Time in Kitchen: 60 minutes (including prep time for rice) Servings: 8 Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories, 26 carbs, 3 grams fiber, 4 grams ...

(PappaRazzi guest post)   I love Rachael Ray's Week in a Day where in one day she makes 5 dinners for the coming week. Great show concept, but nothing we family chefs haven't done for years, am I right? The kiss of death to culinary creativity is trying to pull it off 5 days a week after coming home exhausted from giving your 110% at work, and that rush hour commute. I take Rachael's challenge one step further and make it 5 brown-bag lunches too! Take *that* Rachael! ...but wait, I go even one step further and make it all one dish. How could this not get boring? Or worse yet, fail in the nutrition department? I mean, most folks enjoy 21 meals in a week, and I am proposing I can make you happy when 10 of those meals are the same, *and* I can make it in just over an hour? "Yes, yes, yes!" Stick with me and I'll tell you the secret(s) to 10, yes 10(!) meals in a day, heck in just over an hour. Taste? Nutrition? Excitement? Oh yeah, Rachael just got P0wne...

Like Popeye, I’m strong to the finish because I eat all my spinach.  It seems like only yesterday I signed up for the Austin Half Marathon feeling like I had months to prepare for my fourth 13.1 mile race. Time flew by and the race is next weekend. I have been training and eating like a champion, although there have been a few injuries and lazy days thrown in to the mix. Nevertheless, I am in it to cross the finish line win it and I am pumped up with lots of smack talk and even more greens. Spicy Spinach Almond Pesto can be put together in a flash with cheap ingredients found at every super market. In order to pack in as much vitamin power as possible I used a pound of spinach which needs to be cooked and drained. I chose to use thawed frozen spinach to save a few steps.Choose a pasta that will hold the pesto close, like orecchiette or fusilli. Spicy Spinach Almond Pesto     Time in kitchen: 20 minutes Servings: 8 Nutrition information per serving...

  This recipe bubbled in my thoughts for a few days while I collected the ingredients and fluttered from place to place trying anxiously to finish an extensive To Do list. Days have been long winded and filled to the brim with work and school. Some time in the kitchen was a welcome retreat as I sliced, diced, and roasted my way back to sanity.  There was music involved, a couple drinks, and dancing. By myself. It was amazing.   This salad was well worth the effort. Every step in the process is vital to building the depth of flavor. Fennel, shallot, apple and garlic are gently tossed with olive oil and roasted on high heat. Quinoa and hazelnuts are lightly toasted. The grapefruit dressing is fresh and exploits the roasted garlic cloves directly from the pan, tying the whole dish together.   Do not skip a beat, and this will turn out just the way you imagine it.  Roasted Fennel and Hazelnut Quinoa Salad with Grapefruit Dressing ...

Watch out world! Cauliflower steaks are taking over the food scene. These hearty slabs of veg made their way on to the pages of Bon Appétit this month and everyone is intrigued. Sometimes, the best ideas are right in front of your face. If you love roasted cauliflower florets this recipe is for you.  This version is marinated and served with pearl couscous medley. The medley is filled with raw vegetables, a great compliment to the tenderly roasted cauliflower steaks. Treat them like a hardy slab of beef: slice ‘em thick, slather with marinade, and roast on high to develop a sweetness only caramelization can impart.   There might be a twinge of sadness when your family discovers the lack of meat on the plate, but the frowns will turn upside down at first bite. Serve with a steak knife and a smile.  Marinated Cauliflower Steaks with Pearl Couscous Medley  Time in the Kitchen: 60 minutes Servings: 4 Nutrition information per serving: 4...

Dear Dairy,  We have endured a strong yet tragic relationship for many years. Doctors tell me not to devour even a morsel of your charms, but you always find a way back in to my life. Whether you linger on a cracker, curl up snugly to some macaroni, stand tall in a breakfast glass or sprinkle yourself on salads, your charm is undeniable. I swoon your way time and time again. But you are not good for me. When you are in my daily life I get too many colds, my skin turns pink and rashy, my bones ache, my hair gets dull, my tummy hurts, and my brain fogs over slowly until I eventually forget the names of even the simplest things. Not only does your presence affect me physically, but I am emotionally and mentally damaged by you. This is not a healthy relationship. If you see me on a crowded street or in a seedy café, please turn the other way. I am not strong enough to say no. Not yet. You will not hear from me again until I have the power to be in your presence without su...