I am still cooking and a large portion of my dinners have been located via Pinterest. I don't remember everything I have made, but I will give you some of the high points. First I should probably note that the Sunday before last I decided to try a wheat-free diet for a couple of weeks to see if I notice an improvement in allergies, energy, etc. I am not calling my diet "gluten-free" because I am really only avoiding wheat based products and gluten is often found in salad dressings and other such condiments. I don't have celiac disease, so I figured a little gluten isn't going to kill me. That being said, here are a few of the things I have been eating.
Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Black Olives, Garlic, and Feta via Food and Wine - I made a few alterations to the recipe by using Quinoa pasta to make it wheat-free and exchanging mozzarella for the feta and basil for the parsley. It turned out super delicious.
Quinoa Taco Salad via gluten-free goddess - I didn't really follow the recipe per se but used it more as inspiration. For my version I used some spring mix for my "lettuce" and added some quinoa on top. Then I added some black beans and roasted vegetables (corn, red bell pepper, and red onion), an avocado, and then topped it all off with some cilantro-lime dressing.
The dressing is something I just threw together, but it turned out delicious. I put about 1/2 a carton of sour cream in the blender along with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, the juice from one lime, and a bunch of fresh cilantro. I blended it all up and it was scrumptious.
I have been craving something sweet and through the magical search feature in Pinterest, I came across these PB 'Nana Cream Bites from the Nom!Nom!Nom blog. I was super excited since they are easy and look delicious. Unfortunately I have to report that I am not a fan. I like the three flavors together but apparently not when they are frozen. Next time I might just simplify the idea down to a cut up banana with some peanut butter and a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top.
Tonight I was feeling a little tired and not really in the mood for cooking "from scratch" so I went with a go-to meal that is easy to make in a pinch. Basically it consists of spaghetti, a sauce, and some additional ingredients. This is what I went with tonight.
Quinoa pasta + sun dried tomato pasta + black olives + artichoke hearts + fresh Parmesan cheese = YUM
I also added some meatballs that I had in the freezer to make my husband happy. The meatballs are quick and easy to make and freeze well. I base the recipe on one from The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. You can find the original recipe for the New Favorite Meatballs here. I follow the recipe for the most part - substitute fresh diced onion for the dried and then I change it up by adding different herbs. Sometimes I use fresh basil and other times I might go with cilantro. Anyway, it is a good base recipe to work from and you can change the flavor easily by just adding the herbs and seasoning of your choice.
And then as a side to the pasta, I served some sauteed brussel sprouts.
I think brussel sprouts get a bad rap. They are tasty and good for you. I challenge you to give them a try!
I kept this dish pretty simple. I cleaned the brussel sprouts by peeling off the first few layers of leaves and then cut off the bottoms. Then I cut them in quarters, sliced them in to little pieces and sauteed them in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil along with 2 minced garlic cloves and salt and pepper. They turned out pretty yummy.
So, those are some of the things that have been cooking in my kitchen lately. What have you been making?
<random side note>
Oh, and I have failed miserably at the decluttering goal I set for myself at the beginning of January.
<additional random side note>
BUT, I have been doing pretty well in my photography class. Here are a few of my favorites from the pictures I have taken so far.
You can check out the other photos on my portfolio page if you are interested.
