Cooking with a Wallflower - Page 92 of 139 -

DIY Recommendations Wallflower Weekly Faves

Wallflower Weekly Finds, 62

I have friends who always seem to have everything they want, or can buy what they want. So buying gifts for their birthdays or for Christmas can be sooo difficult. Gift cards seem impersonal. Taking them out to dinner doesn’t seem special enough since we do it all the time. So what would be the perfect gift?

I thought maybe this.

I love terrariums. There’s something about the simplicity of air plants and mosses inside a glass globe that’s so pretty. I especially love the ones in the tear drop shaped glass. Usually, I just buy the terrariums already styled and give them out as gifts.

But this time, I thought maybe I could style them myself and give it a little personal touch. So I bought a kit from Air Plant Design Studios and decided on a seaside version of a terrarium. It’s the perfect gift for birthdays, Mother’s Day, or other special occasions. And it doesn’t take long to put together at all.

Now, if only I can keep these plants thriving until they’re ready to be given away…

15 Minute Miso Glazed Shrimp

Jumbo shrimp glazed in a savory miso sauce. This 15 minute miso glazed shrimp is delicious and perfect with a side of rice for a weeknight dinner.

Ever have one of those nights where you just don’t want to do anything when you get home from work?

I have plenty of those days, especially when it’s a rough day at work and then afterwards, I have to take the long bus ride home. We’ve all had those days.

But for me, it’s especially so on Fridays. Maybe because it’s so close to the weekend? I don’t know.

My sisters and I have declare Fridays, “Takeout Fridays.” For some reason, Fridays tend to be our lazier days. Not that we eat out every Friday, but we’re more likely to get takeout on Friday than any other day of the week. Strange, right?

But I also like having simple dishes like this 15 Minute Miso Glazed Shrimp on hand. With just a few ingredients, this dish can be made in 15 minutes or less. Even on those lazy days, I can totally handle that.

Honey Cranberry Almond Quinoa Granola

Honey granola filled with roasted old fashioned oats, quinoa, and almonds then tossed with dried cranberries. This honey cranberry almond quinoa granola is addictive as a snack or as breakfast with milk.

Oh, it’s time to mix it up for breakfast again!

My weekend is now officially over, and it feels like I barely had any time off, especially since I’m constantly busy doing something. But if you asked me what, I’m not sure I could tell you. Do you know that feeling?

And now that my week has started up again, I really need a new breakfast, or maybe a snack, to obsess over.

I like having a variety of foods to choose from as a snack or as a breakfast on the go.

I used to buy snacks or breakfast bars from Costco, or any wholesale warehouse, really, but I didn’t like that I had to buy everything in bulk. I mean, a box of granola comes with 96 bars. By the time I get through half of them, I’m ready for something new. So it’s nice to be able to make my own snacks and have some variety in my life.

This honey cranberry almond quinoa granola is soo amazing with all the different textures and flavors. You get the crunch from the old fashioned oats and quinoa, the nuttiness from the almonds, the sweetness from the honey and dried cranberries, and just a hint of coconut from the coconut oil. Eat these by the handful or pour milk over this granola in a bowl for cereal.

Vegetable Udon Noodle Soup

Udon noodle in an easy to make soup with red amaranth, bok choy, and mushroom. Simple and delicious, this vegetable udon noodle soup is the perfect choice for a breezy spring day.

Oh my gosh!

It’s the weekend!

Well, it’s the start of my weekend anyway since I had to work this last Saturday. It felt like such a long week, especially coming off of spring break where all I did was cook and eat and read. The life. But one of the perks of being a dental hygienist is that your schedule isn’t necessarily a Monday to Friday kind of week. And it gives me the flexibility to run errands on a weekday, which is absolutely amazing because I don’t have to deal with lines or wait long most of the time. Yes!

Anyways, I’m super excited to share with you this udon noodle soup. I know, I know. It doesn’t sound exciting. But trust me, this udon noodle soup is so delish. And you can substitute your favorite vegetables for the ones I chose, especially if you can’t find the ones I used.

I’m such a huge fan of noodle soups. I don’t care whether it’s pho, ramen, udon, or wonton noodle soup. I just really really love them. I’m willing to eat noodle soup even when it’s 100F outside. Which must mean something, right?

Some of my favorite vegetables are bok choy and red amaranth, but let’s be honest, I love my vegetables. Almost any vegetable will do. You’re probably familiar with bok choy. Red amaranth is similar to spinach, but it has red hues in the leaves. When you cook the red amaranth leaves, the redness seeps out and color the soup or your stir fry a deep red color. So pretty!

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Recommendations Wallflower Weekly Faves

Wallflower Weekly Finds, 61

Last weekend, I finally had the chance to go back to the Farmer’s Market at the SF Ferry Building.

And guess what I found? Lots of asparagus and artichoke. <3

But what really caught my attention? These gorgeous purple asparagus.

I really wanted to buy them, but at $7 a bunch, I wasn’t sure it was worth the price. Maybe next time.

Has anyone tried them before?

Sea Salt Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookie for One

With chewy edges and a soft center, this cookie is filled with melted chocolate chips and a hint of espresso, then finished with a sprinkle of sea salt. This sea salt mocha chocolate chip cookie for one is perfect for a single indulgence.

Um hmm. You totally read that right. This sea salt mocha chocolate chip cookie is for one.

As in you. Or maybe me. But not us both.

And for once, it’s okay to not share your dessert with anyone because this cookie is made just for you.

When I stumbled across the idea of making a cookie just for one, I immediately fell in love with the idea. Cookies are one of my weaknesses. I apparently have many when it comes to dessert, especially of the chocolate variety. Soo… Sea Salt Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookie for one. Because I know that if I made a whole batch of these cookies, I am so totally going to regret it after. But if I just made one, I would have enough to indulge my sweet tooth but not enough to overindulge. Perfect.

Sweet and slightly salty, this cookie has contrasting flavors. Plus, melted chocolate, chewy edges, and a hint of espresso. The ultimate cookie.

Crustless Ham and Cheddar Quiche

Chopped ham, cheddar cheese, and minced garlic baked in a creamy egg mixture. This simple to make, gluten-free crustless ham and cheddar quiche tastes amazing and leftovers can easily be frozen for another meal.

Some days, I’m in the mood for quiche. It’s one of those meals that you can easily freeze and reheat later. And that’s a huge deal for me because some nights when I come home from work, I really don’t want to cook. Being able to freeze slices of this quiche and reheat it for dinner later on in the week makes me love this dish all the more.

This quiche is filled with ingredients you can easily find in your kitchen. Cloves of garlic, leftover ham, cheddar cheese (or any cheese for that matter), milk, eggs, and salt. Simple ingredients that result in an amazing taste. What more can you ask for?

I didn’t use a crust for this version of quiche, so it’s gluten free and low in carbs, but if you would like to add a crust, you can go ahead and pre-bake the crust before adding all the ingredients.

With melted cheddar cheese and smokiness from the ham, this quiche is savory and creamy and absolutely addictive. One of my favorites.

What I love about quiche is that it’s one of those dishes that you don’t really need a recipe for. As long as you have the basic ingredients: eggs, cheese, milk, and salt, you can change up the other ingredients to create a quiche perfect for you. Here are some other ideas for quiche in case this one isn’t to your liking.

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Recommendations Wallflower Weekly Faves

Wallflower Weekly Finds, 60

There’s a little shop called Jade Chocolates not too far from where I live that sells amazing chocolates and teas. These chocolates are mostly inspired by Asian flavors. You’ll find chocolate flavors like Thai Sriracha, Lemongrass Coconut, Thai Basil, Lychee Rose Green Tea, and Jasmine Pearl White Tea. I’m obsessed with their Tea Hot Chocolates and have yet to try their Tea Floats.

Can you tell? I have a not so secret obsession with chocolate and teas. And I have a special love for places where you can taste the product you’re about to buy. Because seriously, it’s disappointing when you buy something only to realize later that it’s not to your liking. It’s also the same reason why I’m always trying to make it out to the SF Ferry Building Farmer’s Market. =)

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chicken Recommendations Roundup

5 Easy Chicken Recipes Perfect for a Weeknight Dinner

*This post is sponsored by Foster Farms® Organic Chicken but all opinions are my own.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably busy most of the day and the last thing you want to think about is what to make for dinner. You’re either working, running errands, taking care of your kids, going to school, or a multitude of other things. And at the end of the day, you don’t want to spend your evening standing in the kitchen trying to get dinner on the table. You want something that’s super easy to make, requires just a few ingredients, and still tastes amazing. Because seriously, who wants to sit down for dinner and not enjoy their food, right?

So I thought I’d come up with ideas that would be perfect for a weeknight dinner. That way you won’t have to stress out about what you’ll make for dinner or worry about spending so much time in the kitchen after a long day. As a bonus, if you have leftovers, you can always pack them away for lunch the next day.

Chicken is one of my favorite ingredients to use because it works so well with so many different dishes.

Fresh Basil and Mushroom Gnocchi in Sriracha Tomato Sauce

Gnocchi with mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a spicy Sriracha tomato sauce, then tossed with fresh basil. This fresh basil and mushroom gnocchi in sriracha tomato sauce is refreshing with a hint of heat.

Some days, dinner seriously does not need to be complicated. Tonight is one of those days.

I’ve been craving gnocchi for awhile now so I picked up a package of fresh gnocchi at the grocery store. And what better way to make a pasta dish than to add all of your favorite ingredients?

Garlic? Check! Mushrooms? Puh-lease. Fresh basil? Of course. Sriracha? Um, did you really have to ask?

Easy to find ingredients, one deliciously simple dish. I’m gamed. Are you?

It’s spring! Officially-ish. Can you already feel the sun venturing out from behind the clouds a little bit more? But, it’s so misleading since the super cold winds make me feel like it’s winter. That’s San Francisco for you, completely different from the rest of California. So if you plan to visit us, you might want to bring warm clothes, just in case. I swear, that little advice needs to be added to SF tour guide books and websites.

Since spring is finally here, (and yes, I’m fully aware I made that announcement a week ago, but I’m excited), I wanted to make pasta that looked and tasted refreshing.

And most of the time (because sometimes there are exceptions, like pesto), nothing can beat a fresh basil and tomato sauce.

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