Starving Artist

Good morning friends! Are those fellow East Coasters ready for the torrential rain that’s about to descend upon us? I don’t know about you, but I’ve stocked up on some pumpkin beer for tonight just in case we’re all rained in :) I’m not one to rush the seasons, but pumpkin beer is my *absolute fav* and it’s clearly a sin that it’s only offered during the Fall.

Since my last post, I’ve moved from my studio in the Back Bay to a two-bedroom in Fenway. I’ll be posting about that soon, but for now here’s the last recipe concocted on Gloucester Street (*tear*). A go-to brunch staple that’s definitely one of my favorites. Quiche is my favorite breakfast dish by far, and this recipe is a healthier way in which to indulge in breakfast fantasticness.

First, preheat your oven to 375 and then mix together the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl:

• 2 cups liquid egg beaters
• 1 cup of nonfat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup of fat free half and half
• 6 small frozen light turkey sausage links (thawed and cut)
• 1 cup of cooked, chopped spinach
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup lowfat Mozzarella cheese
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tbsp basil
• red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste

   
Then spray a pie dish with cooking spray, and coat with good layer of Parmesan cheese.

   
Pour the mixture into the pie dish, and then top with some goat cheese.

   
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the outside edge and top is lightly golden brown.

   
Let set for about 5 minutes, slice and serve (serves about 6)!

Ahhh summer. This past weekend I took a much needed day trip to the beach with two of my friends, Maggie and Jenny. Deciding that we needed to get out of the city, we headed down to Scusset Beach in Sagamore (right before the Cape). Our coolers were packed with yummy sandwiches, fruit, some random refrigerator lurking beers, and a bottle of wine from Whole Foods so bravely named, Cat’s Piss (yup, thats right. Classy.).

It could not have been a more perfect day…

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Fully rested, relaxed, and slightly sunburned, we headed to Buzzard’s Bay to the Eastwind Lobster Restaurant for some deliciously greasy fried seafood. There’s something about summer that just screams fried seafood, so we clearly had to have it. I got the fried clams plate, and man was it good.

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For a healthier take on a summery seafood dish, try out this stupidly simple recipe that I threw together one night last week. It’s so semi-homemade (please forgive any Sandra Lee reference), and great for a weeknight meal.

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Head to Trader Joe’s to grab these 2 key ingredients.

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Shrimp, zucchini, mango and coconut combine to create an amazingly tasty combo.

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Adding lime juice, coconut milk and basil to regular jasmine rice really elevates it.

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In seriously 15 minutes, a summery dinner is served!

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MANGO GINGER COCONUT SHRIMP

Serves two

Ingredients:

• 20 medium frozen shrimp (thawed)
• 1/2 jar of Trader Joe’s Mango Ginger Chutney
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp Light Coconut Milk
• 2 cups of jasmine rice
• 1 zucchini
• 1 lime
• 2 tsp basil
• red pepper flakes, salt & pepper to taste

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Directions:

1. Cook the jasmine rice according to directions. Stir in the juice of 1 lime, 3 tbsp of coconut milk, 1 tsp basil, salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a saucepan, combine the defrosted shrimp, zucchini (cut into bite-sized pieces), mango chutney, 1/4 cup coconut milk, zest of 1 lime, 1 tsp basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
3. Simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes, until zucchini is tender and flavors have combined.
4. Add additional coconut milk if the mixture becomes too thick.
5. Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

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I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. The weather has been absolutely amazing – there’s nothing better than Boston in the summertime! My only complaint is that it’s going by wayyy too fast, where does the time go??

I just have to say thank you to two of my awesome co-workers and fellow bloggers, Liz and Gretchen, for lighting a fire under me to finally update!

My cousin, Kate, just bought a beautiful house up in New Hampshire with her boyfriend. I finally made the trip to see it this past weekend, along with my Vine Brook Girls (best friends, and neighborhood gals that I have grown up with and known since toddlerhood).

Kate’s dog, Chloe, is already right at home…

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It was a lovely day filled with catching up, cocktails (did you know Blue Moon comes in a can??)…

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and cupcakes! Made by my friend Courtney – notice the cute lettering :) They were delicious! I may have had one or two… or… three… Whoops.

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I brought a salad that has been my staple this summer. I came up with the recipe a couple of months ago, and have been eating this baby nonstop – it’s just so good! The creaminess of the avocado and beans, paired with the tartness and crunch of the tomatoes and peppers is just amazing. It’s unbelievably easy to make as well. I usually never measure out the ingredients, so don’t feel like you have to be exact.

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SUMMER SALAD

Ingredients:

• 1 can of garbanzo beans
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 peppers, chopped (i used 1 orange & 1 yellow)
• 1 cup of grape tomatoes (halved)
• 1 cup (cooked) of whole wheat couscous
• 2 limes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried basil
• salt & pepper to taste

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Directions:

1. Cook couscous as according to directions, but add some lime juice, salt and pepper to flavor. Let cool.
2. Cut up all of the vegetables into small bite-sized pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine the beans, vegetables, and couscous.
4. Add the lime juice (as well as the zest of 1 lime), olive oil and balsamic.
5. Add in the seasonings to taste.
6. Mix well, and refrigerate for an hour (I think it tastes best if the flavors have a little time to hang out)
7. Serve and enjoy!

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So I’m back from San Francisco and finally have my feet on the ground in Boston again. It wasn’t very excited to come back to a weekend of rain, but I guess that’s Boston in June for you! I was in need of a warm comforting dish to combat this rain, and decided to make some quick and easy vegetarian enchiladas. With just a few easy Mexican staples from TJ’s, this dish comes together really fast:

Ingredients:

Serves 6 (1 enchilada per person)

• 6 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of refried beans
• 1 small can of chiles
• 1 bottle of Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce
• 8 oz of low fat Mexican blend cheese
• 1 can of roasted red peppers
• 2 tbsp chile powder

Take one of the tortillas, and layer on the refried beans, black beans, roasted red peppers, and then top with the cheese.

Roll up the tortilla, and then repeat 5 more times. Line the rolled tortillas in a lightly greased baking dish, and sprinkle with the chile powder.

Evenly pour the entire bottle of enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese, and the green chiles.

Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve and enjoy! Simple, right? :)

So after a whopping 5 months of not posting or updating, I think it’s about time I get my lazy butt back in gear – no??

Life has been good, but busy – and I will have many culinary travels and recipes to share with you starting next week well, right now. FINALLY!

I’m currently in San Francisco for the Apple Worldwide Developer’s Conference, getting my geek on with about 5,000+ developers/designers/fellow computer nerds. My company sent me for the week, and I’m pretty much in my element right now.

This is my first trip to San Fran (and only my 2nd out to the West Coast), and I must say it is so beautiful! On my first day there, I lingered around Fisherman’s Wharf and took in all the beautiful views from the pier – including a boat cruise around the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

With being so busy with juggling conference sessions and actual work, it’s been a lot of boring eats, I’m ashamed to say. On Friday I have some time before my flight, so hopefully I’ll be able to change that! My one food photo shoot of this trip thus far was of a delicious breakfast of a cappuccino and homemade granola with yogurt, bananas and blueberries from Caffe Museo at the SOMA.

Apart from the ridiculously high prices (I think those 2 items ran me about $12 – yikes!), I was able to sit outside and enjoy breakfast while people-watching across from the Yerba Buena Gardens. What a great way to start off a morning :)

Speaking of morning, it is currently midnight in Cali, and this girl has to get up mighty early for another day of sessions. I must say that I’m sooo glad to be back, and will be posting more about this trip (and a bunch of others!) this week.

Goodnight from San Fran! :)