Grilled Fish Tacos w/ Tequila Lime Aioli

I really wish this picture did these tacos justice because they were oh-so-tasty!! Unfortunately, I just snapped a quick pic on the night that I ate them; if only the colors popped like the flavors did! I marinated the fish in (primarily) some lime juice, tequila, jalapeno, and cumin. It made the fish spicy, tangy, and a little smoky. SO good. Next, I used my little stove top grill to quickly cook the fish -- I figured this would be a great end of summer dish for people who were still in the mood for grilling! (Oh, how I wish I had a real grill.) Then, I topped mine with some crunchy cabbage and red onion, and then finished them with a to-die for Tequila Lime Aioli. The small amount of tequila added any interesting twist without being overwhelming at all. They were incredibly flavorful and refreshing -- a perfect end of summer meal! Try them out; your taste buds will be surprised, intrigued, and asking for more...

Roasted Parmesan Edamame

If I don't eat every 3-4 hours, I get grumpy. Really grumpy. Hence the reason that I live for snacks. It's slightly embarrassing, but I usually keep at least three snacks in my purse at all times. On some nights, I realize that I have simply laid out a succession of snacks on my coffee table and made that "dinner." My favorite kind of snack food is anything crispy and crunchy. This is one reason that I do not allow myself to keep any kind of chip in my house whatsoever. Now don't get me wrong, I gorge on chips anywhere else I happen upon them, but if I kept them at home I would probably weigh 500 pounds. Anyhow, I digress... the point being that finding a healthy, delicious, and crunchy snack is kind of my heaven. And that's what we've got here! I usually keep a frozen bag of edamame in the freezer because they are a pretty solid snack, but then when you roast them and give them a little more flavor, ohhh baby. The skin gets toasty with a nice crispiness on the outside, and then the sprinkling of cheese makes them seem more decadent, although they're still a very nutritious, protein-packed snack. And so here you have it...

Avocado Egg Salad

SO excited to share this recipe with you! Overnight, this dish has become a go-to meal for me, and I hope it will be for you as well. It's decadent and creamy, with a pop of tang and crunch, but it's also wonderfully healthy -- AND super easy to make! You'll be happy to see that the directions are minimal -- because all you have you to do is mix everything together (seriously). I topped mine on a piece of toast and greens, and garnished with a little paprika, and it was SOOOOO good. Reallyyyy looking forward to eating some more tomorrow! :)

Crock Pot Beer-BBQ Pulled Chicken

  I have been just a liiiittle stressed lately. Finals are looming. I had a trial that I was helping out with today (unfortunately it got reset at the last minute). And, did I mention that finals are looming?! My first one is in 9 days. Yikes. Things have been getting so crazy that I was just eating boring sandwiches and frozen things. It has been really depressing. Eventually, my body started to revolt, and I knew I had to put an end to all that. Thus began a search for a quick, yummy recipe that would make a large portion; something that I could eat on for a couple days, AND wouldn't mind eating for a couple days.

From the beginning I knew that I wanted to use my crock pot. It's just too easy -- put the stuff in the pot, go about your business, come back a few hours later -- and there's something delicious waiting for you! Genius. The wheels continued turning when I went to Menu of Menu's, a really fun Houston food event/taste tasting with about 50 local restaurants (it was pretty phenom). Anyway, point being that I stumbled upon the Beaver's booth, and was reminded of an old favorite -- their pulled chicken sandwich. And hello. Lightbulb. It all came together, and I knew what I had to do. So, here you have it. A super tasty pulled chicken sandwich utilizing a crock pot and a few common ingredients. Oh, and beer. Juuust to take the edge off. So give it a try -- perfect for those crazy-busy times, or just about anytime!

Spinach Salad: 2 Ways

I have been getting a lot of easy, lunch requests. One of my favorites lunches is a spinach salad. If you don't already do so, I implore you to keep spinach around. It's super easy to throw together in a salad (not to mention, the combinations are endless), it can be featured in a vast array of dishes, and the health benefits are outstanding. To make a quick lunch the night before, just put the salad in a large tupperware container, the dressing in a small tupperware container, and it's ready to go (you can also make a couple salads at a time, as long as you keep the wet ingredients separate). These salads are also fabulous for a late-night dinner when you don't have much time to cook, and you want something that won't weigh you down right before bedtime.

Here are TWO of my favorite spinach salads...

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Omelette

Now, time to put those omelette skills to the test! This is a new favorite. Red pepper and goat cheese is such a classic combo, seen mostly in pastas and sandwiches. But trust me, it's time to give those flavors a try a la an herby, fluffy omelette stuffed with the creamy, tangy goat cheese, alongside the sweet & smokey roasted red peppers. Just stellar.

Quick & Easy Quinoa Salad

 After doing a quick once-over of my blog, I realized that the baked goods are starting to overwhelm my other offerings. Despite what has been shown thus far, I really love to cook. So, here's to some more savory coming your way!
On Quinoa (keen-wah)
You may not have heard of this new "it" superfood: quinoa. About a year ago, I hadn't heard of it either. But something happened, and it exploded on the culinary scene. Almost every grocery store I've been to lately has it stocked (HEB, Randalls, etc.), and I have been seeing more and more articles espousing it's wonderful benefits. So, what's the big deal?

Quinoa is the only grain-like crop that also serves as a protein (the edible part is actually seeds). Which is pretty amazing because you can cook it up like rice, oatmeal, or pasta, but you also get the powerful punch of protein. This is really great news for vegetarians, health nuts, or people wanting to try something new. It also contains several amino acids (like lysine), calcium, and iron. It was originally cultivated in South America, and was supposedly the sacred food of the Inca (maybe that's why they were so badass).

So jump on the bandwagon, head to your nearest store, and stock up. You should be able to find the red or white variety. I used the white variety, because I like the way it allows the colors of the vegetables to pop, and I think it has a slightly milder flavor than the red. But try both, and see what you prefer!

This upcoming recipe has been my favorite dish featuring quinoa I've made or eaten--by far. It's really tasty warm, room temperature, or cold. It's also versatile, and serves as a light dinner with some chips and salsa, or a small quesadilla, a go-to lunch item, or a dish to leave in the fridge and snack on for a few days. And as I'll mention below, it is a quick recipe to make, and easy to mix up depending what you have on hand.

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad


Ingredients
* 1 cup quinoa, rinsed (I hear it needs to be rinsed or it has a strange flavor)
* 2 cups water
* 1/2 cup red onion, diced
* 1 cup red or yellow bell pepper, diced
* 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
* Big handful of chopped cilantro (1/4-1/2 cup depending on your taste for it)
Vinaigrette
* 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2-3/4 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Optional: 2 pinches cayenne pepper (if you like heat!)

* Optional: sliced avocado to serve on the side or diced avocado to mix in


(lime and avocado not pictured)

Directions
* Add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to a saucepan.
* Bring to a boil, and then cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes (until water is absorbed).
* While the quinoa is cooking, make your dressing by adding the lime juice, vinegar, EVOO, and spices to a large bowl.
* Whisk to combine.
* Then, slice and dice the vegetables and cilantro.
* When the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork.
* Add the quinoa and black beans to the vinaigrette (you will want to whisk the vinaigrette again if it's been a while, because the oil will start to separate).
* Mix in your chopped veggies, and then you may want to add a little more salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
* Serve warm or cold! Garnish with some cilantro or lime zest to make it look fancy.
* Note: I really love avocado, but was worried about it looking brown after a day or two, so I just mixed it in when I served the salad. The avocado adds a nice creaminess, and is a wonderful balance to the heat from the spices and zest of the lime.
Hope you guys see--and taste--that eating healthy can also be incredibly delicious!

Variations
* No bell pepper? Try your favorite tomato diced, or cherry and grape tomatoes halved instead.
* No red onion? Try yellow or sweet, or scallions instead.
* No red wine vinegar? Try white wine vinegar, apple cidar vinegar, or skip the vinegar all together, and add a little more lime juice or some lime zest.
* Spices- add more or less depending what you like, see what other mexican spices you have in your pantry also.
* Try adding some fresh corn to the recipe.

Leftover Ingredient Woes
* One thing I really hate is when I make a recipe, and then have something like half a red onion or half a bunch of cilantro left, when I don't really have anything on hand that I can utilize with those ingredients. If these are ingredients you typically would be clueless with, and don't want them to go to waste, try making some quesadillas or fajitas the week you make this recipe also. The leftover red onion would be delicious sauteed and added to either dish, and also garnished with the cilantro!

~Stay fresh!