Foodie Detox: Heirloom Tomato Pizza

The bar exam took a serious toll on my eating habits. There was one day when I ate the following: french toast, cheese and crackers, a mix of smores goldfish and sourpatch kids, and movie theater popcorn. I felt pretty disgusting after subsisting on junk food for two months (although clearly I relished the excuse to eat like a second grader).  

I told myself that after the bar I'd change some of my eating habits. I blog a lot about spending less money on clothing and shopping consumption, but I don't always consider the eating habits we engage in as a culture. I don't want to launch myself into the debate about paleo-vegan-vegitarian eating. I tried the vegetarian thing for six months, and it turned out it wasn't for me. 

However, I think one thing we can ALL agree on is that our culture is one of mass food consumption. It's really pretty gross how much we consume. I'm not here to judge anyone else's eating habits, but I am going to try to change mine. By change I mean that I'm going to try and eat less preservatives, get rid of fast food generally (but not chipotle - I just can't), and try and eat as many fresh veggies and fruits as I can get my hands on. 

Things I will not be giving up? Cheese, whole grains, healthy fats (oils, avocados, etc), wine, beer, and the every-once-in-a-while medium rare steak. 

This recipe is a good example of my idea of healthy eating. Fresh delicious tomatoes, cheese, lots of yummy basil, olive oil, and whole grain garlic crust. 

You can find the recipe and instructions here. The only changes I made: I used a whole grain crust and added garlic and herbs to the dough. 

Fourth of July Necessity: Sangria!

Sangria is always welcome at a barbecue. It's a nice reprieve from beer, and refreshing in the heat. Be a hero at your Fourth of July BBQ with one of these great recipes. 

Note: Sangria is also great because you don't need a pricey wine to make it. Go with the less expensive wine; you're going to fancy it up with fruit/juice etc. No need to splurge! 

White Peach Sangria (I might nix the schnapps), I'd use this vinho verde.  

Lavender Infused Champagne Sangria via the Bleu Goose. Yes Please! 

Citrus and Basil Sangria via What's Gaby Cooking. This one might be a little more involved but it looks delicious! 

Blackberry Sangria. Looks easy and delicious! 

Let me know if you try one of these! 

How To: Iced Coffee at Home

Iced coffee is my life support this summer. Usually when summertime hits I switch from coffee to strong-brewed unsweetened black tea - which I generally make at home. This summer, the bar exam means that I need more caffeine than iced tea can offer, and the D.C. weather means that hot coffee is off the table. I've been popping over to the little market across the street two or three times a day to get my iced coffee fix, but that means I'm spending too much. Two dollars a glass x 3 x 7 = 42 x however many weeks of this hell I have left = WAY too much money to spend on iced coffee when you aren't bringing in any income. (Sorry, I'm not actually going to work out how much it is. If I was good at math I'd be an engineer or something and I wouldn't have gone to law school or be studying for the bar . . . Life would be better if I was good at math.)

Yum. The problem is that you can't just brew coffee and stick ice in it. It's too watery. Same goes for putting it in the fridge or freezer and then putting ice in it. You've got to make a concentrate. It's actually insanely easy, and the finished product will last you a week or more (unless you, like me, drink three glasses a day). 

Pour a half cup of good dark coffee into a pitcher. Add two quarts of water. Use a spoon to make sure all the coffee grounds are getting good and saturated. 

Store overnight 

8 hours later, using cheesecloth in a mesh strainer, slowly pour the liquid into another container. 

When you're done pouring, press on the grounds to push the last of the liquid through. 

Now you have the coffee concentrate (which I should really just start injecting directly into my veins). 

Charlotte thinks this process is fascinating. (No. She isn't supposed to be on the counter.) 

Pour the coffee back into a pitcher, and gather your other necessities. 

You'll want your glass full of ice. 

Pour in coffee concentrate. 

Doctor to your liking. I prefer half & half and a teaspoon of sugar. 

Okay, maybe it's more like a tablespoon. 

Enjoy. It's the perfect studying companion. 

It's going to be a long and exhausting day. 

For most of us . . . 

Foodie Detox: Quinoa with Steamed Purple Cauliflower, Green Beans, and Almonds

This week, in repentance for all the weekend birthday festivities, I really wanted to treat my body to some healthy and nutritious foods. I was also (ever so slightly) hungover on Sunday and wanted something easy. Quinoa embodies all things nutrition: the tiny little grain is delicious, versatile, and a perfect protein. I had some cauliflower and green beans I'd picked up from the famer's market on hand, and I thought together they'd make a pretty delicious meal. They did! 

I bought this cauliflower mainly because it was purple, and pretty. Yes, purple is my favorite color. 

So purple! 

This thing is awesome. It cooks rice or quinoa in its bottom while steaming veggies on top (here is one for $25). To cook Quinoa in a rice cooker, rinse it, and then use water and quinoa in a 2:1 ratio. 

Throw your veggies in the steamer and let em' cook. You can also do this by simply placing veggies in a colander over a boiling pot of water and plopping a lid on top of the colander.

When everybody is done cooking (when the rice cooker clicks done or about 20 minutes in a pot), throw them all in a bowl, add some sliced almonds, and mix with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Eat. 

Boyfriend says this dish looks weird ("why is it purple?"). Apparently men can't handle purple in their foods. It didn't taste weird. It tasted delicious - and nutritious! It was also incredibly easy and simple. 

My mantra is generally that the more natural colors are in a meal, the more nutritious it is. Eat colorfully! 

This dish was easy, filling, and inexpensive to make.  

Foodie Detox: Impromptu Strawberry Quinoa Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I've been ogling these lettuce wraps on Pinterest for over a month. They look so fresh and healthy. I wanted them today, but realized I was missing half the ingredients (namely the apples/ grapes/ almond butter/ romaine lettuce - so all the ingredients). 

Normally when this happens, I skip over to the market and pick up everything I need for whatever recipe is tickling my fancy. This would be okay if I used the rest of the ingredients before they went bad, but oftentimes I simply find another recipe I want to make while good food goes bad in my refrigerator. This time I decided to be more economical. I didn't have apples or grapes, but I did have strawberries. I also had quinoa and iceberg lettuce. Thus my variation on this was born: 

Impromptu Strawberry Quinoa Chicken Lettuce Wraps: 

1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup (or more) sliced strawberries
1/2 cup quinoa (cold) 
2 or 3 ounces chopped chicken 
apple cider vinaigrette (you can use whatever dressing floats your boat) 
salt/ pepper to taste 
Lettuce leaves for wraps 

Step 1: chop up some strawberries and cucumbers, throw them into a bowl with about 1/2 cup of quinoa. 

If you don't know how to cook quinoa, here are convenient instructions on whipping it up in a rice cooker. I like to cook a big batch and then refrigerate it to use as needed. 

2. cook up a chicken tenderloin or breast (you really only need a couple ounces) and throw it, chopped, into the bowl. Mix with salad dressing. I used apple cider vinaigrette, but you could use any dressing you like.  Salt/ pepper to taste. 

3. Put onto lettuce. 

4. Roll up. Eat. 

These were, honestly, pretty damn good, and really easy/quick. Make 'em. You don't need the exact ingredients -use what you have in your fridge. That's the point! If you're a herbivore, I think it would also taste great sans chicken.