Veggie-Packed Quinoa Salad

Remember that time we thought spring had finally arrived? Yeah...it's currently going on day 1,000 of being 40ish degrees here in Boston, topped off with some nice rain. Thanks, Mother Nature.

Thankfully, Z and I had this springy and vibrant quinoa salad last week to help us get over our spring blues. It was basically a "let's clean out the fridge" salad, but it worked. Chock-full of grilled asparagus, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and feta cheese, this was one satisfying yet healthy "spring" dinner.

Veggie-Packed Quinoa Salad

Yields: 2 servings

-1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

-1 cup water

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1/4 yellow onion, sliced

-Pinch of granulated sugar

-1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (from a jar)

-1 cup chopped cooked asparagus (we used leftover grilled asparagus)

-1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-1/4 cup crumbled feta 

Directions:

1.) Place quinoa and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Uncover and fluff with a fork.

2.) While quinoa is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for about two minutes; sprinkle with sugar and continue cooking until onions are softened and begin to brown/caramelize, about 10 minutes.

3.) Mix onions, red peppers, and asparagus with quinoa. Pour over lemon juice and season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl.

4.) Add crumbled feta, stir, and enjoy!

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The best part about this salad is that it's satiating - I'm not one to have a salad for dinner, but quinoa is packed with protein, which makes this "salad" fit for a meal.

This dinner also made us believe it was, in fact, spring. Even if just for 10 minutes. 

Don't forget: You have one day left to enter my giveaway for a $25 gift card to b.good + a mixed four-pack of Sir Kensington's all-natural condiments!

Sir Kensington's and b.good Giveaway

I have quite the fun giveaway for you today - just in time for BBQ season!

The folks at Sir Kensington's reached out to me a few weeks ago and asked if I'd be down to sample some of their all-natural condiments. Based out of New York City, Sir Kensington's condiments are non-GMO, boast only real, legible ingredients, and their ketchup - unlike the "big guys" - has no high fructose corn syrup.

Sir Kensington's products are sold at stores like Whole Foods and Formaggio Kitchen, as well as restaurants throughout the United States - like b.good.

b.good in Harvard Square.

B.good's goal is to make fast food "real" by having their food be made by people...not factories.

I visited the b.good in Harvard Square for lunch last week and decided to try a Cousin Oliver veggie burger ($6.59), topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, and Chef Tony's homemade pickles (on a whole wheat bun). I also got a side of hand-cut fries ($2.99).

For dipping the fries in (and, later, smearing on my burger), I got a few cups of Sir Kensington's Classic Ketchup.

The homemade veggie burger was chock-full of black beans and corn, and it was nicely crisp on the outside. The size of the burger was also ideal - filling enough, but not unnecessarily large. The well-seasoned, non-greasy French fries were also spot-on.

Most importantly, the ketchup was quite incredible. I've had "all-natural," homemade ketchups before that just don't have the nostalgic consistency of the ketchup we're all used to. But Sir Kensington's ketchup has that smooth, thick texture while possessing a fresh tomato flavor - without all of that extra sugar. The ketchup was also ideally salty, but not too salty that it could still pair well with b.good's fries. 

So, are you interested in trying Sir Kensington's condiments (and b.good) for yourself? The friendly folks at Sir Kensington's are giving a mixed four-pack of their condiments + a $25 gift card to b.good (valid at any location) to one lucky EE reader!

Source.

The four-pack includes what's pictured above: Sir Kensington's Classic Mayonnaise, Chipotle Mayonnaise, Classic Ketchup, and Spiced Ketchup.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post about how you'd incorporate Sir Kensington's condiments in your cookouts this summer. I'll pick a winner Thursday (5/1) morning. (Please note: this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only). 

Good luck!

My meal at b.good was complimentary. All opinions are my own.

This giveaway is now closed.

Boozy Iced Mocha

We live dangerously close to Cafe Rustica in Somerville, and I always order an iced mocha when we go there. I just love the combination of coffee and chocolate together.

Yesterday, after a successful meeting in Boston, I rode the T home craving an afternoon iced coffee - specifically, an iced mocha. But since it was Thursday and it was past noon, I decided to put some booze in it. 

Boozy Iced Mocha

Yields: 1 cocktail

-1 cup iced coffee

-1 ounce double espresso vodka

-Splash of creme de cacao

-3 ice cubes

-Unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or any milk you prefer)

Directions:

1.) Pour iced coffee, vodka, and creme de cacao into a cocktail shaker; shake well.

2.) Place ice cubes in a rocks glass; pour coffee mixture over ice. Add almond milk and stir. 

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Um, yeah...the hint of rich chocolate from the creme de cacao mixed with the roasted coffee and creamy almond milk was a divine combination. I could all too easily drink this in the morning vs. waiting for cocktail time. But hey, it's almost the weekend, and boozy drinks before noon are totally acceptable - so feel free to have one (or two) of these with brunch tomorrow morning.

Cheers!

My Current Obsessions

Here's another edition of My Current Obsessions! (Other editions can be found here, here, here, here, and here). Here are all of the trivial, random, and/or delicious things I am loving lately.

1.) Whole bean coffee

Z and I got a coffee/spice grinder for our wedding, but we didn't try using the whole bean coffee until a few weeks ago. Z went on a trip with his dad to Utah, and came home with a fresh bag of beans. I immediately grinded a few handfuls and brewed them...and, let's just say, coffee never tasted so good. The beans provided a much more intense yet smooth coffee flavor, and the taste was so much more fresh than the grounds I am used to. I'm officially converted! (Note: Z got the coffee at Beans and Brews).

2.) Pretzels dipped in Nutella

Seriously...how have I never thought of this before?? Salty, crunchy pretzels dipped in sweet, creamy Nutella. It's a divine (and addictive) combination. 

3.) LevelUp

Source: www.forbes.com

Have you guys ever used this app before? Basically, you download it for free, securely enter your credit card information, and you can use it to pay at participating retailers. The best part is: Most of the time, when you first use LevelUp at that retailer, you get a discount (anywhere from $1-$5+ off). From there, after you spend a certain amount of money at that particular store, you get another discount. And, as far as I can tell, LevelUp only works with locally owned businesses - so it encourages you to support local businesses while giving yourself some money off! Win-win. Z and I use LevelUp all the time at Pemberton Farms, and I recently scored $2 off at When Pigs Fly Bakery, too.

4.) Dr. Mario

Source: http://nintendo.wikia.com/wiki/Dr._Mario

I realize I am basically a 12-year-old boy, but this game is SO fun. I never played it as a kid, but Z recently introduced it to me on our Wii, and...well, I am a teeny bit obsessed with it. It's basically like Tetris (which I also love), but with Mario characters and pills, which are used to kill off the viruses in the Tertis-like board. I just described the game horribly, but trust me - it's fun.

5.) Dirty martinis

...especially with blue cheese-stuffed olives. I never thought I'd be a fan of a cocktail like this, but it's got a great kick to it (especially my Jalapeno Dirty Martini), it's strong, and it's the perfect beverage to end a long week and kick off a great weekend. We make these a lot at home, but I also love the dirty martinis at Toscano in Harvard Square, Beat Hotel (also in Harvard), and West Side Lounge, right outside of Porter Square. 

What are you currently obsessed with?

Spring Pasta with Peas, Mushrooms, and Parsley-Arugula Pesto

Ah, spring. The season that brings long-awaited warmer temperatures and happier moods to my corner of the [New England] world. But my absolute favorite part about spring: the fresh, local produce that starts popping up everywhere. 

Ramps, fiddleheads, arugula, fresh herbs - so many green, delicious things sprout up in the spring. And while we're still impatiently waiting for many of these things to be available to us, I tried willing spring's harvest with this super green, super tasty pasta dish. (You're welcome).

Chock-full of sweet peas, meaty mushrooms, and a bright, slightly peppery pesto, this spring-friendly pasta dish was a nice [albeit somewhat cruel] tease for what's to come. 

Spring Pasta with Peas, Mushrooms, and Parsley-Arugula Pesto

Yields: 4 servings

Pasta:

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-2 cups white button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

-1 clove garlic, minced

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

-Splash of dry white wine (I used pinot grigio)

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-3 cups whole wheat penne (or whichever pasta you wish)

-1 cup frozen peas

-3 spoonfuls Parsley-Arugula Pesto (recipe follows)

-Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1.) Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook until they begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, and cook until garlic becomes fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine, salt, and black pepper, and cook for one minute more.

2.) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until it begins to become al dente, about 6-7 minutes (time will vary depending on type of pasta used). With one minute of cooking time left, add peas. Drain pasta and peas together in a strainer.

3.) Return pasta and peas to the pot, and stir in mushroom mixture. Add pesto, and stir until pesto is incorporated. Serve with a generous garnish of Parmesan cheese.

Parsley-Arugula Pesto:*

-2 (loosely packed) cups fresh parsley

-2 (tighly packed) cups arugula

-1 clove garlic, peeled

-1/4 cup walnuts

-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-Juice of half a lemon

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

-2/3 cup olive oil

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) Add above ingredients, through crushed red pepper flakes, to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Turn on food processor, and stream in olive oil while food processor is running.

2.) Taste pesto and add salt and black pepper as needed.

*One quick note: I made this pesto to make use of leftover parsley and arugula, so I kind of winged the amount of greens used. Just taste and adjust as needed after all of the ingredients are incorporated. 

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This dish was surprisingly light yet full of nutritious, satiating ingredients. (Yes, Parmesan cheese is nutritious...in my opinion, anyway). We actually ate heaping bowls of this by itself, although you could serve it alongside a simple green salad and/or some garlic bread, if you so choose.

What vegetable and/or fruit are you most looking forward to this spring?

Scallion, Feta, and Red Pepper Muffins

I hope everyone (that celebrates) had a lovely Easter!

We spent Saturday night with Z's side of the family for Seder (we made the Surprise Tatin from Plenty for the occasion), then drove to my aunt's house Sunday morning for Easter brunch. Then, we took yesterday off to cheer on the marathoners (and get incredibly sunburnt...thanks, Irish skin). It was a lovely, long weekend filled with family, friends, food, and one too many beers.

For Easter brunch at my aunt's house, I decided to make something savory, since I knew there would be a lot of sweet items in the spread. I had a ton of chopped scallions in the freezer (they freeze so well!), which inspired this savory muffin recipe.

Scallion, Feta, and Red Pepper Muffins

Yields: 18 medium-sized muffins (or 12 large muffins)

Adapted from First Look, Then Cook

-Non-stick vegetable or canola oil spray

-2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

-2 teaspoons baking powder

-1 teaspoon paprika

-Salt and black pepper

-3/4 cup whole milk

-1/2 cup vegetable oil

-2 large eggs

-1 cup chopped scallions

-3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

-1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (from a jar)

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups (or 18 muffin cups, for smaller muffins) with non-stick spray. 

2.) Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. 

3.) In a separate, large bowl, whisk milk, oil, and eggs to blend. Add dry ingredients; whisk just until blended. Add scallions, feta, and peppers; fold to incorporate evenly. 

4.) Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (for 12 muffins, cups will be filled to top; for smaller muffins, cups will be filled about halfway). Bake muffins until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 28 minutes, depending on how large your muffins are. Cool for 5 minutes in pan, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. 

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Each muffin is chock-full of salty feta, spicy scallions, and sweet, juicy red peppers. I absolutely loved the flavor combination in this recipe. 

The paprika also added a great color and flavor to these muffins, without being too overpowering (the feta, scallions, and red peppers were the most apparent flavors). Served alongside endless amounts of quiche, pastries, and hash browns, these savory muffins were quite the hit at this year's Easter brunch.

What did you do this weekend?

Drink This: Night Shift Brewing Viva Habanera

Two things I love about living in Somerville/the Boston area: Night Shift beer and The Painted Burro.

Z and I have become regulars at Night Shift's tap room in Everett, and we've more recently discovered the beauty that is The Painted Burro. This Davis Square gem serves up some delicious Mexican food, with reasonable prices and friendly service to boot.

Last weekend, I got to combine both of my local loves at The Painted Burro's 2nd Annual Guac Off, where I was one of three judges (along with Jen Che of Tiny Urban Kitchen and Jay McKenzie, Somerville firefighter and winner of The Painted Burro’s Burro Churro Challenge). I'm the dorky one in the glasses in the picture below.

Source: Marlo Marketing/Communications

During the Guac Off, we had to sample 12 different types of guacamole - the competitors really made some interesting guac creations. Some had booze in them, others had fruit, and one had ghost peppers - grown right in the competitor's backyard. They were all really interesting and creative, but the winning guac went to Somerville local Issac Hendrickson (pictured above, with the giant check). Isaac walked away with a $150 gift card to The Painted Burro, as well as the honor of having his recipe for Granada Guacamole with pomegranate seeds featured on the restaurant’s menu.

While I was eating my body weight in guac, I enjoyed one of my favorite brews to order when I'm at The Painted Burro (and Night Shift's brewery): Viva Habanera.

Night Shift's Viva Habanera is just the right combination of sweet and spicy. This rye ale is brewed with agave nectar, which helps to tame down the spice from the habanero peppers that this beer's aged on. The habanero peppers are present in the back of your throat, but not overwhelmingly fiery, which makes this beer easily drinkable and friendly with food. Especially Mexican food - I love ordering a glass of this and sipping it alongside nachos, tacos, and/or guacamole (clearly).

Viva Habanera is available year-round (and at many local liquor stores), but if you go to the brewery, ask to get it combined with Night Shift's Taza Stout. It's like a rich and delicious chocolate-pepper party in your mouth. 

Have you tried any great beers lately?