watermelon mint daiquiri

one of my favorite parts of New Orleans was a simple stall in the open-air market in the French Quarter.

The stand was called "Organic Banana" and you could buy a 16-ounce fresh fruit daiquiri for $6.99. And being New Orleans, you could take the daiquiri with you, to sip while you walked.

In Seattle, it's not legal to drink a daiquiri in the street, but you can make pitchers of it for backyard or porch sipping. I've made several versions since returning home, including my most recent variation with watermelon and mint.

watermelon mint daiquiri

2 cups frozen cubed watermelon
1/2 cup pineapple or other juice
handful of mint leaves, torn
juice of half a lime
3 shots of rum (of course without this, it's just as good)
1 cup of ice

blend ingredients well, serve immediately with a garnish of mint.

You can use nearly any fruit here. This weekend I tried peach, and left the mint out. I've also made mango daiquiris. In both cases, the fruit does not need to be frozen, but freezing the fruit makes it a little more refreshing on a hot day.

veggie and brown rice salad with peanut butter hoisin dressing

Confession. I love peanut butter. I mean, I liked it growing up, but lately it's like I've discovered it anew. Besides eating it on toast, or slathered on bananas, I'm putting it in sauces and dressings at least once weekly. Maybe twice. We are going through jars of peanut butter like most people go through a half-gallon of milk.

My current favorite version of peanut sauce is combined with hoisin, a plum-soy Asian condiment. While you can make this dressing with soy sauce, the hoisin takes the peanut butter to a whole other level. It makes every salad exciting-- even ones with humble ingredients like rice and cabbage.

What's great about this meal is that it can be assembled in 15 minutes if you have precooked rice. Which, I highly suggest you get.

veggie and brown rice salad with peanut-hoisin dressing

2 cups cooked brown rice (cook it a few days ahead and keep in the fridge, or I suggest Trader Joe's precooked brown rice -- all you do is microwave it for 60 seconds.)
2 cups shredded cabbage (I like purple)
2 avocados, diced
1 cup shredded carrots (use a grater, or even buy them preshredded to save extra time)
1 cup kale, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
sesame seeds as garnish (optional)

dressing:
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tbs hoisin sauce**
3 tbs water
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs rice vinegar
1/2 tsp siracha sauce (or more to taste, depending on how spicy you want it)

whisk together dressing ingredients until smooth.

toss dressing with veggies and rice.
garnish with sesame seeds.
keeps for 1 to 2 days, covered, in the fridge

**don't have hoisin sauce? use soy sauce and and add 1/2 tbs brown sugar and half the amount the water

Eat up.

xo, erika

asparagus oyster sauce stir fry

When I first started playing around with Asian recipes, I noticed that a lot of recipes called for fish sauce or oyster sauce. I had never cooked with either of these, and to be honest, the first time I removed the cap of a bottle of fish sauce, I was wary that such a strong-smelling condiment would be necessary or even good in a dish.

I was proved wrong, of course. Both fish sauce and oyster sauce are final touches to popular dishes ranging from curries to soups.

Now I have both sauces in my fridge and have found that both can be used to add a depth of flavor to most dishes, Asian or not.

Of the two, oyster sauce is a little more palatable on its own, so if you're hesitant about the fishyness of these sauces, I would try this one. Make sure you find one that does not have MSG or other preservatives in it -- like Lee Kum Kee's Panda Brand -- and remember, a little bit goes a long way.

I had a ton of asparagus on hand-- it's on sale everywhere here-- and with some brown rice, it made for a great lunch or light dinner.

asparagus oyster sauce stir fry with rice
1/4 lb of asparagus, washed and cut into 2-inch pieces (cut off hard ends)
2 garlic cloves, diced
a few slices of fresh ginger, grated (tip: keep your ginger root in the freezer-- it will stay fresher longer and will still work great in any dish)
2 tbs peanut oil or other high-heat oil
cooked brown rice

sauce:
1 tbs oyster sauce
3 tbs rice vinegar
whisk together
(I use a 3:1 ratio for the sauce-- feel free to alter for more or less people)

Heat a pan to high-heat and add oil.
Once oil starts bubbling, turn down heat to medium high and add garlic and ginger.
Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute
Add asparagus and cook for just 2 to 3 minutes until asparagus is crisp tender, but still bright green.
Stir in oyster-vinegar sauce and heat for 30 seconds.
Remove pan from heat, continuing to stir as the pan cools down.

Serve with brown rice. Drizzle remaining sauce in the pan over the rice if desired.

I was given Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce to try out in my cooking; all opinions are my own.

20-minute meal: argula pesto pasta with peas and sausage

I love to cook, but to be honest, the husband cooks most weeknights. He gets home way before me (shorter commute -- jealoussss) and he also told me a while ago that he likes to bless me this way. I'm not arguing.

What I do for him, however, is find the recipe and ingredients for dinner. We meal plan Sundays and then I usually email him a recipe or instructions for dinner earlier in the afternoon. Our favorite recipes-- or at least my favorite recipes-- are chock full of veggies from our veggie box and have a little bit of meat. (I could go vegetarian but the runner husband loves a bit of meat or lean protein in our meals.)

This is a recent fave.

Argula Pesto Pasta with Peas and Spicy Sausage

Argula Pesto:
2 handfuls of washed, shredded argula leaves
2 tbs of olive oil (more if you need it-- my blender usually requires more)
1 tbs of grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt + pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pasta:
whole-wheat rotini noodles
2 cups of frozen peas
2 organic chicken sausages (I love Adell's brand)

Cook rotini noodles according to package. Stir in frozen peas moments before noodles are done. Rinse & drain noodles.

Meanwhile, cook sausage according to directions in pan. Remove from heat and dice.

Mix noodles with sausage, peas and top with argula pesto.

Serve and enjoy!

xo, erika

chili is for lovers

While some people give cookies or cake or chocolate for Valentine's Day, I honestly think chili is just as good -- or maybe an even better -- option for the one you love. 

And let me get this right out of the way -- this is not a chili for the faint of heart or the vegetarian -- this chili has bacon and steak and beer in it.

But if you make it for someone who loves steak and bacon and beer, you're guaranteed a good response.

the best chili ever
1 walla walla onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
4 pieces of nitrate-free bacon
1 lb steak, diced
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 black pepper
1 can of beer -- preferably a lager
2 cans kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 tbs tomato paste
1 can diced tomato and the juice
2 cans green diced chilis
2 tsp hot sauce (I like tapatio)
1/2 cup water

In a big pot of medium heat, cook bacon.
Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
Pour out half of the bacon grease.
Cook onion and garlic in remaining bacon grease (yes, this is key!)
Meanwhile, rub steak pieces with cumin, paprika and black pepper
Place steak in pot, cook each sides for a minute
Pour can of beer over steak and reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook steak and beer until beer is nearly all evaporated.
Add beans through water and bring to a boil.
Boil for a minute, then reduce heat to low and cook for at least an hour (the longer the better!)

I let the chili simmer nearly all day-- this ensures a really deep flavor.

To serve, crumble bacon on top and serve with other toppings -- cheese, peppers, avocado, and more!

xo, erika

recipe: peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (gluten free)

I've always been someone who operates with the belief that sweets are just going to be bad for you. They have to have two sticks of butter, 12 eggs, and more butter, to be delicious.  When I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner -- that should be healthy-- but if I am going to have dessert, I am going to indulge.

However, I have a friend who has had stomach issues for years, so she was trying out an elimination diet to get to root of it.  But it was her birthday and I desperately wanted to make her something sweet and delicious that would fit her current restrictions, so I made this gluten-free, dairy-free brownies. And despite my initial skepticism, they were delicious (like, go make them now kind of delicious). And, even better, they were easy and didn't have any weird additives. I could make them out of what I had on hand.

So I started thinking... maybe desserts could be slightly healthy...

I started playing around with tweaking some other recipes, and for the Super Bowl this past week, I decided to make peanut butter oatmeal cookies -- but in a similar way to the brownies. And this is what I came up with (and yes, we ate them all in the first quarter.)

I don't know if I could call them healthy but they don't even have one stick of butter in them.

peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (gluten, dairy free)
1 cup peanut butter
5 tbs maple syrup (or honey or brown sugar)
1/4 cup sugar-free, natural applesauce
2 tbs melted coconut oil
1 1/2 cups oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (or, you could be really healthy and substitute dried fruit or nuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Blend peanut butter, maple syrup, applesauce and coconut oil with a mixer until fully blended.
Mix in applesauce and vanilla extract.

Stir in baking soda, oats, and chocolate chips.

Batter will be relatively thick.

Place on sprayed cooking sheet in spoon-sized drops (I use parchment paper because it means even less clean up!)

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes.

Eat them all.

xo, erika

chips + kale spinach yogurt dip

I'm eat healthy most of the time. Salads, quinoa, no processed foods, yadda yadda. But I do profess a deep love for homemade desserts, beer, and chips and dip. 

And it's football season, as well as nearly Super Bowl season, so I say it's time to get into the chips and dip.

But it's still January and resolution season, so let's not catapult all the way to fried potato chips dipped in cheesy bean dip (we'll get there in February).

Instead let's do baked potato chips and veggie chips with a kale spinach yogurt dip. Tyrells Chips sent me some of their chips to try out-- they're all natural, gluten-free and come in great flavors, including my two faves: veggie and salt and pepper. They're super crispy and make a great dip chip (or a eating late at night chip...)

Kale Spinach Yogurt Dip (inspired by Trader Joes' kale spinach greek yogurt dip)

1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbs canola mayonaise
1 tsp honey
2 minced garlic cloves
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced spinach
1/2 cups diced kale
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp red pepper (optional--I like a little bit of a kick to dips)

Chop veggies very finely-- the smaller the better.
Mix ingredients well.
Cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of three hours (to allow flavors to blend.)

Serve with chips, veggies or use it as a spread!



Tyrell Chips gifted me a few bags of chips to try out; opinions, as always, are my own. 

gluten-free chocolate truffles

Hello wonderful rouge and whimsy readers!

My name is Meghan, and I write over at eat.live.make  all about living a creative, simple and healthy life. You can follow along for more awesome recipes and tutorials on facebook//pinterest//instagram and my blog! Sweet Erika is kind enough to let me pop in today and share this delicious recipe with you all.

My mom made these truffles for me for Christmas and I MAY have eaten them all without anyone's help! They have chickpeas in them, so they are healthy, right? Not to mention that they are totally gluten free AND vegan! For those of you who aren't vegan, feel free to substitute the chocolate for any melting chocolate you would normally use. Bring a batch of these to your next party and you'll be everyone's new best friend.. I know you'd be mine:).

Ingredients:

• One 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ¼ c cocoa powder
• ¼ c honey, or to taste (substitute agave or maple syrup for strict vegan)
• ½ c peanut butter (I used natural)
• 1 t gluten free vanilla
• About 16 oz. gluten free & vegan (I used enjoy life brand) chocolate chips for dipping
• Options sprinkles or other decorations, if desired

Directions: 

1. Combine the chickpeas, cocoa powder, honey, peanut butter, and vanilla in your food processor.
2. Process until a dough consistency forms, stopping to scrape down the sides, as needed.
3. Transfer cookie dough to a bowl or storage container. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough for a bit before making the truffles.
4. Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and peanut butter cups.
5. Refrigerate the undipped truffles for at least 30 minutes or so.
6. If using, melt the chocolate as per package instructions, dip each truffle, and place on wax paper to cool, adding sprinkles or other decorations before chocolate is set.
7. Once chocolate is set, store truffles in the refrigerator.

( this recipe has been adapted from the original recipe found on Cupcakes and Kale Chips)

--
ok how delicious do those look? Meghan is just about the sweetest and a talented photographer-- I highly suggest checking out her online space. 

xo, erika

champagne mojitos + a virtual bridal shower

One thing I've learned recently is that friendship can come from all places-- even the internet. I became friends with Julie two years ago and now I count her as a dear friend-- someone who can listen to my gripes about owning a small business and someone who will always appreciate a photo of my dog.

Julie is getting married this spring and while I can't throw her a bridal shower in my living room, I can throw her one online. And if I was hosting a shower for her, I know I would have to make the lady a mixed drink.

Julie loves mojitos, but I figure because we're at a shower, we should make it just a little fancier-- and add champagne.

champagne mojitos
(recipe for two, you can easily increase this for more people!)
3 limes, juiced
1 large bunch of mint leaves
1/2 grapefruit, juiced
2 shots of rum
1 cup of champagne
2 tsp of sugar

J + J for Julie & Jordan :)

directions:

- Tear mint leaves into small pieces. 

- Add mint juice, grapefruit juice, sugar, mint leaves to jar and muddle with the backside of a spoon to mix all the flavors 

- pour in rum, stir and continue to muddle

- top with cup of champagne

- divide contents equally between two glasses and garnish with lime wedges. 

enjoy!

congratulations Julie! I am so happy for you :)

go check out the rest of the bridal shower hosts!

 

Leonora of Yellow Heart Art

Illene of Much Love Illy

Regina of Acute Designs

Emily of Anna Delores Photography

xo, erika

thanksgiving tacos

 
I wish I could be take credit for coming up with this creation, but I heard about it from my friend Leonora who ate it at Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn a few weekends ago. I was skeptical until she said: "turkey, cranberry and cilantro." Three really good things. And in a taco. Why not.


You probably have leftovers galore to recreate this dish, but I actually had to make some fresh cranberry sauce. (My recipe is below).

Also, I didn't have corn tacos, so I had to settle for the tortillas, which I realize makes this a Thanksgiving burrito or Thanksgiving wrap, but it doesn't really have the same ring to it as Thanksgiving taco. ;)

Thanksgiving tacos
- shredded turkey meat
- 1 tbs cranberry sauce
- handful of arugula
- couple of sprigs of fresh cilantro
- optional: jalepeno slices, goat cheese


I warmed up a tortilla and topped with the cranberry, argula, cilantro and turkey.  The peppery arugula gives it a nice kick, but I think sliced jalepenos or even some goat cheese would be delish here as well!





cranberry sauce:
I wanted a spicier sauce (as it's acting as the salsa)
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp grated orange zest (orange peel)

Bring sugar and water to boil, stirring constantly. Stir in cranberries and bring back to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until all the cranberries have burst.
Stir in spices and seasoning.
Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. (it will thicken as it cools)
Refrigerate any leftovers.



Does a Thanksgiving taco sound crazy? Or would you be willing to try it?

xo, erika

make: pumpkin gnocchi with white sauce

I feel like as soon as it hits October, it's all about the pumpkin recipes.

But now that it has hit November, can we still get on board with pumpkin? Specifically, pumpkin pasta?

I've been wanting to make gnocchi for awhile, and I saw a recipe for sweet potato gnocchi but when I went to make it, I didn't have any sweet potatoes!

But I did have a can of pumpkin puree. And it turns out, they work the same.

 

 

pumpkin gnocchi
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cup flour (I did a mix of wheat and wheat. Gluten-free folks, try almond meal)
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. The dough should be thick and slightly sticky. You can add more flour here if you want. 

Place the dough on a floured surface and cut the dough into 4 equal parts.

Roll each part into a 1-inch thick roll and slice off 1-inch squares.

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.

Drop gnocchi pieces into the water (I did in batches) and when they float to the top, remove from the water and let cool on a paper towel-lined plate.

white sauce
(I'm sure there is a fancier name for this sauce, but growing up, my mom just called it white sauce.)
1 tbs butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp of pepper

Melt butter over low heat. Once melted, slowly stir in flour, constantly stirring until mixed together.

Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly while adding.

Continue to stir over low heat until mixture begins to thicken.

Add pepper and remove from heat.

Pour over gnocchi and serve immediately.

fall meal: quinoa-stuffed acorn squash

No it's not pumpkin, but yes, I still consider this an autumn-ish meal.

I am fully on team squash right now, especially roasted acorn squash. However, as far as meals go, acorn squash on its own is not too substantial. Enter quinoa, all-around super food and the perfect addition to a roasted squash.

I made this about a week ago and no joke, it's now in heavy rotation for lunches as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as I (obsessively) do.



ingredients:
1 acorn squash
1/2 cup quinoa
1 apple **
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tbs butter
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp allspice
pure maple syrup or balsamic vinegar (to dribble over)
salt & pepper to taste

squash:
Preheat oven to 350
Cut and de-seed the acorn squash, placing it cut side down in several inches of water in a baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until very soft.
Mix brown sugar, paprika and allspice together in a small bowl. 
After 45 minutes, remove from oven and turn acorn squash over. Dot the insides of the both squash halves with butter. Sprinkle brown sugar-spice mixture over butter and return the squash to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes until the butter and sugar have caramelized.

quinoa + apple:
Cook quinoa-- bring 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Fluff with fork.

Core and chop apple roughly, sautee until soft in coconut oil. Stir in to quinoa.

combine:
Spoon quinoa and apple mixture into acorn squash, mixing into the butter and squash. Drizzle with just a small amount of maple syrup for a sweeter dish or balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Salt and pepper might sound weird with a sweeter dish, but I think it's a nice juxtaposition against the sweetness of the brown sugar and maple.


** if you don't want to add apple, you could go more savory with sausage stirred into the quinoa, or onions or garlic or a host of other things; the options are endless.



enjoy!

xo, erika

p.s. also. I just discovered something new and fantastic that I thought would be worth mentioning. All of my life, I thought I hated syrup. Turns out I hate the fakey syrup that is not really syrup but corn syrup with flavoring. True, actually-from-the-trees syrup is a whole different matter and I find myself putting it on everything completely Elf-style. I've mixed it with vinegar and dijon for a salad dressing, stirried into baked goods... it's crazy, I tell you. And if you're still with Mrs. Butterworth, I highly suggest ending that relationship and getting yourself a bottle of the real stuff.

whole wheat pumpkin pancakes

I've been out of town four out of the five past weekends and this Saturday was one of the first days where I didn't need to be anywhere-- at least not until later on.

I chose not to go tailgate with the husband at the UW game (he headed out at 4 a.m. to catch the filing of ESPN College Game Day-- insane) and so it was me and my morning -- stretched out before me.

The husband is pretty great, but he's got a major flaw: he doesn't like big breakfasts/brunchs. He claims they make him feel lazy or something. Me, on the other hand, I love them. So when the husband is gone and I have a leisurely morning awaiting me, I eat a really good breakfast.

And because it's October and all, I decided to eat a really good breakfast that had pumpkin pancakes.

I suggest you find yourself a leisurely morning soon and make these.

whole wheat pumpkin pancakes (adapted from here)

ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbs baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg -- lightly beaten
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbs coconut oil

mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
mix all the wet ingredients in a small bowl
beat the egg separately with a whisk for a minute or so, stir into wet ingredients
slowly stir in wet ingredients into dry

cook 'em up!

xo, erika

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