All American

My weekend was extraordinarily wholesome. Fresh pasta, smoked gruyere and an early bedtime on Friday night (the Husband participated in his first cycling race at the crack of dawn on Saturday so carbs and sleep were essential). 

Converse sneakers, a bar and grill and a baseball game on Saturday.

And a trip to Ace Hardware on Sunday followed by an attempt  to make the bubble chandelier. I even laid out all the materials and tried to hype myself up with a glass of wine, but then I got distracted so there was little progress. In all honestly, the Husband really wasn’t in the mood for a DIY lighting project so we compromised. I attended a sporting event for his sake and he doesn’t have to make the chandelier until next weekend. See, I’m a selfless wife.

Main Course: Almonds

The minute I claim to be on a diet, I start obsessing about food. This annoys the Husband because then he starts obsessing about food. So to distract ourselves from obsessing about food we went swimsuit shopping. It was a horrifying experience you guys, but  the activity served its purpose. We had almonds for dinner.

Recipe as follows:

1 bag of unsalted, raw almonds
1 small palm
1 pretty plate

Put your palm into bag, grab a small fistful of almonds and scatter onto plate. Eat one by one. They last longer that way. 

Okay, I lied. We also ate some vegetables and soy protein. We’re not completely insane.

Pampered

This post would more aptly be titled “How Not to Lose Weight,” but I love the Husband too much to let him know he’s contributing to my impending obesity. Last weekend, he sweetly took over the task of feeding the family and our meal choices, while mouthwatering, added pounds to my frame.

Breakfast: This egg and faux sausage sandwich was waiting for me after my three mile run, the benefits of which were shot to shit as soon as I indulged.

Lunch: I like to drink my afternoon meal in the form of grapefruit mimosas. Some things are worth being fat for.

Dinner: Don’t let the salad fool you. A giant plate of sourdough bread was also inhaled.

Dinner: Okra and Other Bullshit Vegetables

It was cold and rainy all weekend and despite my sore throat and achy limbs I managed to roll myself off the couch long enough to cook dinner for my husband because I’m a good wife and because he gave me my Christmas present early.

Okra is one of my favorite vegetables. I cooked it with onions, diced tomatoes and peppers and served with a side of brown rice. It was the perfect warm meal to fill the Husband’s tummy on a cold night.

Spaghetti and the Black Keys

Friday night’s dinner looked a lot fancier than it was. I dressed up some regular jarred pasta sauce with chopped chard and fresh herbs, toasted bread and gouda, and opened a couple bottles of wine (we like to wine taste whilst indulging in simple carbohydrates). The whole scene was very Lady and the Tramp except we didn’t feed each other.

The Husband spent the rest of the weekend studying for finals and I laid around a lot. We took a break from studying and laying around to see the Black Keys in concert on Saturday night. A few observations: Urban Outfitters threw up on 92 percent of the population; mosh pits are not a thing of the past; smoking weed in mosh pits is not a thing of the past; Red Stripe beer really isn’t so bad; I need a pair of over-the-knee boots; the Black Keys are talented individuals.

 

Tinseltown

I’ve had a long and fabulous weekend in Hollywood with my gorgeous friends (there were many a celebrity sighting). We dined and danced and gabbed until dawn, but now I’m back to being a lonely wife. By the way, I left the Husband to fend for himself and he got a taste of the lonely life. He doesn’t enjoy and now has more appreciation for my blog habit.

Good For Your Heart

I’m going to confess that we eat a lot of soup in our house. Especially during the fall and winter months. This week I tried my hand at a bean soup. 

I started by sauteeing onions, garlic, carrots and some kind of spicy Mexican pepper that came in my CSA box last week. I added some chile powder and cardamom and probably some other spices (I can’t remember).

Then I added a can of black bean and a can of pinto beans (both drained and rinsed well), a couple cups of veggie broth and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

I served with shredded pepperjack cheese, but if I had sour cream and chives, I definitely would have added that.

Fennel Overdose

The Husband and I are part of a Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) program, which means we get organic produce from a local farm delivered to us bi-weekly. I recommend you look into joining a local CSA. We spend less than we did at the grocery store and I’m forced to make my meals around whatever is in season so it quenches my creative thirst. I’m always being introduced to things I wouldn’t normally cook with, like fennel.

It was cold last week so comfort food was a necessity. I used the fennel I got from the CSA with other ingredients in my kitchen to throw together a fennel and white bean soup. I started by sautéing onions, garlic, fennel and carrots and added some spices for flavor. Be creative with your spices and add whatever taste you’re in the mood for. I used cumin and oregano and later some fresh basil.  Then I added a can of diced tomatoes and veggie broth and let the soup simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. Next, I added white kidney beans (use whatever white bean you have on hand) and chopped chard and let that simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper, add fresh basil and serve to your grateful Husband.

I decided I liked fennel so much that I used the remainder to make a fennel and fresh herb risotto on Sunday night. I used the same tactic as with my other risotto, just substituted with vegetables and herbs I had on hand. It was ridic. Husband wants to renew our vows.

Pizza, Bubbly and Ben

The Husband and I have another crazy weekend in front of us so the only way we’re ever going to finish painting the office is to turn it into a date night activity. So tonight, we’re going to make our own pizza, chug sip champagne and hang out with our good friend Benjamin Moore.

Dinner Date: Butternut Squash & Leek Risotto

About once a week or so, I stray from my usual quick meals and make something a little more special for dinner. I light some candles, turn on jazz (our secret indulgence), open a bottle of wine and force the Husband to help me in the kitchen. We call these evenings date night and it gives us a reason to eat at the table.

On Friday night, I decided to use some of the fresh fall vegetables in our fridge to make a butternut squash and leek risotto that, I must admit, turned out amazing. Risotto is considered a difficult dish to make, but I’ve somehow managed to master it.

First, I peeled, seeded and chopped a large butternut squash into 1/2 inch pieces, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

While the squash was roasting, I sauteed half a chopped onion, several minced garlic cloves and the white and pale green parts of three large leeks thinly sliced in extra virgin olive oil.

Then I added one cup of arborio rice and 1/3 cup of dry white wine and let it simmer. Once the wine absorbed, I threw in the roasted squash and a pinch of saffron and stirred for a few seconds before beginning the hard part of making the perfect risotto.

While I was dicing, roasting and sautéing , I had a pot of six cups of vegetable broth heating on the stove. When I was ready, I added the broth to the risotto one cup at a time, let it simmer and absorb. I kept doing this until the rice turned fat and the mixture creamy. I took the risotto off the heat, added some fresh grated parmesan cheese and chopped rosemary and served.

The final product was divine.