Tag Archives: easy

{thirsty thursday} — smashed fingerling potatoes

11 Oct

i have been craving mashed potatoes ever since long before our first frost on october 5th – {what the heck?!} — and i finally made some at home.  you wouldn’t think mashed potoatoes would be a “seasonal” food, but apparently according to some, they are. i tend to think of them as a seasonal-transcendant food, but i also tend to think against the grain – whatever.

typically i use creamer potatoes for my mashed taters, and i use a special kind of butter that leaves every guest asking, “what did you put in those mashed potatoes?!?!?!!!”  i take a lot of pride in making some mean mashed potatoes.  it’s one of my few specialties.  not a super difficult dish by any means, but i do think that i was a potato farmer in a previous life, no doubt… so i pour a lot of my soul into my mashed potatoes.  and as we all know, my soul tastes like butter… 🙂

this time i opted to try something new.  i decided to make “smashed fingerling potatoes” instead.  a slightly different potato, but still a creamier texture.  and i used a different butter.  no matter, it still turned out amazing. Continue reading →

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{meatless monday} — buttercorn squash soup

8 Oct

i am fully aware that “buttercorn” is not  a word… remember how i like to make up names for my dishes?!  well, this was no exception.

and i’m so fully in autumn mode it’s not even right.  and it’s not just because we got hit with some snow this week.  i’ve been ready now for weeks.  i thrive in the fall, i love this time of year!!  and yes, part of it is because i have a birthday approaching! 🙂  but i just love the food autumn brings.  i’m finally ready to put away the salad fork and bust out the soup spoon more often… i’m ready for root vegetables, squashes, potatoes, yams, and soups!!!!

squash was on sale a couple weeks ago – 10 pounds for 10 dollars.  so i snagged up 3 different kinds – spaghetti, acorn, and butternut.  i always use my spaghetti squash as pasta, so i knew what to do with that… and i was going to try to make the butternut squash as soup anyway – then i thought, well why can’t i just use BOTH kinds of squash in the soup?!

and so i did. Continue reading →

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{foodie friday} — colourful “pey”tato casserole

28 Sep

sometimes “foto friday” morphs into “foodie friday” – and by sometimes i mean there is a first time for everything 🙂

it’s getting to be that time of year, when i just want to load up on comfort food like this and be lazy and gain 10 pounds of winter weight and not even sweat it — i’ll take it off in february.  for now, bring on the fireplace, the couch, and the spuds!

this is about as basic as it can get, though… of course, with a little audrey flair! Continue reading →

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{meatless monday – peewee potatoes}

24 Sep

look at these adorable little potatoes.  aren’t they cute?!  when i saw them i let out a little squeal and snagged them up.  they are in fact called, “pee wee potatoes” and rightfully so, they are itty bitty!  like, no bigger than a small pebble, i love it.

 

i just kept them whole, smothered them in EVOO and a S&P and roasted them in a 400 degree oven for about a half hour or so, until tender.

then take them out and let them cool a bit… {isn’t it interesting how the colour changes}

serve as is.  i ate this entire bowl, they are out of this world delicious!  sweet and creamy and they ‘pop’ when you bite into them… so much fun.

 

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{thirsty thursday} – the “tunacado sammy”

20 Sep

i like to make up names for my food…

i can’t remember where i picked this idea up… maybe it was during my cleanse, i was talking to someone about dairy and particularly mayonnaise and how i don’t really like it and i wish there was a better dressing for my tuna sandwiches. then i heard about trying an avocado in place of dressing – and HOLY SMOKES!  what a better sammy it makes!

so, here’s the extremely simple recipe : Continue reading →

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{meatless monday} — audrey michelle’s simple house salad

17 Sep

sometimes, i just want crunch, texture, tangy, salty, slightly cheesy, light food.  and usually i crave a salad.  i eat really well, generally speaking.  i have a healthy, well-balanced diet.  and so if i’m craving something, i listen to that craving.  i have noticed i’ll crave something like this simple salad after i’ve loaded up on too many carbs or rich proteins.  it’s like my body finds a way to tell me i need the balance… so cool.

i’ve been kind of a slacker eater this past week.  i was up in the mountains for work a couple weeks ago and the company gave us a pretty hefty per diem for food, so i just splurged.  plus, it’s a 3-hour ride so we snacked and snacked! also, uhm… continental breakfast!?  yes, please.  every morning! Continue reading →

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{thirsty thursday} — risotto balls and creamy avocado dip w/ a seasonal red hoptober ale

13 Sep

these were absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS!!  perfect for the football game, easy to make {if you can stand making the risotto ahead of time earlier in the week}, and out-of-this-world delicious! a coworker suggested this recipe to me when i told her i was trying my hand at risotto… i was eager to try BOTH!

here is my recipe for the mushroom/leek risotto that is beginning this dish. start with that – and 2 eggs and some breadcrumbs… i had *just enough* to make these : Continue reading →

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{meatless monday} roasted rainbow zucchini pizza strips

3 Sep

HAPPY LABOR DAY!  hope you are enjoying the weekend – getting some late sunshine, firing up the grill one last time, taking a final dip in the pool, and of course, eating and drinking!

i thought i’d share a fun recipe in honor of the holiday weekend.

these were super fun and easy to make. i made some in the past, but wanted to try a little different approach this time – mostly, more colour. i love zucchini anyway, but the inspiration for this dish was to use up some of the cream cheese i had in the fridge as well as a few of the tomatoes i had lying around – never want those to go to waste!!!  when i spotted the multicolour ones at work, i had to snag them up.  it’s too bad there aren’t too many “blue” foods, or i would’ve made a slightly more festive version 🙂 Continue reading →

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{thirsty thursday} – homemade salsa, guacamole, and ginger ale {{and GO BRONCOS!}}

30 Aug

i like making stuff myself.

salsa and guac are always so easy, super healthy, and a hit for any occasion.  i sometimes just like to have it sitting out while i’m preparing dinner or of course, during any football game. i’m so happy it’s preseason!  the broncos are playing super late tonight, so i look forward to catching the game!!!

Continue reading →

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{meatless monday} – simple and colourful pasta salad

27 Aug

i heart italian dressing.

and i’m always trying to find ways to put in on things.  i would like to come up with a recipe of my own and just make it at home, but somehow i don’t seem to get the combinations right, it’s frustrating.  so i just buy whole foods’ brand.  and it’s probably just about the same cost as buying the ingredients to make yourself, to be honest.  plus i love a light summer salad for dinner, but those days are almost over – womp womp.

mostly i just had this stuff lying around, so i put it all together with some veggie pasta and VIOLA!  something to put italian dressing on!  Continue reading →

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{meatless monday} – super easy and pretty rainbow tacos

20 Aug

these could not be simpler.  nor more delicious and healthy and light and good for you.

– whole wheat locally made tortillas, warm them up if you like

– organic black beans, drained and slightly heated via stovetop w/ a little S&P

– fresh avocado, chopped

– organic cherry tomatoes, chopped

– organic sharp cheddar cheese, shredded {normally i’d buy white, but the colour is only from annatto and i’m down with that, because it makes the rainbow in my rainbow tacos look really great…}

– sweet onion, diced Continue reading →

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{thirsty thursday} – homemade black bean & tomato hummus w/ a pumpkin ale

16 Aug

too soon?!

it’s not quite autumn, i do realize that — but the air in colorado has been changing and i even saw some yellow leaves on a green tree on my walk around the lake the other day… just sayin’ – pretty soon, they’ll be tons of corn and pumpkins!

and besides, i love blue moon beer.  i’ve tried {almost} all of their beers and i have enjoyed each one.

simple black bean hummus : 

 

– chickpeas {“this” many}

– 1 can or box black beans

– some tomatoes {did i mention how i don’t measure…}

i used these delicious little cherry tomatoes and golden nugget tomatoes. how incredible do just their names sound?!  yum.

throw those three simple ingredients in a food processor, add in a little S&P, and spin in some EVOO as needed – start with a little, add as you go if necessary…

blend until desired texture… you know, like – hummus 🙂

serve with whatever.  for lunch, i smeared some on a slice of naan bread.  pita would work, too. add in some falafel and make a wrap out of it…

or, dip some blue chips in it.  YUM!

i accompanied it with this yummy brew.

who cares if it’s kind of an autumn beer?!  it was spicy-ish, less pumpkin than spicy – at least according to my palate.  i love the colour and i really enjoyed it. warm and complex, it would be good alone as an after-dinner drink, or with a mild dish like this hummus or even a mild cheese.

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{meatless monday} – spaghetti squash w/ spinach

13 Aug

i heart spaghetti squash.  a lot.

i love the texture, the colour, the crunch… it’s a great vegan option — in fact, why didn’t i make this on my cleanse?! i think it wasn’t available in organic at the time… anyway, here are the {uber-simple} ingredients i used :

Continue reading →

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{meatless monday} – sweet potato, carrot, & falafel open-faced pitas

6 Aug

good morning, happy monday, hope you all had a nice weekend.

i was delightfully lazy yesterday, glued to the couch and the olympics most of the day.  i completely heart sundays for that reason.  if i want to go somewhere, i can – but mostly it’s just my day to rest… and eat.  🙂

this dish was created because i always keep falafel in the house – it’s one of my protein staples, and i love love love it!  i also had another bunch of the purple carrots – and i know they compliment sweet potatoes well.  i had almond milk in the fridge, and i keep the spice on hand because i love curry spice!  i didn’t have any tomatoes around, so i used tomato paste for a little extra flavour : Continue reading →

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meatless monday – “nutri-tatoes”

30 Jul

i’m not feeling very well at all today.  so this is going to be a quick and to-the-point post.  a simple vegan recipe that i feel the whole family will love…

super easy to make, too. keeps well in the fridge, can be reheated, and of course – good for you! i had these quite a few times on my cleanse, as i could feel my body needing the protein. Continue reading →

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black bean quinoa w/ heirloom tomatoes and pale lager

23 Jul

yep, that says pale lager.  i had beer, too!!  🙂

so, this was my first “solid” meal after my cleanse.  this was the first grain and/or legume i had in 7 days!  so weird. hard to believe i made it through that cleanse.  the middle ground was definitely the hardest, but today i feel great!  i also did a ton of “other” cleansing last night to include a calcium bentonite clay mask, mustard seed bath, sage-smudging, and meditation by candlelight and incense.  i literally feel anew today.  it’s a weird space to be in, actually. i’m not entirely sure what the next step is.  kind of a void, if you will.  but it’s not a negative thing. it’s just that i feel so fresh and new and it’s like i want to reinvent myself and the world around me… i can’t help but think of one of my favourite bloggers when i say that – it’s like i want to create a new mantra for my life… and so i will.

today it started with gratitude, snuggles from my kitty, yoga {this video is similar to my morning practice – also what got me started doing yoga!}, and a detox tea.

last night for dinner, this is what went down : Continue reading →

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zucchini pizza strips

11 Jul

food can be fun.

i love it when i see a recipe or look at a vegetable a different way and say, “what if i tried it like this…”  because typically, i’m a creature of habit.  when i find something that works for me, i stick with it.  i often don’t sway.  in fact, i had been using the same ranch dressing for like, 7 years.  annies organic cowgirl ranch.  i love the stuff.  but then one day a co-worker suggested this other brand {with less fat, made from yogurt, and still so tasty} and now THAT is my new favourite – haha.  i guess my point is, sometimes i get tunnel vision. but this blog has helped me to rethink ways of preparing food.  i always chop my veggies into 1-2 inch pieces, and steam them or saute them.  sometimes i’ll roast them all together.  but never did it occur to me to cut zucchini into strips and serve it like a pizza slice!!  what! Continue reading →

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roomie’s salmon birthday dinner

10 Jul

my roommate celebrated a birthday last month, and i’m just getting around to blogging about the meal – d’oh!

naturally the best gift i can give anyone is food – so i cooked for him. 🙂

nothing says “summer” like corn on the cob, eh?!  ANNNNDD, it’s salmon season.  the first runs started coming in early june.  whenever i think of making a special meal, i always think of salmon.  i can’t cook a steak to save my life, and i’m a snob when it comes to eating out.  so, i splurged on the $24.99/lb. salmon and conserved with the sides 😉 {these two filets ran me about $17 — but in new york, i probably would’ve paid only about $11, boy do i miss living by the ocean!} Continue reading →

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easy “cheesy” {vegan} kale chips

28 Jun

these always disappear fast!

have you ever tried nutritional yeast?  i actually kind of love it.  a lot.  many of my vegan friends would tell me about it and i never really tried it on anything until someone suggested i put it on popcorn.  which, as you know, is totally what i do now! nutritional yeast is a great cheese substitute, as it has a creamy flavour that is almost nutty or buttery.  i find it to be amazing on kale chips. you can usually find it in the baking isle or in bulk, at most health food stores including whole foods market. Continue reading →

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batch cooking – roasted veggies

27 Jun

have you heard the term “batch-cooking”?  well, i hadn’t really heard of it, but i mean it makes sense – especially in today’s world.  i am a single gal with no kids or hubby, no one to really take care of but myself. though, i do have a lovely roommate with a big appetite and two sweet kitties with insatiable bellies. my point is, i am fully aware that i have more time than most to spend on preparing meals and fun dishes and blogs, etc.  many people do not have the time to really spend in the kitchen… for me, it’s like not only a kitchen – it’s my music hall, my therapist’s office, my sanctuary, and my dance club.  i love to cook so much that it does so much for me – on a personal and spiritual level, as cheesy as that may sound… 🙂

plus, my whole philosophy is “time is money.”  so i may have to spend a little time to cook all this stuff, which is “money,” as time is valuable.  but i also save time and money by having my meals prepared in advance.  i don’t spend money on my lunch break, and i save time on my lunch break.  plus, the meals i make are healthy and not loaded with junk – and eating the latter could actually cost me more money and time down the road…. make sense?!  – eating well is an investment in your health!

Continue reading →

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