Oy!

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So, as you know, we've been back in Atlanta for a few months now.  During this time, we've been eating and playing our way through the city since we've gotten back.  There are so many new places to eat and new things to do that have popped up while we were away.  So I will make it a thing to chronicle some of our new "discoveries" here on the blog.

RA Sushi Leawood

Tuna California Roll

So, Spring has sprung and summer is on it's way.  This gets me excited because this is the time of year when some restaurants begin to bring out their summer menus or make some seasonal items available.  One of those restaurants happens to be RA Sushi.  I had the pleasure of tasting some of the items off of their seasonal menu with my homie, Lashonda of FashionPlateKC, and really enjoyed everything on the menu.

Papaya

Isn't she beautiful? This is some serious fruit porn, right here.  I love tropical/exotic fruits and I buy them up whenever I can get my hands on them.

I'm still on that juicing/green smoothie/any smoothie bandwagon and am not getting off anytime soon.  I've come to see that with some fruits, it is significantly cheaper to buy them fresh, cut them up and freeze them myself instead of buying pre-packaged frozen fruit.  This is true, especially when trying to stick to organic fruits/veggies.

{Fave Things} Foodie

So, I was going through my camera and realized I have a lot of stuff that I haven't shared on the blog.  I take pictures of my food quite often, I've realized.  I decided to put them together into a "Favorite Things" post with appropriate link-age.

This is homemade chicken noodle soup I made from scratch.  I'm talking started out with a whole chicken, made stock, etc.  That's a big effing deal for me, ya'll.  It turned out awesome.  Even my 5 yr old picky eater loved it.  The recipe I used found HERE.

This, my friends, is a big fat burger and fries from Cheeseburger in Paradise.  I realize this establishment is a chain, and I've seen them in Atlanta, as well as here in Kansas City.  Decided to give it a try.  I had no idea the place has this little Caribbean/Tiki Bar kind of theme (duh...Paradise), complete with all kinds of island-y cocktails.  I love anything "tiki" inspired, and I plan to hang out at this place regularly, especially when it gets warm.  My kind of vibe!

Just so you know, the shrimp and crab stuffed mushrooms at Seasons 52 are divine.  We went to the location in The Plaza, by the way.  Their menu changes seasonally (get it?), so they won't be there forever.  Try them while you can!

I'm a fairly new tea drinker.  In the past few years, I've gone from absolutely never drinking any tea, besides the elixir of the south (sweet tea, of course) to being a regular drinker.  I first got an interest in drinking tea from reading about all of the health benefits of green tea, in particular, and decided to imbibe.  I buy all kinds of brands (Yogi, being a fave) and flavors.  Tea hasn't been able to help me kick my coffee habit, so in trying not to consume too much caffeine, I've started drinking some caffeine-free varieties as well.  My current favorite caffeine-free tea, hands down, is Tazo's Passion tea.  It's so fruity and floral--and ANYTHING with hibiscus in it, I'm drinking it.  Hibiscus has such a nice flavor that reminds me of the islands.  I brew this in my cup, add a little agave nectar and a squirt of lemon juice.  If you're not a tea drinker, I think this is a great "beginner" tea, as the flavor is mild and fruity.

So that's all folks! Sharing is caring! 

Have a great weekend!

KC Eats :: Bo Ling's

I'm going to start this post out by saying....Yay for date nights!!! 

We are now all settled into our home here in Kansas (City area).  I have to admit that aside from the wintery weather--I'm loving it.  Speaking of wintery weather, it actually felt almost like spring the past couple days which was perfect for a date night!  Since I am now in a new city and will be trying out new places to eat, shop, see, etc., I thought I'd make an effort to take you guys along for the ride.

Italian Drunken Noodles

I thought I would share with you all the latest Pinterest recipe I've tried out and liked.  I was first attracted to the picture of the pin and then, of course, the name.  There's just something mouthwatering about the phrase "drunken noodles" for some reason.  So I gave it a go, and I have to say it was pretty good.  Don't take "pretty good" as a bad thing.  For me that just means, that it was tasty--tasty enough keep in rotation because of it's taste, ease, cost, etc.  It's like your typical weekly meal, and I will definitely make it again.

I did, however make a couple modifications.  First, as you can see from my photos, I used rotini pasta.  I only did this because I already had a box in my cupboard, and I also couldn't find the wide flat noodles that the recipe called for.  In the future, I WILL look for those noodles harder as I think it would create a "prettier" dish.

 The second mod, was that I added a little sugar to the dish (while cooking) to taste.  It's a habit of mine to add a bit of sugar to any tomato-based dish.  It cuts the tartness a bit and creates a more savory flavor, in my opinion.

I also intended to make this dish with turkey Italian sausage.  I instead picked up the regular pork variety by mistake.  So in the future I will use the turkey.  I don't have anything against pork.  I do try to eat it at a minimum, which means when I'm eating pork--I make it count (i.e. bacon & BBQ). *smile*  Also, this would have been even better topped with a little shaved Parmesan cheese!

So if you're on the hunt for a quick and easy week day meal.  Give it a try and tell me what you think.  The recipe can be found HERE.

-NikG

Coconut Curry Chicken w/String Beans

So, I think it has become quite obvious that I love curry.  I have to admit, I hesitated sharing this recipe with you guys on this post because my last food post was also a curry dish.  But then I thought, it's not like this is some kind of publication--this is just my blog.  And hey, I just made this last night, I liked it, so I am going to damn well share it!

This dish was a hit.  To me, it's just a healthier take on the traditional style Caribbean curry chicken.  Instead of potatoes, string beans are added--which equals less starch, less carbs and less calories.  On hindsight, I think throwing in some shredded carrot would have been awesome too.

It was super easy to make, and for the most part I followed the recipe exactly.  One thing I did do differently was instead of "burning off" some of the liquid in the end.  I added a tablespoon or two of corn starch to thicken it.  I like my curry to have plenty "gravy".  Oh, and Publix didn't have bird pepper, so I just added a little bit of chopped serrano  pepper.  We likes it spicy over here.

I got this recipe from a Caribbean cooking blog that is amazing.  I've made a few of his dishes and they all were great.  Check it out.  Recipe found HERE.

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

*NikG*

Curry Split Pea Soup

Just thought I'd share with you guys the latest new recipe I'd made and LOVED.  I got the recipe from a mommy blog that I follow.   It's a curry yellow split pea soup that is very healthy, very filling, and very delicious! As you can see it also has carrots and kale.  It was super easy to make.

Hubs liked it a lot too and even said that if I'd had added chicken to it, that it would've tasted just like the curry chicken he's grew up on.  That coming from an "island boy" is the ultimate compliment.  He even said he didn't miss the chicken!

By the way, the recipe called for yellow split peas, but my local grocer only had green.  The green worked just fine.  I also ended up adding about 1 extra cup of water while the peas were cooking because it wasn't as "soup-y" as I'd wanted.  By the way, that's garlic naan on the side that I'd also bought from my regular ol' grocery store as well.

The recipe can be found HERE.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo, *NikG*

Warm Weather Eating

So it has been a while since I've made a food post.  However, I am still always trying new recipes, as well as stalking Pinterest and Food Gawker.

I stumbled upon this pasta salad recipe on Pinterest the other day and knew I wanted to give it a try.  I've actually never been a pasta salad kind of person.  That's usually the dish I skip over at barbecues.  Somehow the ingredients and ease of this dish, spoke to me.  Not to mention, with how hot it's been, this dish is a great fit.

The verdict was....this dish was a hit!!  I will definitely keep this in rotation!  I suggest eating it along side a piece of pita bread, or something similar.

EASY GRILLED CHICKEN TORTELLINI SALAD

Serves 4.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: About 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 box tri-color tortellini 
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 – 5 ounces each)
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• Fresh basil, chopped
• 2 mini babybel lights, thinly sliced

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 medium shallot, chopped
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
• 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning

Directions:

1. Liberally rub chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Preheat a grill to medium heat and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Add chicken and cook until completely done, about 5 – 6 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and slice into thin pieces. 
2. While chicken cooks, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add tortellini and cook for about 8 minutes, or until they are fully cooked (they’ll float to the top). Rinse.
3. In a large salad bowl, mix the tortellini with the chicken. Add tomatoes, onion and sliced cheese.
4. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a shallow bowl. Pour over salad and stir in fresh basil.

Nutritional information per serving (about 1/2 cup serving with 1 tablespoon dressing):

Calories: 421 
Fat: 20 grams* 
Carbohydrates: 28.75 grams
Fiber: 3.25 grams
Protein: 23.25 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 10

TIPS & MODS:

As you can see the only thing i did different, is the type of pasta.  I couldn't find tri-colored tortellini, so I used rotini instead.  I didn't grill my chicken--just baked it, then cut it into small pieces. Oh, and I also used a crumbled gorgonzola cheese along with the Baby Bell!

Enjoy!

*NikG*

Recipe courtesy of The Realistic Nutritionist.

Meatless Monday!!

Hey guys, it's another Meatless Monday!  I don't post weekly about Meatless Monday, but we've definitely been sticking to it! 

Vegetarian Lasagna

 So, I'm sharing with you guys one of the latest Meatless Monday recipes I've tried.  It's a vegetarian lasagna and it came out GREAT.  For some, going meatless (even once a week) can be a challenge, and this recipe is probably the first I would suggest someone to try.  You can't go wrong with lasagna, with meat or without meat!  In this case, what makes a meatless lasagna so great is that you can completely go overboard with the cheese, which kind of makes up for the "no meat" aspect.  It's a great way to ease into meatless, in my opinion.

Meatless Mondays

I think I've mentioned to all of you before on this blog that I could never be a vegetarian.  I still maintain that sentiment.  I just love meat and seafood too much and would find sticking to vegetarian cuisine full time as too limiting. 

Well, one of my goals for 2013 is to take my healthy eating to an even higher level.  So I decided that me and my family will be partaking in "Meatless Mondays".  I'm sure most of you have heard the term.  If you google it, you'll find that in recent years it has become all the rage.  We all know that a vegetarian diet is a very healthy way of life and eliminates the chances for certain health risks like heart disease, cancers, etc.  Well, most people don't realize that not eating meat even just one day a week also gives you a lot of the same benefits.

So I plan to regularly share with you all some of our "Meatless Mondays" meals.  Don't you worry, I will still post my regular meat-filled dishes as well.  The "Meatless Mondays" dishes will just provide some variety.

One Pot Curry Chicken w/Rice

Source: wildeinthekitchen.blogspot.com via Nik' on Pinterest

Happy Thursday, ya'lls!  Today's recipe post is a recipe I'd gotten off of Pinterest.  When I saw the photo I was immediately drawn to it.  Then to see that it was a curry chicken recipe--oh yea, momma had to give it a try.  Let's get this straight, I am a big curry lover--red curry, yellow curry, green curry...you name it.

I'll take that minestrone homie...

So it is officially cold here in Atlanta.  You may have to take that with a grain of salt, as I do reside in the south and actually left Miami to come here.

So to me, yes, high temperatures in the 50's and 60's is cold.  Hey, throughout the day, the weather probably is only at its "high" for a few hours anyway.  So that high temperature prediction is really a bit misleading as to what we're actually facing most of the day.

Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole

New recipe!  Okay, okay, it's been a while since my last recipe post.  Thought I would share this because it's really easy, and supposedly you can make this with FROZEN chicken breasts--no thawing required.  I say "supposedly" because I hadn't the heart to really cook the chicken from frozen.  I just couldn't take the chance that it wouldn't work out. lol  But according to the site that I'd gotten this from (via Pinterest), it is perfectly fine.  People have also left comments on said site saying that they had great results cooking from frozen.

Anyway, this is a Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole.  It really is delicious.  The hubs loved it.  I loved it.

Just before putting in the oven

Just out of the oven

Served over flour tortillas.  I wanted to put avocado on this, but mine hadn't ripened yet. Salso and/or sour cream I put on the leftovers.  Don't know why I hadn't thought of that initially. Tasted even better!

Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole

Ingredients: 
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
1 can water
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies
1 1/2 c rice
1 pkg taco seasoning
cilantro and green onions chopped (optional)
frozen boneless,skinless chicken breasts
shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
13x9 in glass casserole dish with cooking spray
wisk soups, water and taco seasoning in bowl then pour into bottom of dish
sprinkle rice over soups
place chicken breasts FROZEN over soup and rice
pour beans and tomatoes over chicken, cilantro and green onions sprinkled on top.
Cover with foil, bake 350 degrees 1 hour,40 min.
remove foil, sprinkle shredded cheese over to melt.

Tips & Mods
- I didn't cook my chicken from frozen.
- I also added a can of corn
- I used parboiled rice, some said they'd used instant.
- I only cooked my casserole for an hour and 15 minutes (since I hadn't started with frozen chicken)
- Also, I ended up have to cut up the chicken so that they could be served taco-style.  I think this recipe would do VERY well in the crockpot (cook on low for 7-8 hrs, high 4-5), and the breasts will basically shred on their own.  That's how I will cook it next time.

Enjoy!

Recipe found HERE.

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Two New Recipes to Try

Just thought I'd do a quick post on two dishes that I've made this week that are share-worthy.  One I'd gotten from Pinterest, and the other from a blog that I follow.

 

Above is a pic of the Taco Pizza recipe I'd stumbled upon on Pinterest.  It was pretty yummy, and a great way to switch things up as far as pizza goes.  It's really easy, and I suggest you give it a try!

 

Last, is this Lentil & Kale dish that was posted on a blog that I follow (and you should probably follow too).  If you've spent any time on the interwebs, you know that kale is all the rage as well lentils.  There's like a big "healthy eating" movement going on, and it's a good thing because it yields us recipes like this one.  Me personally, I love lentils and was very open to trying a new recipe, especially one that is made in my boo crock pot.  I enjoyed this as a side dish.  Also, in the recipe, it calls for 3 cups of broth--I used 4.  Just an FYI.  So if you are also on the healthy eating movement and want a dish that's packed with lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals.  I suggest you give this a try!

Happy Hump Day!

Green Curry Shrimp

Well, it's been quite a while since my last recipe post.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still cooking up a storm and trying different recipes on the reg.

I haven't posted any recipes in a while because I'd really hadn't come across anything that had really excited me.  So one day, I'd happened to turn to that television show "The Chew" by accident, and this was one of the dishes that was featured.

 

By the way, have I mentioned that I LOVE Thai food?  So if you're like me in that aspect, I suggest you give this recipe a try.  It is VERY simple to make.  And as far as the "green curry paste" listed in the ingredients, you can find it at some specialty stores, Asian market--or do what I did, ordered it off of Amazon.com (Mae Ploy Thai Green Curry Paste).

 

Green Curry Shrimp

    1 cup Onion (sliced)

    1 Medium red bell pepper (thinly sliced)

    2-3 tablespoons Peanut Oil

    8-10 Scallions (both green and white parts chopped)

    2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste

    14 ounce Unsweetened coconut milk

    1 cup Low sodium chicken broth

    3 tablespoons Fish sauce

    2 teaspoons Sugar

    2 cups String beans (blanched)

    1.5 pound Shrimp (cleaned and deveined)

    2 tablespoon Thai basil (chopped)

    1 Lime (cut into wedges for garnish)

    2 cups White rice

Instructions:

Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sliced onion and thinly sliced medium red bell pepper.  Saute until soft and beginning to brown. 

Reduce heat and add chopped scallions and Thai green curry paste. Stir until everything is incorporated, about 30 seconds. 

Add can of unsweetened coconut milk, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, fish sauce and sugar, then bring to a boil.  Add blanched string beans and boil 1-2 minutes.  

Add cleaned and deveined shrimp and cook until they are done, stirring frequently. At the last minute stir in chopped Thai basil. Serve over rice with lime wedges. 

Tips & Mods:

I used frozen "French style" green beans, and I didn't blanche them first.  It was perfect.  They are sliced thin.  If you use whole green beans, you will want to blanche them first, I'm sure.

I forgot one of the main ingredients--the basil.  I had it, just was so focused on everything else, forgot to add it. lol  The dish was still great--so I know, if I'd added the basil like I was suppose to do....it would have been to die for.  So don't be like me.  Don't forget the basil!!!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

Recipe courtesy of The Chew.

I wanted to love you...

...but alas, I didn't.  I kept hearing your name (brown rice pasta) pop up in blogs and healthy recipe sites, so  I knew I had to try you out.  I just wasn't that fond of your texture.  Mushy much?  Or maybe I need practice in cooking you.  Nevertheless, I will just stick to my regular old grocery store whole wheat pasta, which works for me seeing as I've only seen you at Whole Paycheck--er, Foods.  And since I'm not on that whole "gluten-free" bandwagon, no real need for me to stick with you.  Plus the whole wheat kind, too me, has the same texture and taste as regular pasta with just as much, if not more, fiber than you.  At least I tried!

Keen on Quinoa

So on my quest of eating healthier and making it a way of life for my family, I've been experimenting and trying new things.  The latest "new thing" is quinoa.  I'm on the bandwagon.  I've been making it regularly for the past month, and I must say that it's a great alternative/substitute for white rice and a good way to give brown rice (what I usually use) a break especially seeing that brown rice takes about 45 minutes to cook.  I won't bore you with the nutritional properties of quinoa--we all have Google, but I will say it contains a good amount of fiber and lots of protein!

Remember my Key West Grilled Chicken post?  Well, I made it another time using shrimp instead as well as substituting quinoa for the rice in my quick Jamaican style rice 'n peas.  It was so delicious!!  Even the hubs liked it.  Plus, I love how they "pop" in your mouth while eating them.  Or is that just me?

I've also used a boxed quinoa blend that I picked up from the grocery.  I really really enjoyed this-- almost more than my own quinoa n' peas that I'd made.  I suggest you all check your local grocer to see if they carry it.  I will be using this often as a side dish.  They also have other flavors, by the way.

So let me suggest to you, if you haven't already tried it, go get some quinoa!  You can find lots of different recipes all over the net.  The health benefits are worth it to try!

Until next time...

Real quick...

...So what did you guys do for Drinco de Mayo?  Me? I did this...

That, my friends, is a deep fried chicken stuffed avocado.  I died and went to heaven....

I'm back now, and have more posts coming soon! :)