By Melissa MortensonFellow Foodies, unfortunately we must part ways for now. It was truly a pleasure writing for you all these past few months. I’m sure your holidays will be filled with lots and lots of food! Enjoy your time off, relax, kickback and EAT, as I will too. Until next time! - Mel
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By Melissa MortensonIt’s Friday night you and your friends are tired of the party scene. You’re all just laying around in sweats and fuzzy socks, with no intentions of leaving the apartment. However, if you’re motivated to do anything it is eat. This is when you pick up the phone or open your laptops and navigate your way to Fortune Wok. Whether it’s plain Wontons with cream cheese filling, Spring Rolls, Egg Rolls, Chicken Fried Rice, Sesame Chicken, or Kung Pao Chicken, you’re sure to have left overs for days. You’re sure to enter the realms of a food coma after getting half way through your meal. But who could resist splurging on a three-course meal with such affordable prices? Fortune Wok offers dinner combinations that include your choice of meat or vegetable, choice of fried rice, and egg roll or crabmeat Rangoon all for $8. Not to mention, their delivery fee is a mere $1.50 according to their site. So look no further your next night in, cozy up with a Chinese take-out box and a pair of chopsticks. By Melissa MortensonIt’s getting close to that time of year where we all gather together and eat! Whether you’re gathering with family members, roommates, or friends, be sure to bring a treat that will clean the plate! French Macarons are a light and delicious dessert that can be made into any flavor you could possibly imagine. Today I will be sharing a recipe with you on how to make Pumpkin Spice Macaroons, just in time for the holiday weekend!
Ingredients: Macaron Shells- 1 cup powdered sugar 3/4 cup almond flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice 2 egg whites 1/4 cup granulated sugar a drop of orange food coloring Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree Preparation: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Put a master template under the parchment paper or draw about 12 1 1/2-inch circles in rows on the paper, about 1 inch apart. Process powdered sugar, almond flour and all the spices in a food processor until finely ground. Sift the mixture through a sieve. If there are more than 2 tablespoons of large chunks left in the sieve, grind them and sift again. Set the mixture aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Sift the almond flour mixture over the egg whites. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the almond flour mixture into the egg whites until the ingredients are just combined. Add food coloring to tint the batter. Continue to fold the mixture until it has loosened and falls in a ribbon from the spatula. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip and fill the bag with the batter. Using the template as a guide, pipe circles onto the parchment papers. Tap the bottom of each sheet on the work surface to release trapped air bubbles. Let the cookies stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This allows the cookies to develop their crusts. Preheat oven to 300F. Bake the macarons for 10 to 12 minutes, until set but not browned. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the macarons to cool completely on the pans. Once cooled, gently lift half of the cookies from the parchment paper and turn them upside down. To prepare filling, combine cream cheese and pumpkin puree, and mix thoroughly. Spoon or pipe a teaspoon of filling onto each of the upside-down cookies. Top with the remaining cookies. Source: http://ohsweetday.com/2014/08/pumpkin-spice-macaron.html?crlt.pid=camp.XtVUHZfVRFp3 By Melissa MortensonThis past weekend I had the incredible opportunity to visit a close friend in Boulder, CO. All I can say is THE FOOD, so good. Naturally being a foodie, I was extremely overwhelmed with all of the options Boulder had to offer. However, because my dear friend Ellie worked as a barista at a near by café, I decided to focus my post there. Alpine Modern Café is quaint and settled near the mountains in Boulder. I visited the location on Historic Hill near the CU campus. Visiting the café multiple times throughout my weekend stay I enjoyed multiple espresso drinks (cortada, and a maple pecan latte) as well as their quiet meadows herbal tea (chamomile, lavender, lemongrass, lemon verbena, rose petal, mint and sage). I also enjoyed green tea mochi Friday night by the fire on the outdoor patio, as well as a breakfast Panini with tomato, Gouda, egg, and avocado tartine early Sunday morning. It was a sensory stimulating environment with clean lines, white interiors, and modern artwork lining the walls. During the night the café was still, during the day it was bright and bustling, emanating a feeling of warmth. If you ever find yourself in Boulder, stop in at either of their locations, on Historic Hill or Pearl Street, it is no wonder Alpine Modern Café is rated #2 for cafés in Boulder. By Melissa MortensonFrom sweet to savory this little coffee shop and bakery has it all. With a daily changing menu, they’re sure to offer the fresh and locally-sourced ingredients. With two northeast locations, you can grab and go or kick back and enjoy the minimalist design (the interiors are insane). Besides Coffee and Pastries, including B+W Specialty Coffee, Muffins, Scones, Cupcakes, Cookies, Bars, Coffee Cake and any other sweet you could imagine, Empire has Loose-leaf Tea, Gray Duck Chai, Fresh-squeezed juice, and Specialty Sodas as well as Biscuits, Quiche, Sandwiches, Croissants and other savory options. They also cater, and currently on their website have an option to shops pies! (Pumpkin Pie with Candied Pepitas, Salted Caramel Apple Pie, and Bourbon Pecan Pie; Thanksgiving would never be the same). I had the pleasure of visiting the Stinson location it is a converted gas station with a garage door that is rolled open seasonally. I have yet to make it to the new Broadway location, but plan on making the trip soon. With their bright, modern, and cozy aesthetic you too, will not want to leave. A word of advice, try the Café Miel and a slice of Quiche, it’s sure not to disappoint. By Jessica Bacon“Use everything in moderation, including moderation.” I wanted to start off this post with a quote that’s simple but leads to an important message. Essentially we live in a world today where everyone compares themselves to one another, and we do not understand how dangerous this form of jealousy is. Just because on the outside they may look perfect doesn't mean on the inside that they have absolutely no insecurities and don't struggle with hardships and adversities. My interest to write about this topic and to share my thoughts came about when I overheard two girls talking at the gym, and one of them was reiterating the fact that this one girl she knew had absolutely no fat on her body and that she never ate anything bad for her. Eating healthy 100% of the time will drive one insane. Life is too short to starve yourself or only eat clean all the time. If anything find healthier versions of those guilty indulgences that bring a pure pleasure to your life. For example, I love Greek yogurt. I'm not sure why but I always have, and I always purchase delicious flavors of it. Greek yogurt provides a great source of protein and probiotics while staying lower in fat and calories. (Looks like a great dessert but strawberries on vanilla yogurt is my personal fave)
To stay fit and "lean" you don't necessarily need to cut all of the food that you once enjoyed, rather eat them in moderation or find a healthier version. It may be fun to look super fit for your new Instagram picture, but you also have to remember the importance of enjoying life with those you love also. One slice of cake ever so often, or a couple of chips won't change your whole physique and make you fat, but if you do all the time, you won't love the way you look. That's why you should find the perfect balance in your life to not only stay sane but to also actually enjoy your life. Just a little message that I wanted to share for the week and to remind you that your mental health and overall happiness is as important as your physique!!! Hope you all enjoyed Halloween thoroughly and had a kick ass time with all of your friends! By Melissa MortensonSo easy you can make it at home, Freshii bowls are super filling and so much better than your average salad. This week I was terribly busy and my ingredients at home were a little depleted, so I made a trip to Freshii. However, I wanted to show you just how easy this dish would be to make at home, so here’s all you need… you can do this! Buddha Satay- Freshii
rice noodles, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, crispy wontons, green onions, spicy peanut sauce I’ve attached a similar easy to make spicy peanut sauce recipe that you can make at home. Spicy Peanut Sauce Makes ~1/2 cup sauce 1/4 cup honey 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or tamari if you’re gluten free) 1/2 tsp red curry chili paste 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper Source: http://iheartvegetables.com/2012/03/12/5-ingredient-peanut-sauce-recipe/ Start with your rice noodles cooked and ready. Then begin sautéing your vegetables in a skillet with a little oil like you would a stir-fry. You can choose whatever oil you’d like, vegetable oil or even sesame oil and soy sauce would work well. Start by adding the crunchier vegetables, then go on to add the cabbage last so it doesn’t get mushy. Add your vegetables to your rice noodles sprinkle on your wontons and finally, drizzle on your spicy peanut sauce to taste. That’s it, so Buddhaful. By Melissa MortensonThis week I challenged myself to make a bomb vegan dish that was not only simple but quick. I used a recipe I found via Pinterest as inspiration and put my own spin on it (adding avocado). This recipe is so simple; honestly, it only has four ingredients, oats, a banana, almond or soymilk, and an avocado. I got a little fancy and garnished my plate with sliced bananas, as well as drizzled on some organic syrup, honey and cinnamon. Not going to lie, I devoured these and here’s how you can too.
Ingredients •1/2 cup rolled oats •1 banana •3 1/2 tbsp milk of choice •2-3 tbsp of avocado (makes about 3-4 pancakes) Directions Puree ingredients in a blender Grease a skillet very well so the pancakes won’t stick before flipping Pour ladles of batter onto the greased skillet. As soon as the pancakes are cooked enough that you can get a pancake flipper underneath without breaking the pancakes, flip and cook an additional minute. Finish with desired toppings (Total Time 10 minutes) Recipe Inspo- http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/01/11/flourless-pancakes-vegan-banana/ By Melissa MortensonIt’s our favorite time of the week, ah the smell of a vanilla cappuccino steaming in frothy decadence. Today is the day you will treat yo self to a little brunch. Minneapolis is notorious for it’s brunch scene, whether it is savory or sweet we all crave a hearty meal that gives us those warm and fuzzy feelings on the inside. There’s honestly nothing better than post brunch catnaps to refuel and recharge. Pictured above are a couple savory dishes from Wilde Café, just steps from the U of M campus. There may have been a wait, but I can guarantee you it was undoubtedly worth it. Make sure to pair your entrée with a complementary beverage; Wilde Café offers espresso drinks, juices, fresh squeezed orange juice, bloody mary’s and mimosas.
Today’s Eats Sunrise Burro: Herb tortilla, scrambled eggs, cheese, black beans and tomato (with a side of sour cream, and fresh spicy corn salsa) fresh as well as filling! Classic Benedict: Muffin, poached eggs, ham, rich hollandaise sauce and roasted breakfast potatoes (can swap roasted potatoes with field greens, or smoked gouda hash browns) yum!!! By Maria BentsonThe school year often makes us feel confined to campus by homework, work schedules, money, and transportation. It is hard to get off campus and experience some of the amazing opportunities that the city of Minneapolis holds. It is so important to go out and experience life and try new things. With summer upon us, time becomes freer and I often find myself trying to think of unique things to do with friends other than sitting in a basement. While searching for a birthday gift for my friend, I discovered that the Whole Foods Market at the Lake Calhoun location offers a variety of cooking classes. Of course, I signed us up. I really had no idea what to expect from the class and didn’t even think of reading reviews to see what others thought of it. If Whole Foods was putting it on I was 100% down. The class ended up blowing away all of my expectations. The class is rather private with only 8 people per class and led by a well renowned chef in the metro area by the name of Ani Loizzo. The specific class was catered toward the vegan diet featuring all Mexican dishes because of Cinco de Mayo. Ani allowed us to be very hands on with the cooking of each dish and of course we got to eat everything we made! The food we made was some of the best I have ever had, and the knowledge that we learned from her has the class had gone on was extremely insightful and helpful. If you are looking for a fun thing to do this summer I highly recommend looking at the different cooking classes that are offered there. It is a great way to spend time with your friends, learn about healthy eating and how to prepare dishes, and you get an extra bonus of a dinner out of it too! The classes can be found on the link below. I wish you all an amazing summer filled with fun, family, friends, and love! Don’t work your whole summer away. Find time to do new, adventurous things. You will thank yourself later.
Link to Cooking Classes: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/service/cooking-classes-whole-foods-market-lake-calhoun By Maria BentsonLadies and gentlemen, grilling season is upon us (!!), debatably the best time of year. Warm weather is finally making its way in and summer is approaching quickly. There truly is nothing better than having the first grill out of the year, mingling with family and friends, and eating outside on a Minnesota night. In all honesty, you can put anything on the grill. From an assortment of meats, veggies, fruits, and even breads, you really can’t go wrong. Everyone knows that meat on the grill is a thousand times better than making it in a pan or baking it because of the char, grill taste it gets, but spicing it up and adding vegetables and fruits is truly where it’s at. Veggies and fruit on the barbeque is top notch. Here are a few tips on how to make your vegetables stand out from the rest of the neighborhood dads.
Fruit on the other hand can just be added directly to the grill based on the size of the pieces you cut. Lightly brush the fruit with olive oil to make sure it doesn’t stick. The grill brings out the natural sugar flavors in the fruit and gives them a beautiful caramelized outer-edge, almost making it like dessert (ok, yum). Below I will list some of the vegetables and fruits that I enjoy on the grill to help get you started on your adventure into making your grilling season a hit. Vegetables: Zucchini Bell Peppers (yellow, orange, red, green) Jalapenos Squash Potatoes (little reds/sweet) Asparagus Onion Mushrooms Corn Cherry Tomatoes Broccoli Eggplant Fruits: Pineapple Mango Peaches Strawberries Watermelon Bananas Figs Apples Avocado Kiwi By Maria BentsonHydrating your body with the correct amount of water is just as important as nourishing your body with healthy foods. I cannot stress enough how good it is for you to monitor how much water you are drinking in a day; we should all be getting at least 64 ounces, which is kind of a crazy number. I sometimes find drinking that much water in a day a steep task especially because it doesn’t have any flavor. Lemon water has always been my cure for spicing up my water without adding any natural sugars from powder packets. Guys, those are so bad for you. Recently, I have fallen victim to the essential oil craze (it’s actually a disease). I picked up this lemon essential oil and I am obsessed with what it has done for me. Lemon water is best known for its ability to cleanse toxins from your body and to purify skin. AND IT DOES!! It also widely used to aid digestion, promote weight loss, and improve mood and your immune system. Every time I fill up my water bottle I drop about 4 drops of the pure lemon extract in. Since doing this everyday I have noticed the pores on my face decrease in size, evened out my skin tone, and eliminated all acne. I have also found success in it aiding in digestion, I hardly ever have an upset stomach from certain foods, which got to be a big problem living in the dorms last year. Adding the actual fruit to your water is just as good; I just love having the essential oil because of the ease and not having to carry lemons around. I got this one on melaleuca.com but they are sold in most natural food stores, co-ops, and I think even in Whole Foods. You will not be disappointed in how well it makes you feel :) **If you do buy any essential oils to put in your water make sure you are adding it to only liquids that are in glass bottles. By Maria BentsonSo, I recently have become obsessed with hiding avocado in everything, I’ll just make a quick plug here for putting them in smoothies too. It is such a versitile fruit (yes, it is a fruit), and gives everything it goes into a thicker, creamier base. I stumbled upon this mint avocado grasshopper recpie while my friend Allie and I were looking for a healthier dessert to make while watching the final episode of “The Bachelor.” The taste of these guys exceeded all expectations. They were SO GOOD. You would literally think you were eating an Andes Mint. By far my favorite faux dessert I have made thus far and additionally, they take hardly any time to prepare. We decided to call them the tall, dark, and handsome because of the smooth, homemade chocolate covering over the creamy avocado and coconut bottom, but mostly just because of the chocolate. Honestly who doesn’t need some tall, dark, and handsome in their life? Shoutout to you Ben Higgins.
Mint Layer Ingredients: 1 Avocado ¼ C. Honey 6 T. Coconut Oil, melted 1 ½ C. Shredded Unsweetened Coconut 3/8 t. Mint Extract Chocolate Layer Ingredients: ¼ C. Coconut Oil 2 T. Honey ¼ C. Cocoa Powder ¼ t. Vanilla Extract Mint Layer Instructions: Line a 9x9 inch-baking dish with tin foil. Place all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Smooth the mixture into the pan and stick in the freezer until solid. Chocolate Layer Instructions: In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil and honey over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Pour over the solid, bottom layer and return to the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until chocolate hardens. Cut into bars, and enjoy! Be sure to keep the bars in the freezer to keep the oils solidified. *Recipe & Picture from raiasrecipes.com* By Maria BentsonWith a combination of oats, coconut, mixed nuts, agave, and cinnamon, you really cannot go wrong. A perfect on the go snack, the cherry on top to a smoothie, or even used as cereal with almond milk and mixed berries. Not only will this tasty granola warm your tummy, but it will also make your house smell like cinnamon heaven…
Ingredients: 2 Cups Steel Cut Oats ¾ Cup Agave or Maple Syrup 4 T. An oil of your choice (coconut for best flavor) ½ Cup Flax Seed 1 ½ Cup Dried Fruit Assortment 1 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut 1 ½ Cup Assorted Nuts 1 T. Vanilla Extract 1 t. Cinnamon ½ t. salt Directions: 1. Toast the oatmeal, coconut, flax seed, and nuts with a splash of oil. Bake on a pan together at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to toast. 2. After baking, toss all of the remaining ingredients together with the toasted nut/oat mix. 3. Spread the mixture out flat on the baking sheet. 4. Bake the granola for 20 minutes at 400 degrees stirring mixture every 5 minutes to ensure that it doesn’t burn. 5. Remove from oven. Then toss granola in a bowl and place in a bag for storage. Since you are using oil instead of butter, there is no need for refrigeration. Recipe Cred: HappyHealthyLife.com By Maria BentsonHearty, but wholesome. Fresh, yet filling. 2016’s newest food obsession is the Buddha Bowl, which will leave you rubbing your tummy. Ultimately, the main goal of the Buddha Bowl is to eat as many colors and nutrient-dense foods as possible. These bowls are everything clean eating should be, and are excellent for detoxing through foods that are packed with the benefits your body needs. They are quick and easy, pretty to look at, and flexible to whatever ingredients you have on hand.
The Anatomy of the Bowl Ancient Grains: Brown Rice Wild Rice Quinoa Couscous Barley For the base of the bowl, you’re going to want to start out with the grains. Brown rice is the standard option for most bowls and what I chose to do for mine as well, but quinoa is another grain that I have done before and tastes just as good. Protein: Meat Options: Chicken Salmon Tuna Ground Turkey Non-Meat Options: Chickpeas Black Beans Lentils Soy Beans Eating a bowl of strictly vegetables can be pretty daunting and unsatisfying for some. Adding protein to the bowl is definitely going to make it more filling and keep you full longer. I personally stick to adding only legumes to mine just to keep it as a vegetarian meal, but adding meat to the bowl will make it a much heartier meal. Greens & Vegetables: Veggies, veggies, and more veggies! Just when you think you have too many, add more. Getting a variety of colors in the bowl is what makes the bowl beautiful and can also be fun to play around with how to place them. The easiest and tastiest way to incorporate the vegetables into the bowl is by baking them in the oven. I have come to realize that many people don’t know how season a vegetable or cook them properly, so they never eat them… I am here to help. Simply chop whatever vegetable you are working with, place them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with an oil, and sprinkle with garlic, salt, and pepper. At 425 degrees cook them for 15 minutes, and you will NOT be disappointed. It is so easy and so delicious and might change your mindset on this whole vegetable thing. Dressing: To top off the bowl, drizzle one of your favorite dressings to avoid dryness and make it flavorful. I recently bought Whole Foods’ Sesame Ginger dressing and LOVE it, and I use it on everything. There are so many different sauces to pick from, you really cannot go wrong. The options are truly limitless and can take on any cuisine or flavor combo you are in the mood for. Enjoy! |