Peach, Fennel & Mint Quinoa Salad

Grain salads are totally all the rage right now. And not just in my head. They're everywhere else too. They're a fabulous and healthy alternative to pasta or potato or macaroni salad. Or even a more filling alternative to a green salad. When you use a grain like quinoa, brown rice or barley as a base to your salad dish, you easily add vitamins, fiber and protein. Then, you can pack in veggies and fruit and skip the mayo.

And, the beautiful thing about summer is that produce is so fresh.... and so good. I can get excited about tomatoes. And green beans. And squash. Because it's sooo good! And it's even better when you don't cook it. Which is nice... because who wants to cook too much in the summer? Don't you love it when nature has your back? The only thing better would be if mint chocolate chip ice cream grew on trees.


Soundtrack: This


Peach, Fennel & Mint Quinoa Salad
Serves 6 as a side, 4 as a main course


1 c quinoa
1/2 c scallions, chopped
1 large peach, pitted and chopped (don't peel)
1 c green beans, trimmed, cleaned and cut into >1/2 in pieces
2 tbsp chopped mint
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 tbsp EVOO (I used jalapeno infused, but this totally isn't necessary)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper


Cook quinoa according to package directions.


While the quinoa cooks, combine scallions, peaches, green beans, mint, and fennel in a large bowl. Set aside.


In a small bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar. Season with pepper and about 1/8 tsp salt. Pour over the fresh ingredients in the large bowl. Toss to combine.


Add quinoa while still slightly warm and toss to combine. Serve while warm or cooled.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, there are 3 huge reasons why I'm really excited about this blog post:


1) I've had too much coffee.


2) These cookies are amazing. Think chewy Thin Mints with gooey dark chocolate bits, covered in a light glaze of powder sugar. Think my brother's worst nightmare (he hates mint and chocolate; we're most likely not actually related).


3) I got an early holiday gift. And allow me to introduce you to my new favorite thing in the whole world: my new camera. After I started this blog, I quickly realized the zoom on my point and shoot just wasn't meant for macro pictures. Or something like that. It's a great camera that I'm definitely going to keep and bring wherever I can't bring this new camera, but it just wasn't meant for what I was using it for. Jeremy was gracious enough to lend me his camera, which did a much better job of capturing the detail and coloring that really makes pictures of food look yummers. It helped me go from this to this. So thanks, you rule! But enough outta me, let me show you what I'm talking about:

Do you see those bits of powdered sugar? 

And, watch this:

Did you think that was a movie? No, that was a gif file. THAT'S how quickly this thing takes pictures. AGH. I'm so in love.


One note before we get started: This recipe is adapted from one I wrote down a long time ago. I can't for the life of me figure out where it came from; I just know it was a recipe for double chocolate cookies. If this looks familiar to anyone, PLEASE let me know so that I can link to the original website and give credit to the original recipe. Thank you!


Soundtrack: Did I post this already? Maybe, but listen to it again. Because I said so.


Holy Ghost! by DFA Records  


Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: 2 dozen cookies


1 1/2 c ap flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. Andes baking chips (I've seen them at Target, AC Moore, and definitely available online)
6 tbsp butter, softened
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 c dark chocolate chips (I use these)
1/2 c powdered sugar


In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.


In a microwave safe container, melt the Andes chips, heating in 30 second intervals and stirring in between. Set aside.


In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. (It won't stick completely together as the sugar ratio is higher here.) Add melted Andes chips and vanilla, beat until combined, using a spatula to scrape down the sides when necessary. Add eggs and continue beating mixture until eggs are fully incorporated. 


Slowly add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, scraping down the sides when needed. Stir in  dark chocolate chips. Gather dough to the center of the bowl, cover and freeze for at least 20 minutes.


At about 10 minutes, preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Remove dough from freezer and shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes. After baking, allow cookies to cool for 1-2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Mini spatula <3

Soba Noodle Salad with Mango and Red Pepper

This is the point in the summer where, if I'm going to be completely honest with you, I'm over it. I'm done. Throwing in the (beach!) towel, if you will. I can't be the only one. Seasonal ADD? Is that such a disorder? Will they ever find a cure?


I'm just ready to buy new jeans and cozy up in a sweatshirt. I want crisp leaves and pumpkins. I want to buy fall scented candles (OMG). Pumpkin beer? AND it's just about time for apples and that means apple desserts. See what I mean? You're totally agreeing with me, I can see it in your face! That's right... I can SEE YOU. Just kidding. Actually, I used to get nervous when I was a really little kid that people might be able to see me through photographs. Sometimes I tried real hard to see others through pictures of myself. Creepy kid stuff.


But back to my sudden preoccupation with all things autumn. It's unfortunate, because there is still some summer left. The more level-headed of us have not yet given up on it! Barbecues are still happening all around us! I know this, because I had a barbecue-type event at my home last Friday. This was in fact a "barbecue-type" event, due to serious lack of grilling that occurred after our resident deck-squirrel chewed a hole through the propane tube. The deck-squirrel has been hanging around all summer, I guess just waiting for the timing to be right.


But what does one make a side dish for a barbecue-type event, when even one more thought of pasta salad just seems unreasonable?

Confession. I STOLE this from the original recipe. I wanted you to see how delicious this looks.
I didn't get a picture of mine. I was too busy drinking beer and eating these things.

Soba noodles.


Well, soba noodle salad to be exact. Type that into Google! What comes up? This recipe. So I had to try it. I will say, I found there to be way too much dressing, so I would suggest making the dressing, tossing everything together, and then adding to your taste. A bit more advice: I'd say the lime was the strongest, so definitely don't overdo it. Cut the mango into decent sized pieces; mine got lost in the mix. But other than that, the flavors were great and pretty complex. They don't muddle together and remain fairly distinct.


Soundtrack: Pure, unadulterated, disco funk. Old school status. Spun by Greg D

Greg D. - Live at Triumph Brewery, Philadelphia, PA 08.20.2011 by Greg D.




Soba Noodle Salad with Mango & Red Pepper
Made with slight adaptations from Garrett McCord's original recipe found on Simply Recipes
(Serves 12 as a side)


3/4 c rice vinegar
1/4 c sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp sesame oil
12 oz soba noodles
2 large red bell peppers, chopped
1 large mango, cut into pieces
1 c fresh basil, chopped
1 c fresh mint, chopped
1 c roasted, salted peanuts, chopped


Cook soba noodles, to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.


Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the rice vinegar, sugar and salt for 2 minutes, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in garlic and jalapeno. Set aside and allow to cool. Once cooled, whisk in lime juice, zest, and sesame oil.


In a large bowl, combine sesame noodles, mango, and red pepper. Begin to toss in dressing slowly, until noodles are flavored. You may not use all of the dressing.


Toss in basil, mint and peanuts (unless storing overnight, then add basil, mint and peanuts immediately before serving) and serve.

Easy prep

Squeezing the life outta some limes

Brain!

Just add mango. To everything.

Mint Iced Tea

For about 3 years of my young life, I lived in Atlanta, GA. Something around middle school to freshman year of high school. Living in that locale in contrast to the Northeast, a person is bound to notice endearing little cultural differences fairly often. As I typed out the title of this post, one particular thing popped into my head: the meaning of the word "tea." Tea in GA (and I can only assume the rest of the south) is served iced and sweetened. And LAAAWWDD, is it sweetened. Tea to me, should be hot. Iced tea, is not. 

Looks refreshing huh?

The best part of differences like this, is always the instance in which you figure out the disparity. I actually have a pretty vivid memory of my mom ordering tea in a restaurant and being served a sweetened iced tea for the first time. Weird how I can remember that, yet so many more useful things just seem to go right out the window (the one pictured above, of course).

This tea is made from Lipton tea bags, which cost like what? A dollar for 1 million? Fresh mint (which, if you planted any this year, you probably are like me and have more than you know what to do with!), 1 lemon, and a couple tablespoons of sugar (for good measure!). So it's cheap, and it's really fan-freakin-tastic!

This dude knows what's up!
Except he's a bird so he's also evil, watch out.

And it's homemade. And you can impress anyone that comes over with your delicious homemade iced tea!!

Soundtrack: Amazing Baby - Rewild (It only felt appropriate after the last post's soundtrack)


Mint Iced Tea (Serves 8)


6 Lipton tea bags
water (a little more than 2 quarts (so you can boil it) then 4 cups cold)
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp sugar
A few sprigs of fresh mint


To start you will need 2 quarts of boiling water. (I boiled the water with some extra in a kettle, then measured out the 2 quarts into a saucepan, using another saucepan. It was pretty resourceful and awesome.) Steep 6 tea bags in water, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the mint leaves from the stems and set aside. 


Remove the tea bags and whisk in the sugar and lemon juice. Pour into a container and add 4 cups of cold water. Stir in the mint leaves. Chill until cold!

Oooh, how artistic of me?

If you are a pot, just don't call this kettle black

Steeping and measuring

Whisking!

Sweet and Sour, oh, the contrast!

Just chill, yo!

Watermelon Mint Sorbet

Summer!!! SUMMMMEERRR! SUMMMERRR!!


And if that doesn't make you feel like listening to this song and then losing the next 2 hours of your life in a '90's music induced dance-partying trip down memory lane, then finally join us in this century listening to this song, I don't know what will. You my friend, are welcome.


Oh no, mission diversion!

Cool, crisp, refreshing!

I am very excited about this weather. It was warming up a bit before I went away to Colorado (It was amazing, thanks for asking. Whitewater rafting, hiking, delicious food and beer, Red Rocks and a few dance parties sprinkled in between; can't beat it) but the air was still pretty crisp out there, despite being absolutely gorgeous and sunny. So to return to 95 degree weather is quite the system shock. Summer is officially on the scene ladies and gents, and it's here to stay! At least until something cooler comes around and shows it up. (Teeheehee!) So let's enjoy it while we can. Jagger Maystig sure is: 

What baby pool?
(This is not to eat)

One of my favorite things about summer (or really, life in general) is ice cream. Some of the best days growing up were those when my family would ride our bikes to the ice cream shop or days when we were on the go and mom would let us get ice cream for lunch rather than fast food (yea, that happened, my mom is da best!). Fond memories. My poor little brother was lactose intolerant growing up, so we also always had some sorbet on hand for him. (He would sneak dairy though, as though we didn't all find out eventually anyway.)


So, I've always also loved a good sorbet. This watermelon and mint sorbet is great for hot summer days. It's light, crisp and refreshing. It's cooling and won't weigh you down. You can also control the amount of sugar you add for a healthier frosty treat. You can actually make it without an ice cream machine, which is great for anyone (like me!!) who doesn't. You will just need a blender or food processor. 


Sountrack: The XX - XX

Use seedless, it's much easier!

Watermelon Mint Sorbet


1/2 medium watermelon (or double the recipe, but you will end up with a lot. This way you can enjoy some fresh as well! )
1/4 c. simple syrup (it's simple! this can be adjusted to taste)
4 sprigs of fresh mint (just the leaves!) or about 1/4 c.
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 the lemon (then use the other half to have some water!)


Remove the rinds and cut the watermelon into cubes. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender (or in a bowl and use a hand blender) and blend/chop until liquid. Make sure to get all of the chunks of watermelon.


Pour liquid into an airtight container (or ice cream machine if you have one! If you do, lucky you can skip the rest!). Freeze the liquid for 2-4 hours, then process again. Freeze for another few hours and repeat. This will make sure that everything is evenly distributed. Before serving, process again for an even smoother sorbet.

Fresh summa ingredients!

The colors Duke, the colors!

Doesn't look so appetizing at this point...

Check out that frozen food selection: popsicles, Phillies ice cream
(aka graham slam aka best ice cream eva), Ellio's (oh yea!)

Enjoy!!