Anyway.  Last night, I was struck [...]]]> I hate that the sun is beginning to set earlier, because I never eat dinner early enough to capture photographs in natural light.  Perhaps I need one of those simulator light bulbs?  Until I find better bulbs, apologies for a decline in photo quality as we enter the cooler months.

Anyway.  Last night, I was struck with a craving for cold peanut noodles.  Hearty soba, rich peanut sauce, abundant sautéed vegetables, maybe some cashews.  The concept sounded delicious.  Unfortunately, I was lacking some key ingredients: namely, noodles.

I loved my zucchini linguine so much last week that I decided to pull out the peeler for some veggie-noodle creation.  I know a spiralizer would make pretty, uniform noodles, but my peeler works just fine for now.  The taste is unaffected by poor presentation, thankfully.

After tossing with my peanut sauce, fresh basil, and some cashews, I thought edamame would be a nice addition.  But as I had none in stock, I went with some white beans left in the fridge.  But, I wouldn’t really recommend doing that.

I had it alongside Asian-style wheatberries, tossed with sesame oil, ginger, mustard powder, and Bragg’s.  

Cool and satisfying, but I’ll have to make some real noodles soon.

Anybody have any darkness tips for me and my cheap camera?  There’s only so much this photoshop amateur can do!

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I [...]]]> One of the wonderful things about living in New York in the summertime is the multitude of free activities available to locals and tourists alike.  This afternoon, my sister and I walked over to tourist central, otherwise known as the South Street Seaport, with one purpose in mind: renting bikes – without the rental fee.

I received a flyer in my mailbox a few weeks ago advertising locations of free bikes at the seaport and Battery Park, but it took us a while to finally manage to make it over there.  In preparation, I put on my practical shoes and knee sleeves; my sister…did not.

Now, a little background:  the last time I was on a bike, I was nine years old.  That was a long, long time ago.  So today I had to do a bit of practicing, and the first few minutes were looking a little bleak.  Mounting a bicycle for the first time in almost fifteen years on Manhattan streets – not exactly an ideal locale.

Although there were some near misses with cabs, small children, and delivery boys, as well as an unfortunate collision with a pole, the experience of zooming down the West Side Highway was a fantastic way to spend an afternoon.  Once the first few unstable minutes had passed, pedaling into the breeze was as easy as – well, riding a bike.

The last time I was on that path was also the last time I ran, and riding down there today was nostalgic – but in a positive way.  Honestly, I’m relatively sure I’m going to go rent a bike on my own sometime this week.  Exercise is always more fun in the fresh air!

After our ride, my stomach was audibly hungry, so I got to work on dinner.  My task of the evening was to conquer mustard greens and actually enjoy them.  I passed my test:

bbq beans and mustard greens (serves 1)

• evoo
• 1/2 c onion, chopped
• 1/2 c diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 large zucchini, diced
• 1/2 c kidney beans
• 4 c mustard greens, chopped into bite size pieces
• 2 T barbecue sauce
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 T maple syrup
• 1 t ground mustard
• 1 t cumin

Heat oil in medium saucepan.  Add onion; sauté until soft.  Meanwhile, whisk together barbecue sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and cumin.  

Add zucchini, tomatoes, beans, mustard greens, and barbecue sauce mixture to saucepan.  Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.  

I served it over barley and felt as though I should have been dining in a Southern backyard, rather than my New York countertop.  A good one for a muggy summer evening.

Do you remember the first time you rode a bike?  Did you fall?  Need training wheels?  Were you a natural?  (My answers would be yes, yes, and definitely no).

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It was sort of a spin on my go-to formula, with a twist from some sauce.

I started with the veg:

eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms

While [...]]]> The simple knowledge that I was going to make this dinner was all I needed to keep me motivated for 9 hours on my feet today.

It was sort of a spin on my go-to formula, with a twist from some sauce.

I started with the veg:

eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms

While sautéing, I whipped up a batch of peanut sauce.

with extra ginger

Then I cooked up the last of my soba noodles, saving the garnishes for last.

cashews, soba noodles, basil

I tossed all the deliciousness together and fridged it for about an hour.  There was some wine consumed in the meantime.

Digging in was worth the wait.

Do you ever dream of a meal all day? 

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Yes, the flowers are functional: for atmosphere [...]]]> One of the perks of working on photo shoots is definitely scooping up the swag at the end. Usually I come out with samples of girly beauty products, which are functional, but typically unnecessary. Today, however, I snagged some very useful things:

Yes, the flowers are functional: for atmosphere and peace of mind.

As soon as I realized I would be able to take some herbs home, I began scheming my evening meal.  Easy weeknight recipe:

salmon with lemon and sage

• 1 piece of salmon
  
• 1/2 T evoo 
  
• 1/2 T lemon juice
  
• 1-2 T fresh sage, chopped
  
• 1/4 t black pepper
  

Broil salmon about 7 minutes. Mix other ingredients; rub over salmon when finished cooking.

On the plate with roasted zucchini, asparagus, and peppers, and a thick slice of swag bread.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever snagged for free? 

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So, dinner tonight was very, very easy.

I started with half an avocado sprinkled with [...]]]> After my flavor extravaganza yesterday, I’ve craved simplicity all day today.  I like to enjoy both ends of the spectrum, and I’ve found that balancing them is key.  Each type of meal always allows me to appreciate the other a bit more.

So, dinner tonight was very, very easy.

I started with half an avocado sprinkled with sea salt and pepper.

And then had cold quinoa (I promise it’s under there) with loads of raw veggies.  

And I’m having this for dessert:

Tea, blueberries, and a spoonful of raw almond butter.  

Nothing fancy, no seasoning, no garnishes.  Just fresh, whole foods, just the way I like it.

Do you prefer your meals simple or elaborate?

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I started with bulgur and garlic.

Then tossed together some red beans and heaven vegetables: red pepper, cucumber, zucchini, and kalamata olives.  

Topped with pine nuts, feta, lemon juice and zest, and balsamic vinegar.  

Sometimes the thrown-together meals are the best of all.

It’s funny that a few years ago, if I hadn’t [...]]]> Tonight was a definite “go-to” night.

I started with bulgur and garlic.

Then tossed together some red beans and heaven vegetables: red pepper, cucumber, zucchini, and kalamata olives.  

Topped with pine nuts, feta, lemon juice and zest, and balsamic vinegar.  

Sometimes the thrown-together meals are the best of all.

It’s funny that a few years ago, if I hadn’t planned ahead, I would either have had pasta or ordered takeout.  Now I consider something like this an “easy” meal.  And it is easy, perhaps because healthy eating became not only a habit, but a way of life.  

Is health a way of life for you?  Or do you have to work for it?

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