Wonderful (cheap) eggs

Eggs are always on top 10 lists of cheap healthy food, and I decided to let that be my guide for dinner tonight. While I've always considered a frittata to be a lame way of presenting breakfast for dinner, I must say that I enjoyed every bite of my eggy meal tonight.

I thought you may want to know the other food on the top 10 list...

Top 10 Healthy & Cheap Foods
1. Black Beans $0.07/serving and 114 calories/serving
2. Eggs $0.09/serving and 78 calories/serving (cage-free eggs may be a bit more expensive but the chickens are happier)
3. Cooked noodles $0.13/serving and 166 calories/serving
4. Oats $0.19/serving and 140 calories/serving
5. Frozen vegetables ~$0.25/serving and ~82 calories/serving
6. Potato $0.23/serving and 168 calories/serving
7. Canned Tuna $0.62/serving and 70 calories/serving
8. Bananas $0.20/serving and 100 calories/serving
9. Apples $0.60/serving and 80 calories/serving
10. Lowfat milk $0.35/serving and 100 calories/serving

And for the Frittata recipe...

Sausage-and-Cheese Frittata
10 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 (12-ounce) package reduced-fat ground pork sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

Whisk together first 4 ingredients at least 1 minute or until well blended.

Melt butter in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat; remove skillet from heat, and pour half of egg mixture into skillet. Sprinkle evenly with cooked sausage and cheese. Top with remaining egg mixture.

Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until set.

For a little variety...

I know that I baked biscotti this past weekend, but I was especially drawn to another recipe by our friend Giada. In my opinion, you can never have too much biscotti. It keeps for up to 4 weeks in an air tight container and is a perfect accessory to a cup of coffee in the morning. I must add that I am especially enjoying my coffee this week, since it was a present from my favorite food guru Bridgey! Biscotti also makes a wonderful gift (I took a bag of citrus biscotti and almond biscotti to my coworker today to help ease the Manic Monday).

Citrus Biscotti

(Giada de Laurentiis, Everyday Italian)
2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 Tbsp. grated orange zest (1 orange)

1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped shelled pistachios

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat baking mat. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the orange and lemon zests, then the flour mixture, and beat just until blended; the dough will be soft and sticky. Stir in the pistachios. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, forming 2 equal mounds spaced evenly apart. Moisten your hands with water and shape the dough in 2 11 x 4-inch logs. Bake until the logs are lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the same baking sheet, and bake until the cookies are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Soup Sunday

Balancing my last hours at home between brewing beer with my Dad and baking/cooking with my mom, I decided to make an easy and light soup for this post-holiday Sunday. Because I haven't yet posted an Asian infused soup, I decided upon this recipe. Enjoy!

Wonton Soup

8 cups Chicken Stock

1 cup cremini mushrooms

4 green onions, chopped

1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

10 to 12 wontons

Heat stock to a simmer. Add mushrooms and green onion. Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add wontons. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Season with soy sauce and sesame oil.

**Meat can be added by using frozen Trader Joe's chicken pot stickers instead of wontons**

Mama's kitchen

I always enjoy cooking in my mom's kitchen. It's so much fun to crank up the Kitchen Aid mixer and spread my ingredients across her spacious counter tops. The lights in the kitchen are so warm and every necessary tool is easily at my disposal. I perform my cooking dance with an audience of 2 nosey hounds, my parents' basset hound Shamus and my own little Annie.

Tonight, I wanted to pick a recipe where I could use my new silicone baking mat. It's amazing how much cleaner baking becomes with a silicone mat. I think it may be my new favorite kitchen item...aside from the queen of my kitchen, the food processor.

Almond Biscotti
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease large cookie sheet (or use a silicon pad). Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, then flavorings. Combine flour and baking powder and add to above mixture. Stir in nuts. Mixture will resemble regular drop cookie batter, being a little sticky. With floured hands on floured surface, kneed mixture just to combine, 5 or 6 times. Divide into 2 logs about 3" wide and 7" long. Place on the baking sheet, side by side (both will fit on one). Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven- cool 7 to 10 minutes on pan, then slice crosswise into 3/4" slices. A serrated knife works well. Lay cookies on their sides on the cookie sheet and return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes, more to lightly toast. Remove to rack to cool. Pack in tins to retain crispness. Keeps well for 4 to 6 weeks.

Let every heart sing...

"One time on Hollywood Boulevard I saw a young girl with a baby. It was a crisp winter morning & her hair shone dark purple in the sun. She was panhandling outside the Holiday Inn & the door clerk came out & told her to be on her way & I wondered if anyone would recognize the Christ child if they happened to meet. I remember thinking it's not like there are any published pictures & purple seemed like a good color for a Madonna so I gave her a dollar just in case."
-StoryPeople

Christmas is such a joyful time of year for so many people. This year, it took me an especially long period of time to get into the Christmas spirit. Just the thought of the worried faces of my customers at the Employment Securities Commission and I'm stuck thinking, "Why do I get to celebrate Christmas while others are met with a bad economy and the inability to provide the gifts their children desire." Or I think of my friend, who will spend this Christmas alone in his apartment, reading his bible and trying to remember what Christmas is all about.

On Tuesday night, however, I went on a run to my favorite Christmas corner in Raleigh. At the intersection of Iredell Drive and Jarvis Street, beautiful bright snowflakes reached high into the trees in one yard and a perfectly lit house decorated another corner. To top it off, the 3rd corner had every blow up Christmas decoration imaginable. Standing in the middle of all the lights, I sent a prayer up to the universe that my heart would find peace in this season and that my customers would see beauty beyond all the stress and anxiety. Since that night, I have kept Christmas on my mind. After all, the best parts of Christmas are family, faith, and the spirit of giving (not only of presents, but of love).


My favorite tradition is Christmas Brunch. I fill my belly every year with sweet, fresh ambrosia and eggs Benedict...not to mention a mimosa, of course. My presents to you, my dear friends, are two recipes that I look forward to, year around. Enjoy them!

Ambrosia
2/3 ratio of grapefruit sections to orange sections
1 small can of maraschino cherries
1 1/4 cup sweet coconut (optional)

Combine all ingredients.

Easy Hollandaise Sauce
3 egg yolks
1 Tbsp. hot water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 stick hot, melted butter
Salt, pepper

Combine yolks, water, lemon juice in a blender. Blend for 1 minute. With blender running, add butter. Season with salt and pepper.

**Store Hollandaise Sauce in a thermos while poaching eggs, heating Canadian bacon, and toasting English Muffins.**

Soup Sunday

Clad in my first Christmas present of the season, a sassy apron from Rach, I cooked a tasty tortilla soup for this week's Soup Sunday. This recipe is super easy and low calorie. It's just what I need, as I know my trip to Shelby will include Eggs Benedict, peppermint cheesecake, and champagne galore.

Tortilla Soup
• 2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes . with juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the salt, and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice.

Remove the pan from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or in 2 batches in a regular blender until the soup lightens in color but chunks of tomato remain, about 30 seconds. Serve the soup topped with the tortilla strips, a dollop of plain yogurt, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Random Acts of Kindness

This week, my neighbor left a bag of beautiful gala apples on my porch. Her random act of kindness warmed my Wednesday, and I wanted to repay her in some way. I made this delicious Orange and Cranberry Bread, and I hope she enjoys it as much as I've enjoyed the apples!

Orange & Cranberry Loaf
(from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)

2 c all-purpose flour
1 c sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
zest from 3 oranges
3/4 c orange juice (about 3 oranges)
1 large egg, at room temperature
2T unsalted butter, melted
1 c cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a loaf tin. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, egg and melted butter together. Add in the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Throw in the cranberries and combine. Pour batter into tin and bake for about 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.

Sweet "Thank You's"

Make cookies for someone who has made a difference in your year. I made a tin for my boss today. He took a chance on me by offering me a spot in AmeriCorps, and I'm thankful for that! I decided upon molasses cookies...they're my (2nd) favorite. My very favorite are vegan almond cookies from Whole Foods, but I have yet to discover a recipe that matches them.

Molasses Cookies
3/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup white sugar

In a medium bowl, mix together the melted margarine, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.

Gift tags can be downloaded from everybodylikessandwiches.blogspot.com

Soup Sunday

My appreciation for Corn Chowder developed over 6 years ago when I was doing Outward Bound in Maine. I was taking part in a 27-day sailing trip on an open haul boat. Although the wind was perfect on this particular day, the high swells and the cold, rainy downpour made most of the crew seasick and miserable. I remember thinking, "Why did I choose to go on this trip again?"

After hours upon hours of being cold, our group finally pulled into a cove and anchored the boat. We then constructed a tent and dried ourselves off. Once all of the day's chores were finished, we made a big pot of corn chowder. The warmth and relief that a bowl of soup brought me that day remains to be a fond memory of mine.

Today, I spent many hours working at a food drive in weather that reminded me of Outward Bound. The crowds were slow and very little food was donated. I kept dwelling on my cold toes and fingers, wishing that time would fly faster. The food drive finally came to a close, and I found myself once again cooking soup for Soup Sunday. I'm so glad that I chose corn chowder, because it was exactly what I needed to warm me and reinvigorate my spirit for the week.

Enjoy your Soup Sunday, and try this recipe!

Corn Chowder
(Splendid Table)

4 slices (turkey) bacon, sliced into 1/8 inch wide pieces
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2 inch dice
2 bay leaves
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground pepper
1 medium red-skin potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 large garlic cloves, coarse chopped
28-oz chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb. frozen corn
2 cups of milk or cream, or a blend of both
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. hot sauce

Put bacon, olive oil, onion, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper in a 6 qt. pot. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to color, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the potato, garlic, and broth. Cover the pot tightly and simmer the soup over medium to medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the potato is tender.
Stir in the corn, milk or cream, and hot sauce. Remove from the heat.
Pull out the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. With a slotted spoon, transfer about 1/3 of the solids to a food processor or blender. Blend for a few seconds to crush the corn.
Return the mix to the pot. Heat the chowder to a bubble, and taste it for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Staying in the kitchen's warmth!

Happy Saturday! I awoke this morning, unwilling to leave the warmth of my bedroom. Then, I had a great idea to make breakfast and listen to Car Talk. Can you think of a better way to spend your Saturday? I can't.

I leaped out of my bed, put on my purple Uggs, and got to work. With my sweet little beagle gazing up at me, I fried some turkey bacon and made a delicious batch of blueberry muffins that will warm my belly all week long. This quiet morning was so pleasant, and it was just what I needed to unwind from all the craziness that is AmeriCorps Access JobLink in December (the most difficult time to find a job).

Blueberry Muffins

(Southern Living 2009)

2 cups self rising flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup frozen blueberries (fresh, in the Summah time)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture.

Whisk together milk, oil, and eggs until well blended. Add to flour mixture, and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.Spoon mixture into lightly greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.

Bright, beautiful cranberries

I fully appreciate the fact that the winter holidays celebrate cranberries. In my opinion, there isn't a happier color in food than the color of cranberries. They dress up and flavor a dish in ways that other ingredients just can't match. When paired with poultry, I find myself loving and embracing every sweet and savory bite.

Tonight, I made Panko-crusted lime chicken with a cranberry-orange salsa. I loved it, and I think you will too!

Panko-crusted Lime Chicken
Boneless chicken breasts
panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime

Dip chicken breasts in panko bread crumbs. Brown each side in a saucepan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to low. Add lime juice. Return chicken to pan and cook, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes.

Cranberry-Orange Salsa
(Southern Living)
2 navel oranges
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Combine all ingredients; cover and let stand 1 hours. Serve alongside grilled chicken.

Day 2 as a 25 year old

I know that it's no longer my birthday, but I can't believe it has come and gone so quickly! I feel like being 25 means that I'm now a grown up. It's funny how, as a teenager, I envisioned myself as married and almost finished with graduate school at 25...not single and participating in AmeriCorps. Now, I realize the twists and turns that can occur over a few years, and I appreciate the journey a little bit more. Things haven't been perfect, but I must say that I'm perfectly happy with my twenties so far!

Now that I'm 25, I think its time for me to embrace meatloaf...

Turkey, Chedder Mini-Meatloaves
(Southern Living)

1lb ground turkey
1.25 cups of chedder cheese, shredded
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and shredded
1 onion, shredded
1/3 c. panko bread crumbs
1 egg
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix turkey, 1/2 c. chedder cheese, apple, onion, bread crumbs and egg. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Distribute mix into a 12-cup lightly greased muffin pan. Cook for 16 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the mini-loaves. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

I'm in love...with my new food processor

Hello friends! I need to send forth an apology for the very slack, few and far between postings I've made over the last week. My Internet hasn't been working up to par, so I've spent my evenings thinking about Only Real Currency, reading Pat Conroy and catching up on house work. Never fear though, I'm back in full gear again.

Today, I'm breaking Soup Sunday tradition for 2 reasons:
1. It's my birthday, and I can break my own rules on my birthday.
2. My parents granted my wish by giving me the queen of food processors, and I wanted to test its power and wonder.

Birthdays are always a time of reflection for me. I must say, although I haven't yet heard from medical school and I'm not completely sure what the next year has in store for me, I'm so content with the place that I'm in right now. I'll have to wake up extremely early tomorrow morning to start my busy week, but at this moment I'm thankful for my friends and family who made this weekend a special celebration for me.

Barefoot Contessa's Hummus
4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
8 dashes hot sauce

Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature.


Rosemary Infused Olive Oil
Heat olive oil and a few sprigs of rosemary over low heat in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Drizzle some over the hummus.

A Very Late Soup Sunday

While at home for the holidays, my mom made a delicious bean soup recipe. My family is rich in tradition and wonderful memories; this recipe certainly had a story with it. My great uncle was a Prisoner of War in the Vietnam War for over 6 years. After a horrific journey of survival, he came home to an overjoyed family and a small town that was filled with pride for their soldier.

Soon after his arrival home, my family got to visit Washington, DC and the White House to celebrate my uncle's bravery. I'm sure it was an exciting vacation for a family from Bladenboro, NC. My grandmother has pictures in her home of my mom as a teenager standing on the White House lawn, clad in bell bottoms and a flower print button-up shirt.

While at the Capitol, my family ate at the Senate Cafeteria. My grandmother tasted this soup for the first time during that meal and asked for the recipe. Now, I'm enjoying it today!

Make this recipe and then see if you can find some old recipes in your own family to share with our generation!

US Senate Bean Soup
3 cups dry navy beans
4.5 qts. water
1 ham bone
1/5 lbs. ham
1.5 tbs. minced onion
1 tsp. thyme
3/4 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Soak beans overnight. Drain, and combine with water and ham bone. Cook 2-3 hours. Drain ham from broth and add onion, beans, celery salt, and thyme. Cook for 1 hr. Add dry mustard. Puree with a potato masher or immersion blender. Serve.

I'm thankful for you!

Friends, I apologize for the small hiatus in postings on Real Currency. I took a break from the internet in order to really savor the holidays and my family's company.

Over the past few days, I've been lucky enough to spend copious amounts of time with my family in Shelby. Although it can sometimes be a bit chaotic, there is nothing better than the entertainment that my brothers and parents can bring to the holidays.

On Thanksgiving morning, my family joined hundreds of others on Gardner Webb's campus to participate in a 5K. It was so nice to run a race with my brother by my side. I'm sure that Mac was questioning his unhealthy college lifestyle as he struggled up the hills on that chilly morning, but I greatly appreciated his effort. Sibling rivalry was certainly illustrated as Mac sprinted the last 15 feet in order to "beat" me at the finish line.

Of course, Thanksgiving included its share of food in the Konitzer household...lots of food. My mom didn't want to break a single tradition, so the five of us had about 15 dishes, 3 kinds of gravy, and 6 desserts to choose from. Every bit of it was delicious, and I was thankful for my mom's culinary skills and both of my parents' great taste in wine.

I contributed to the meal with 2 versions of cranberry sauce. My mom had a great idea that the original recipe would be tasty on Brie as a holiday appetizer.

Perfect Cranberry Sauce
Food Network Magazine, Nov. 2009

Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.

Cranberry-Horseradish Cream

Fold 3/4 cup sour cream and 1 to 2 teaspoons horseradish into Perfect Cranberry Sauce. Chill before serving.

Soup Sunday

My favorite Soup Sunday yet! I found this recipe in this month's Food Network Magazine:

Carrot-Mushroom-Barley Stew
2 cups carrot juice
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved, caps sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup instant barley
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups kale or mustard greens, stems removed and leaves torn
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger

Bring the carrot juice, 3 cups water and the mushroom stems to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom caps and barley and cook until the barley is toasted, about 5 minutes.

Add the onion, celery and rosemary to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and cook 2 more minutes.

Increase the heat to high and add half of the carrot juice mixture, leaving the mushroom stems in the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 6 minutes.

Add the remaining carrot juice mixture, the kale and ginger and cook, stirring, until the barley and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then ladle the stew into bowls.

Per serving: Calories 333


**The recipe calls for instant barley, but I used regular barley...it was cheaper. I soaked the barley overnight in water. Then, I brought chicken broth to a boil and added the barley (3:1 ratio). Cook for 15 minutes covered on low heat, and drain.**

I'll keep this in my heart

I spent this morning volunteering at an H1N1 flu shot distribution in Wake Forest. Walking up to the building, bright and early, I saw families from all parts of the community lined up, both outside and in, to get their shots/mist.

Because distribution was only for high-risk populations, the clinic was filled predominantly with children. I must say that I was quite amused, watching children's theatrical presentations as they awaited their vaccination fate. While some kids were carried into the building in tears, others kept their chin up with a level of bravery not often seen in grown adults. I chuckled, as all tears vanished with the offering of a Junior Sheriff sticker.

My favorite little girl today blew me a kiss as she walked out of the clinic. When I returned the gesture, she pretended to grab it in the air and she said, "I'll keep this in my heart." Those few words made waking up early on a Saturday totally worth it.

Standing in the clinic for hours upon hours made me wonder, would I enjoy working with children for a living? Despite the pitch of their screams and their tendency toward the dramatic, I think that I may enjoy observing their thought processes and points-of-view on a daily basis.

After a nice long nap this afternoon, I began cooking dinner. With my leftover chili, I prepared a terrific salad that's in this month's Food Network Magazine. It was delicious! I've come to the conclusion that beets are far underrated!

Beet-Citrus Salad
1 lb. beets
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tbs. sherry vinegar
2 tbs. scallions, chopped
1 bunch of arugula or spinach
salt and pepper
1-2 oranges or tangerines, segmented


Boil beets in salted water until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain, peel, and slice in wedges.
Toss beets in a serving bowl with olive oil, sherry vinegar, scallions, and salt/pepper. Add arugula or spinach and citrus of choice and toss.

It's dream worthy!

Last year, I made this chili on a cold winter evening and I've had dreams about it since. After a run on this balmy night, I oddly am still craving this recipe for dinner. The huge portions of vegetables and the variety of spices make this vegetarian chili better than any meat chili I've had in the past. Don't get me wrong, I am no vegetarian. This recipe is just too yummy to worry about the lack of beef. Make this for dinner, and I promise that you will have it on your mind year around.

Whole Foods Chili

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
3 cups cooked red kidney beans, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, peppers and garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until vegetables are softened but not browned. Add chipotles, oregano, cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir to blend. Add tomatoes and 4 cups water. Gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Add beans and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Garnish individual bowls with green onions or sour cream, if desired.

Soup Sunday

Sunday never ceases to be my favorite day of the week. There's something so wonderful about waking up to a day that is completely yours. There's no need to rush around for the work day or think about the "To Do" list waiting for you. I promised myself a few weeks ago that I would save Sunday for Annie and me... and I've maintained that tradition.

I began the day with Splendid Table on NPR. I don't have basic cable television, so I depend heavily on the radio. If you haven't listened to Lynne Rosetto Kasper, I encourage you to download a few of the episodes on itunes. Her lovely voice inevitably makes you hungry as she describes recipes, from the most basic to the unusual.

I also took some time to put on my sneakers and run on this unseasonably warm day. As I was jogging on the greenway, I crossed paths with the couple whose boxer attacked Annie. Luckily, they were sans dog today and excited to see Annie back to full health (and energy). I'm so glad that I reacted to the dog attack with a calm and understanding attitude. Had I said the words that I was feeling in the moment, it would have made every greenway run an inevitable journey of awkward interactions. Instead, I can still enjoy my beautiful running path with an open heart.

Now I end my day in the kitchen as I do most nights. Concocting a soup with rich flavor as country radio plays in the background, I am happy that I gave some time to myself this weekend. It also energizes me to be able to share my thoughts and recipes with you. I hope that your Sunday evening is filled with good thoughts and a full belly too!

Spicy Black Bean and Pepper Soup

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large green pepper, diced

1 large, red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

Pinch of sugar

2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

One can black beans (15.5 oz.)

Salt and pepper

Stir the onion, garlic, peppers, and oil together in a large pot over low heat.

Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until soft.

Stir in chili powder, cumin, and sugar, season with salt, and add the broth and the beans with their liquid.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 20 minutes.

Check the soup for salt and pepper.

Serve with lime, plain yogurt, and/or cilantro.

Serves 4.

200 calories per serving.

Giada never steers us wrong...

Friends, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to depart from this work week. I think that having yesterday off messed up my rhythm. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every glutinous minute of yesterday...reading half a book...making pancakes...cuddling up to my beagle for an afternoon nap...that's the life.

I feel like today hit me like a ton of bricks though. Sitting at my desk this morning, I sent a prayer up to the universe that I would not only get through this day but find the energy to assist the people who enter the ESC with a smile. I will say that I mustered more energy and cheer than I could have imagined. I guess we're all resilient that way. After a long adventure of a day, it's so nice to be back in my house with a pot of pasta on the stove and a glass of red wine to sip on.

Since I've already shared my favorite marinara recipe, I've decided to revert back to my perfect Veteran's Day evening for inspiration. This recipe is from our favorite Italian Chef, Giada. Having made this recipe twice, I promise it is full proof. You ask, sweet potato fries for dinner? What else? I made a little kale, but it was mainly sweet potato fries that warmed my evening and topped off my perfectly lazy day.

Basil Sweet Potato Fries
5 sweet potatoes , cut into about 1 by 5-inch "fries"
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the sweet potato "fries" on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile combine the basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. In another small bowl combine the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice, and stir to combine.
When the sweet potato fries come out of the oven, sprinkle with the basil salt. Serve with the garlic mayonnaise alongside for dipping.

Annie Loves Pancakes

I woke up this rainy Veteran's Day morning thinking, "I want pancakes." I'm embarrassed to admit that my next thought was "too bad I don't have any bisquick."

Having quickly caught my silly thought, I began doing some online research for an easy pancake recipe. The one that I discovered was a great success in my house. Let me first say that my first 2 pancakes were a burnt mess, smoking up my house and making me pray that the fire alarm doesn't sound. Make sure your skillet is set to a medium-low heat; you'll have much better results. Due to my lack of pancake flipping ability, the later pancakes were not pretty either. They tasted great though!

As I was cooking my pancakes, I began thinking about the book that I just finished, The Art of Racing in the Rain. The book was from a dog's perspective, and it was a wonderful story of friendship. Anyway, Enzo, the dog in the book, LOVED pancakes. I couldn't help but drop a piece or two of these pancakes to my own dog Annie. Every dog should enjoy the bready, buttery goodness, right? Well, that was a huge mistake. I found myself having to pull Annie away from the kitchen counter and shoo her out of the trashcan with pancake scraps in it.

I'm glad Annie enjoyed her Veteran's Day breakfast, but I don't think I'll ever share my pancakes with her again!

Annie's Pancakes
1 c. flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. sugar
1 c. milk
1 egg or 1/4 c. egg whites
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine dry ingredients. Add milk, egg and oil. Mix until smooth. Heat pan over medium heat until water beads. Lightly spray or butter the pan. Pour pancake mixture in 1/4 cup amounts. Turn when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Remove from heat when pancake stops steaming.

Soup Sunday

I know that soup is not necessarily appropriate for the beautiful day that we had today, but I'm sticking to Soup Sunday tradition. This week's recipe came from my mom, a lady who taught me the value of a good meal at a very young age. When I make this soup, I find myself needing to sample it (maybe excessively) as it cooks. The leeks amp up an, otherwise, simple potato soup. Between the half and half and butter, I didn't skimp on a single calorie for this comfort food. Make this recipe...maybe on a colder day...and serve it to the people you love!

Potato Leek Soup
4 leeks (medium) white part only

1 medium onion, chopped into quarters
8 Russet Potatoes (or 4 Idaho Potatoes)

32 oz. chicken broth

2 cups half and half

4 T butter

Saute leeks and onion in butter for 5 minutes.
Pare, slice and chop potatoes. Add potatoes to the leek mixture with chicken broth. Cook until tender. Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. Return to heat.

Add half and half. Season with salt and pepper.

Tarheel Biscuits

I'm going to the UNC vs. Duke football game tomorrow, and I need the perfect recipe to contribute to the Tailgating extravaganza. I found this recipe on http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/ and thought this would be a perfect addition to a pre-game party. They're not super sweet, so pair them with honey.

Apple Cinnamon Drop Biscuits
2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t raw sugar
3/4 t kosher salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
1 pinch of ground cardamom
1 large apple, cored and diced
1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c skim milk
8 T unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 475. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients. Set aside.

2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the milk, yogurt and melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the diced apple, stirring until the mixture begins to pull away from the bowl. Be careful to not over mix!

3. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment covered cookie sheet, about 1.5 inches apart. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until tops are golden. Cool slightly and serve with butter, jam, or plain.


...and Go Heels!

Wednesdays, made better

Wednesday is my least favorite day of the week. I know that's a bit odd; it seems like everyone hates Monday. I generally use Sundays to be as relaxed and lazy as possible, so Mondays don't seem to hit me the way they do the rest of my office. Wednesday, however, feels like the 13th mile of a marathon. When I wake up Wednesday morning, I always get that feeling of "Jeez, I'm only halfway through the week."

Never fear, I have found something in Raleigh that makes me look forward to Wednesday. I'm like a giddy child on Christmas Eve as I wait to arrive home from work to find a present on my front porch. Friends, I must introduce you to Papa Spuds. If you don't live in Raleigh, forgive me...and if you've heard me talk about it (maybe multiple times), I'm sorry.

For those of you who haven't heard of Papa Spuds, it's an online farmer's market in Raleigh. I log on every weekend and place my order, and the produce is delivered to my house on Wednesday afternoon. You pay the same amount every week, and you are guarenteed a box of organic (and mostly local) goodness. I've found that, on my small budget, it's making me eat more veges. On top of that, I look forward to cooking dinner, as my refridgerator is always overflowing with colorful fruits and vegetables. Check out papaspuds.com and tell em I sent ya!

Shrimp Curry with a side of good conversation

Meals seem to taste better when eaten in good company. I don't know if it's the addition of wine or just good conversation and laughs, but I feel like the act of cooking for others turns a simple recipe into a celebration of food.

Tonight, I had an especially tasty meal of Home-Style Shrimp Curry and spinach salad. Two of my favorite Raleigh friends came to my house and entertained me with funny stories of the weekend. They also helped me prep for my medical school interview, and I will be forever grateful for their assistance.

This dinner was, overall, very easy. I will say that the recipe would be exponentially easier with a food processor (mom and dad...my birthday...dec. 6th...hint, hint), but it is still feasible and delicious from a blender. Make this meal, pair it with a $4 bottle of wine from Trader Joe's, and share it with someone you care about!

Home-Style Shrimp Curry
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
2 teaspoons curry powder
Kosher salt
3.5 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 to 2 Serrano chile peppers, halved (remove seeds for less heat).
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine rice, 1 1/3 cups of water, 1 tsp. curry powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tbs. oil in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover on low heat for about 15 minutes; keep warm.

Meanwhile, chop the onion in a food processor, drain the excess liquid and set the onion aside. Mince the garlic and ginger in the processor and set aside, then puree the tomatoes with 1 cup water.

Heat the remaining 3 tbs. oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 12 minutes. Add garlic-ginger mixture, chiles, 1 tsp. salt and remaining 1 tsp. curry powder and stir-fry until slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes.
Add the shrimp, cover and cook over medium-low heat until the shrimp are firm, 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in yogurt and cilantro. Serve with rice.

Ginger peeling tip:
My food guru's boyfriend, who I will call the vegetarian iron man, taught me the easiest way to peel ginger. Previously, I would use a knife or vegetable peeler thus losing a large part of the pulp and making quite a mess. The vegetarian iron man taught me that peeling a piece of ginger is most successfully achieved with a spoon. With the spoon faced concave side down, you can gently scrap the skin off the ginger. The spoon will allow for removal of the skin in all the tight spaces of the root and conserve the greatest amount of ginger.

Soup Sunday

Today is the second official Soup Sunday, and I have one delicious recipe for you! Nothing makes me happier in the kitchen than making a meal that celebrates the season. This recipe does just that with butternut squash. The finished product is a lovely sweet and savory blend of molasses and rosemary. The layers of flavor leave me scraping every bit of soup from the bowl. Don't be thrown off by the color, this soup is yummy!


Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash, chopped
3 tbs. butter
1.5 cups of onion, chopped
4 tbs. molasses
4 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1.5 tbs. sage
1.5 tbs. rosemary
A pinch of salt
2 cups of water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Slowly brown the butter in a saucepan.

Add molasses, balsamic vinegar, sage, rosemary, and salt to the browned butter.

Warm for an additional 5 minutes.

Combine chopped onion and squash in an oven proof dish.

Pour molasses mixture over the onion and squash.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally

Pour vegetables into a blender with water

Place blended mixture in a saucepan on the stove for additional heating if needed.

I made a quick batch of corn muffins to serve with the soup. It was a perfect meal for such a rainy day.

Sweet Potatoes Galore

This week has been a long one between caring for my sweet Annie after she was attacked by a boxer (she's okay) and helping my favorite food guru say goodbye to Raleigh as she is moving to Asheville.

After all the rushing around, it has been nice to enjoy my Saturday afternoon and reflect on all the wonderful memories that I made this week. I will cherish my last days with Bridger on Bickett Street, as well as, my eventful Friday afternoon spent clearing the meditation trail with my fellow AmeriCorps members at The Healing Place of Wake County.

I decided that I needed something to warm my belly and re-energize me for yet another busy week of AmeriCorps...not to mention my medical school interview on Tuesday!

I had way too many sweet potatoes in my refrigerator and thought sweet potato muffins would hit the spot!

Sweet Potato Muffins
1 1/8 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups peeled, cooked and blended sweet potato

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease muffin tins to hold 12 muffins.
• Whisk together brown sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in a small bowl.
• Mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and grated sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center of the potato mixture, and pour in the egg mixture. Stir the egg mixture, gradually incorporating it with the flour mixture.
• Spoon the batter into the tins, filling up cups to the edge.
• Bake the muffins for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Take the muffins out of the oven and let the muffins cool on a wire rack.

Taste of Fall

I'm going to my cousin's house tonight for dinner, and I offered to bring dessert. Here is a quick and easy recipe:

Apple Cobbler
1 cup of milk
1 cup of flour
1 cup of sugar
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1.5 cups of chopped fruit (apples, berries, peaches...whatever is in season)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar and milk together. Pour melted butter in the bottom of an oven proof pan. Layer flour mixture on top of butter. DO NOT STIR. Layer fruit on top. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hr.

Spaghetti and Doulas

Doula - A support person, usually female, with no medical or midwifery training, who provides emotional assistance to a mother or pregnant couple before, during or after childbirth

Friends, I have had quite an interesting night. I decided to see an author speak at Quail Ridge Books. I've always liked that bookstore, but I had never been to any events in the past. The book was The Cotton Gown, a Midwife's Memoir.
I got to Quail Ridge about 20 minutes early to find myself surrounded by doulas, all talking about the beauty of childbirth. Two things popped into my head:
1. My best friend, Rachel, who is bit thrown off by the whole birthing process
2. The Wisconsin scene in my new favorite movie Away We Go (if you haven't seen it, netflix it immediately)
Anyway, the entire night was an adventure including, but not limited to, natural childbirth while holding a picture of Krishna, life on communes, and a hippy male nurse in a fanny pack.

Before the book review, I made homemade spaghetti:

Quick, Cheap, and Easy Marinara
Hot italian sausage
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Oregano
Red pepper flakes

Brown italian sausage with olive oil and garlic in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Decrease heat to low. Cook for ~30 minutes.

Soup Sunday

This past week, I decided to start counting calories. A bit dismayed by this decision, I put aside the delicious squash soup recipe that called for a Paula Deen amount of butter and did some research for healthier choices. I came upon this tomato soup recipe on the Cooking Light website. Though low in calories, it still had the creaminess that made it taste indulgent. Plus, the 8-serving recipe provided enough for me to have it for lunch for a week. Eat it with some fruit or a side salad...you should have at least 300 calories for lunch...believe me, I know.

Tomato-Basil Soup
CALORIES 133 (30% from fat);
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 bread slice)

4 cups chopped seeded peeled tomato (about 4 large)
4 cups low-sodium tomato juice (I used Low Sodium V8 instead)
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
Basil leaves, thinly sliced (optional)
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette


Bring tomato and juice to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes.
Place tomato mixture and basil in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan; stir in milk, salt, and pepper. Add cream cheese, stirring well with a whisk, and cook over medium heat until thick (about 5 minutes). Ladle soup into individual bowls; garnish with sliced basil, if desired. Serve with bread.

NOTE: Refrigerate remaining soup in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

The Real Reason We Are Here

There are things you do because they feel right & they may make no sense & they may make no money & it may be the real reason we are here: to love each other & to eat each other's cooking & say it was good.
-Story People

Tonight, I am going to an engagement party for the wonderful Brooke and Matt. It's always so much fun to celebrate love and the promise of long lasting love.

While it was so enticing to pick up some takeout before the party, I decided to cook:

Portobello Mushroom Burger

Ingredients
•1 Portobello mushroom cap
•1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
•1 tsp olive oil
•1/4 green bell pepper
•1/4 cup of chopped onions (I used red onions)
•Clove of chopped garlic
•A slice or 2 of sharp cheese
•2 slices of bread (I used cheap white bread)
•1 tomato slice
•Sea salt and pepper to taste

•Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish.
•Pour balsamic vinegar over the mushroom.
•Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.
•Preheat the frying pan to medium-high heat.
•Stir fry onions, bell peppers, garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes.
•Add mushrooms to the pan, and cook 5 minutes on each side.
•Top mushroom with cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
•Layer mushroom with onions and bell peppers in a sandwich.
•Add a tomato slice to the sandwich...and maybe some mayo

Baked Kale Chips
(...seriously, crispy like chips!)

Ingredients
1 bunch of kale
1 tbs olive oil(or oil spray)
salt to taste(maybe a little garlic powder too)

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. With a knife or kitchen shears remove the kale leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Drizzle kale with olive oil on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Tonight, I toast to the Security Guard!

As I was doing some work in my office this afternoon, one of my customers walked down the hall, dressed in his new security uniform and looking sharp. I was suddenly so overwhelmed with joy...I almost cried.
Weeks ago, this customer came into the center ready to look for a job. He had not worked in over a year, as he had an elderly dog who needed constant attention. Being an animal lover myself, I empathized with the sad final journey he had undergone with his dog. Anyway, he was in the Access JobLink center and ready to build his resume. With a learning disability and few computer skills, he leaned on me during a lot of the job search process. Over a series of weeks working together, I learned that he, at one time, had been homeless and had spent a decade working in jobs he had no passion for.
My customer's dream job was to be a security officer. And tonight, I toast to his new job and continued success!

Tandoori Chicken and Potatoes

1 part Tandoori Paste (can be purchased at an Indian Grocery Store)

2 parts Plain Yogurt

Boneless, skinless chicken breast

A few Russet Potatoes

• Combine in a bowl tandoori paste and yogurt. Mix well.
• Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces
• Combine yogurt mixture, potatoes, and chicken. Let marinate overnight (ideally)
• Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees
• Place mixture in an oven-safe dish
• Cook for 35-45 minutes

Easy and delicious!

Dinner with my Food Guru

My lovely cousin and food guru, Bridger, invited me over to her house for dinner after a wonderful Fall run (see above). Bridger has this amazing knack for creating healthy, delicious meals without a recipe or a lot of fancy ingredients. I felt it only necessary to share with you the dinner she treated me to tonight!
This recipe was, in fact, from a cookbook. It was in a well-loved vegetarian cookbook...the kind that I could easily get lost in. Make this lasagna, cut it into smaller portions, and freeze it for an especially busy week. If you don't have the exact ingredients, improvise... That's what Bridger would do!

Guru's Vege Lasagna

1.5 qt of tomato sauce (any kind will do)
1.5 lbs spinach
1 onion
1-2 tbs olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs ricotta
1/4 lb parmesan
3 eggs, beaten
salt/pepper
2-3 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 lb. mozzarella, grated
1 lb No-boil lasagna noodles
Oblong, oven safe dish and 2 square dishes

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Coarsely chop spinach
• Chop onion and saute lightly with minced garlic
• Combine in a bowl ricotta, parmesan, spinach, sauteed onions, and beaten eggs. Mix well.
• Season mixture with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley
• Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles in the bottom of the dish, spread a layer of ricotta cheese mixture, sprinkle with mozzarella, cover smoothly with tomato sauce.
• Repeat the layering once or twice more. Finish with a smooth layer of sauce regardless of the layer under.
• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, crimping the edges tightly.
• Bake lasagna at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes
• Serve with a leafy, green salad

Breakfast is Golden

Good morning! For some of you, breakfast is a granola bar as you're running out the door. For others, it's stopping by Starbucks to pick up a $4 pumpkin spice latte (one of my favorites). My mom instilled in me at a very young age that breakfast is a MUST.

One of my recent favorites is Farina or hot cereal. I discovered this recipe in last month's Real Simple, and I think I've eaten it for the last 30 mornings. Farina is SUPER cheap. I haven't even used a whole bag in the last month, and it was like $3 at Whole Foods. The almonds are an investment worth making, as they add the much needed crunch to the bowl. Enjoy!

Farina With Apricots and Almonds

(1 serving)

3/4 Cup of milk (I use vanilla soy milk. It has a longer expiration date than regular milk.)

2 and a 1/2 tbs. Farina

1 tbs. brown sugar

a few dried apricots

a few roasted almonds

Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add farina and whisk constantly for a minute or 2.

Spoon into a bowl and top with brown sugar, apricots, and almonds.

It will warm your belly on these chilly Fall mornings!

The Journey Begins

Hello friends!

Last month, I began AmeriCorps in Raleigh, NC. Along with my one-year pledge of service, I promised myself that I would not stop buying and making good, healthy food. After all, millions of people today are operating on a tiny budget, and I believe everyone should have the right to a nutritious meal.

So far, it is been quite an adventure deciding what I am going to cook every night and how I shall afford delicious food on a $200/week stipend. Today, I will begin documenting my lovely journey through the world of well rounded meals on a budget. I promise to only post recipes that I have made and enjoyed!

Why "The Only Real Currency"?

It was inspired by a quote from my favorite book, Eat, Pray, Love:

In a world of disaster and disorder and fraud, sometimes only beauty can be trusted. Only artistic excellence is incorruptible. Pleasure cannot be bargained down. And sometimes the meal is the only currency that is real.

-Elizabeth Gilbert

Baked Rosemary Lemon Chicken

4 boneless chicken breast

1 yellow onion

3 garlic cloves

4-6 sprigs of rosemary

1 large lemon

1/3 cup of red wine vinegar (I used balsamic vinegar)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Dash of Sea Salt

Dash of black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Cut chicken breast into 3 equal parts. Place in the casserole dish. Cut onion up into wedges and place in dish. Slice the garlic up into 4-5 slices per clove and place into the dish.

Take 1/2 of lemon and cut into 4 wedges - squeeze the juice into the dish over the chicken and place the wedges in between the chicken pieces. Pour vinegar into the dish and then the olive oil. Dash on salt and pepper and then place your rosemary on top. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.

Cut the rest of your lemon to garnish the chicken.