Call It Whatever You Like

Someone recently assumed that I was vegan. I quickly correctly him, noting that I'm not a vegan, vegetarian, or anything of the sort.



The thing is, my eating habits are free and undefined. Sometimes they involve weird diets with strict guidelines, and sometimes they revolve around random combinations designed to satisfy my cravings. But for the most part, I'm willing to try all kinds of recipes--vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, carnivore, paleo, gluten free, etc. I'm not averse to new dished unless they involve peculiar (read: not very mainstream) ingredients. Sometimes, my favorite recipes are vegan or vegetarian, but other times, you'll find me trying to incorporate beef jerky into my diet (as odd as it may seem, beef jerky is one of my all-time favorite snacks).



Speaking of, this morning I came across a vegan cooking book I bought in college. I've made several recipes from it, and they always turn out delicious. So I decided to try a breakfast recipe. Given that I've been incessantly craving scones, this recipe hit the spot. Enjoy!



Orange Cranberry Scones (adapted from Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook)
Makes 6–8 scones (depending on size preference!)
Active time: 15 minutes; total time: 45 minutes.

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon orange juice (with pulp!)
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or unsalted butter), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F; spray a baking sheet with baking spray and set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup orange juice, orange extract, and orange zest until well combined. Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. 
3. Add the Earth Balance (butter) and knead, using your hands, until mixed through. 
4. Lightly flour a flat surface; transfer the dough to the prepared surface and flatten. Add the cranberries and knead the dough for about 30 seconds, or until cranberries are incorporated. Separate the dough into 6-8; form each piece into a ball and lightly flatten onto the prepared baking sheet. 
5. Using a pastry brush, glaze the scones with the remaining orange juice and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. 
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until sides begin to turn golden; remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Fish & Quinoa

So the fire alarm in my building went off today. At 7:47 a.m.

I'm assuming it was a false alarm, but we weren't actually informed otherwise. Ten minutes after the piercing sound woke me up from my deep sleep, the torture stopped and everyone walked back into the building. I followed, dragging my feet up the five flights of stairs to my apartment.

The only upside--if any--to this terrible event was the head start I got on my studies. But I guess that's  up for debate.

Anyways, tomorrow is the first day of my third week of law school. So far so good. Yes, I'll admit there is a lot of reading involved, but call me a law nerd, because I've mostly enjoyed it--except for the uber-overwhelming and seemingly infinite amount of property terms.

On another note, I've figured out a way to go grocery shopping without a car: my backpack, two bike bags and an extra reusable bag. Thankfully the bike ride is only about five minutes because the extra weight really does kick in.

Here is my dinner from tonight: grilled cod with caramelized onions and orange-avocado salsa and carrot zucchini quinoa. On hindsight, I probably would've paired the fish with a cucumber salad or something fresh, but I wanted to cook quinoa for leftovers during the week. It's all about practicality now that I'm a lawyer-in-training. Enjoy!

Cod with orange, avocado and onions (adapted from Bon Apetit: Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook).
Makes 2 servings.
Active time: 15 minutes. Total time: 25 minutes.

• 1 medium navel orange
• 1/2 cup avocado cubes (about 1/3-inch)
• 2 teaspoons minced jalapeño 
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 2  6 oz. cod fillets
• Parsley for garnish

1. Cut and peel orange ,removing white pit; carefully separate sections and cut in half. Combine orange sections, avocado, jalapeño and lime juice in a small bowl; stir gently to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, or until slightly browned. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; transfer to skillet and sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side. 
3. Serve fish topped with salsa; garnish with parsley. 

Spiced carrot and zucchini quinoa (adapted from Bon Apetit: Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook).

Makes 4 servings.

Active time: 20 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes.

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, rinse and drained
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into small cubes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Combine first four ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cover; simmer until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and sauté, about 3 minutes. Add paprika, cumin and cinnamon.
3. Remove skillet from heat and add quinoa. Toss to blend and season with salt and pepper.

B O O

How crazy is it that it's Halloween tomorrow?

Unfortunately I have yet to find out if Hallowednesday will fit in my schedule at all, but I'm hoping it will. I usually go all out this time a year in terms of parties and costumes, and this year shouldn't be an exception. For this reason I had a party over the weekend. And I went all out.

My roommate, my sister and me decorated the first floor of my apartment top to bottom. We cobwebbed the ceiling, toilet-papered the living room and hung streamers and plastic chandeliers near the entrance. Then we added black and orange lights along with candle-lit mason jars to give the room an eerie mood. The only thing missing was dry ice, but we weren't about to take the risk of making everyone pass out due to the lack of oxygen.

Then there was the food. I spent all of Saturday (and some of Friday) prepping for the party. It sounds like a very long time and it was, but it was worth it. In the end our goodie table featured a massive "Boo!" cake, cute orange-monster cupcakes, a tangy guacamole and glow-in-the-dark (black light) jell-o shots.

If you like cake, I would highly recommend this recipe (which I featured about two years ago as the "Who's Counting Cake"). It's consistency is a combination between angel-food and pound cakes; it's so moist the frosting isn't even necessary--although it does give it another level. As for the flavor, it screams creamy vanilla with a hint of sweetness.

The cupcakes are this recipe, with this frosting. Both recipes are so versatile that I decided to combine them and focus more on the decoration. And come on, aren't they just so cute?!

Then there's the guac, which is an all-time favorite. Start with a base of avocados (I used 3) and add chopped tomato, onion and jalapeño; then add more goodies, like corn, black beans or even peas. Finish off with fresh lime juice and salt and pepper.

And last but not least, the jell-o shots; the ooh-aah treats of the night. A few months ago I found out that tonic water glows under a black light. I also read that you could incorporate it into jell-shots and thus have them glow-in-the-dark. Genius right? Here is the recipe.

Regardless of if I celebrate the actual Halloween tomorrow, I'd say I basked in the spirit on Saturday. Now go prepare a party!

Oranges + Chocolate

My sweet tooth has been super active these past few days. I can't seem to go without my daily dose of fruit, peanut butter or chocolate. But it's getting to a point where all I'm ever craving is sweets. Not good.

Oh well, I figure if I let myself indulge for a while then hopefully it will go away or at least die out a little bit. If  not, I will have trouble fitting into my pants. Again.

In other news, this week was very much everything I hoped it would be; long days and short nights--you'll find I am not one to sleep a lot. I am officially no longer an Abercrombie employee. Sad, I know, but it's for the best. Basically, if I kept it I would have to forgo this blog for another semester and that is just not an option.

So anyways, I thought it would be fun to try a completely different recipe. A combo of fruit and chocolate (not fondue). Sweetened orange slices covered in chocolate. Sound good? It is.

Chocolate Covered Glaceed Orange Slices (adapted from Martha Stewart)
Active time: 30 minutes. Total time: 8 1/2 hours.
Makes about 24 slices.

• 2 navel oranges
• 1 cup granulated Splenda
• 8 oz semisweet chocolate

1. With the peel on, slice oranges into 1/4-inch rounds; cut into half moons. 
2. In a large pot, bring 2 cups water and Splenda to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent crystals on the sides. Add orange slices and reduce heat. Cover with parchment paper and gently simmer until oranges are soft and glazed, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack set over a lined baking sheet. Let orange slices dry until slightly tacky, about 5 hours.
4. Melt 2/3 chocolate in 30 second intervals in the microwave until just melted. Mix in the rest of the chocolate and stir to melt. Carefully dip the orange slices in the chocolate just enough to cover half. Place orange slices on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let dry. Store slices in an airtight container for two days or about three week in the refrigerator.

Suddenly Summer is Stepping In

Summer has officially begun in Boston. Heat waves and sunny days have finally decided to give the Beantown population a chance to enjoy the outdoors and take in the fresh air. All the same, my apartment turns into an oven of its own any time I decided to turn on the stove for more than one minute.

I have found that opening the window only makes it that much worse--which only makes me wonder why it is that I have not gotten up to close it yet. Anyways, the summer inspires me to cook fresh recipes; tons of which you will be seeing in the next few weeks (given I have the time to blog while juggling two classes and my internship. Cue excitement!)

Today was not an ordinary day. For starters, I was woken up by my alarm and for once I actually had a very hard time opening my eyes. Consequently, I had to rush through getting dressed and eating breakfast in order to make my passport appointment. Side note, I arrived 15 minutes early (as was told by the appointment person on the phone) only to be turned away by a grumpy receptionist telling me that they would not let anyone in before 9 a.m. I did not appreciate his blunt manner at all.

Nevertheless, by 10 a.m. I was grocery shopping, wondering what goodies I could buy while still being able to carry all the bags home. Unfortunately, the "eyes are bigger than your stomach" idiom applied here perfectly. I found myself struggling with 6 heavy bags walking block after block in hot hot weather.

Ok, enough with the day description. Needless to say, my day was not ordinary, but once I got home I decided to make myself a delicious salad topped with sauteed shrimp.

Sauteed Shrimp with Oranges (adapted from Whole Foods Market Magazine)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 6 jumbo frozen shrimp, peeled, deveined, and thawed.
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• S & P
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon diced shallot
• 3 sun-dried tomato halves, cut into strips
• 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 navel orange, peeled
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. In a separate bowl, toss shrimp with paprika and pinch of S & P. Once oil is hot, add shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes or nicely browned, flipping once. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
2. Add wine, shallots, and sun-dried tomatoes to skillet and boil until liquid is reduced to about half, about 5 minutes. Add broth and reduce to about half, again about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, carefully remove each orange segment from its membrane using a pairing knife.
4. Turn heat to low and add orange to skillet. Stir in butter and half of the basil. Once butter is melted, add shrimp and toss in sauce. Serve shrimp atop salad, rice, or pasta.