It doesn’t really get much simpler than a Nutella and banana sandwich, even if you slightly doll it up as I have here. Today is a gray day, and I can’t think of anything better than some quick comfort food. Since my hubby bought me a breadmaker for Christmas, we’ve had fresh bread available at all times (a nice honey whole wheat, mmmmm!). So I sliced off a couple of pieces, slathered Nutella on both sides, sliced up a bit of banana to squish in the middle, and grilled my masterpiece in a non-stick pan with just a spritz of olive oil. To add a little sweetness and a lot of visual interest, I dusted the sandwich halves with a bit of powdered sugar before sitting down to devour my sweet, sweet lunch.

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Comfort food, Dairy free, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian by Courtney

Now, I know a Cobb Salad is in no way, shape, or form healthy. But I really don’t care much for salads. However, this one I like. It’s a way to get some greens and get full at the same time. And while this salad is off-the-charts for cholesterol, I decided since I don’t care much for bottled dressings I’d make my own ranch, and that afforded me the opportunity to bring the calories in this down from astronomical to somewhere in the 400 range (See how I switched from cholesterol to calories? Like that, huh?). Amazing! So I can (almost) call this a healthy recipe. Or I could add some extra bacon and call it a day. (more…)

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Lunch, Salad by Courtney

My husband and I love to do dinner and a movie nights. We’ll sometimes settle on the movie first, sometimes the food first, and then we pick the other to match. Think Bollywood movies and an Indian feast, or the Godfather with spaghetti and meatballs. The other night, we decided to watch Rashoman, and I wanted something easy to nosh on so we could plop on the couch the entire time and graze on our food.

A while back I picked up some rice paper, and I had never gotten around to making spring rolls with them. I’ll admit, I was a little intimidated because they seemed like they’d be a pain to work with. However, I decided tonight would be the night I attempted to make spring (or summer, as some refer to them) rolls, and I started planning what to stuff them with. (more…)

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Appetizers, Asian, Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Lunch by Courtney

One of my all-time favorite dishes is mussels with cream sauce, which I discovered when living in Kansas City. A favorite French restaurant of mine, Le Fou Frog, almost always had these on their menu, and I loved nothing better than sopping up the cream sauce with some crusty French bread.

After leaving Kansas City, not only did I have a hard time finding a French restaurant I love as much as the Frog, but I also hadn’t run across a good recreation of this recipe. So the other night, I was determined to recreate the recipe on my own. (more…)

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Appetizers, Dinner, French, Gourmet, Lunch by Courtney

The weekend before Thanksgiving, as I was preparing my shopping lists and getting prepared for the holiday feast, I made a bit of chicken stock to use in my gravy and stuffing. The house filled with the wonderful aroma and had me craving chicken noodle soup. So after I portioned out what I needed for Thanksgiving dinner, I set aside enough to make a pot of chicken noodle soup for my husband and I to enjoy. Not content to only have soup, I used a leftover baguette and some frozen Velveeta cheese to make mini grilled cheeses for us.

Lucky for me, I froze a few bowls of the soup, because I knew they would go to waste in the refrigerator with the impending Thanksgiving feast. This past week, instead of enjoying my vacation, I’ve been in bed with the flu, and I have to say the chicken noodle soup does indeed make you feel better. (more…)

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Comfort food, Dairy free, Lunch, Soups by Courtney