Looking for a dinner that transports you to the Caribbean, warms you up like comfort food, and is still healthy? Yeah, I didn’t think so — that would be an odd request to make of dinner. But, even if you weren’t looking, it’s a great feeling to have, and it’s exactly what Post Punk Kitchen’s Curried Black Eyed Peas delivers.

I’ve read about her book, Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes, a couple of places, and I was intrigued. I’m the furthest thing you can find from a vegan, but once in a blue moon on accident I’ll make something vegan, and I like it. So it’s been an area I’ve thought about dabbling in. I just get scared off by recipes that include nutritional yeast and tempeh.

One day a friend of mine mentioned she had been using this cookbook and loved it, but then she pointed me toward the site. I spent the better half of the day trying to decide what I would cook that night. Did I want to go crazy and throw “gluten free” in the mix? Well, that’s what I ended up doing. (more…)

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Caribbean, Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Lunch, Vegan, Vegetarian, World traveller by Courtney

For years, I refused to eat eggs. I had eaten them as a kid and somewhere along the way, I decided I didn’t like them. Then came the college years, and one morning while peering into my fridge, looking for something to eat, I decided if I put enough cheese in a scrambled egg it might be edible. Surprise! It was!

So for a few more years, I only ate scrambled eggs, with a liberal amount of cheese. Then I branched out to scrambled egg with cheese and sausage, or basically an omelet. Then one day, sitting down to breakfast at Brennan’s, I decided, “What the hell! Let’s try an Eggs Benedict!”. A discovery was made. I don’t really like my eggs scrambled. I love runny egg yolk. Poached, over-easy, sunny-side-up, fried – eggs are friggin’ delicious this way. There’s really not much better than sliding your fork into the yolk area and watching it pour out everywhere.

Which leads me to this Sunday morning breakfast. Had I not had the epiphany while sitting at Brennan’s, sipping a Mr. Funk, I would have never tried this recipe. And I never would have discovered how perfect the combination of tomatoes, spinach, and egg yolk is. (more…)

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Breakfast, Dairy free, Gluten free, Vegetarian by Courtney

A while back, I had some friends over, and I didn’t have the time to concoct any elaborate dessert (or even an easy dessert that takes time, like cupcakes). So while I was at the store, I picked up a bag of sugar cookies and figured those would be just fine set out in a little bowl. Sweet snack done!

Of course, the day of the friends coming to visit, I felt bad that I was just going to throw out some sugar cookies from a bag, no matter how nice of a bowl I sat them in. I remembered I had some chocolate chips left over from some failed magic cookie bars, and an idea struck! I could dip the sugar cookies into melted chocolate, and it would seem a bit more special! (more…)

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Dessert, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian by Courtney

While it’s not traditional Irish fare, I’m so looking forward to asparagus to be back in season so I can create this super-simple, beautifully green soup, so it seemed apropos for this spring day. For this recipe you won’t need vegetable stock, nor will you need to do a lot of chopping. Simply boil the asparagus, onion, and garlic, puree, and top with fried egg, baguette, and a few garnishes of asparagus. Serve with J’s sparkling wine, and you’ve got a match made in heaven. Springy, green flavors all over your palate.

Drooling yet? Then I know you’ll want the recipe… (more…)

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Dinner, Gluten free, Lunch, Soups, Vegetarian, Wine pairings by Courtney

Between last week’s champagne bar and this week’s warm weather, I’m starting to develop a craving for strawberries. Last year I planted around 4 plants, which yielded my husband and I around 2 miniature strawberries every couple of weeks. While the sweet taste is worth it, I’m going to need a bit more than that to make one of my favorite desserts, Strawberries with Zabaione. This dessert isn’t too sweet, and the zabaione and balsamic complement the strawberries flavor without overwhelming it. It’s the perfect way to enjoy flavorful strawberries from the farmer’s market or your backyard when they start appearing. (more…)

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Dairy free, Dessert, Gluten free, In the Garden, Italian, Vegetarian by Courtney