Orange Cranberry Sauce

December 22, 2014 by Mackenzie

Can you believe Christmas is this week? December has flown by and I can’t believe we’re here! It’s wonderful to be home with my family. I just finished reading The Vacationers and eh, it was okay. I had heard great things about it but it was pretty predictable… I guess I rarely read light, “beach” books like this so I’m not used to the lack of a complex plot 🙂 On to the next book on my list! Anyone have any recommendations to add to my list?

I have a quick post to share today – cranberry sauce is one of my favorite side dishes during the holidays. Thanksgiving or Christmas… I just love cranberry sauce on turkey or on sandwiches stuffed with leftover meat. So if you’re making some kind of meat for Christmas – why not try this Orange Cranberry sauce to go with it? It’s festive and delicious! We originally got the recipe from about.com and I’ve been making it now for several years and I love the flavor combination of sweet oranges, tangy cranberries and nutty toasted pecans!

Merry Christmas! Enjoy the time with family and friends!

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Recipe Type: Side dish

Cuisine: Holiday

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 25 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 3 cups

Ingredients

1 navel orange
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
4 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grate the orange peel and place grated peel in a medium saucepan. Stir in the sugar and ginger.
Juice the orange and add it to the saucepan, bringing the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Stir frequently with a whisk, about 5-10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.
Meanwhile, toast the pecans in preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes, until fragrant.
When the sugar has dissolved, add the fresh cranberries. Cook, stirring often, until the cranberries begin to pop (about 5 minutes). Stir in the toasted pecans and remove from heat to cool.

Spaghetti Squash with Thai Peanut Sauce

December 10, 2014 by Mackenzie

Happy Wednesday everyone! I can’t believe it is already December 10th – I head home for Christmas in a week! Those of you who follow me on Instagram may know that I brought my doggie out to college with me after Thanksgiving. I talked my family into letting me take her for the three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas – and boy has it been fun!

She slept on my lap on the whole (4 hour!) plane ride and while it took a few days to get used to my apartment with all its new sounds and people – we have settled in quite nicely! I take her with me almost everywhere – to (some) classes, for walks all over campus, to visit my professors, to meetings on campus, downstairs to dinner with the Coop… she loves it. Go check out my photos on instagram – and follow me to see the rest of our adventure!

I finished my classes last week and am pretty excited to have NO FINALS or any papers due this week! I’m DONE! I had a crazy last week of class with 6 papers and a final but got through it and am pretty happy to have lots of free time! Of course, that means plenty of cooking and baking! One of the first things I made was this Spaghetti Squash with Thai Peanut Sauce from Leelalicious. I wanted an easy, healthy meal that I could take on the go with me last week and this was perfect!

This recipe makes double the sauce that you need for one spaghetti squash – but it is easier to make double, and save it than only use half a can of coconut milk and figure out what to do with that. I ended up saving the second half of the sauce and buying another spaghetti squash yesterday to finish off the sauce with!

And if you’ve never made spaghetti squash, you are in for a real treat 😀 After you roast it, run your fork through the flesh to make noodle-like strings. It’s a great, healthy alternative to pasta!

Spaghetti Squash with Thai Peanut Sauce

Recipe Type: Main Course, Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan, Weight Watchers

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 4

For those of you on Weight Watchers, one serving (so 1/4 of the squash and 1/4 cup of sauce) is only 4 WW points

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash
Olive Oil
Salt
1 14 oz can light coconut milk
2/3 cups peanut butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

Instructions

Prepare Spaghetti Squash: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully halve the squash (top to bottom) and scoop out the seeds and guts. Drizzle inside with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 30+ minutes, until flesh can be easily pierced with a fork.
Remove squash from oven and let cool. Run a fork through the flesh, scrapping the inside into “noodles.” Place noodles in a bowl until ready to add to sauce.
Combine the coconut milk, peanut butter, brown sugar, water, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil and red curry paste in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large skillet, add the minced garlic, chopped parsley and 1/4 cup of the peanut sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the squash, peanuts and 3/4 cup more sauce, stirring to coat all of the squash. Continue cooking until heated through. Garnish with parsley and more peanuts.
Store leftover sauce in a closed container in the refrigerator.

Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Tart

November 13, 2014 by Mackenzie

I cannot believe it’s mid-November – the time is flying! I only have two more full weeks of class this semester. How is that possible?! I’m not ready for this semester to be done… I feel like I’m just getting into the groove with my classes – I love the material and my professors… Gosh, it’s crazy to think I’ll be on the downhill slide of college in just a little over a month!

I registered for my final semester of classes this week. It hasn’t quite hit me that this is the end. No more pouring over course listings, no more playing with my registration worksheet – I’m set for this last semester! It’s going to be a light semester and I am so looking forward to that! That’s what your senior spring semester is supposed to be, right? 🙂 Although I’m sure I’ll be filling my spare time pouring over job listings and writing cover letters… oh, what fun!

Today I’ve got this delicious savory tart to share with you! I needed a quick and easy dish to bring to a potluck and I started day-dreaming about a tart with caramelized onions, creamy cheese and herbs while I was in class today. So I came home and created this Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Tart! It turned out wonderfully, and beautiful too! I almost wish I hadn’t brought it to the potluck because I only got a small slice and I would have loved to have more! I’ll just have to make it again!

I combined a couple of different recipes for this: the crust is from Williams Sonoma and the filling I adapted from Lovely Bits Blog. The end result was fantastic and I will definitely be making this again – it was so easy and perfect on a chilly winter night.

Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Tart

Recipe Type: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: Savory

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 1 hour 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 8 slices

A savory tart with a flaky crust and mouthwatering filling. It is easy to make and wonderfully shareable! You’ll amaze your guests!

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3-4 tablespoons ice water
2 tablespoons butter
2 large vidalia (sweet) onions, halved and sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
3/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese
Fresh rosemary or dried herbs

Instructions

Prepare the crust: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt and sugar just to combine. Add the butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces form. Add the water and pulse until dough comes together in a ball. Gather dough into a ball, form into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle just a little bigger than your tart pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan. Chill for another 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook onions for 8-10 minutes over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 7-10 more minutes, until onions are browned and caramelized.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush crust with egg white and spread dijon mustard over crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over the mustard and then top with the caramelized onions. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and finish with some fresh rosemary or dried herbs sprinkled over the top.
Bake at 425 for 17-19 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

5 Easy, Healthy Recipes for Busy College Students

October 16, 2014 by Mackenzie

As usual, life is busy, my days are packed and I’m spending less and less time at home. I’ve been all about the PBJs and Trader Joe’s frozen dinners this week. But I have been spending time looking at all my older blog posts and have been quite impressed with how much I was cooking two years ago without a full kitchen to work with!

I thought I would pull together a roundup of some of my favorite easy and healthy recipes! I’m going to do two segments – this one is my top 5 EASY, healthy recipes for busy college students. Next week I’ll share my top 5 easy college treats! These meals are easy for students to throw together when all you want is a yummy home cooked meal. Some of these require an oven or a stovetop – but hopefully you at least have a kitchen in your dorm somewhere! The ingredient lists are short and you don’t need any special kitchen equipment – a pot, pan and knife can get you far! Whether you are on campus or you’ve just moved into your own apartment for the first time, try these 5 EASY, healthy recipes for busy college students! If you need ideas for substitutions or cooking improvisations, drop me a comment below!

If you want to look at some of the crazy things my roommate and I cooked up in our dorm, take a look at some of these really old posts! Cranberry Pecan Muffins, Snickerdoodle Cake and Roasted Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing!

1. Avocado Chicken Salad

2. Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash

3. Sauteed Sweet Potatoes with Lemon Parsley Gremolata

4. Fresh Lemon Mint Pasta with Chicken and Peas

5. Blueberry Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Falafel Hummus

September 6, 2014 by Mackenzie

Okay, why have I never attempted to make my own hummus before?! I am a big veggies/hummus/pita eater… its a healthy, easy go-to meal or snack but I ALWAYS go through my hummus so fast! And have you realized how expensive it is to buy? It’s crazy!

It’s really crazy because of how EASY it is to make your own! I know a lot of people who make their own hummus, I had just never tried it. Well, I saw this recipe for Falafel hummus on pinterest and decided to give it a whirl! I had a can of chickpeas in my pantry and I had all the spices on hand – so it was incredibly easy and inexpensive to make!

Plus, it is so satisfying! It is easy to tweak the flavors and adjust to your liking too! I can’t wait to try more soon!

Falafel Hummus

Recipe Type: side, dip

Cuisine: vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Recipe adapted from VeggieandtheBeastFeast.com

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons tahini
6 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to drizzle on top

Instructions

Place chickpeas, garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, chili powder, crushed red pepper, sea salt, tahini and water in a food processor and blend until smooth. Scrap down sides as needed. Pour olive oil in while blending and process until smooth. Add more water if you want a smoother texture.
To serve, transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with vegetables like cucumbers or carrots or pita and falafel.

Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash

August 30, 2014 by Mackenzie

Well week one of my senior year is over! It’s crazy to think how quickly this semester will fly by and then I’ll be on the downhill slide to graduation! This was a wonderful week of seeing all of my old friends, sharing stories from my wild summer, and celebrating my birthday! Libby and I will be baking an elaborate cake this weekend as a belated celebration – it should be fun! I’ll share pictures soon!

But today, I’m sharing this super easy, healthy and delicious sweet potato, kale & black bean hash. I made it several times last year and only just realized that I never posted it to the blog! So here you go – finally! This can be for any meal – it is hearty and filling for breakfast and quite satisfying for lunch or dinner too! You can eat it either warm or cold but I prefer it warm 🙂

I also love this meal because it is CHEAP. I think you can probably get all the ingredients for less than $5 – and it serves three!

Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash

Recipe Type: Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups kale, chopped
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Black Pepper
Avocado

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread diced sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle well with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until cooked through.
When sweet potatoes are done, coat a large skillet with olive oil and saute the sliced green onions for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add sweet potato and sea salt and cook for another 3 minutes until potatoes have softened. Add the black beans and kale, folding it in gently. Cook it all together for a few more minutes until the kale has wilted.
Serve with avocado slices and enjoy!