The Year of Living Audaciously

Former food blog, now travel blog - following my year as a Fulbright ETA in Indonesia

Pear Butter

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Pear Butter

Oh, it’s been so nice to have free time again! I’ve been able to go to the gym most days or at least take a big walk with Calli, have been able to cook and join my friends for meals, watch The West Wing, and sleep! Two nights ago I fell asleep on the couch and fell asleep there again yesterday afternoon! But who cares, right? Yes, I should be working more on my thesis then I am, but hey – I’ve got a great start on it and am trying to spend at least two hours a day on it. That should give me a solid start come January when I really need to get cracking.

Pear Butter

I head back to Seattle on Wednesday and am looking forward to spending time with my family and seeing old friends! I’ve only spent 11 days in Seattle since January so it will be some much needed family time before I venture off into the unknown come May!

Pear Butter

This week the Coop had our annual Winter Potluck and I brought this Pear Butter with Brie and crackers. Oh my goodness, it was delicious! I found the recipe in the Weight Watcher’s Holiday magazine and was excited to have an opportunity to try it! The recipe itself is so easy to make – have you ever made homemade applesauce? It’s just like that. You cut the pears into small bite-sized pieces and boil it down with apple cider. I used an immersion blender to make it smooth and voila – a delicious and easy appetizer! It’s a perfect spread on crackers and cheese or toast, or even just to eat like applesauce!

Pear Butter

Pear Butter
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Author: Mackenzie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12 servings
A great holiday appetizer! Quick, easy and only 1 WW point per 1/4 cup.
Ingredients
  • 5 Comice pears, cored and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Serve with cheese and crackers
Instructions
  1. In a medium/large saucepan, add the chopped pears, apple cider, and the cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook over medium-high heat to get a roiling boil. Continue to cook at medium heat until the pears are soft, 10-15 minutes.
  2. From here, you can do a couple of things. I used an immersion blender to puree the pears while still in the saucepan. It left a few small chunks but I loved it that way and it was super easy.
  3. Alternatively, you can remove the pears and puree them separately in a food processor. Continue to simmer the remaining liquid until it reduces to a syrup. Then pour the syrup into the food processor and blend it with the pears. This will probably get you a smoother substance but I couldn’t find the Coop’s food processor so I was left with the immersion blender.
  4. Serve with crackers and cheese for a great appetizer!

 

Spaghetti Squash with Thai Peanut Sauce

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Spaghetti Squash with Thai Peanut Sauce

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!

#CalliGoesToCollege

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!

Spaghetti Squash with Thai Peanut Sauce

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:
Cook time:
Total time:
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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Store leftover sauce in a closed container in the refrigerator.

5 Easy, Healthy Recipes for Busy College Students

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5 EASY, Healthy Recipes for Busy College Students!

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

Avocado Chicken Salad

2. Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash

Sweet Potato Kale and Black Bean Hash - an EASY, HEALTHY, and delicious meal!

3. Sauteed Sweet Potatoes with Lemon Parsley Gremolata

Sweet Potatoes with Lemon Parsley Gremolata

4. Fresh Lemon Mint Pasta with Chicken and Peas

Fresh Summer Pasta with Lemon, Mint, Chicken and Peas

5. Blueberry Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich 

Blueberry Basil Grilled Cheese

Falafel Hummus

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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!

Falafel Hummus3

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!

 

Falafel Hummus4Plus, 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

Falafel Hummus
Recipe Type: side, dip
Cuisine: vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan
Author: Mackenzie
Prep time:
Total time:
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
  1. 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.
  2. 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

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Sweet Potato Kale and Black Bean Hash with TextWell 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 Black Bean Hash

Sweet Potato Black Bean Hash

Sweet Potato, Kale & Black Bean Hash
Recipe Type: Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner
Author: Mackenzie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Serve with avocado slices and enjoy!

 

 

French Lentil Salad

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How can it be the middle of July already? I feel like I’m just settling into life in DC and all of a sudden I only have a few weeks left! I’m not ready to go – I’m having way too much fun!

I spent today running all over DC – attending the #MakeProgress National Summit (and hearing Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kristen Gillibrand and Chris Murphy speak!), running back to the Hill to attend a coffee with our Senator and some of our constituents, and then racing back to the conference to hear Vice President Joe Biden and Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speak.

It is days like these when I truly understand why people dedicate their lives to public service. There is much to change about the political system – yes, it can be frustratingly inefficient and unnecessairly political – but there are serious issues that must be addressed and it takes dedicated, inspired individuals to make that change happen. I’m intrigued to return to this world after graduation – I have no idea where/how but as Senator Warren said today, there is a fight that needs to be fought – she jumped in and I may too!

This week, in honor of Bastille Day on Monday (sorry the post is a few days late!), I made this French Lentil Salad! I needed a recipe with simple ingredients, that was easy to prepare and pack for lunch each day, and that filled me up and was packed with nutrition. This meal definitely fits that criteria. Lentils are an inexpensive source of protein, low in calories, and packed with fiber, iron and folate. Throw in the tomatoes and herb dressing for some flavor and you’ve got yourself a nutritious and delicious meal!

I found the recipe from a blog I’m follow called Eat, Drink and Be Skinny – yes, yes, and yes please! She has tons of healthy recipes, workout ideas (I’m doing this 30 day challenge), and lifestyle advice. Check out her site – I think you’ll enjoy it!

Comment below if you try this salad! I would love to hear what you think!

(P.S. – have you liked my new Never Skip Dessert by Mackenzie facebook page yet??!)

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French Lentil Salad
Recipe slightly adapted from Sharon Palmer and EatDrinkandBeSkinny
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound dried lentils
4 cups water
1 (extra large) cube vegetable broth base
4 celery stalks, diced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 medium shallots, finely diced
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (or some mix of dried herbs)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 cup croutons
Pinch of sea salt
1 bag of fresh arugula, to serve with

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, add the lentils, water and broth base. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but firm.

2. When the lentils are done, drain the liquid and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes then cover and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the celery, tomatoes, shallots, and parsley and set aside. In a small dish, whisk together the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, herbes de Provence, black pepper and garlic.  When the lentils have chilled for 30 minutes or so, mix in the vegetable mixture. Next, pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Add the croutons and season with sea salt if desired. Chill until ready to serve – it’s best when it is nice and cold and even better the second day when the flavors have melded!

4. Serve over arugula, if desired.

A Look Back

This blog is not an official U.S. Department of State website and the views and opinions expressed here are entirely my own, and do not represent the U.S. Department of State or the Fulbright Program.