Beauty – Page 3 – Luv Cooks

Corn Recipes So Inspiring You Could Make them on Vacation

Corn Polenta — Gorgeous corn polenta by Half Baked Harvest!

Hola mi amigos!

Can you believe it’s the end of July already? To be honest, the summer of 2017 has moved at a weird pace for me. The minutes flash by on food shoot days- I look at the time, it’s 8 am, and then it’s 6 pm and the photos or videos are wrapped. Other freelance, “work-on-my-business” days seem to slowly eek along, as I email, call, and assault the internet (and my marketing list) to pursue working in and around food as much as I can. Those are the days I hear my middle school basketball coach in my head screaming “Hustle” until about 7 PM.

Also, “spider drills!” (Did anyone play basketball back in the day? You know what I’m talking about…)

And to be real, it’s hard work building a business around what you love. It’s worth it- but when it’s 1,000 degrees outside and you catch yourself fantasizing about a vacation away from your computer- this reason alone is why I can’t wait to turn off my email and actually read a book next week.

Since Jake and I have decided to take some much-needed time off, it’s an all out breakneck speed to the finish line as we wrap up food photos and projects, take Bigbsy to doggie camp and assemble some sort of cleanliness to our house. But y’all, the end is in sight! As in, eating sweet potato fries, lingering over coffee and building some sort of color on my pale legs will be my life goals for seven days.

This got me thinking- what are the easiest, most vacation-friendly corn recipes out there? What would one actually want to make when all I’ve done all day is sit in a pool with a cold Coca-cola? Well my friends, and those about to go on end-of-summer, pre back-to-school vacations, I have rounded up a great list for you.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy. Cheers to summertime unwinding:)

Summertime Grilled Corn Salad by Simply Delicious This recipe screams refreshment and summertime and delicious to me! Plus I dig the way she boils the corn then grills it and tosses the kernels with feta cheese, tomatoes and basil. Plus all of these ingredients are likely available at your nearby grocery store. Yassss!

Summer Avocado Toast with Grilled Corn by She Likes Food Corn for breakfast!! Again, the beauty of charred, grilled corn paired with creamy avocado and crunchy toast. So fresh and so perfect for a lazy beach breakfast!

Honey BBQ Chicken with Charred Corn Polenta by Half Baked Harvest: This polenta and chicken combo is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Oh. My. Geez. You can even use raw corn on top of the polenta, and use local smoked chicken in place of the skewers if you don’t feel like busting out the grill. Plus this photo?! The lighting is GORGEOUS!

Vegan Corn Chowder by The Roasted Root: I know, I know soup in summertime? But yes! Sometimes after a long day on the beach all I want is cold, cold AC, a blanket and a pot of soup on the stove cooking away. Minimal prep, minimal work. Plus I am intrigued by the coconut milk corn combo!

Honey Skillet Cornbread by Sally’s Baking Addiction Confession: Though I am a Southern girl, I like my cornbread sweet with chunks of fresh or creamed corn inside! This recipe hits on all the points. Plus, you can reuse this cornbread on salad the next day (as your breadcrumbs) or repurpose in open-faced cornbread sandwiches or eat for breakfast topped with fresh summer peaches and cream!

Spicy Southern Hot Corn by Peas & Crayons How perfect would this super-easy corn be for dipping with fresh salsa and tortilla chips, enjoyed with a glass of wine or iced tea, on your vacation getaway (or staycation) porch? I love it!

And last but not least- cue dessert!

Lemon Blueberry Corn Muffins by Garlic and Zest Ok so technically these aren’t technically using corn- they use a corn bread mix- but I have a super soft place in my heart for Jiffy corn muffin mix because it’s delicious and I prefer it over homemade cornbread sometimes! So I think this recipe is genius, and could even be repurposed for breakfast in a parfait with yogurt- or topped onto fresh vanilla ice cream for an extra treat!

Candy Corn Ice Cream by The Simple Sweet Life: This ice cream was too much fun (and too cute) not to include! Plus, it’s a no-churn recipe, so I have a feeling you could use the ice cream base and stir in roasted corn and blackberries as your garnish if you weren’t up for fall candy quite yet. Yumm!!

And just because this is fascinating…

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

How to use leftover PRODUCE + Summer Corn Succotash!

Hey WOW it’s July and WOH there is some heat happening in Tennessee!

I liken going outside to feeling like your tonsils are being strangled by a hot sauna while someone sets a steamy, hot cast iron skillet above your face.

It’s weird; but growing up in the South, oddly familiar.

And of course, I am doing all I can to stay inside near an air conditioner for the better three fourths of the day. I find that a run with our dog Bigsby in the morning also fulfills about 200% of my outdoor quotient for the week.

And because of my avoidance of anything outdoorsy until September, this also means that a lot of the recipes I’m cooking these days revolve around the things I have scrounged around from food shoots or indoor trips to the grocery store.

Like this delicious succotash Jake and I shot for Birmingham magazine this month. I am a complete sucker for corn and bacon, and this sweet corn version with bacon and sage is soooo good. As in, my mouth is watering thinking about it. Plus, you don’t even have to go outside to cook it! No grills! Just an indoor heat source and cast iron skillet to fry bacon is all you need.

And speaking of leftovers, this week’s video is ALL about what to do with leftover produce. As in, avocados, brown bananas, and sweet potatoes! PRAISE for getting creative and bringing FUN back to your leftoverzzzz (with a Z of course).

And as promised, the links I mentioned above for some creative leftover inspiration:

Frozen avocados: Just blend the avocado fruit with a bit of lemon in a food processor. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze! Can be thawed to use in salad dressing, guacamole, and smoothies! Just don’t eat by itself- it will be watery and not taste the same!

Banana recipes:

Cookies: Banana Chocolate Chip

Pancakes: Healthy Banana Pancakes

Muffins: Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Banana/Quick breads: Coffee Cake Banana Bread and Strawberry Banana Bread

Banana “Fro yo”: Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

Sweet Potatoes: Stuff them! Bake them whole, doused in olive oil with a bit of sea salt and wrapped in aluminum foil, in a 450 oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your tater. Let cool for 15 minutes; slice open, and fill with: turkey pepperoni, cheese, marinara sauce, basil; or black beans, ground turkey, cheddar cheese, and salsa. Combos are endless! Put back in oven on baking sheet to melt cheese if desired.

Sweet potato baked goods: Cinful Sweet Potato Cookies and Healthy Sweet Potato Breakfast Brownies

And this week’s corn recipe! Which you can also find here!

Fresh Corn, Bacon and Sage Succotash

This easy breezy summer side is perfect for a hot day because you don’t have to go outside to cook ANYTHING and it’s just as tasty indoors with a glass of cold, cold iced tea. Serve with tortilla chips if you like:)

What You Will Need

3 slices center-cut bacon
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup sweet Vidalia onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp plus ¼ tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 ears fresh corn, shucked and kernels removed for cooking
1 15.25 ounce can lima beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 pint organic heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

What You Will Do

Cook three pieces bacon in a cast iron skillet on medium low heat until done and crispy; remove and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1 tablespoon grease.
Add olive oil, sweet onion, garlic, chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; heat until onion is softened, three minutes.
Add corn and lima beans and cook 6 to 11 minutes on medium low heat, depending on how crunchy you like your corn. It should be crisp-tender and cooked through.
Allow corn mixture to cool. Chop bacon.
Stir in chopped bacon, sage, basil, ¼ tsp salt, and cherry tomatoes to corn mixture. Taste; season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Serve succotash immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Inspiring Avocado Recipes + How To Pick The Best Avocados

MAJOR avocado inspiration about to head your way! Watch out, because huge avocados with pits could potentially take out your eyeballs.

I KID!

No, instead of dodging actual avocados, it’s time for this month’s recipe round up of all of the fantastic and delicious avocado recipes I found on the internet. And yes, my mouth did water as I was looking these up and I was overcome with avocado-inspired, voracious hunger.

And speaking of cooking with avocados, how do you actually pick out the best avocados? Check out this week’s video to learn some great tips and tricks (and watch Bigsby feign exhaustion):

Here we go, drumroll, THESE PEOPLE ARE AVOCADO BRILLIANT AKA MY FAVE AVOCADO RECIPES THIS MONTH!

Avocado Hummus by Cooking Classy Umm, tahini + avocado + chick peas = SUCCESS

Avocado Bacon and Eggs by Lil’ Luna Please someone make this for my breakfast tomorrow?

Honey Mustard Chicken, Avocado + Bacon Salad by Cafe Delights The dressing is also the marinade, GENIUS!

Cucumber and Avocado Sandwich by Two Peas & Their Pod Avocado + cucumber + sprouts + HERBED GOAT CHEESE OH MY GRACIOUS!

Paleo Chocolate Pudding by Wicked Spatula My husband can tell you that I can NOT get enough of avocado pudding and will eat every drop of it if you get close I promise I will stab you with. my spoon.

Avocado Coconut Truffles with Dark Chocolate by Wild Blend Umm, this chick is INCREDIBLE and her food brain is so, so smart. Well done Wonder Woman, well done.

Blueberry Avocado Muffins by Gimme Some Oven Genius!! Using avocado as the oil in these muffins totally ups the blueberry muffin game into the baking stratosphere. Genius! Wait, how many times have I said genius?

Avocado Salsa Verde by Joyful Healthy Eats This is one of my FAVORITE ways to eat avocado. Plus a homemade salsa verde oh my GEEZ LOUISE!

And finally, the Tuna Poke Bowl by bon appetit This is one of those recipes you see, your mouth waters, and you think “I’d be willing to spend $100 on tuna right now.” Then you look in your bank account and realize that yes, dreaming about avocados IS a positive, yet not so lucrative, past time.

Here’s to a weekend full of avocado-inspired joy and great food!

Much luv y’all– C

FAB Memorial Day Breakfast Ideas + Gratitude

Raspberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls — The Food Charlatan’s dreamy raspberry sweet rolls with coconut cream cheese frosting.

Praise praise hallelujah for America!

With all that is taking place in our 2017 world (largely of which I don’t know about because I purposely avoid watching the news), I’ve grown increasingly more grateful for the opportunity and privilege I have to live, and be, an American. Now that my husband and I own a home and seem to be thinking more and more about the generations after us- it’s become much more important to show gratitude to the ones we love.

It especially inspires a gratitude for the military names I don’t know. The ones who served in our military, put their own needs aside, and gave their lives- so people like me could live in freedom.

So this week, in honor of our wonderful country, and our wonderful military members and their families, let’s take this weekend to love people with some of the most tasty, patriotic Memorial Day recipes out there. Drum roll pleeeasee…

Berries and Cream Tye Dye Fruit Smoothie– This is one of the most beautiful layered smoothie recipes I’ve ever seen. Hot Beauty Health is a fab lifestyle blog and this smoothie does not disappoint! Layers of raspberry pureed with banana, yogurt + milk, and cranberry juice +blue berries + black berries pile high in a cold glass. I wish this was in my hand now. Except I couldn’t type. But I think I could manage with one hand if I got to drink this.

Blueberry-Coconut Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal– Helllooooo oatmeal! I am a huge steel cut oats fan, and this recipe is perfect for a long Memorial Day weekend. MarlaMeridith cooks the oatmeal in the oven ahead of time so the texture becomes even more fantastic as it sits in the fridge overnight. Plus, it’s covered with toasted pecans and extra blueberry sauce. You had me at blueberry sauce.

Raspberry Sweet Rolls with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting There truly are no words for The Food Charlatan’s take on a classic sweet roll. She stuffs these beautiful, homemade dough babies with a little bit of sugar and raspberries, then whips up a homemade coconut cream cheese frosting to slather on them once they are hot out of the oven. I can’t imagine a sweeter Memorial Day treat to wake up to.

Ok and of course, a few Luv Cooks favorites:

Gluten Free Mixed Berry Crumble: This gluten-free take on a classic berry crumble would be PERFECT for a Memorial Day breakfast- or picnic! Top it with cold Greek yogurt and you have yourself a breakfast of champions.

Coconut Chai Latte Do your friends love chai tea? Then you have to try to make it homemade. This coconut chai tea latte is a fantastic way to drink chai- and continues to remind me of how much I love coconut milk.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt I am 100% for eating fro-yo for breakfast, and this incredibly easy recipe has only four ingredients. Count ’em- FOUR!

Plus, not to leave you hanging, the original instructional video!!

So grab your sparklers, tell someone you love ’em, and cook up a sweet breakfast this weekend. From my patriotic heart to yours- Luv Cooks!

Cheesy Whole Wheat Turmeric Crackers

Imagine this: you are in an exotic market in India. Color fills your vision as you scan the crowd; eager vendors call to you, and the smell of pungent spice quickly hits your breath. It’s exciting, and you eagerly anticipate tasting, seeing, and experiencing the flavor and energy that is all around you.

You walk towards an enthusiastic vendor, eyeing the mountains of brightly hued powders displayed in woven baskets in front of her. A bright orange one catches your eye, and you bend over to smell. It’s pungent and sweet, a bit peppery with a hint of citrus. You scoop a heaping spoonful into your bag, hand the salesman a few coins and head home to uncover it.

**********************************************************

As much as I want that story about India and an exotic spice market to be part of my actual life experience, for now we’ll chalk that up to food fantasy! But the appeal of turmeric is real. Ever since I first discovered the spice a few years ago while trying out a vegan queso dip recipe, I wanted to learn more- and figure out what was up with ALL the articles filling my news feed about it’s benefits.

As you can see in the video, while the pronunciation of turmeric- and circumin-threw me for a bit of a loop, the health benefits of turmeric really are AWESOME. It’s great for your brain, anti-free radical, and can be a preventative measure in your diet against diseases. But I needed help figuring out what to put it in. So….Let’s discuss what to cook with turmeric:

*Egg scrambles and frittatas: Superfood Fritatta

*Roasted veggies (especially root vegetables, cauliflower, and potatoes): Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric and Cumin

*Rice! Colorful Vegan Turmeric Rice

*Sauteed greens- like kale, collards and cabbage: Scrambled Tofu with Collards and Turmeric

*Soups: Golden Turmeric Chickpea Chicken Soup

*Smoothies Golden Milk Turmeric Smoothie

*Golden Milk! Just click here for Wellness Mama’s recipe:)

Also, one last fun fact: PEPPER activates turmeric! I learned to add about 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper to 1/4 cup ground turmeric. The pepper adds a bit of spice to the turmeric as well- YUM! Huge shout out to this article from the Kitchn about turmeric that helped make that list!

This week’s recipe features turmeric in a super fun way– cheesy whole wheat turmeric crackers!! I don’t know about y’all, but there are days when this thought- “Oh my gosh, CHEEZ-ITS!!” consumes my brain. Especially with a Coca-cola- yessssss, please.

But this recipe is EVEN tastier than a processed cheese cracker and has healthy turmeric, paprika and parmesan cheese, which we all know is a winning flavor combo in a baked cracker. Healthy snacking=WIN WIN WIN.

Alright! Let’s stir up that turmeric, and eat those health benefits my friends! Loving people with food and nutrition, yessss pleeeaseee!

Cheesy Turmeric Whole Wheat Crackers (Recipe from food52 with the substitution of whole wheat flour by me)

This easy, baked cracker is addictive (my husband and I downed a few bags of them all on our own!) Healthier than a traditional processed cheese cracker, these guys are not hard to make and bake up a bunch of squares! Plus you can add more cayenne if you are feeding a spice-friendly crowd.

Time: Probably about an hour!

Yield: LOTS of crackers! Enough to feed a small party of 8-10.

What You Will Need

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (you can add more here for more kick!)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (you can buy this in bulk online or at your local healthy foods store)
3/4 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
Coarse salt, for sprinkling

What You Will Do

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder. Add the parmesan and pulse to combine.
With the machine running, add the cream in a steady stream, then pulse until the dough comes together in a ball.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface, then divide in half. Keep one half in the refrigerator while you work.
Roll the first half into a rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick. You can make the crackers thicker or thinner, depending on how crispy you want them. You’ll just need to keep an eye on the baking time and take them out as soon as they start to brown.
Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice the dough into small 1-inch squares. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet (you can transfer the dough first then cut them if that’s easier).
Whisk together the egg and water and lightly brush the egg wash over the tops of the crackers.
Poke holes in each cracker with a fork if you are feeling motivated; sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until they start to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool—they’ll crisp as they sit. Repeat with the second half of dough.
ENJOY the cheesy turmeric-y goodness!

Beluga lentils with Yogurt, Olive Oil and Oregano

Imagine you are on a really expensive yacht. Waves crash into the side of the perfectly white exterior as the sun shines down on your face. A breeze blows through your hair, and, a bit parched from the warmth, you reach for a glass of icy cold Champagne. A waiter passes by with a tray of shiny black caviar on a crispy crostini, topped with bright green herbs.**

**It should be noted, as part of this fantasy, you are all perfectly tan, just worked out with your personal trainer and your mascara is TOTALLY still on your face.

“I’ve never been a huge fan of caviar,” you think to yourself, “But I’ll give it a try.” The moment the crunch hits your lips you realize- this gleaming substance isn’t caviar at all! It has a much subtler flavor with a hit of spice and an olive oil richness. No pungent fish flavor-no gumminess- it’s just, well, nice.

Welcome to the world of beluga (as in caviar-esque) lentils! Known for their texture (as opposed to the creamier mouth feel of other lentils), these black lentils are perfect for appetizers and salads because of their heft. They also, when cooked correctly, have a shiny gleam to their exteriors, much the same as caviar (but for a whole lot less money).

That’s why this week we are all about some lentils!!

Fun Beluga Facts!

The best cooking ratio is 1/2 cup lentils (rinsed) to 2 cups filtered water.
Prep yo’ lentils! Rinse the lentils thoroughly (remove any weird looking bits that may have congregated bag), combine them with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30-40 minutes covered, with the top slightly askew to release steam.
Flavor these legumes in all kinds of ways! Try adding Asian spices, kombu (seaweed), salt + pepper at the beginning of the cooking process.

Keep tasting!! Once you reach the 30 minute mark, check to see if the lentils are done. They should have a bite but not leave a starchy aftertaste in your mouth. If they need more time, keep them simmering!
Finish the lentils by topping with yogurt (like our recipe), olive oil, herbs, etc.
Belugas also go great with fish! (Speaking of caviar…)

So, this week let’s break out our most luxurious of circumstances (for me, it’s my plastic pool in the back yard with our dog Bigsby) and umbrella cocktail, and enjoy the luxury that is belugas!

Beluga Lentils with Yogurt, Olive Oil and Oregano (Recipe modified a bit from Bon Appetit’s Spiced Black Lentils with Yogurt and Mint)

This recipe blew me away with it’s deliciousness! The amazing flavor you get from toasting the powdered spices and mustard seeds brings these flavors to life. I was so addicted to these lentils that I drove around eating them out of a plastic tub in my Prius.

Serves: 4-6 as a side

Time: 50-ish minutes

What You Will Need:

½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup black beluga lentils
3 cups (or more) low-sodium vegetable broth*
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
fresh oregano, for topping

Heat rimmed saute pan on medium heat. Add olive oil and spices; stir frequently, toasting for about one minute. This should smell pretty tasty!
Add onion and garlic and cook until just softened, stirring frequently again!
Add lentils and broth; bring to a boil, cover slightly, then reduce to low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, and taste to see how they are doing. Mine took about 50 minutes to reach the texture I liked.
Once done, add in the vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm, topped with Greek yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh oregano leaves. YUM!!!

*I realized that I labeled this recipe as vegetarian, but when I cooked these I used Trader Joe’s chicken stock. So you can do whatever you feel here!

Creamy Non-Dairy Broccoli Soup with Spicy Potato Croutons

Creamy broccoli soup with potato croutons!!

Brown rice flakes!!

Wait-in a soup?!

Y’all! Let me tell you about a new favorite pantry discovery: brown rice flakes.

Soups, smoothies, stews- these fabulous flakes add a nutty, creamy texture to almost anything! There are a BRILLIANT way to add a new flavor profile to your favorite foods, and have lots of vitamins and minerals (shout out to NIACIN!! This B vitamin helps lower cholesterol). Plus, speaking of lowering unhealthy cholesterol (this thought always awakens memories for me of Quaker oatmeal commercials while watching the Today show) you can ALSO make brown rice overnight “oats.”

That’s right, everyone out there who is stuck in a oatmeal rut now has NO excuse not to try these. I for one am vehemently raising my hand for seconds and sending a huge shout out to The Greedy Vegan for her beautiful overnight brown rice flakes with blueberries recipe!! Also, her discovery (that I share in my YouTube video below) about the ratio for those perfect overnight “oats” came at a great time:

But back to this week’s recipe! How did I discover my newfound love for these flakes? Cleaning out my pantry; and realizing that I had a brown rice flakes bag from Eden Foods with an awesome broccoli soup recipe on the back of the bag.

I love recipe development; it is one of my favorite types of work I do with food and food styling. Last year I was honored to do a bit of recipe development for a blog that featured their products, and had an extra bag. YES!

And in the spirit of all things informational and adhering to the Luv Cooks formula (Fun=Food), here are our FUN FLAKE FACTS!!!

Brown rice flakes***:

Are made from dehusking rice, which is flattened into flakes.
Can be fire-roasted (which our flakes are)
Can be eaten raw or cooked b/c it’s super digestible!
Are popular in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal (we are so exotic!!)
Adds creaminess to soups, stews, smoothies
Can be used in a 1:1 liquid to flakes ratio for overnight oats
Has Niacin (for lowering cholesterol) and magnesium (great for everyone!)

***(shout out to The Greedy Vegan and One Green Planet for their awesome brown rice flakes tips)

So get your easy, healthy, curry soup pot on and let’s get roasting!

Creamy Curried Broccoli Soup (inspired by the Eden Foods brown rice flakes bag!) with Spicy Potato Croutons

Serves 6

Cooking Time: About 35 minutes

Break out of your broccoli soup rut with this week’s recipe! It only takes about 30 minutes for the whole meal (plus leftovers) if you throw the potatoes in the oven BEFORE you start the soup! Fast, healthy, and featuring my new favorite ingredient, brown rice flakes. GET YOUR SPICE ON!!

For the soup:

What You Will Need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon roasted hatch chiles (if you don’t have hatch chilis, roasted jalapeños would work great)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon curry powder
12 ounces frozen broccoli
3 cups filtered water
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
3/4 cup brown rice flakes
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

What You Will Do:

Heat oil over medium heat; sauté sweet onion and hatch chilis for about 4 minutes, or until softened. Add sliced garlic and curry powder; cook for about 1 minute more.
Add broccoli, water, soy milk, brown rice flakes, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender and the soup has come together a bit.
You can either puree the soup in two batches in a blender to make it extra smooth; I like my soup a bit chunkier, so I followed Eden’s method and blended half of it, then stirred the blended half into the chunkier soup.
Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. ENJOY!!

For the Roasted Potato Croutons:

What You Will Need:

1 russet potato, washed and diced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

What You Will Do:

Preheat oven to 425.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Toss potatoes in olive oil, chili powder, and at least 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few pinches pepper. Spread evenly onto baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes; stir; bake for 15 minutes more, or until nice and crispy.
Top on warm soup and enjoy!!

Tofu FUN: Marinated Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

Tofu is FUN, and so are leftovers!

Ok, here me out.

Part of being a food stylist means I am oftentimes left with some of the craziest leftovers. Normal, wonderful people have ketchup and chicken breast and maybe a stray Chinese take-out container in their fridge. I have quail eggs, bonito flake puree and beluga lentils.

And you know what I realized? That’s kind of awesome. I mean- I am the first to admit that I hate leftovers past two days old. Spaghetti on day 3? It reminds me of my days at the Samford (university) cafeteria and let’s just say- I can’t go there (spaghetti, day one; manicotti, day two; shepherds pie, day 3; sloppy joes, day 4….you see where this is going).

But weird, random ingredients piling up in my pantry and/or fridge that haven’t been cooked yet? We can work with that.

Which brings me to this month’s focus- vegetarian recipes that attempt to use what I already have on hand. I’m thinking that if this goes well, I may just capitalize on it for months to come- highlighting some of the cool shoots I’ve been working on and sharing with you the ingredient leftover recipes. Let me know if this interests you!

On to tofu.

My inspiration for this salad came from my current favorite cookbook- Tokyo Cult Recipes– and their tofu salad. I noticed that the tofu they used was raw- as in not fried, roasted, or stir-fried- just all by it’s lonesome, right there on top of raw salad greens and veggies. My tofu-hesitant self was thrown. But also intrigued…so here’s what I learned.

Tofu 101: Huge shoutout to this article by the Kitchn for the helpful info! I highly recommend checking out the post if you are interested in learning more!

Tofu is a staple of Asian cuisine. Lots of people in Asia are super healthy. So I interpolate some connection there.
Tofu is made of soybeans and called bean curd! The difference in the two types of tofu comes from how much water is pressed out of the curd.
The more water you press out of tofu, the firmer it becomes and the longer it takes to cook. No water pressed = silken tofu; water pressed out=regular tofu.
Silken tofu is a beautiful thing; light and creamy, it ranges in texture from extra soft to medium to extra firm. It’s perfect for smoothies, puddings, salad dressing and sauces!
***BAKING TIP ALERT*** Silken tofu can be used as an egg substitute in baking!
Regular tofu is also a beautiful thing. I used it in this spicy sweet tofu stir fry and it’s easier to take on the flavors of what you are cooking when you work with regular tofu. To keep it crispy and light, it helps to press even more water out of the tofu before cooking using a cast iron skillet and lots of paper towels (which you can read more about in that recipe).

This week’s recipe uses silken organic tofu from Trader Joe’s as well as the Trader Joe’s Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (which I dig). It’s SUPER simple to put together, will sincerely impress your vegan and vegetarian dinner guests and leaves you with leftover tofu to eat the next day that tastes EVEN YUMMIER.

Here’s to tofu love- and never being intimidated by leftovers!

Spicy Tofu Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette (Recipe inspired by Tokyo: Cult Recipes Tofu Salad)

The only prep required in this recipe is marinating the tofu overnight in a pre-made, spicy peanut dressing. Once the tofu is marinated, just assemble your veggies, soak the red onions if you want less of a bite, and voila! Lunch!

Serves: 6

Time: Overnight marinating plus 15 minutes assembly time

What You Will Need:

19 ounces organic silken tofu, drained and cut in half lengthwise (so it forms two thinner planks)
1/2 cup Trader Joes Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette plus additional for drizzling
5 ounces organic mixed salad greens
1 carrot, peeled then thinly shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/4 cup roasted salted almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
2 jalepenos, sliced
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

What You Will Do:

Pour 1/2 cup dressing over tofu halves in 8 by 8 inch baking pan, making sure to coat the top and sides of the tofu well with dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge overnight.
When you are ready, assemble the salad! Create a bed of salad greens, then top with one or two tofu planks. Add carrot ribbons, almonds, red onion, and jalepenos.
Right before serving, drizzle with additional dressing to taste. You can either serve the tofu plank(s) whole and allow guests to slice, or go ahead and slice it into pieces for easy serving.

Spicy Buffalo Wing Popcorn + 5 Best International Food Spots in Nashville

안녕하세요!

Those symbols translate to “hello!” in Korean. Why, you may ask, am I greeting you in Korean when clearly this week’s recipe is about as American as they come?

So glad you asked!

Because this week, I want to encourage us all to get outside of our collective foodie comfort zones (and languages). After finding this week’s spicy popcorn recipe from The Whole Bite (and her FANTASTIC tip about cooking spray in the bowl before you toss the popcorn and caramel sauce), I knew that it was going to be a different type of week for the blog. One where I challenged myself to do something a bit wild. To stray from the more straightforward recipes of the past two weeks and go on a bit of a culinary adventure into SPICY CARAMEL. You heard me- spicy, buttery, caramel, sauce.

The revelation of adding hot sauce to caramel caught me so off guard- and inspired me so much- that I knew I had to make it. It also kicked me into a adventurous food mood that I have yet to shake. Jake and I made kimchi chicken thighs twice this week. I’ve visited two Asian restaurants that embraced such fantastic flavor (Chiang Mai sausage and Sambal chili paste at one; life-changing kimchi, fried rice cake and jjampong at another) I couldn’t help but be inspired. I’m going out for pho tonight.

Must. Have. Flavor.

In the spirit of adventure, I want to challenge each of YOU to experience food in a new light this week. Just like SkinnyPop embraces all kinds of flavors with their popcorn (helloooo dusted dark chocolate and jalapeño), I would love to see us all embrace new flavors on our plate.

Also speaking of food adventures, as I promised in my video, here are my Top 5 International Food Spots in Nashville:

1. The Woodlands At the Woodlands, you can experience both a piece of paper masala dosa the size of a small shark and chana datura, a fried bread the size of a sting ray, with, oh my word, all the paneers and curries. Plus, every food photo on Yelp makes my mouth water. Tip: Order everything! Seriously, I’ve never eaten anything at Woodlands I didn’t enjoy.

2. VN Pho One of the older ladies who owns VN Pho once gave me the LAST egg custard roll she had for FREE even though it was meant for her cousin; she just wanted me to taste it (or, I was so enthusiastic about dessert I may have scared her a little). Either way, the family that owns VN, and the people who work there, are the sweetest and you will love them. Tip: Life-changing beef & seafood pho!

3. Sichuan Hot Pot and Asian Cuisine If you are in the mood for a steaming bowl of broth with a large pork bone anchoring the center, topped with lamb, mushrooms, taro, lettuce, onions, more mushrooms I can’t identify and the most delicious Asian sauce selection I’ve encountered in Nashville, then this is your spot. Plus, you get to control the heat and length of time you add ingredients to the broth- each table has burners for every two seats-ensuring that you will a.) most likely burn your tongue, but b.) it will be completely worth it. Tip: Use ALL the sauces!! Seriously, get a round tray and pile those little bowls up.

4. Bajo Sexto: My husband and I had the most relaxing afternoon we’ve had in a long time at Bajo Sexto- and didn’t intend to. In fact, we were there shooting food photos of the restaurant, but in a wild turn of events, had about an hour between places to go. So, we sat down, drank a Mexican Coca-cola, and enjoyed the tastiest roast chicken, fried fish taco and beet salad I’ve had. OH MY WORD that pollo!! Crispy, salted skin with salsa pasilla-I crave it still. Tip: Order the baja fish taco. Actually, order three.

5. Korea House: Oh, Korea House. When our neighbors invited us to join them for a date there, I had NO IDEA how worth it the line we stood in was. Not only have I been eating on my spicy seafood stew for three days because I don’t want the flavors to end, their hot sake, potato pancake and pickled cucumbers were addictive. Tip: Arrive early; order #40 with a side of bimbibap.

So, I issue you all, my awesome readers, a food challenge this week. Make this fantastic, spicy buffalo wing inspired popcorn. Follow it up with a flavor-filled trip of your own. And if you do make the ambitious adventure a reality, I want to hear ALL about it in your comments below.

Spicy Buffalo Wing Popcorn (Recipe from The Whole Bite, which was originally adapted from BonAppetit.com)

This simple caramel sauce is delicious; all you have to do is watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t burn. Also, Chelsea’s tip about making sure you spray the bowl with cooking spray before you toss in the caramel is a must- as is her tip about washing the bowl soon after you use it! Lastly, make sure you also have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go. I don’t want anything to stand in the way of your popcorn joy:)

What You Will Need:

1 4.4 ounce bag SkinnyPop, original flavor
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Texas Pete)
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

What You Will Do:

Preheat the oven to 300. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Boil 10-12 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally until the caramel takes on a dark amber color. *Make sure you watch this process; I wasn’t paying attention and let mine get a bit too brown. It was still yummy though!
Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in butter and hot sauce with a long wooden spoon. Don’t be alarmed when it starts to bubble and foam! That’s a good thing! Return to the heat and boil 3 more minutes (or less if you are like me and cooked it a bit hot on the front end).
Remove the caramel from heat and stir in salt, chili powder and baking soda.
Working quickly, pour hot caramel over popcorn and toss to coat. Spread popcorn into an even layer on prepared baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes until dry (the caramel will not be hardened).
Let cool (DONT TOUCH IT!!) at room temperature, then break it up into large clusters. Seriously, don’t touch it until it’s cooled or your fingers and tongue will burn off.
ENJOY!!

Vegan Cheesy Popcorn + 5 Ways to STAY MOTIVATED!!

It’s cheesy, it’s vegan and it’s AHHHMAZZING.

LET’S GET MOTIVATED!! ***

That’s right, this week’s recipe is fantastic. As in, so fantastic, that when I served it at a party recently my girlfriends could NOT get enough. Then my husband started eating it, I jumped in, and before we knew it our fingers were orange, popcorn crumbs were all over the floor and the bag was, sadly, almost empty.

You see, I have a lifelong love of cheddar cheese popcorn. It all started with cheddar cheese balls. Do you know the kind I am talking about? They came (maybe still come?) in a blue can that you have to peel back the metal can opener layer to access (it’s very hazardous, but I believe preserves the freshness).

I learned to be very careful at that stage- overzealousness as a seven year old can cause injury-in order to fully immerse myself in the glorious smell of pseudo cheddar cheese and the neon, powdery goo left all over my face.

It eventually escalated to the bagged version, of which I have a complete weakness for. Road trip snack? Cheddar popcorn. Movie night? I was that person who bought the microwavable popcorn, cheddar flavor. Youth group snacks? You guessed it.

Oh, but NOW, the beauty of SkinnyPop. Not only do they have a White Cheddar flavor (which is delicious, trust me, I’m an expert;) ) but the Original flavor transforms beautifully if you are looking for another non-dairy cheddar option. Plus, you don’t have to soak the raw cashews overnight to create that spicy cheesy flavor! In fact, I bet this cheese powder would also pair well with the white cheddar flavor- like a double hit of cheesy goodness!

This week’s inspiration comes from Vegan Family Recipes. Vanessa is a popcorn GENIUS and this vegan cheese popcorn is totally crave-worthy. Plus, she has a TON more vegan recipes where this one came from-have you ever made vegan chocolate cake with vanilla coconut oil frosting?! I am intrigued!

For today’s version, I just made a few tweaks to her original recipe, mixed in SkinnyPop, and added my own hit of onion, garlic,and cayenne. It’s SO EASY, all you have to do is shake the homemade cheese powder up in the bag. Voila! Let the snacking begin…

Vegan Cheesy Popcorn (Recipe adapted from Vegan Family Recipes)

This easy, weekday popcorn recipe is as simple as making the cheesy powder and tossing it in the SkinnyPop bag! Plus, NO overnight soaking of cashews to create a great, cheesy flavor!

What You Will Need:

1 bag SkinnyPop original flavor
⅓ cup raw cashews
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons (10g) nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons corn starch
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

What You Will Do:

Make the cheese powder! Put cashews, turmeric, nutritional yeast, corn starch, cumin, salt, onion and garlic powder, and cayenne in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until a fine powder forms- don’t pulse too long or you will start making nut butter!
Open popcorn bag, then toss about 3/4 of the powder into the SkinnyPop bag.
Dance like you mean it and shake that bag up! Taste, and add more powder if you like! ENJOY!

***PLUS This week’s Video: 5 Tips to STAY MOTIVATED!! Video points are outlined below for you A++ students who like to take notes and things of that nature.

Daily ritual-I have a ritual I do almost every morning: coffee+prayer. I meditate on my purpose for the day, think about what I want to accomplish, and talk to the Lord about my schedule. Taking time to center myself and focus on my purpose for the day really makes a difference! I’ve learned that my heart motivation actually matters more to me than the physical result of my labor. Granted, this mindset is still a work in progress, but a simple daily ritual helps me stay focused. Simply put: do something every day that centers you and reminds you of your purpose.
Beauty– Ingest beauty! I’m such a lover of beauty- magazines, flowers, art history books- all of them speak to me. Take in, feast, meditate on what it is that you want to project out into the world. I think Proverbs says that “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” I ponder on beauty because it makes me feel like I am coming alive. Whatever that is for you- do something every day that makes you feel creatively alive.
Community & Friends– The best way I know to stay encouraged is to connect to my community. “No man is an island” rings true here. I want to be intentional about sharing what’s going on in my life, but also about hearing what matters to the people I love. Maybe there is someone on your heart today. Check in, say hello, ask them how they are! You are NEVER alone. Sometimes when you are in a freelance or solitary work position it can feel UBER insular, but I promise, that’s not the truth! You were made to be part of a bigger picture and bigger world- to impact the people around you.
Gratitude– I have to daily remind myself to stay grateful! I know when I am pursuing big dreams and passions (for me it’s food styling, the blog, having a family) sometimes I become so forward thinking that I forget to be grateful for the moments I have now. Comparison can enter our hearts when we are thinking about the big picture, too- but comparison is the thief of joy!! Let’s just forget comparing ourselves to other people because THESE are the moments we have; they are a GIFT and they are beautiful.
Lists– I know this sounds super simple, but list-making really makes a difference. I love checking things off of a list! Granted, I am more of a type A personality, but if you run your own business, or simply don’t have someone patting you on the back for productivity, a list holds you accountable and helps me feel accomplished. It’s your way to say “Way to go SELF! I see the progress I did make today.”