Cauliflower Cakes

Do you ever go through spurts where you really enjoy cooking and other times the thought of having to come up with a dish, cook it then clean it all seems like a total pain in the ass? Well I am usually the latter scenario but since we have been on the road so much and I am trying to lose some weight I have really been working hard Monday-Friday to make delicious dinners that don't feel like I am eating rabbit food. If you have seen my Instagram or Facebook you will have noticed that I have had  a little love affair with cauliflower lately. It's sort of the perfect vegetable to mold into whatever you want since it absorbs whatever flavor you disguise it in and can easily be manipulated into dough for pizza or rice.  Since making two dishes a night can get a bit labor intensive {my man isn't so much into the cauliflower} I decided to make one sauce for the two of us and just change the vehicle underneath it. John had pasta with chicken and I had it on cauliflower cakes. Here is how I made them along with the low cal pesto. It was so dang good and will be on heavy rotation in my kitchen.

Cauliflower Cakes 

Ingredients

olive oil nonstick cooking spray
2 1/2 cups grated cauliflower {about half a head of cauliflower}
1 egg
1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

line a cake pan {this is the one I used} with parchment paper & spray with olive oil spray
in a food processor grate cauliflower until it resembles a grated parmesan cheese
microwave the grated cauliflower for 7 minutes, let cool & squeeze out all moisture
mix in one egg that is well beaten, mozzarella, parmesan, flour and salt & pepper
form till it resembles a ball of dough
fill cauliflower dough into pan and push to all corners in a thin layer
spray the top with olive oil cooking spray
bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden
{to get extra crispy I baked on both sides for 10 minutes & let cool}
once cool cut your desired cake size with a ring mold
finally "fry" your cakes in a bit more olive oil spray in a frying pan until warm & crispy
top with pesto and a sprinkle of mozzarella {I put under broiler to get super melty & bubbly}

Pesto

Ingredients

1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoon's grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon's toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

combine all the ingredients in a food processor until a creamy well blended texture is created, heat & eat

Enjoy!

Cookbook Crush - Thug Kitchen

{you can purchase here}

Confession...I have a horrible mouth. I curse way too much and if things aren't going my way, I can form complete sentences that only include profanities. My husband has thankfully been slowly breaking me of this truck driver habit and has even completely rid me of flipping the bird at a-bag drivers when I am filled with road rage. This is a very good thing considering people are totally bat shit crazy and you never know when someone will go postal on you...that combined with the fact that I often think I am a hell of a lot tougher then I actually am. So when I came across the Thug Kitchen cookbook during a recent visit to a local book store, I fell totally head over heels in love. Michelle Davis & Matt Holloway are the crass combo behind the book that aim to make you eat healthier with simple ingredients and do so by being 100% vegan all with an foul mouthed hilarity that is undeniably relatable. While the vegan lifestyle is something that I am not completely drawn to {sorry I still like a burger or bolognese sauce every now and then} the ingenuity behind the unpretentious recipes and comedic writing could convince me to give all their dishes a try. Check out some of their recipes below to get a little sampling of their work to give you an idea of what they are all about... this will definitely be on my Christmas list to Santa! 

above images via High Consumption

above image via the Daily Beast

Blue Apron

I don't know about you but I always find cooking for two people a big challenge. I naturally tend to always cook double the amount of people I am serving with the fear that my guests will never have enough to eat. However when it's just my husband and myself, I feel like I am always making too much and then tossing leftovers and wasting so much money on groceries that we don't consume. Enter Blue Apron, an online food delivery service that brings perfectly portioned meals right to your door. Each meal comes with a recipe card like the ones below, stay within 500-700 calories per meal for a healthy lifestyle and take an average of 35 minutes to make start to finish. The best part is that it's totally not going to break the bank like most delivery services. You can join for as little as $10 per meal per person. Cheaper then a non satisfying take out salad from most places around Boston. All the ingredients are fresh, come with flexible plans for those picky eaters and delivered right to do your door with all the necessary gear you need to prepare it {minus the obvious pots, knives, s&p & olive oil}. I can't wait to give it a whirl and give my back a rest from schlepping groceries home from the market daily. In my opinion this is perfect for city living, keeping control over what you eat without feeling like your starved and making life just a little easier. 

images via facebook

images via blue apron

Butter me up

Break out the stretchy pants for today's post as it's all about the magical ingredient butter! While this spreadable goodness stands on its own in a very delicious way it also can easily be transformed into something more special with a few simple ingredients. A few favorite compound butters and their perfect pairings for your indulging are below. Enjoy!

Avocado Butter

1 large ripe avocado

1 stick of  salted butter {room temperature}

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

If you love avocados like me, then this creamy goodness is for you. I paired this butter with a corn muffin and boiled corn on the cob, both were delish but the muffin was ridiculously addicting. 

Honey, Cranberry & Walnut Butter

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 stick of unsalted butter {room temperature}

Sweet compound butters are completely foolproof. I added some of my favorite ingredients and added on toasted cinnamon bread. It transformed simple toast into something much more indulgent.

Herb Butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon fresh dill

1 tablespoon fresh scallion

1 stick of salted butter {room temperature}

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

I used a little on some flank steak but I must admit, I think this butter is more suited for a fresh fish or chicken dish. It was savory and fresh adding a lot of flavor to a grilled protein. 

I stored my butters in these little jam jars to keep fresh for as long as possible. 

Holiday Gift Guide - For the Host/Hostess

Holidays are the biggest time of year for entertaining within the home. Show your host/hostess your appreciation of their hospitality with these fab gift ideas. Happy Gift Giving!

Every kitchen and bath would be beautifully adorned with these gorgeous lightly scented soaps and creams.

The worst part about being a host/hostess is the dang clean up! Help keep the settings stylish and the aftermath easy breezy with these elegant yet disposable paper placemats. They will look positively chic under your dishes for a dinner party.

It may not be up to you decide if your host/hostess was naughty or nice. We all know Santa controls that list! However you can give them these whimsical candles for them to light depending on their mood.

I am far from a chocolate lover, however almost everyone else in the universe is. This chocolate peppermint bark might as well be crack it's so good. I have never ever met a person who doesn't love it.

Vino, the "go to" gift for all housewarmings or host gifts. I love the idea of giving a great bottle along with a stylish decanter, hopefully your hosts are generous and will open it while you are there for everyones enjoying ...win-win.

These adorable animal shot glasses aren't just for doing a shots out of,  they can be used for votives or for holding small snacks! Flip the lid upside down and you have a built in stand for your mini cup. {DNS favorite}

If you are a messy chef like moi an apron is always appreciated, especially one that isn't so "Betty Crocker-ish". This modern Ikat print works for either the man or the woman of the house.

In my personal opinion nothing is better paired with wine more so than my beloved cheese. I am also pretty confident when I say that everyone loves something monogrammed. This cheese board is the best of both worlds and the price point is spot on! Want to bring some cheese along with that board? Check out all you need to know about crowd pleasing cheese here.

I love paper BIG TIME - this metallic gold and white striped are the most adorable thank you notes, good for just about any occasion.

I am 100% a white wine gal and there is nothing worse then being served warm white wine or gasp white wine served with ice {unless its a spritzer of course}. Voila - the perfect non watery wine chiller that gets your vino to the perfect temperature in a flash!

A ceramic owl may seem like an odd item to give as a gift. However this cute little guy serves two purposes. First off he is adorable {comes in many colors & sizes} and would look great as decor on any shelf or overlooking the house on a kitchen counter. Secondly, a portion {$5} of the price goes to St. Judes Children Hospital! What is better then giving a gift that does so much good. Afterall it is the time of year to share the love and I can't think of anything more deserving then sick children who aren't as fortunate as we are! {any DNS sales of this owl will also be donated}