Bondsister: food

Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Monday, July 2, 2012

Inspirational Tuesdays #120

Hope you all have a great Independence Day tomorrow!

All collected images were found randomly online. Click on image to view source.

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Tasty Thursdays: Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

My cousin sent me this recipe which she found on MyRecipes and it just sounds & looks absolutely delish! The following recipes makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
12 ounces chicken breast tenders
1 cup chopped red onion (about 1)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup chopped zucchini (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup green salsa
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat broiler.
Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.
Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon of remaining cilantro.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

This past weekend was such an eventful one full of summer activities and friends' birthdays!

Today is my boyfriend (Andres)'s birthday -- and this past Saturday I took him kayaking at Pier 66 here in NYC. It's with the Manhattan Kayak Company and they offer various groups - based on experience, length of time, etc. I made a reservation for "Fun In the Sun", which was for beginners, lasting about an hour or two.

We never went kayaking before, but we had an amazing experience! We requested a two-person kayak, which was a bit difficult getting started (we were the slowpokes of the group), but after awhile we got the hang of it and then we were waiting for others to catch up.

If there wasn't a risk of getting wet, I would have taken photos of the beautiful views from the water -- we paddled south and we could see the Statue of Liberty from afar. The weather was absolutely amazing and it was all worth feeling sore the next morning.

Yesterday, I celebrated my friend Freida's birthday at her house with an intimate barbeque with family and close friends. Her family fed us so much, I'm still feeling full -- we enjoyed beef kebabs, salads, fruit, bread, drinks, nuts, tea, and cake. Oh yes, and candy (with all the kids running around).

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Tasty Thursdays: Bare Fruit Snacks

For this week's Tasty Thursdays, I've been sent these delicious Bare Fruit Snacks - Cinnamon Apple Chips -- to review. They're all 100% organic, low in calorie, gluten & dairy free, fat free, and high in fiber. There isn't any added sugar, preservatives, or additives.

They had just the right amount of crunch and they're definitely a healthier alternative than the junk food I usually munch on, lol. I do wish they had more of a cinnamon flavor; I only tasted it slightly. Otherwise, these tasted great!

Missed yesterday's post? Read about how I spent my weekend cleaning up beaches in NYC with Surfrider & Barefoot Wine then celebrated with music artist, Joshua Radin! Click here :)

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Nectresse Event

Last week, I was invited to an AMAZING event for Splenda's newest product, Nectresse, at the Trump Hotel. It was hosted by journalist Lisa Ling and Golin Harris PR. Nectresse is all-natural zero calorie sweetener made from monk fruit extract. The event was set up in different stations where guests can travel from one to the other learning something new about Nectresse.

There was a booth to taste Nectresse, to learn about diet information, to find out how it is made and more about monk fruit, how to use it in a neat hand massage/moisturizer, and finally - speaking personally with Lisa Ling.

Monk fruit can be found in remote mountain regions in China that grow in small family orchards. According to legend, the small green melon was first cultivated by Buddhist monks as early as the 13th century.

I personally tasted a couple of drinks, treats and desserts with Nectresse, and it tastes just as sweet -- I even tried it straight from the package! It's a lot healthier than other artificial sweeteners and it doesn't have the slight bitterness you may taste. It's perfect for people with diabetes, gluten intolerances, or just anyone who's looking for a healthier alternative.

This hits stores in July!

me & Lisa Ling

I'd also like to share a special video of Lisa Ling talking about Nectresse :)

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tasty Thursdays: Goya Fiesta

Instead of a recipe this week, I thought it would be the perfect day to share my personal review of Goya's Fiesta Baked Beans that they recently sent me to do so. These delicious new flavors still include original and vegetarian but there are now jalapeño and chipotle flavored beans. They have such rich, robust flavors with a Latin flair.

The original beans are mixed with savory pork, onions, mustard & spices then baked with sweet molasses and brown sugar. The vegetarian ones are baked in a hearty, sweet-and-savory tomato sauce with brown sugar, garlic, and spices.

The jalapeño one is black beans in a mild jalapeño sauce blended with sweet red bell peppers, tender corn, oregano, and other Latin spices (which was my favorite; I really loved the blend of flavors). The chipotle is red kidney beans in a savory tomato sauce with spicy chipotle peppers and sweet brown sugar (though, for me, it was more sweet than spicy but still tasted amazingly).

I haven't had a chance to try to quinua seeds just yet - still searching for a good recipe to use them for. Any one have any suggestions?

P.S. Today's my college graduation day! Whooo! :)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Tasty Thursdays: Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

With my busy schedule, I haven't had much time to do anything but work and sleep -- which is why I love fast, easy recipes that are not only tasty but healthy! This recipe for this amazing Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese was found on MyRecipes and serves 6.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup prechopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Tasty Thursdays: Tequila-Lime Mahimahi Tacos

Continuing on my wanderlust daydream to somewhere tropical, here is a recipe I found on Self for these yummy tequila-lime mahimahi tacos. The following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons tequila
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 lb mahimahi
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 3/4 teaspoons tsp honey, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons 2 percent milk
1 1/2 teaspoons tsp finely grated lime zest
8 corn tortillas (6 inches each)
1/2 firm-ripe avocado, thinly sliced
2 limes, quartered

Directions:
In a resealable plastic bag, combine 3 tbsp lime juice, tequila, 1 tbsp cilantro, garlic and cumin. Add fish, seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate, turning once, 1 hour. In a bowl, combine vinegar, oil, 2 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add cabbage; toss well. In another bowl, combine sour cream, milk, zest, remaining 1 tbsp juice, remaining 3/4 tsp honey and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat grill. Remove fish from marinade; season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper. Grill, turning once, until just cooked through and lightly charred, 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board; coarsely chop. Stir remaining 2 tbsp cilantro into slaw. Grill tortillas, turning once, 30 seconds per side. To assemble, spoon 1 tbsp sour cream mixture in center of each tortilla. Divide fish, slaw and avocado among tortillas. Garnish with lime wedges.

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Tasty Thursdays: Super Nachos

In honor of Cinco de Mayo this upcoming weekend, here is a recipe for super nachos by Rachel Ray .

Ingredients:

2 bags corn tortilla chips in 2 colors or different flavors, such as blue corn, red corn, yellow corn, lime flavored, chili flavored or black bean chips -- pick 2 favorites

Pico de Gallo Salsa:

4 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, for medium to hot heat level
1 small white onion, chopped
1/4 cup, 2 handfuls, cilantro leaves, finely chopped -- substitute parsley if cilantro is not to your liking
Salt

Beef and Beans Topping:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground sirloin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dark chili powder
1 1/2 ground cumin, half a palmful
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce, giving you medium to hot heat level
1 can black beans, 15 ounces, drained

Cheese Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3/4 pound pepper jack cheese, shredded, about 2 1/2 cups

Additional toppings to choose from, optional:

Sour cream
Chopped scallions
Chopped black olives
Diced pimento
Sliced avocado, dressed with lemon juice
Hot pepper sauces

Directions:

Arrange a mixture of 2 varieties of corn chips on a very large platter or use your broiler pan as a platter.

Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside for flavors to marry.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, onion and peppers to the pan and saute 2 minutes, then add meat and crumble with wooden spoon. Season meat with salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper sauce. Cook meat 5 minutes, then stir in beans and reduce heat to low.

In a medium sauce pot, melt butter and add flour to it. Cook flour and butter 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in milk. When milk comes to a bubble, stir in cheese with a wooden spoon. Remove cheese sauce from the heat.

Pour cheese sauce evenly over the massive spread of chips and top evenly with beef and beans and the pico de gallo. Serve immediately as is or, garnish with your choice of extra toppings from the toppings list.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Inspirational Tuesdays #112

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Tasty Thursdays: Cherry Baby Cakes

Inspired by a super cute candle from Pookaberrys Candle Bakery that I received from Cameo PR's press preview (which I will post at a later date), I decided to make this Tasty Thursdays recipe about Cherry Baby Cakes. I found this recipe on Better Homes and Garden. This makes about 30 small cakes.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup cherry marmalade or cherry preserves, large pieces snipped if necessary
30 maraschino cherries with stems, drained
powdered sugar icing

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line thirty 1-3/4-inch muffin cups with miniature paper bake cups;* set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Spoon 1 scant teaspoon of batter into each muffin cup. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cherry marmalade and top with 1/2 teaspoon additional batter.
3. Bake cupcakes about 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire rack.
4. Pat cherries dry with clean paper toweling. Frost each cupcake with about 1/2 teaspoon icing. Dip half of each cherry into remaining icing; place on top of baby cakes. Makes about 30 small cakes.