One of my favorite things about moving back to Charlottesville, is being constantly excited and surprised by all the new delicious restaurants that pop up around town. Don’t get me wrong, I ate my way through Hooville when I was at UVA and most of my favorites are the same but it’ s pretty fun to check out all the new places and have some new foodie buddies to do it with. I left my # 1 eating partner in crime back in Arlington (miss you Shruts) but was thrilled when Kim, who started at my office a few months after me, quickly become my go to lunch date. One of our first and continually favorite […]
Veggie Chicken Sausage Breakfast Pizza Pie
As far as weekend meals go, this is one of my favorites so far! It combines two things I love deeply, breakfast for dinner and pizza. While I haven’t quite perfected the breakfast pizza like Fry Springs has, this was a valiant first try! I try to use produce that’s in season so amidst the cheesy goodness is fresh asparagus and sautéed onions and mushrooms. Then it was topped with diced chicken sausage and baked eggs. Last but not least, this super simple blender hollandaise sauce drizzled on top to make it feel more breakfasty and luxurious. [announcement: it also would be perfect for hosting a brunch OR eating cold after a late night out. ] […]
One Pan Pesto Zoodles
Howdy my friends! So today I’ve got a super simple, heavy on the veggie, one pan meal to share with you. It can be made vegetarian or with meat AND for everyone with food allergies- it is gluten free and could be vegan if you either made or bought a pesto with no parmesan cheese. My favorite part? Everything’s cooked in one pan and it’s very light, making it the perfect lunch or dinner as the weather get’s warmer. The beautiful part about these basic recipes is that you could really make it your own! I included chicken sausage in the recipe as it was for dinner and we wanted to add a little more […]
Thailand Treats
In my opinion, and fortunately Adam’s too, the most fun part of traveling is the food. I mean what better way to get a true taste of the culture and interact with people than through a meal. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the amazing food we ate in Thailand! I’m going to get around to doing a complete post about our trip and lots of photos of each place, but in the mean time- thought I’d tantalize the tastebuds with some yummy pictures and descriptions! Surprisingly enough- some of our favorite meals ended up being breakfast ( not traditional thai), a super hot pepper pizza on an island and a simple dish from […]
Coconut Crusted Chicken Asian Salad w/ Spicy Peanut dressing
Get ready for a salad that cures the ” oh no, not another boring salad” sentiment and really steps up your office lunch game! The chicken is crusted with unsweetened coconut and baked- so it’s nice and crispy without the grease & fat from frying and topped with a delicious peanut asian dressing. Highly recommend you cycling this into your Sunday meal prep plan! It would also make some delicious asian taco’s with a shredded carrot and cabbage slaw… I’ll work on testing out that idea asap. First thing’s first, all props go to Clean Eating for the chicken recipe! While I did make my favorite peanut dressing and spice up the salad a bit with extra […]
Brussels & Bacon Pasta
This is the perfect spring dish… can you tell I’m dreaming of warmer weather as I stare out at the remnants of a late march snow? It’s my favorite type of dish in that it’s a combo of light and fresh flavors, lots of veggies and lemon juice, paired with indulgence in the form of bacon and parmesan cheese.It makes for a really easy weeknight dinner or pasta dish for a picnic or BBQ. I’m already envisioning eating this at vineyards this summer paired with bottles of rose or white wine. Sigh. Bottles are acceptable- right? The best part, this only takes 10 ingredients to make and 20 minutes to cook. Ingredients: brussel sprouts, asparagus, lemon, white onion, garlic, chicken […]
Thai Coconut Chicken Noodles AKA Hairs
Picture this- 8 girls, one kitchen and 6 months in Florence Italy. It sounds like the start to a great sit com right? It pretty much was. Italy was undoubtedly one of the best experiences of my life, and the food being a major reason for that. Endless fresh pasta, pizza, wine and gelato while roaming through the streets of Florence with some of my best friends? I am so grateful and stupid lucky. What I didn’t expect however, was to come back with a new favorite Thai recipe that remains an all time favorite. No matter how much you love cheese and carbs, and trust me, I am a HUGE fan, you eventually […]
Lazy Sunday Sweet Potato Hash
We’ve been really lazy on 2018’s weekends so far, especially when it comes to weekend breakfast’s/lunch/brunch meals and getting out of bed early. I mean it’s hard to be motivated when every morning it’s usually somewhere between 5 and 20 degrees, making doing things outside or get started with your day a little harder. That being said, this hash is the perfect lazy, eat brunch around 2 pm on a cold winter day, type of meal. Not to mention it’s made of all good thing’s- veggies, sweet potato’s and chicken sausage, letting you stick to those healthy eating resolutions and feel spoiled. I will say, we did better than usual this morning and went on a […]
New Year- New me?
Or more like… same same but different. When we were in Thailand we heard this everywhere and it’s my new favorite thing. Also, it’s so fitting to so many situations. Although- Adam would say I try to use it a bit too often in places it doesn’t work. Oh well. In this case though I think it works, meaning same me but just slightly different. Seem’s less intense than an entire overhaul of who I am. Plus- that doesn’t leave any room to celebrate the thing’s that are great about you as a person already. But seriously, 2018 has come and I’m welcoming it with open arms. I’m guilty, just like so many other people, of making […]
Elvis Banana Bread
Warning: This banana bread is not for the faint of heart. It has peanut butter, chocolate, and caramelized bacon bits. It’s straight up over the top delicious and funky ( as Guy Fietti would say). And again… there’s bacon. Nuff said. If that’s not enough for you, here are some testimonials from my colleagues who were my guinea pig taste testers. “You had me at peanut butter.” “The flavors all work really well together and none overpower the whole thing” and my personal favorite: “THIS IS BALLER.” Overview: This is a luxurious & different take on banana bread. For you baking purists out there it may not be your thing. BUT for those of you who are a tad adventurous and like a […]