Dani Spies

Hey guys... I'M BACK!  Lot's of fun, long trip, happy to be home BUT most importantly... happy to be back in my kitchen with my knife and my cutting board!  Man oh man, did I miss cooking!

Don't ask me why, but it seems everytime I went to the grocery store this week I bought broccoli. 

Broccoli, broccoli, broccoli. 

So when I peeked in the veggie drawer last night to decide what was gonna be for dinner, guess what came pouring out?  Yep.  Broccoli!  Broccoli and a head of Napa Cabbage.

Although there really are tons of Leafy Greens to choose from, Kale tends to be one of my favorites.  It's just SO HEARTY and SO RICH and SO SATISFYING that it seems to be my green of choice. 

Kale has so much to offer and if you still haven't tried it then we seriously need to talk! 

Spring time is naturally a very cleansing time of year.  After a long, cold winter of heartier, heavier foods, Spring rolls in with its fresh, light flavors that are designed by nature to help clean us out and lighten us up a bit!

Leafy greens are the number one ingredient missing in the American diet which is why I've decided to focus on Spring Leafy Greens this month!
 

Ever since the beginning of "Asparagus" month, I have had a stir-fry on the brain. I just wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do.  So I began searching around on some other food blogs for ideas (which by the way is about the only place I search for recipes online these days).

I found a recipe that caught my eye over at The Perfect Pantry and decided to give it a try. (if you have never visited The Perfect Pantry before you really must, you'll learn everything you'll ever need to know about items you can keep in your pantry)! 

I pretty much stuck to the recipe except I bulked up the veggie department a bit and added some tofu in order to get a little protein into the meal.  Speaking of tofu, let me give you a little tofu tip...

My initial plan was to make this salad using farro, but I couldn't get my hands on any so I turned to the cupboard for a convenient alternative.

I wanted to use a heartier grain or rice and thought Israeli couscous would do the job.  Couscous is really just another form of pasta (it's like really little pasta balls).  The only difference between Israeli couscous and regular couscous is the size. Israeli couscous is bigger and the size makes for a great texture (just be sure to cook your couscous like you would your pasta... al dente!).

So here we go...another asparagus recipe!  And you probably won't be suprised to hear me say that this is another super easy dish!

As far as the asparagus goes, all I did was steam it up.  Which reminds me...

Grilling is one of my favorite ways to enjoy asparagus.  As a matter of fact as the weather gets warmer I like grilled just about anything!

This is a very simple way to cook asparagus and it's quick too.  Try serving it with a squish of fresh lemon or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar when it's done cooking.  Enjoy!

I love when things just work themselves out effortlessly.  You know those times when everything just comes together without any thought or struggle.  Just a little non-linear, unorganized, spontaneous inspiration.  I seriously love that!

Here's another quick recipe starring, "Cabbage".  The cabbage with it's cool, crunchy self was perfecty paired with the tender, spicy watercress. I served this with some Curry Coated Tilapia (which I'll be posting soon) and I've gotta say, it was d'lishes!

I'm not really a winter girl. Although I love a good snow fall for the most part I'm not a huge fan of being cold... but with that being said, sometimes I like it. Which brings me to my point. If I had to choose one month that I most relate to it would have to be March.

Back to cabbage!  Braised red cabbage is a pretty classic side dish, but it is not a dish that I ever ate growing up.  As a matter of fact the first time I ever had this dish was at Houston's, they often serve it as a side dish topped with goat cheese (that's what gave me the idea).

When I was growing up we always had red cabbage in the fridge.  We didn't get too experimental with it, it was pretty much used as a staple in our "green salad".  That green salad made it to the table almost every night of the week and it was one of the only things that my sister and I were allowed to make (since there was no cooking involved).

So, here we go... cabbage recipe numero uno!  This side dish is a very quick and simple one to make. 

Cabbage loves dill so I decided to pick up some dill when I was at the grocery store this week and let me tell ya, I'm happy I did because it really brought this dish to life.

When it comes to finding a quick way to spruce up a side dish the key is ingredient is FRESH HERBS.

Fresh herbs are a small way to pack BIG FLAVOR, without needing a lot of time or additional ingredients.  Just chop up a few tablespoons of whatever herb you choose and you can completely transform your dish. 

Mmmmm, mmmm, mmmm am I loving Quinoa!! I made a big bucket of it over the weekend and have been throwing it in to just about everything all week long. 

When I saw this recipe over at Anticiplate,  I just knew I was gonna have to give it a go.   

New Quinoa recipe number two... Quinoa Porridge!

I've made this recipe a few times in the past but was recently reminded of it when I saw this post over at Closet Cooking (I love that site, Kevin is always trying something new).

So this one isn't so much a recipe as it is an idea. 

Really you can use any veggies or any cheese that you have hanging out in the fridge, it's is less about the details and more about the big picture.

I know that technically last week kicked off the New Year but for me this week is really the official kickoff.  This Butternut Squash Chili w/ Kale is the perfect meal to start off the New Year on the right foot!

Here's a little trivia for you guys...

What's the number one ingredient missing from the American diet?  Now I don't wanna give it a way or anything, but I'll give you a hint... look at the picture above. 

Yep... you guessed it, dark leafy greens or any dark greens for that matter.  Crazy, right?

I am a huge fan of Spaghetti Squash and I'm really surprised to realize that I have never posted a recipe using Spaghetti Squash before!  Huh... go figure:).

*updated from the archives.

As you may know, I am a big fan of "whole foods" and I think that whole eggs are a perfectly delicious and nutritious food.  I love adding them to just about anything; breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But anytime I am trying to pull back on my calorie intake a bit without pulling back on flavor, I skip the yolks and stick to the whites. 

Hey, did you guys notice the new box over in the top right hand corner of the page?? 

The one that is titiled "Food Focus"??  Let me tell you all about it... cause I'm really excited!

Basically, here's the deal:

I think I've mentioned it before but that won't stop me from saying it again, "I love fries".  Love em'!

What's not to love? Seriously, you tell me because I can't think of one thing.  

I also love sweet potatoes (what can I say, I just love food)... so needless to say, these fries really do it for me; they're the best of both worlds.

This dish is a perfect example of how a little "pre-preppin'" can save you A LOT of time.

I always have a container of some type of rice or grain ready to go for the week so when I'm pressed for time I can still eat something that is clean, simple, and d'lishes!:). 

Talk about a feel good food.  Roasted roots satisfy on so many different levels.  They are warm, sweet, salty, savory, hearty and so, so satisfying.  This is one dish where you think to your self, "Could something so simple and d'lishess really be SO good for me?"

And the answer is Yes!  Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes!

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away?? Just two weeks!

I don't know that I'll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year.  In all honesty, I have been experimenting with different Turkey Day dishes since September, so I kind have that, "been there, done that, and don't really need to do it again" feeling.  But then again who knows.  I've been known to change my mind.

Anyway, let's talk turkey, or in this case, stuffing!

If you haven't tried Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) I'd say, "now's the time".  It's clean, simple, and d'lishes (I know I'm a dork, but I couldn't resist).

Technically, Quinoa is a seed, but for all intents and purposes we'll keep things simple and group it with the grains.  And in the world of grains, it just doesn't get any easier than Quinoa.

Yikes, I almost forgot... this is the Cumin Scented White Bean recipe that I promised!  I served them with my Simply Seared Tuna w/ Triple Herb Sauce. They literally take all of ten minutes to throw together!

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"  How many times have we all heard this?  Maybe there’s something to it...

Although I don't have a garden of my own bursting with veggies that are begging to be eatin' up, what I do have are glorious Southern California Farmer's Markets that are bursting with veggies (and fruits, nuts, breads, etc.) that are begging to be eaten up!! 

Hummus is very simple to make at home. This recipe only takes about five minutes to whip up and you can really taste the difference between home made and store bought.

Coleslaw is one of my favorite sides to eat with any kind of sandwich.  I especially love to pile it high on top of a sandwich... yum!! 

Try serving this Peanut Slaw with my Tuna Burgers, they're a match made in heaven!

When it comes to eating out, Mexican is my all time favorite food!  If I had to pick a last meal it would be margaritas with chips, salsa, and guacamole! Yum... just thinking about it makes me happy!

I love making guacamole when friends come over because it's a fun food! Plus everyone loves it and it's always the first thing to go!

Can you really go wrong with garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and potatoes... I mean c'mon, I really don't think so.

I call this dish "Rustic Pesto Potato Salad" because it has all of the ingredients that you would use to make pesto but instead of mixing everything into a sauce, I just give them a rough chop and toss it all together so it has a rustic feel.

You wouldn't think that a mushroom could have so much "sticking" power that it would actually serve as a meal, but this Portabella Mushroom Burger definetely does the job!

I mean really, who would of ever thought that a big fat mushroom could be so good?! 

Even though I am in Los Angeles and my Mom is in New Jersey, I still wanted to come up with a Mother's Day meal.  It's kind of like a virtual Mother's day meal.  This is what I would make if my family and I were all spending Mother's day together.

You may or may not have noticed this about me, but I tend to repeat myself. If I really like something or something specific really makes me happy, I tend to express my feelings over and over and over.

So in case you don't already know... I love Mexican food!! Love it, love it, love it!

This recipe for Roasted Pepper Bruschetta is one my favorite "last-minute-no-brainer-go"-to appetizers. It is one of the simplest recipes I know and it's SO delicious!! 

As promised, here is a great dish to go with that Cinnamon Spiced Rice from a few days ago.

Although this Okra Bowl goes great with just about any grain (brown rice, couscous, barley, etc.) I really like the way it pairs with the flavors in the Cinnamon Spiced Rice.

So for the first QuickBite of the New Year I thought I'd share a really interesting side dish that's a hit everytime I make it... Cinnamon Spiced Rice.

This dip goes great with chips, veggies or even as a simple sandwich spread so give it a shot and don't forget to spread plenty of love with the bubbly.

Happy New Year everyone!

Who says making home made tomato sauce has to be an all day affair?  My 20-minute tomato sauce literally only takes... 20 minutes!!  I'm telling you guys it's great!  You throw a handful of ingredients into a pot and voila'... home made tomato sauce!

Nothing hits the spot like a cool, crunchy Butter Lettuce Salad on a hot Summer day!

This particular salad is really refreshing... try serving it along side some grilled meat or fish at your next BBQ, or better yet, enjoy it solo for a light and satisfying lunch!