A Lil Sushi, So You Say

I'm frequently driven by fierce avocado cravings.  I bet ya couldn't tell it was one of those days...   And I'm not sure what I intended to happen with crab and avocado and little to no other crab complimenting ingredients on hand.  I had no other choice but to turn to my good friend, Google.
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The search resulted in loads of ooey, gooey dips that would have been appropriate if this dish and I were planning to arrive someplace other than my newly purchased placemat (Anthropologie, much respect).  Page two, page three, page ah ha!  Do you know how many sushi rolls have crab and avocado?  Why I didn't think of this sooner, I don't know.  But it turns out sliced avocado, a little lump crab, and ponzu sauce equals a perfect little sushi substitute.  

I Got Fed

Although passing by granola place after veggie place after grassy place gave me a sense of being, I had a different mission during my Austin vacation.  The only important task on my agenda was checking out the food project a friend of mine has been slaving over for quite some time now: The Shed.  If only all "important tasks" could be so un-task-like. 
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We ordered the full spectrum of the Mohawk location offerings: pulled pork sandwich, brisket sandwich, and for me?  Well, it's never that simple.  A BBQ and bread combo has never been my fancy, so The Shedders whipped up something along the lines of a pulled pork sundae.  Y-U-M!  Pulled pork in Texas is a rarity in itself, and combined with a sauce from the gods themselves?  BBQ treasure.
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If ridiculously tasty BBQ and a hip venue are up your alley, you should probably get yourself fed at The Shed too!

Christmas In August

Tonight I left my Junior League Provisional Meeting with a sense of soon to be accomplishment and five cookbooks, FIVE!  As if my cookbook shelf isn't already in need of additional structural support...  But, if you've known me for any bit of time, you're well aware that crowded drawers and failing shelves barely count as a detour in my ongoing purchasing journey.

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Nonetheless, I'm exicted!  A Mid-Summer Night Cocktail was my first brush with this culinary collection and it came with great success.  The next recipes on my League blogging agenda?  Lobster with Lemon Basil Butter and the Farmhouse Salad.  Word on the street is each and every recipe has been tested to the Nth degree, and then some.  And that, is a comforting concept in a kitchen that is no stranger to a meal mistake!

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If you'd like to add one of these gems to your structurally sound (or unsound) shelves, they can be purchased here.

Comforty Goodness

My mom's infamously easy tuna noodle casserole was, hands down, a top five most frequently requested meal of my childhood - lucky her!  I carried the recipe in my 'first time living alone' box of tricks when I left for college.  And I continued to whip it up until gluten-free ruled my life.  The recipe was nixed from memory upon reading the ingredients of every cream of mushroom soup can I could find.  

Although I rarely eat gluten-free at restaurants since finding out I'm not officially intolerant, I steer clear of bringing glutenous groceries home.  In my opinion, gluten in the average American diet is beyond excessive and not as necessary as your handy dandy food pyramid makes it seem.

Off my soap box, back to the meal...  

Every few trips to the market, I head to the gluten-free aisle to grab a bag of brown rice pasta.  Most of the items on that aisle, though gluten-free, tend to be super processed and hokey, so I grab what I need and go.  This time...  I noticed a gluten-free cream of mushroom soup and my most memorable cozy, comfort meal came to mind.

Mom's Recipe - Altered (2 servings)

4 oz. of Gluten-Free Elbows

1/2 Can of Gluten-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

2-1/2 oz. of Albacore Tuna in Water, Drained if Canned

1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

Boil noodles per package instructions.  Mix noodles, soup, and tuna together and pour into an oven safe bowl (I used a pie plate).  Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

Super Food Smoothie

I've seen wheatgrass advertised from time to time over the years, but never gave it a second thought.  Why?  Simply put, in my experience, the taste was wretched.  

But when I saw the lone pallet of grass at Greenwise last week, I felt the need to own it.  And since the impulsive need to own, well, anything is far from uncommon for me, I decided to think about it.  After all, it was a twenty dollar piece of sod.

I used the same methodology as I do with clothes, shoes, make-up, appliances, gadgets, electronics, everything.  If I go home and never give it a second thought, then I must not have wanted said thing all that badly.  However, if I found it was all I could think about and it made an appearance or two in my day dreams and night dreams alike - there must be a need.

I'm somewhat sad to say that wheatgrass crossed my mind that many times in one week that I allowed myself to bring the pallet home.  To justify my purchase, it's going to be a "green" smoothie kind of week.  And to justify the taste, I'll keep in mind that one ounce of wheatgrass contains the same amount of nutrients as 2-1/2 pounds of green veggies.  That…  Is a lot of veggies.

Super Food Smoothie:

1/2 Cup Wild Blueberries

1 Sambazon Acai Package

1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar

1 Gala Apple

2"x2" Square of Wheatgrass

1/2 Cup Water

8 Ice Cubes

And Where Have You Been?

Let me just start with...  This was not tonight's original game plan.  A storm blew threw this afternoon and with it came web-like lightning, horizontal rain, and a massive headache.  All I wanted to do was shut my eyes.

Grocery shopping was a challenge.  The full armed elevator ride to the 11th floor was a challenge.  However, cooking was not, as everything else seemed to be, a challenge.  I began sautéing some baby bellas and searing some scallops and all seemed well in the world.  While standing in the kitchen eating, I remembered a few of my sweet purchases.  It was then in my best interest to eat faster.

I've always been a fan of coconut milk "ice cream"; it nears the top of my favorites list on the pantry staples page.  But when I was at the market earlier this evening, a new flavor accompanied the coconut pint my freezer is accustomed to: passionate mango.      

I scooped myself a dollop of mango, scattered sliced strawberries, and sprinkled it with mini chips.  Holy crow.  It's not often, if ever, you scream praise for a food out loud when you're alone.  I just couldn't help myself, kind of embarrassing, glad I was alone. 

It's A Growin'

One would think an indoor garden would have been checked off of my to-do list much earlier in life.  The truth is, I've tried.  In Dallas, I managed to destroy three basil plants on three separate occasions.  And more recently, succulents.  Succulents?!  I killed unkillable plants!  It's a miracle that Clarke is still amongst us...

In a search to fill the blank wall in my kitchen, I found an Ikea inspiration ad from which I decided to steal almost every decor detail.  Two problems...  my negative green thumb abilities and zero natural light in my kitchen.  After more research, I found that I could overcome the natural light issue using traditional CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulbs as "grow lights".  And after more consideration, I decided I would overcome my planting inabilities with dedication.

The newest living additions to my home are basil, cilantro, and thyme.  If these puppies have a positive life status through the end of August, I'll add rosemary, dill, and chives to the collection.  I'll also consider replacing the target desk lamp with a more aesthetically pleasing stainless CFL hood.

This is a true Fashion Meets Function moment in the KV household!