Five Ingredient Pancakes

It’s Wednesday & you’re probably reading this while multi-tasking with some sort of electronic device & a tooth brush if you’re reading this when it posts at 7am.  Most mornings I find it a battle between blow drying my hair or eating breakfast. Usually the hair wins only because it’s so cold out lately I really don’t want icicles forming on my head - but who cares we should all be eating breakfast.  If you have about 10 minutes in the morning - maybe you wash & dry your hair the night before (note to self) - you can make these pancakes. You only need 5 ingredients to make them (plus whatever syrup or jam you want to slather on top) & about 7 minutes to make them. Truth be told, I made them on a Sunday but I would make them again on a week day. Plus, this recipe yields four fluffy pancakes - two for me & two for you - so it’s perfect if you have a smaller household - if you have more mouths just double the quantities.

When I have extra time, on the weekends, I make these pancakes or these ones & sometimes these crepes.

What’s your favorite pancake recipe?

Quick Homemade Breakfast Oatmeal

We saw some family this weekend. Lucky for me, my family members are my biggest fans & they notice when things aren’t up to par - & usually tell me (thanks for calling me out Melissa Donnelly - I needed to hear it).  Lately, I haven’t been blogging a whole lot & that is going to change. Truth is I was sidetracked but other projects that I thought I wanted to try my hand at - & while they taught me new life lessons what I really learned is that this is where I want & need to be right now at this point in my life - here blogging about what I love on a daily basis.  So without further adieu, I’m posting more recipes & other things that lift me up more regularly. Will there be days where I don’t - probably - I’m human after all - but I will do my very best to bring you more of my original posts here. Thanks for sticking with me.

Today, I’m talking about breakfast - a meal that I can usually do without, but I’m trying to be better about eating it as it has been deemed the most important meal of the day.  The one person that I know who eats breakfast on a regular basis (for the past 87+ years!!!) is my Grandpa Paul.  He eats oatmeal everyday for breakfast, except for Sundays when he eats bacon & eggs.

Granted my oatmeal isn’t Grandpa’s - because I like more toppings (he just eats his plain). In the past I’ve eaten oatmeal - mostly instant. You know the package that you tear open & it has oatmeal & other dried counterparts in it - usually semi-identifiable.  Well guess, what Grandpa doesn’t eat that powdery stuff in the package - so I’m going back to basics & making mine from  scratch - well kind of - I’m using the microwave. Instead of taking 2 minutes in the morning to make your instant oatmeal this heartier & healthier way will take you about 5. I think the 3 extra minutes in the morning are worthy of knowing what exactly you’re putting in your body. Plus, it tastes better.

Refreshing Israeli Salad

Living in Hoboken & working in NYC I am spoiled by food inspiration.  One of my guiltiest pleasures is the Taim Mobile that dangerously close to my lunchtime neighborhood. It's a ritual, I always order the falafel sandwich with everything on it in a whole wheat pita - because that makes it healthier!  On their amazing menu tacked to the side of the truck is a wide variety to sides & other dishes, one of which is Israeli salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley & a lemon mint dressing.  Sounded easy & spring enough for me to make it, so I did. It's great by itself of in a wrap (more on that later). Make sure to click through to get this super simple recipe.

PS: a special welcome to the world to little baby Jonathan! I can not wait to meet you!!

Mussels with Leeks & Cream

Every few months I rediscover mussels while I'm grocery shopping.  Two reasons to pick up a bag the next time you're at the super market they're (1) cheap & (2) quick to make. I think they're best served with a big glass of wine & some fresh crusty bread to sop up the sauce at the bottom of your bowl.

Click through for my super easy way to prepare mussels for your next quick dinner.

Smoked Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

Usually when I go grocery shopping I end up coming home with the usual suspects & fear that we'll just eat the same old stuff over & over again.  When I saw the ground turkey in my fridge that I clearly bought out of habit I decided I'd make some meatballs & stuff them with smoked mozzarella. Yeah cheese. Mmm cheese makes everything better.

Click through for this quick & easy recipe to change up your usual routine.

Oh & happy weekend!

Quick, Long Lasting, No Dry Manicure

I know the nail sticker trend has been around for a bit, but I'm still in puppy love with it. Seriously, it's the best way to get a great manicure, plus it lasts longer than any salon manicure I've ever had. I used these. I've tried some other brands but Sally Hansen's work best for me & they always have them on some kind of sale in CVS.

Did I mention that these don't smell, don't have any drying time & if you have small nail beds like me you can get two nails out of each strip. Yep, I'm hooked.

Click through for a mini tutorial!

Shaved Zucchini, Asparagus & Pea Salad

 

I think the easiest way to make something look and taste fancy is with a vegetable peeler. No. Really it's true.  This salad looks so fancy pants your dinner guests will never know that it was so easy to make!

Learn how you can look like a fancy pants salad maker after the jump!

Quick Quinoa Salad

I'm semi-obsessed with the food network show Five Ingredient Fix and quinoa (keen-wah).  When I saw this recipe in action on the show I knew I had to make it immediately.  My favorite part is that you can make it with just five ingredients: quinoa, cucumber, cilantro, pine nuts* & lemon infused olive oil.

Make it yourself here!

tip 1: Quinoa is a super grain because it's not really a grain it's actually a seed [read: same texture as say a couscous - rice hybrid but it's packed with protein - win!!!]


tip 2: If you have chicken or veggie stock you can cook the quinoa in that rather than water - I know that makes 6 ingredients but I think it's worth it!

*I didn't have pine nuts so I used some raw cashews I had in the freezer (yes that's where you can store them so they don't go bad!).  I rough chopped them and toasted them up just the same.

Blue Cheese Herb Mustard Salmon

I'm particularly proud of this salmon for two reasons. The first reason is because my husband actually LOVED it.  Since Chris is far from a fish eater (with the exception of that that comes in a shell or in the form of a sushi roll) that's a huge victory. WIN! The second reason is because it's super quick and easy to make.

I felt inspired by my foodie pen pal package and decided to make the blue cheese herb mustard as the star of my simple dinner.

Here's what you'll need:

1. 1 lb salmon
2. 3 tablespoons blue cheese herb mustard (or any other kind of spicy tasty mustard)
3. salt & pepper

Make it:

1. Get a large naked (no oil or butter - nothing!)  skillet  screaming hot on your stove top.
2. Season the salmon with salt & pepper on both sides.
3. Cook the salmon on each side for a couple of minutes.
4. With the skin side down spread the mustard on the pink fleshy part of the salmon.
5. Pop your skillet under the broiler for 7-9 minutes (or until your fish is cooked through). Make sure your skillet handle is oven safe!
6. Serve the salmon with a side of grilled asparagus and greens.

Tip: for a quick salad dressing mix olive oil, mustard and lemon juice together. Toss your greens in it and you've got a salad that automatically compliments the flavors in your fish!

Kitchen Cavatelli

I make dinner based on whatever I can find in the fridge plus pasta.  No carb dieting in our house that's for sure.

I don't eat a ton of meat and there's only so much chicken we can eat so I like to go veggie more nights than not.

When in doubt: onions + (lots of) garlic + a fresh veggie + (fresh or dry) herbs + cheese + olive oil + salt + pepper. 

Keep it simple and your wallet and taste buds will thank you later.

This kitchen cavatelli can be made with just a handful of ingredients that you can stock up and leave in your fridge.

Learn how you can make my kitchen cavatelli after the jump!