Cold-Pressed Coffee, where have you been all my life?

Ah, cold-pressed coffee.  What can I say? You are delicious!  I can't believe it took me this long to try you.  After several trips to Trader Joe's in State College, I finally broke down and bought an $8 bottle of concentrated coffee.  It seems expensive until you factor in how many delicious iced lattes, mochas, and other coffee-inspired beverages you can make out of just one bottle.  A little goes a long way, the flavor is not bitter due to the brewing process, and the bottle keeps in the fridge for up to 30 days (if the bottle lasts that long, of course... I do like to make a couple drinks out of it each day).

Due to an affinity for trying new things, I plan to try cold brewing on my own with some filtered water and ground coffee.  It should be easy enough... I think...  You just put the ground beans into a container, add water, and let it sit out for 12 hours before straining and storing in the fridge. I'll let you know how it turns out... Some day.  In the meantime I will continue to pick up a bottle at Trader Joe's on my semi-weekly trips.

So far, I've tried the cold brew in a few different concoctions so far,usually made or served in a 1 quart mason jar, and they've turned out wonderfully. Mason jars are great for the iced mochas especially because measuring, mixing and serving dirty only one dish!  As someone that loves making things but hates cleaning, the fewer dishes the better.

My usual go-too recipe for an easy iced mocha is pretty basic and easy to customize with flavored syrups or spices.  A particular favorite is adding a splash of peppermint syrup.

Iced Mocha

Chocolate syrup

Cold-pressed coffee

Milk (almond, coconut, cow, goat... You pick)

Ice cubes

Pour chocolate syrup in a wide mouth 1qt mason jar, approximately 1/8 inch covering the bottom. Next pour cold brewed coffee to second line (more or less depending on taste). Add a few ice cubes and fill remaining space with the milk of your choice. Place lid securely on jar and shake, shake, shake until the ingredients are combined.  Remove lid and serve immediately. For a stronger "iced" mocha, skip the ice cubes. Be sure to shake the coffee and chocolate syrup to combine prior to adding the milk (it makes it easier to introduce the ingredients more smoothly).

For a heartier, more filling beverage, the cold pressed coffee is also great in a smoothie!  Full of healthy nutrients, this is one of my favorite breakfasts!

In a blender, mix the ingredients (or any ingredients you think would be tasty) then pour it into a mason jar or another beverage container and serve. 

Farfalle Primavera Alla Vodka

There is something about a good pasta dish that simply makes the day better. Last night, I made Farfalle Primavera Alla Vodka after work and it was scrumptious.  Thinking ahead to tonight's meal, I made the full pound of pasta. Usually I just make enough for a bowl or 2 because I'm not a big fan of leftovers.  However, tonight's meal will be using the remaining al dente pasta and alla vodka sauce along with some additional ingredients to make a lazy lasagna. It's lazy because the noodles are relatively flat on their own and I don't have to strategically layer large flat noodles neatly in a baking pan.  More on lazy lasagna later.

Farfalle Primavera Alla Vodka

Farfalle pasta (aka bow ties)

Jar of alla vodka sauce

Frozen vegetables (I used the broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix)

Cook the farfalle according to instructions on the box. Heat sauce and vegetables in separate pots.  Place serving of pasta, sauce, and veggies in a bowl and serve. 

Pesto Tilapia with Vegetable Noodles and Rice

 

I was in the mood for something easy, light, and flavorful the other day and would be hard-pressed to find something easier than my 3 ingredient Pesto Tilapia with Vegetable Noodles.  The vegetables were already cut into (roughly) linguine size pieces at the store, the pesto was ready and waiting at the olive bar, and the tilapia fillet was cleaned and ready to cook in the butcher's area.  Easy peasy!

A little bit about the ingredients, first...

The vegetable noodles are a new addition to my repertoire.  I've made spaghetti squash before and it was good.  It was also rather easy to make and required very little cutting.  However, there is something scrumptious about the prepared squash, carrot and sweet pepper "noodles" that makes me think they are going to be here to stay as a favorite ingredient.

Pesto sauce is truly delicious.  It has a fresh flavor from the basil and goes wonderfully with shrimp and linguine, or on a panini with tomato and mozzarella.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

I've made tilapia before and tried it in a variety of dishes.  It is a lightly, flaky fish with a mild flavor that works well in numerous preparations.  This dish is no exception- it turned out deliciously!

So now for the recipe:

Pesto Tilapia with Vegetable Noodles

Vegetable "noodles"

Tilapia Fillet

Pesto Sauce

Foil

Put one serving of vegetable noodles on the foil.  Spread pesto on bottom of tilapia and place onto the noodles.  Spread pesto on top of tilapia.  Fold foil around the food in order to form a pouch.  Place the pouch on the grill (direct heat for a few minutes then finish off with indirect heat) at 350degrees. Cook until the fish is flaky and white and the "noodles" are tender.

Optional: serve with rice or a tasty salad

*Common Sense Tip*
To avoid contaminating the entire container of pesto, do not dip any utensils that touched the raw fish back into the container!

Ginger Miso Soup

So, easy recipes have been the trend lately and this one is no exception. This is a super simple soup for those chilly days and uses just 5 ingredients.  When I go out for sushi, I enjoy starting the meal with a light soup and/or salad. Miso was on the menu last time so I gave it a try and enjoyed it greatly. Yay for trying new things!

Of course, I can't go out for sushi as often as I'd like due to time and budget, but I was craving the soup and decided to give it a try.  During a previous trip to Trader Joe's, I found a carton of miso ginger broth and picked it up with no idea whether I would a) enjoy the flavor, or b) have any idea what to do with it.  It just looked rather delicious on the picture so I decided to get it and try to use it before it's best by date.  The result? A super quick and easy dish perfect as an appetizer for sushi or stir fry or as a stand alone dish. 

One cool thing about this dish is that it is entirely meatless but still tastes great and fills me up without that heavy "just ate a pound of steak" feeling. Though, I do enjoy a good steak from time to time.  Plus, the broth is delicious on its own and I have a feeling I would enjoy it as a base for a chicken and rice soup or even added to a stir fry.

Ingredients:

1 carton Trader Joe's Miso Ginger Broth

1/2 bunch green onions (4-5), thinly sliced

Handful of mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 container organic sea salt seaweed snack, sliced

1/3-1/2 container firm tofu, cubed

Pour broth into a medium pot, add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer until mushrooms are cooked through.  Serve immediately. 

Easy Chicken Salad Lettuce Boats

Sorry, no photo for this one, folks. I ate them before I could take a picture. Here is another quick, easy, tasty dish to have as a light lunch, quick snack or even part of supper. 

Ingredients

Romain lettuce (whole leaves, rinsed, dried and trimmed), approx. 3/person

1 can chicken breast (or freshly cooked chicken breast cut into cubes)

1 small onion, diced

1 stock celery, diced

Mayo or Miracle Whip, amount based on your preferences

Fresh ground black pepper

Mix chicken, onion, celery, and mayo/MW in a bowl. Put mixture into lettuce leaves. Serve immediately. 

Note: the chicken salad can be refrigerated for a day if you want to make it the night before then assemble into lettuce before eating.

Variation: tuna instead of chicken or a different salad combination all together (lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and chopped up sun-dried tomatoes for example)

Thoughts: I don't know why, but for some reason I enjoy macaroni and cheese with my chicken salad or tuna salad sandwiches. They just seem to go together very well.  Make a batch of macaroni and cheese, add a side of fruit and you've got yourself a full meal!

Veggie Burger on a Bagel

I was in the mood for a simple, light dinner last night and recently picked up some new products to try at Trader Joe's over the weekend.  This could not have been easier and it turned out to be rather tasty. I'd never tried a veggie burger before and can't figure out why!  It was delicious! (Ok, ok. It's probably because I enjoy meat so much, but veggies are great too.)

Ingredients (per serving)

1 bagel (I used pumpernickel because I had them on hand but a whole grain or other variety would do nicely as well)

1 Trader Joe's Vegetable Masala Burger

Mixed Greens

Lime Juice

Mayo

Heat the veggie burger as directed on the box. About a minute or 2 in, cut the bagel in half and pop it in the toaster.  When the bagel and burger are done, begin assembling the sandwich.  Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the burger and place it on one half of the bagel, spread the mayo on the other half, add the mixed greens, and put the 2 sides together.  Serve immediately.

Black Bean Chicken Chili

Quick Black Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb ground chicken

1 medium onion, diced
TJ's Taco Seasoning

1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
Chili powder

Cumin

Garlic powder

Smoked salt

Pinch of ground cinnamon (a tiny bit goes a long way)

Pinch of cocoa powder (a tiny bit goes a long way)
Salt and pepper

Optional serving suggestions:
Shredded cheese (topping)

Sour cream (topping)

Rice (base)

Cornbread (side)

Tortilla (side)

In a high sided skillet, brown chicken and caramelize onion. Add seasonings to taste, followed by tomatoes and beans.   Cook until heated through and flavors have combined. Serve in a bowl over rice, topped with shredded cheese and sour cream.