Sunday, May 31, 2015

Here's the Dill; I'm Talking Healthy Summer Sides

As summer is fast approaching and BBQ season is just beginning I'm already fearing those boring mayo-filled bland side dishes like macaroni and potato salad.  I also have a hard time stomaching mayo so I feel like my side dish choices are always limited. This week I've prepared two alternatives using greek yogurt instead of mayo that also pack some nice flavor with the help of dill.  Dill is hot right now and I'm obsessed with it.

Kristen, my accomplice in the kitchen has cooked up some insane recipes that we're really excited for you to try.  We're making a Summer Potato Salad and a Cool Cucumber Dill Salad.  These we're both really easy to make and they taste good enough to enjoy all summer long!

First I'm telling you about this potato salad.  This is what you're going to need to serve 4-6 people;

  • 2lbs of Red Skin Potatoes, skin on
  • 2 Scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup of plain greek yogurt
  • 3 tbsp. of Dijon whole grain mustard
  • 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • dill, dill and more dill (you can be as liberal as you want) 
Add your potatoes to cold water in a pot. Just enough to cover them and bring the potatoes to a simmer for about 20 minutes, don't let them boil.  Cook them enough to they are fork-tender and drain.  Place them aside and allow them to cool.  While your potatoes are cooling, mix together your yogurt, scallions, both mustards and as much as the dill as you please. Quarter and add the potatoes and fold everything together adding as much salt and pepper as you want to taste.  These puppies are pictured below.

Next up we made a Cool Cucumber Salad. This salad is nice and light, I also like this because you can tweak it to your liking. Not only does it go well on burgers or pitas but it's also really good on its own. Here's what you're going to need to feed 4-6 people. 
  • 2 English Cucumbers, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon, deseeded and quartered
  • 1 cup of greek yogurt
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • all the dill in the world
Cut your cucumbers in half and using a spoon take the seeds out, thinly slice the cucumber and place it to the side.  In a separate medium sized bowl add your yogurt, the juices from the lemon, salt, pepper and dill.  Fold it all together and add the cumber coating and mixing everything.  All you have to do from that point is pop it in the fridge till you're ready to serve it.  Here they are below!


I hope you guys decide to try these yourselves. They're both really easy and super yummy!  Stay tuned for more!


Notes:
Thanks to Tablefortwo for the potato inspiration, original recipe can be found here; http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/healthy-red-potato-and-dill-salad/


Friday, May 29, 2015

Blue Apron Stir-Fry Noodles

Today I cooked with Blue Apron, it's one of my favorite services and the only subscription box I subscribe to.  If you haven't heard of it, it's a meal delivery service that gives you the ability too cook your own meals.  It comes with all the ingredients needed minus the basics like salt, pepper and olive oil. All the ingredients are unprepared and it comes with a card with mostly simple, step by step instructions.  It makes even the worst cook a great one!  If anyone is interested send me an email at solos1020@gmail.com and I can hook you up with a free delivery! (I only have 4 left to give)

Today I made Stir-Fry Noodles.  The ingredients were pretty basic and this was a fairly easy meal to prepare. I give it a 2/10 with 10 being the most difficult.  The only issue I had today was that I didn't have all the tools needed to mince the ginger!  As far as Blue Apron goes the ingredients were simple.  Rice noodles, scallions, Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli), snow peas, Sriracha, sweet soy sauce, ginger, peanut butter, peanuts, and coconut milk powder. 

All the veggies ended up being combined and cooked together (minus the green part of the scallion, I'll get to that later). The peanut butter, soy sauce, Sriracha and coconut milk mixture with water made a nice sauce, however I would have preferred a little more spice. Once the noodles cooked all the veggies and sauce were mixed together and the peanuts and green scallions were a garnish. 

Overall I rate the meal a 8/10. Like I said it could have used a little more spice. If I had Sriracha on hand I would have definitely added more.  I personally love peanuts so it wasn't too nutty for me.  The only change I would have made was to chop the peanuts and heat them up for a minute or two on the stove!

My meal is pictured below! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram; Killin_thyme


Hi All,

I've got three passions in life.  Eating, traveling and cooking.  I'm fortunate enough to eat well, cook mediocrely and travel frequently that I've decided to start a blog! I know, I know.. real original.  This is the place where I'll chronicle my travels and my meals.  I'm not too sure where this blog is going to take me but I can't wait to find out!

Please follow me on Instagram; killin_thyme
My insta account is a bare right now but just give it some thyme!

I'm excited to take this journey and I hope you're there to take it with me!

-Amanda