Today's Lunch



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dang tasty.

Slow-Cooker Chili



Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes

This chili is currently simmering in a crock pot on my kitchen counter.

I've never really attempted a crock pot meal before, but there's something cozy about knowing that my dinner's cooking for me while I'm toiling away at the salt mines.

{My mom and I used to work together for about four years while I was in school, and she always used to call out as she left the house, "see you at the salt mines!" My mom is really cute, obvs.}

I think my favorite part of this whole crock pot business is that all I have to do when I get home is grab a bowl, scoop out some chili, sprinkle some cheese, and enjoy. This is especially helpful on days like today when I'm working the closing shift. You know, 7:15pm is pretty late to get off work, but 10:45am is not too shabby of a start time. I'm contemplating stopping off at Trader Joe's on the way home for a box of cornbread mix to complement the chili.

I'll let you know how it turns out, but for now, here are a few other recipes that I've loved lately:

Winter Lentil Soup

Baked Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash

Eggplant Parmesan Rollatini

Windsor Kale Salad

Last Thursday, I met up with some friends at a local restaurant in downtown Phoenix called Windsor. My friend lives near this restaurant, and it's been one of his faves for awhile, so I could myself lucky that he decided to share this gem with me.

We met up there after work to grab some dinner and drinks before a concert at Crescent Ballroom, another downtown treasure. I had decided beforehand that my time at Windsor would be spent more over drinks than dinner, so I just ordered a side of mac 'n' cheese and a side of their kale salad.

The mac 'n' cheese was really tasty (duh), but the salad was something special. After wolfing down the portion I was served, I eschewed my drink and all the cheesy carb options on the menu for another serving of this kale salad. Truth.

Last night at Trader Joe's, I bought all of the ingredients to make my own version of this deliciousness.

Here's Windsor's recipe:

KALE SALAD

Tuscan Kale (Julienned) 1 1/2 c
Dried Cranberries 1 Tbl
Corn 1 Tbl
Shredded Carrots 1 Tbl
Snap Peas 1 Tbl

Lemon Wedges 1/3 of a lemon wedge
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Tbl
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Parmesan Cheese (grated)
Sliced Almonds (toasted)

- Toss kale, craberries, corn, carrots peas together
- Squeeze the lemon over the greens, drizzle on the olive oil and season with salt and pepper
- Toss until evenly dressed
- Garnish with parmesan and almonds

I'm having it today for lunch, and I don't think I've ever been so excited to get in my seven daily servings of veggies.

Real Simple put out a few tasty kale recipes a few months ago that I'm dying to try, too.

Surely all of this kale must cancel out the endless conga line of cinnamon rolls, macadamia clusters, and scalloped potatoes that have been finding their way into my stomach lately?

Delicious Apple Crisp

It was Noah's birthday last week and, per his request, I made this apple crisp.

It was so dang good.

I don't typically like non-chocolately dessert, but I made an exception for this tasty dish.

Here's the recipe, should you be so inclined, adapted from this recipe:

what you need:

5 Granny Smith apples

Half a lemon

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

2 tablespoons of sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

what you do:

1. Peel your apples and core them. Then cut each apple slice length-wise about three times.

2. Throw the apple slices in a non-greased 9x13 baking dish, coat with the juice of half a lemon, and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Swirl it all around.

3. In a small bowl, add flour, brown sugar, and butter. Microwave the bowl for 30 seconds.

4. Mix the contents of the small bowl with a fork until small crumbs take shape. Sprinkle crumbs over apples in baking dish.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, if you are the type of sicko who likes vanilla ice cream (it's okay, Noah does, too.)

Sunday Night Fun

On Sunday night, I baked a big batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and headed to my mom's house for Family Dinner. 

We had mashed potatoes and garlic green beans, and the carnivores had shrimp. 

It was so delicious, and I loved spending time with my mom and brother, looking at family photo albums and laughing about the clothes we used to wear. Max must be the favorite or something, because my mom could.not.stop saying how cute he was back in the day.

If I had a scanner, I'd show you.

As it is, I'm going to be treating this post as an iPhone scrapbook.

My brother really wanted to make a homemade version of these English treats called Jaffa cakes. He found a recipe online, and we got to work after my mom went to bed.

Props to my bestie Leeann for snapping these photos.

We used this recipe.

Food Should Taste Good

My mom bought these chips for me. I'd never heard of them before, but I was impressed with the short list of ingredients:

stone ground corn

sunflower oil

sweet potato

corn bran

evaporated cane juice

sea salt

I just ate the whole bag...for breakfast.

If that's not a resounding endorsement, I don't know what is.