Taco Night and Bowls of Goodness (Week 13)
We are on a streak of incredible weather around here and yes, I am taking a moment to acknowledge it. New England gets such ridiculous weather patterns that when we get a stretch of days that are too-good-to-be-true I find that it warrants discussion. Or at least praise.
I love being outside and appreciating the bright blue sky and low-humidity (this combination is usually rare during summer) so the last week has been a treat. Even as I type this, the sky is sparkling and the air feels like pure summer. If every day from May - September could be just like this, then I’d be ridiculously pleased. A girl can dream…
Speaking of joy, last week’s meals were pretty wonderful, too! We kicked it off with sheet-pan-fajitas which we turned into tacos, and then made every dinner possible that could be served in a bowl! Balance is all well and good, but sometimes a “theme” just sticks. We found some amazing flavors last week and I must admit I’d love to eat each and every meal again…very, very soon!
Let’s dig in!
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Recipe by Ashlea of All the Healthy Things
Sheet pan dinners are weeknight heroes. There’s not much that’s easier than putting everything you’re going to eat on the same pan, then bake it in the oven for a fairly short time, and then eat it! For this dinner, we marinated the chicken and veggies before baking (roasting?) it all in the oven, which really made the flavors pop. Fajitas should be bold, spicy, and eye-catching - I think we succeeded! We topped them off with fresh cilantro from our balcony garden, a little sour cream (that’s key to balance the spice), and fresh lime juice.
Yes, we decided turn out fajita night into taco night, but I have a feeling you would do the same thing. Fajita fillings are unapologetically asking to be put into tacos; they go hand-in-hand! Chicken fajitas are really delicious; I’d highly recommend making this meal and turning them into tacos, too. :)
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Recipe by Ashlea of All the Healthy Things
Our second night in a row of featuring a recipe from the awesome All the Healthy Things blog, we decided on one of Ashlea’s featured dishes, this Egg Roll in a Bowl. Why haven’t we made this before? It is so easy, so delicious, and such a no-brainer of a creation. I loved it. I really think you will enjoy it, too.
The secret to this being one of the fastest meals is the use of coleslaw mix, but without the dressing. Coleslaw mix is pre-shredded carrots and cabbage, which is very much the same (or very close) as the filling of an egg roll. Hence, egg roll in a bowl! The mix is stir-fried with pork (or your choice of ground protein) and topped with a scrumptious spicy mayo. This is a really quick and yummy dinner; we may even make it again next week!
One of the reasons I’m loving this new-to-me food blog is that Ashlea consistently features delicious, spicy foods with plenty of bold flavors. I have saved numerous recipes from her site so expect to see more of her great meals around here from now on. Oh, did I mention that the recipes are always gluten free? How convenient is that?
Asparagus Noodle Bowl with Udon Sauce
Original creation, sauce recipe by Myers + Chang at Home.
Rolling along on our week-of-bowl-dinners, nothing can really compete with a noodle bowl. For this rendition, we stir-fried fresh asparagus, ground turkey, mushrooms, and onion, and combined that with Udon sauce (recipe is available in the book linked above). If you haven’t had Udon sauce before, then now is the time. It is so delicious and pairs well with just about any stir-fry you’re creating. It’s a savory sauce with just a hint of sweet; I happily admit we turn to this specific sauce when we need to jazz up an otherwise basic stir-fry dinner.
For our noodle bowls, we always use rice noodles, which are naturally gluten free. And in terms of protein and veggies, we get creative! This time around we used ground turkey, which is leaner and healthier than other ground meat options. However, other versions have used ground pork, beef, or even chicken. Next time, I’d love to make this exact meal (yes, again) with shrimp. The joy of stir-fries is that they’re versatile. Mix-and-match ingredients abound; the options are endless! Oh, we topped our bowls with sliced hot peppers. Spice is nice. :)
Homemade Hummus and Roasted Broccoli Bowl
Original Recipe, homemade tortilla recipe from King Arthur Flour.
If we’re being picky, then I suppose this dinner didn’t need to be served in a bowl. A plate would have been fine. But I like these large, low bowls for meals like these so we’re calling it a bowl-style meal. And that’s that! We’re also calling it “dinner when you have no idea what to make, but you have broccoli and chickpeas.” Is that a category? Should be.
The stars of this dinner were the homemade hummus, my goodness it’s so much better than store-bought, and the homemade tortillas, which do take longer to prepare than heating up a pack from the freezer, but the result is 10000 times better. However, we have made store-bought tortillas many times. These homemade ones were a special treat (extra time means extra-special tortillas). Enough of my rambling; make the tortillas!
When you’re struck with indecision for dinner, I’d recommend making one of these mezze-style plates (bowls). Hummus is a great base, tortillas are there for scooping, roasted broccoli got thrown in for dipping (use any veggie available), and I love artichokes, so we added a jar of those last-minute. It’s not a very colorful dinner, but it was delicious and perfect for our almost-the-weekend cooking mindset. A little of this, a little of that, and voila. Dinner!
Capellini with Pork and Kale
Original Recipe
A few days ago, on June 12, Seth and I celebrated nine years since the day we met (!!) in a very us-appropriate way: we ate great food together! Ever since day one, we’ve been enjoying wonderful meals together in a myriad of locations, but most of my favorites are ones we have eaten together at home. Cue the cheesiness. But it’s true! If this quarantine has taught me anything, then it’s that the best meals are eaten at your own kitchen table with no shoes on, sometimes the TV on in the background, and just relaxing with those you care about most.
Seth made one of my current-favorites to toast the occasion which is pasta with meat and veggies. We have made countless variations of this recently, sometimes without meat, but this version in particular will always stand out. Kale, pork, and pasta are a trio that will consistently be seriously delicious. We added artichokes because I love them, and plenty of parmesan. A really wonderful meal to celebrate a really cool milestone. Next will be ten years together, so I better start thinking now of what I’d like to eat then. It will take me awhile. ;)
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Enjoy!
