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Heat Wave Eats: Thai Quinoa Peanut Salad and Other Recipes for Hot Days

Hello, friends! It’s been awhile.

I took a much needed break from blogging, and it was really good for my soul. I’ve cooked with a strange sense of freedom for the past few months. I haven’t had to worry about whether or not a dish will photograph well. I’ve been able to go back and cook a lot of my old favorites, because I wasn’t worried about coming up with blog content. I haven’t had to think about lighting or composition or SEO or any of that stuff. Nope, I just cooked whatever I felt like cooking. I’ve made an effort to use what I have on hand. To waste less, and utilize my pantry and garden more. It’s been incredibly refreshing.

But, I’ve missed blogging. I’m itching to write, to get in the kitchen and try new things. To experiment and daydream and tinker. I’m still figuring out how to balance work and life and motherhood and blogging. It’s a challenge, but I’m getting there. Baby steps.

So, here I am. I decided to jump back into blogging, right in the middle of the craziest heat wave Portland has ever seen in June. The weather is gross. But, for whatever reason, I’ve felt inspired and creative and I’ve been in the kitchen a lot. Granted, I haven’t been “cooking”, per se. No, I’ve been assembling and arranging delicious meals with a minimum of cooking with any sort of heat. I refuse to turn on my oven.

For my grand return to blogging, I thought I’d share with you a few of the recipes that have been my saving grace during this crazy heat wave. Below, I’ll share my recipe for my new favorite summer salad – Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad – as well as links to a whole bunch of other recipes that are perfect for hot summer nights. These recipes all require little or no cooking (or a slow cooker!) and are some of my all-time favorites for summertime eatin’.

First the links (recipe for Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad to follow!):

THE BEST LENTIL SALAD, EVER (from My New Roots) – This salad is true to its name. It is the best lentil salad, ever. The dressing requires a lot of spices (be sure you’re stocked up), but other than that it’s super easy to make. And I make it with pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s so no cooking is required!

PAD THAI SPRING ROLLS WITH RED CURRY PEANUT SAUCE (from With Food and Love) – I haven’t actually made THIS recipe yet, but I make a lot of spring rolls this time of year. Throw some greens, protein, rice noodles and pickled veg into a rice paper wrapper and call it good. And here’s my favorite peanut sauce recipe, for dipping!

GARDEN GAZPACHO (from the blog archives) – classic summertime fare. This version includes a few fire roasted tomatoes (which won’t heat up your house, I promise) and a whole jalapeno, for good measure.

BUCKWHEAT SOBA SALAD WITH SNOW PEAS AND RADISHES (From my blog archives) – I could eat soba salads every day and be happy. I make a lot of different variations of cold soba salads, but this one might be my favorite. It’s simple, easy, and tasty.

STRAWBERRY CAPRESE WITH PISTACHIO PESTO (from How Sweet Eats) – Such an interesting twist on a traditional caprese. Simple, seasonal, and stunning.

SLOW COOKER KOREAN SHORT RIB TACOS (from Tasty Kitchen) – I make a version of this recipe a couple times a month and then use the meat in tacos, lettuce wraps, salads, burritos, etc. I’ve been keeping a container of shredded napa cabbage in the fridge, and I just toss the korean short rib meat with the cabbage, a sesame vinaigrette, and kimchi. It’s the best lunch.

STRAWBERRY CREAM PIE (From my blog archives) – Fresh strawberries, piled atop a mascarpone and cream cheese filling and a ginger snap crust. Doesn’t get much better than this. Pro tip: use any fresh berries that are in season, it’ll be just as delicious.

And now for a new recipe! This salad is so darn addictive, I’ve made it a zillion times over the past few weeks. Each time I make it, I change it up a little bit. Sometimes I include cherry tomatoes, other times I’ll throw in a red bell pepper. Sometimes I make it spicy, and other times, I leave it light and fresh and simple. Really, there’s a lot of ways you can go with it. Just make it. Eat it. Enjoy it. And stay cool!

Thai Quinoa Peanut Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 serrano pepper, seeds removed and sliced thin
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2 carrots, julienned
1/2 a cucumber, thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1.5 cups of shredded red cabbage
3 teaspoons fish sauce
The juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Pinch of red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped peanuts
Handful of chopped cilantro
Handful of chopped Thai basil

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, honey, oils, and spices.
Toss together the vegetables and quinoa. Pour dressing over the mixture, and stir to coat. Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. When ready to serve, sprinkle the cilantro, Thai basil, and peanuts over the salad before serving.

Notes

I used red quinoa for this recipe, but regular brown quinoa would also work.

(Recipe adapted from Foodie Crush)

http://rosemarried.co/2015/06/29/thai-peanut-quinoa-salad/

Warm Curried Cauliflower Salad with Dried Cranberries, Cilantro, and Almonds

The other day I confessed to my husband that the blog is stressing me out. I know that I’ve neglected the blog recently, and that my posts are spotty and infrequent. I just feel so guilty about it. It sucks. But you know what else sucks? Feeling guilty about my blog. Frankly, it’s just stupid. I started this blog because I was working at a job I didn’t like and I desperately needed a creative outlet. I found so much joy in cooking and I wanted to share that joy with others. So, I cooked and I wrote and I found so much freedom in the process.

But here I am, nearly 5 years later and my life has changed drastically. I quit my job and started my own freelance marketing business. I started working for a farmer’s market. I had a baby.

In addition, blogging has changed. It’s become much more of a business. It feels much less like a community, and more like a competition. It’s become about imagery and props and styling, not about content. To be honest, I’m a little tired of it. I’ve been mulling over these thoughts for awhile, and then I read a recent post by Michelle at Hummingbird High and it really resonated with me. She spoke honestly about her thoughts on blogging, and it was refreshing to read someone speak openly and honestly about the current state of the blog world.

When I started this blog, I was working a 9-5 desk job. Blogging was strangely easier in those days, as I would come home after work and would work out the frustrations of the day in the kitchen. It was the best kind of therapy. These days, I don’t have set work hours. I’m a stay-at-home mom, sort of. I’m also a working professional, and I love my work. I’m juggling a lot. I have eight hours of childcare a week. Eight.

The reality is, I just don’t have a lot of time to devote to the blog right now and I feel I need to take a little time and reassess my priorities. I want to write and post for the right reasons, not out of stress or obligation. I started this blog because it was really good for me. It brought me a lot of joy and satisfaction. (It certainly wasn’t a source of stress!) I need to get back to that place.

Lest you panic, I’m not shutting down the blog. I promise, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still post recipes, but I’ll post when I feel it makes sense. I’ll post when I feel inspired. I’ll post when I find a little spare time. I’ll post when my kid starts napping regularly and gives me a few hours to myself. ;)

I’m still here, I just need a little reboot.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for understanding. Chances are, I’ll post more frequently now that I’ve gotten this off my chest.

I feel better already.

WARM CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES, CILANTRO, AND ALMONDS

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 cup slivered almonds

4 green onions, sliced thinly

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil or Silpat.

Trim the cauliflower into small (half inch or inch) florets.

Mix together the olive oil, spices, and minced garlic. Toss cauliflower florets with oil and spice mixture, making sure that cauliflower is well coated.

Place cauliflower on lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, flipping once, or until fork tender and browning along the edges.

Remove cauliflower from oven and allow to cool slightly. Toss with dried cranberries, almonds, cilantro, and green onions. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve warm. (Note: I squeezed a little lime juice over the top of the salad before serving and it was delicious!)

Shredded Brussels Sprout Caesar with Bacon

The first time I made this Brussels sprout Caesar salad was for Thanksgiving dinner. I posted a photo of the salad on my Instagram feed, and a couple of people asked if I’d be sharing the recipe. I responded with a resounding yes, and let them know that I’d be posting the recipe the following week.

That was 3 months ago. (But who’s counting?!?)

As I’ve said time and time again, this business of having a baby is time consuming. It’s completely awesome, but it takes every spare ounce of energy that I can muster. And when I do finally get a few moments to myself, I have to use that time very wisely (i.e. working on projects for my clients, taking a shower, doing laundry, etc.) The ole blog tends gets left in the dust.

But, I am determined to get back in the saddle. I’ve been cooking a lot lately, and it feels great. I’m still trying to find the time and energy to photograph and write about food, but I’m getting there. Baby steps, people. Baby steps. (Please tell me you’re reading this in Bill Murray’s voice. What About Bob? is the best.)

So, it took me 3 months to get around to posting this Brussels sprout Caesar salad recipe. This salad is worth the wait, I promise. It’s all of the best things, tossed together into one tasty salad: Brussels sprouts seared in bacon fat, mixed with a tangy yogurt Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese, and crispy bacon.

Folks, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Shredded Brussels Sprout Caesar with Bacon

A warm Caesar salad, made with shredded Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, and a tangy yogurt Caesar dressing. Adapted from howsweeteats.com.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon
1 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced very thin
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 anchovies, minced
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
The juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

First, cook the bacon. (I’m more of a stovetop bacon kind of girl, but feel free to cook the bacon to your liking!) Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, flipping once, until the fat renders and the bacon is good and crispy. When ready, remove the bacon from the skillet and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan, and pour off the rest of the grease.
Next, make the dressing. In a food processor or blender pulse together the greek yogurt, anchovies, garlic, mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed.
Heat skillet with reserved bacon grease over medium heat. Toss shredded Brussels sprouts in the pan, making sure to evenly coat with bacon grease. Cook the sprouts for 4-6 minutes, until warm and browning along the edges.
Remove sprouts from the skillet and toss with a few spoonfuls of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with grated parmesan cheese and crumble bacon over the top of the salad. Serve warm, with an extra dusting of freshly grated black pepper.

http://rosemarried.co/2015/02/28/shredded-brussels-sprout-caesar-bacon/

Friday Favorites: Family Photos + Nursery Decor

Hello, friends!

For this edition of Friday Favorites, I thought I’d share with you a few of my favorite photos from a family photo shoot we did a while back with the lovely Linnea Paulina. She took these photos of us when the babe was just 3 weeks old.

Looking back at these photos, it’s amazing how quickly everything changes. I no longer have a tiny sleepy baby, rather, I suddenly find myself with a very aware baby who coos and giggles, squirms and wiggles, rolls over and makes crazy baby dinosaur noises. She’s pretty darn adorable.

With that said, I am so glad that we got these photos taken. I know I normally share recipes and food photos here, but I couldn’t help but share a few photos of our nursery and family, as captured by Linnea. They’re just stunning! Linnea is an incredibly talented photographer (she shoots all in film!) and I love how she captured this crazy and wonderful time in our lives.

Also, if you’re curious, I’ve also included a few links below with info on where we got our nursery decor. Most of the nursery is a hodge-podge collection of thrifted items and hand-me-downs, but there are a few things I purchased specifically for the room. I had a lot of fun putting the nursery together, and am rather proud of how it turned out!

(Also, the nursery was this clean and pretty for a very short period of time. Now, it’s an explosion of baby clothes, diapers, bouncy seats, Bumbos, etc. It was nice while it lasted..)

Crib sheet: The Buttercup Boutique (Etsy Shop)

Black & white Rug: IKEA

Black & white throw pillows: IKEA

Swan Mobile: Flensted (via Amazon)

Framed bunny & owl prints: A thoughtful gift from a family friend, drawings by the talented Bethany Gosvener.

Wall decals: DecalVenue on Amazon (only $12!)

Poang “rocking” chair: IKEA (via craigslist! boom!)

Harry Potter Print: Dollar Print Shop on Etsy

Throw blanket (on rocker): Pendleton Woolen Mills (another extremely thoughtful gift from a friend!).

That’s all for now.

Happy Friday, friends! I’ll be back next week with recipes and food photos to boot. :)

Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt and Thyme

I’ve officially been a mom for over 3 months. Time flies when you’re having fun, and it especially flies when you’re sleep deprived and love-drunk on a tiny little human. Motherhood is crazy that way.

Right at the 3 month mark, I felt a distinct change. I started to feel normal again. The baby started sleeping a night (for more than a couple of hours at a time!). I wasn’t a pro at motherhood, by any means, but I felt like I was getting the hang of things. And that’s precisely when disaster struck: my computer died. My hard drive failed and the data was deemed unrecoverable. Thankfully, I had a lot saved to cloud storage and have hard copies of some of my important documents and photos. It certainly could have been a lot worse. But, still. My computer died. It wasn’t fun.

Then, in the midst of dealing with the fallout from my computer dying, the baby got her first cold. I know, I know. It’s just a cold. It shouldn’t be a big deal, but somehow it is? They’re just so little and tiny and helpless and it’s hard to see them feel crummy. And, when the baby feels crummy she doesn’t sleep well (and when the baby doesn’t sleep well, nobody sleeps well). So, that wasn’t fun either.

I could tell you more about my rotten week, but it would probably bore you. You know how it is. Sometimes life is exhausting and unpredictable, and you just have to go with it. That’s the way the cookie crumbles. And that, my friends, is exactly how I’ll segue way into talking about this cookie recipe. (Like how I did that?!?)

Truth be told, I had a lot of recipes and ideas to share with you all. And then my computer died, and a lot of those recipes/photos/etc died with it. So, I went back to the drawing board and I found myself wanting to make something simple, classic, and comforting. So I made a big ole batch of dark chocolate chunk cookies. These cookies are nothing new or exciting, but they were exactly what I needed. They’re rich and chewy, speckled with dark chocolate, sea salt, and thyme. I can say with all honesty that these are the best cookies I have ever made.

One of these days, I’ll get back to blogging regularly. I’ll (hopefully) post inspiring seasonal recipes and drool-worthy photos. I’ll find my rhythm and I’ll find the time. Until then, please enjoy this chocolate chip cookie recipe.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES WITH SEA SALT + THYME

Recipe inspired by Baking Bird

Ingredients:

2 sticks salted butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

12 ounces (or more!) of quality dark chocolate*, roughly chopped

Optional: flake sea salt, for sprinkling atop the cookies

*I used a mixture of random dark chocolate bars I had in the pantry, but most of the chocolate was from local chocolate purveyor, Woodblock Chocolate.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.

In a large bowl (or the base of a stand mixer), mix together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and thyme. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix until combined. Fold in the dark chocolate chunks.

Spoon the dough into evenly sized balls (about 1 tablespoon each), and place 2″ apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool cookies on a wire rack. Top with flake sea salt, if desired.

Turmeric Coconut Tea + Friday Favorites

I’m tired, friends. It’s Friday, but I only know that because the internet told me so. At this point in my life, the days all blur together. I’m managing to keep a tiny human alive, which is no small feat. These tiny humans are hard work! (Fun fact: I’m currently typing this while wearing the little one in a wrap and bouncing on a yoga ball. Oh, and she’s crying because she’s overtired and is refusing to sleep. It’s one of those days.)

But when life hands you a cranky and overtired baby, you just gotta do what you can to get through it. I have to remind myself that it’s a phase, and it won’t last forever.

It’s precisely days like this that I make myself a big cup of Turmeric Coconut Tea. It’s all the good things, in one little cup. It’s warm and wonderful; comforting and healing. It lifts my spirits and soothes my tired and weary bones. Whatever your troubles may be, I promise this tea will help. It may not fix all your troubles, but it will certainly brighten your day. It’s just that kind of elixir.

I originally discovered this tea on 101 Cookbooks, and then re-discovered it when my friend Kirsten posted about her coconut milk variation of the tea.

There are a number of ways you can make this tea. I start with a mug, and add to it a heaping spoonful of ground turmeric and a heaping spoonful of raw honey. I then add a dash of hot water to the honey and turmeric, and stir together until a paste forms. I then fill the mug with equal parts hot water and hot coconut milk (which I boil together on the stovetop), and stir until the paste dissolves. I then add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a couple grinds of black pepper, a dash of cayenne, and a cinnamon stick. That’s how I like my turmeric tea, but feel free to make it to your liking. I imagine that it would be wonderful with a bit of freshly grated ginger, and I’ve often wondered how it would taste with a glug of whiskey. (A turmeric toddy, perhaps?)

That, my friends, is how you make a delightful cup of turmeric coconut tea. And, since it’s Friday, I thought I’d leave you with a list of a few of my favorite things. Just because.

FRIDAY FAVORITES: JANUARY 9, 2015

I made this pasta recipe this week, with kale and sage pesto, brussels sprouts, and a brown butter bread crumb topping. It requires a lot of ingredients and has quite a few moving parts, but it’s worth it. I will make this recipe again and again.

This article about the first 3 months of motherhood. This kind of honesty is comforting and refreshing. It’s not all rainbows and roses, people.

Grantland. If I could write for any website, I honestly think it would be Grantland. That may sound strange coming from a food blogger, but I have a secret dream of being an edgy feminist sports writer. I think sports (and sports fans) are an interesting reflection of culture, and I am constantly intrigued by Grantland’s take on sports culture in America. If you don’t believe me, read this brilliant article on Kobe Bryant (and why we love to hate him).

Stammtisch. This new(ish) German brewpub is our current favorite spot for a weeknight meal and/or brew. An excellent selection of German beers? Check. Family friendly? Check. A television for Blazer watching? Check. Incredibly delicious German food? Check. Great service and friendly waitstaff? Check. Stammtisch has it all.

I recently started working with Water Avenue Coffee Co. and I cannot say enough good things about these folks. First of all, the coffee is delicious. And everyone who works there (baristas! roasters! owners! drivers!) are all so darn nice. It’s just an awesome company, all around. I’m really excited about working with them. Here’s to a coffee-filled 2015!

My slow cooker. Since having a baby, I’ve found that the slow cooker is my best friend. It’s just so darn easy. You just throw in your ingredients and walk away. Some of my favorite slow cooker recipes are for pulled pork, pumpkin curry, pot roast, and tomato soup. Oh, and I really want to try this slow cooker beef ragu recipe.

Margaritas. Oh, how I’d missed margaritas. My husband got me a bottle of Mezcal for Christmas (and he made a big batch of homemade sour mix!) and I forgot how good a margarita can be. After nearly a year without them, I’m glad to welcome margaritas back into my life. (For what it’s worth, my favorite margaritas in Portland can be found at Por Que No?, Xico, and Bunk Bar.)

And that’ll do it for today’s favorites. The baby is awake (again) and crying (again) and so I must go. Happy Friday!

Holiday Giveaway: Mulled Wine Kit from Parcel

I’m excited to announce a very special giveaway on the blog today, a Mulled Wine Kit from the wonderful people at Parcel!

Parcel is a small business based here in Portland, OR. They specialize in curated gift boxes, filled with treasures from the Pacific Northwest. The boxes are thoughtfully and artfully crafted, with a little something for everyone. There’s a Welcome Box for the new homeowner, a Little One Box for the new parent, and a lavish Pendleton Box filled with an impressive array of cozy winter goods. The boxes feature products from some of my favorite Oregon producers – Jacobsen Salt Co., Bee Local Honey, QUIN candy, Woodblock Chocolate, and more! Even the boxes themselves are works of art, handcrafted in Oregon with Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.

For this holiday giveaway, I am partnering with Parcel to give away one of their Mulled Wine Kits! This kit my favorite of the Parcel boxes, as I’m a sucker for a good batch of mulled wine (and this box includes the fixins to make the BEST batch of mulled wine).

The Mulled Wine Kit includes: One bottle of Underwood Pinot Noir, two red enamel mugs, Bee Local Honey, cinnamon sticks, spice satchel, and instructions for making Mulled Wine for Two. Great for newlyweds, neighbors, clients and anyone looking to escape these cold, blustery nights! This kit comes with a custom label and holiday greenery in a signature keepsake box, handcrafted in Oregon with Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.

See below for giveaway details!

ENTER TO WIN A MULLED WINE KIT FROM PARCEL:

To enter, leave a comment below stating your favorite box from Parcel!

Holiday giveaway rules: All entries must be submitted by Monday, December 15th, at 10pm PST. A winner will be selected at random and will be notified by December 15th. Parcel will hand deliver or mail the box to the winner.

ADDITIONAL ENTRY OPTIONS:

For one additional entry (optional), follow Rosemarried on Instagram come back here to leave another separate comment stating you’ve done so.

For one additional entry (optional), follow Parcel on Instagram come back here to leave another separate comment stating you’ve done so.