Cooking
Butternut squash mac and cheese: On the neverending theme of “what pasta will I eat this week”, this is my favourite spin on a classic mac and cheese with delicious roasted butternut squash replacing some of the traditional bechamel sauce. Hearty and comforting! I’m a bit behind on typing up this recipe (and I forgot to take photos), but it will be on the blog within a few days.
Other things I cooked:
The First Mess Lime & Cilantro Tofu Bowls: I love these for their simplicity - one sauce for the tofu and broccoli makes it an easy weekday meal. I usually add a bit more to the bowl for extra flavour and variety, like this week I added coconut oil blistered snap peas, avocado slices and a little sweet chilli sauce.
Epicurious Curried Lentil Soup: my colleague sent me this recipe last week and it was sooo delicious. A perfect “not sad desk lunch”. I put all of the coconut milk in the soup because reserving ¼ cup felt tedious, and I added a touch of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar at the end (tsp each) to make the flavours pop.
Smitten Kitchen Extra Pillow-y Dutch Baby: this is a go-to weekend brunch - super simple, looks impressive, and everyone enjoys them. I added lots of fresh cracked pepper, parmesan cheese and chives for a savoury version.
Pork fajitas with butternut squash & lime: working on this recipe for the blog but as a preview, roasted butternut squash prepared the same as my Roasted Sweet Potato & Lime Dip makes a great fajita topping.
Liz Moody’s Best “Healthy” Cookies: I am against labelling recipes as “healthy” because I don’t like what it implies about other recipes or health in general (let’s stop calling food bad for you/good for you!) but, I DO love a sweet treat with less refined sugar and lots of nuts to balance them for weekdays so I don’t get a sugar rush during work. I doubled this recipe (uses a lot of almond butter FYI, stock up at Costco) and they were an awesome midday pick me up.
Reading
How high-end restaurants have failed Black female chefs.
Following
@thefirstmess - this month I am trying to eat mostly plant-based, just eating meat if we’re ordering takeout. Laura Wright’s account has been one of my favourites for plant-based inspiration, and I highly recommend her cookbook!
Listening
To Drivers License on repeat like everyone else.
Using
Maritime Madness Apple Jalapeno Hot Sauce. Since being home in Halifax I have been using MM sauces a lot (their Apple Beer BBQ sauce is also amazing), and I pretty much put this hot sauce on everything. I love when a hot sauce has flavour in addition to heat, and this one is SO flavourful. They ship Canada wide!
Thinking
About all the ways to use roasted butternut squash, which I might be a little too passionate about. Working on an article with all my favourite uses to share. Preview tip here (besides the two other recipes I mentioned above): super tasty on English muffin/naan pizzas as a veggie layer.
Laughing
I think about this tweet often.
Have a great week! - Kaleigh