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Category: Rockin’ Recipes

  • Wake Up with the Perfect Cup of Coffee

    Wake Up with the Perfect Cup of Coffee

    All You Need to Know to Brew the Best Cup of Joe

    cup-of-coffee

    In general, I would consider myself a fairly good cook in the kitchen. Give me a recipe and a little room for creative interpretation and I’ll whip you up pretty mean meal. Yet, despite my kitchen finesse when it comes to cooking, there has been one menu item that has remained outside of my capabilities. I have been plagued with an ineptitude to brew a great cup of coffee.

    At first glance, the process seems simple enough. Pour hot water through coffee grinds until it turns into a black liquid, sweeten up with milk and sugar, and serve. Though, time and again my attempts turn out less than satisfactory. I can’t seem to get the water to coffee ratio correct; always ending up with a drink that taste watered down or far too bitter.

    These epic fails have resorted to the use of a Keurig to get through my morning ritual. I have a love/hate relationship with my Keurig. I love it for its simplicity but hate it for what it stands for–my complete ineptitude to master the most basic of kitchen skills. The latter seems to have been more pronounced as of late and has me stirring to break out of my training wheels. After experiencing the cafe culture of Vienna I decided to do a little research and attend a tasting at my favorite coffee shop to learn how to step up my coffee game.

    Though the practice has just begun, I’ve already picked up quite a few helpful tips that have taken my coffee capabilities from a few notches up. Whether you’re a brewmaster or just getting started, read on for the tips that will help you too to serve up the perfect cup of coffee.

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  • Single Girl Dinner Parties | Simple Italian

    Single Girl Dinner Parties | Simple Italian

    7 Dishes for an easy-to-make Italian themed dinner party

    italian dinner party

    Potlucks are a single girl’s best friend. For less than $20 a person, you can have a multi-dish meal and really enjoy each others’ company (and by that I mean open more than one bottle of wine without paying an arm and a leg). My sister hosted a group of us for a cozy dinner party at her place. Their friends met through a series of MeetUp events when they were all somewhat new to San Francisco a few years ago. Who says you can’t meet new friends online?

    What was on the menu for our Italian dinner party? Caprese skewers, cheese and crackers, bruschetta, prosciutto-wrapped melons, arugula ravioli, and salmon with asparagus… with a little vino and a delightful bundt cake. It’s a delicious night in for up to 10 friends, or pick and choose a few dishes for a party of two. Best part about this menu? You can pick up all the ingredients from Trader Joe’s. Read on for ingredients and recipes.

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  • Super Foods You Aren’t Eating (But Ought to Be)

    Super Foods You Aren’t Eating (But Ought to Be)

    6 Super Foods that Need to Be on Your Grocery List Now!

    Single Girl Super Foods

     

     

    I think it’s safe to say that both Catherine and I maintain healthy obsession with food. There is little that can get in between us and a great meal at one of our favorite restaurants or a note worthy newcomer on the scene. Just check out this post if you’re hard pressed to believe.

    Though we aren’t ones to turn our noses up to a gourmet burger or overloaded chocolate chip cookie, we respect that these occasional indulgences must be balanced out with generally healthier habits. So, while we’ll gladly dish on a lush dessert one day, we’re just as happy to cleanse our systems with a smoothie and a farmer’s market salad the next. I guess you could say we’re amateur experts on both sides of the table–the decadent and the disciplined.

    Over the past few years my diet has taken an overall turn for the healthier. In the past, I was a victim to the fat-free, sugar-free fads, regularly stocking my pantry with highly processed foods that I thought were good for me. I’ve since come to recognize that the healthiest way to eat is to primarily stick to whole, natural, and real foods.

    Like many of you, I’ve read the articles on ‘super foods’ and the benefits of incorporating these nutrient dense eats into my diet. At this point, I’m sure most of us could rattle off many of the foods that generally make these lists- blueberries, almonds, greek yogurt…. But lately, I’ve been introduced to a whole new host of ‘super foods’ that rarely make theses popular posts. From fighting inflammation, to boosting your metabolism and helping you get glowing skin, these 6 foods are power house additions to your pantry.  Check out what makes them awesome and our hand picked recipes to help you add them into your diet.

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  • Banana Nice Cream

    Banana Nice Cream

    Your Guide to Banana Nice Cream–Summer’s Sweetest and Slimmest Treat

    Banana-Nice-Cream

    About one year ago I discovered the wonder which is banana nice cream. If you haven’t yet grown privy to this vegan delight, hold onto your seat because you are about to be wowed by this sweet treat. Who would have known that when blended, frozen bananas take on the consistency of soft serve ice cream? Simply amazing and delicious!

    If this is news to you, consider 2014 your summer of banana nice cream because after one taste you’re sure to be hooked. Honestly, how could you resists a naturally no-fat, no-sugar-added, dairy-free alternative to regular ice cream? The greatest part of all is that the flavor opportunities are endless.

    To start you off on your journey toward vegan ice cream heaven I’m sharing a few quick steps to create your basic banana nice cream base.

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  • Farmer’s Market Summer Salad

    Farmer’s Market Summer Salad

    The Perfect Summer Salad for Your 4th of July Feast

    summer-salad
    Our favorite summer holiday is swiftly approaching and we’re busy prepping for the fun. For me, no matter what plans I have, two things always stay constant with my Fourth of July festivities fireworks and food. Since I have no business getting anywhere near the former, I like to turn my attention to the latter.

    At the beginning of the year we invited all of you to join us in crafting your vision board.  One of the focuses of mine, was to spend 2014 working on my craftiness and creativity. With that in mind this past Sunday, I headed to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, camera in hand, with two goals in mind. The first– to scout out some fresh ingredients for a summer salad recipe I could recreate for the Fourth of July weekend festivities. The second–to practice my photography skills with the DSLR camera I’ve been slowly learning to use.

    As you head into this week, I also have two goals I’d like to pose to you. First, give this summer salad a go. Summer is the perfect time to shop for seasonal produce so make it your own by adding whatever fresh ingredients you find at your local market.  Even if you aren’t a whiz in the kitchen, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing dish on your hands if you simply stick to great ingredients. Second, take a look back at your vision board and remind yourself of the goals you set for the year. We’re over half-way through 2014 so it’s a good time to check in.

    Read on for a few tips to perfect your take on the perfect farmer’s market summer salad.

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