My New Obsession

I've recently come across a bunch of Instagram accounts with endless food bowl options. There's smoothies, oatmeal, banana ice-cream, salads, quinoa, kale . . . you see what I mean.



And so I've decided to jump on the trend. It seems a food bowl is the perfect spring board for simple and delicious meals--exactly what I need in this hectic thing I call life these days. Expect to see plenty of posts related to my newest obsession (food bowls-- in case you didn't get it).





Quinoa Tuna Bowl
Makes 2 servings.
Active time: 20 minutes; total time: 25 minutes.

• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon red wine
• 2 (3 oz.) cans albacore tuna in water, drained and broken up into small pieces.
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Cook quinoa according to the package instructions. While it's cooking, make the vegetables and tuna.
2. Heat a wok over high heat. Add broccoli and 1/4 cup water and cook until water is evaporated. Make sure the wok is very hot so that the broccoli is stir fried. Add balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon onion powder; season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until vinegar is evaporated. If broccoli florets are not soft, add the rest of the water and cook until evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red wine and raise heat slightly. Cook until wine is evaporated and peppers are soft. Add onion powder and stir, picking up the browned bits from the pan. 
4. Add the tuna to the pan and continue to cook, stirring. Add remaining red wine and cook until evaporated. Cook for an additional minute, stirring, until tuna is slightly browned. 
5. In two bowls, layer the quinoa, broccoli, and bell pepper–tuna mix. Top with red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. 

And another . . .

For those who aren't aware, I'm currently in the midst of a scone obsession. I just can't seem to satisfy my craving for scones; if I could I would have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner--and snacks, duh!



The bad news is I can't do that--my overly conscious runner self won't allow me that luxury. The good news is, however, I've found friends that enjoy scones as much as like I do. This means I now have a justified excuse to plunge into the depths of Pinterest--and the plethora of cookbooks on my shelves--in search of the perfect scone recipe.



Well, turns out my search is going well: see this recipe and this other one. And then there's the following one. It claims to be a copycat Starbucks scone recipe; it's definitely up to par. Enjoy!



PS, keep an eye out for upcoming scone posts!



Healthy Wild Blueberry Scones (adapted from Babble)
Makes 8 scones.
Active time: 30 minutes; total time: 55 minutes.

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup no fat Greek yogurt
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 1/2 cups frozen wild blueberries
• Coconut oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 425 F; spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and yogurt until fully combined. Refrigerate mix until ready to use. 
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Using a large-hole grater, grate the frozen butter and toss with fingers until butter is well coated. 
4. Fold in the liquid mixture until combined. Transfer dough to a well-floured work space and dust with more flour. Knead 6–8 times, adding more flour as needed. Roll out the dough into a 12" square. Fold into thirds as if folding a business letter; fold in the short ends to create a 4" square. Transfer dough to a floured plate and freeze for 5 minutes. 
5. Roll out dough again into a 12" square. Sprinkle with blueberries, pressing lightly so they adhere to the dough. Roll dough into a tight log and lay seam side down; lightly press to flatten into a rectangular form. Cut crosswise into 4 even pieces, then cut each piece diagonally into triangles. Place triangles onto prepared sheet; spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with remaining sugar. 
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool before serving. 

Call It Whatever You Like

Someone recently assumed that I was vegan. I quickly correctly him, noting that I'm not a vegan, vegetarian, or anything of the sort.



The thing is, my eating habits are free and undefined. Sometimes they involve weird diets with strict guidelines, and sometimes they revolve around random combinations designed to satisfy my cravings. But for the most part, I'm willing to try all kinds of recipes--vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, carnivore, paleo, gluten free, etc. I'm not averse to new dished unless they involve peculiar (read: not very mainstream) ingredients. Sometimes, my favorite recipes are vegan or vegetarian, but other times, you'll find me trying to incorporate beef jerky into my diet (as odd as it may seem, beef jerky is one of my all-time favorite snacks).



Speaking of, this morning I came across a vegan cooking book I bought in college. I've made several recipes from it, and they always turn out delicious. So I decided to try a breakfast recipe. Given that I've been incessantly craving scones, this recipe hit the spot. Enjoy!



Orange Cranberry Scones (adapted from Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook)
Makes 6–8 scones (depending on size preference!)
Active time: 15 minutes; total time: 45 minutes.

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon orange juice (with pulp!)
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or unsalted butter), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F; spray a baking sheet with baking spray and set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup orange juice, orange extract, and orange zest until well combined. Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. 
3. Add the Earth Balance (butter) and knead, using your hands, until mixed through. 
4. Lightly flour a flat surface; transfer the dough to the prepared surface and flatten. Add the cranberries and knead the dough for about 30 seconds, or until cranberries are incorporated. Separate the dough into 6-8; form each piece into a ball and lightly flatten onto the prepared baking sheet. 
5. Using a pastry brush, glaze the scones with the remaining orange juice and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. 
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until sides begin to turn golden; remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.