Just the Two of Us

My hubby and I are heading off to Vegas this weekend just the two of us... yay!  It's just nice to get away to realize how it was before we got married and just have time alone. 

Also, I'm becoming obsessed just like everyone else of the Royal Wedding.  I thought Kate's dress was just GORGEOUS.  I didn't expect for her to go with something so traditional but it looks SO right on her and did you see her little itty bitty waist?  She is absolutely stunning and her little bouquet of lily of the valley couldn't be more understated beautiful.  And I think only princesses and queens should wear tiaras on their weddings days.  I said it and I probably offended some ppl!  But honestly, honestly!  Reality check here.  It only looks right on them. 

Tabbouleh

I love my veggies and herbs!  Last night I made tabbouleh from the veggies I got from the farmers market and mint from my friend's backyard.  Her mom has a fabulous herb and veggie garden in her backyard with all these exotic Thai and Indonesian herbs.   I wish I had a green thumb!!  For now, I take what I need from her and last night I took some fresh mint.  It smelled SO good! 



Ta da!  Most nights, I just eat salad for dinner.  I love it!  And it's super cleansing on the palate. 

The recipe is super easy and you don't have to be perfect about the proportions.

Recipe:

1 c of bulgur wheat

1 bunch of parsley (about 1 c chopped)

1 bunch of mint (about 1 c chopped)

2 bunches of scallions

2 cups of small tomatoes

1 hothouse cucumber

2 lemons

1/4 c to 1/2 c of olive oil

Salt to taste

Boil 1 1/2 cups of boiling water and place bulgur wheat in a large bowl.  Pour the boiling water over the bulgur wheat and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Chop all the herbs and veggies while the bulgur wheat is resting.  Strain the bulgar wheat in a strainer and cool with cold water.  Add parsley, mint, scallions, tomatoes, and cucumber to the bulgur wheat.  Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemons and add to the mixture along with the olive oil and salt to taste.  Let the salad sit for at least 1 hour for the flavors to combine together.

Kefir Grains Challenge Day 1

My girlfriend, Gina, gave me a present over the weekend.  I know what you are thinking.... WTH is that?!?

Well, you take these slimy kefir grains and cultivate the bacteria in a glass jar with room temperature milk so the probiotic bacteria grows.  After 24 hrs in the milk, you drain the kefir grains in a strainer and you drink the sour milk.  Sound like a crazy freaky science experiment on yourself?  Yes, it really is.  I will tell you know it goes.  My friend's mom tried it for a month and her skin brightened up so I'm willing to try this thing if my skin brightens too.  I tested the sour milk out on my wonderful loving husband last night and he seems to be okay today.  Lol!  I will try this tonight and every day this week and report back to see if this stuff really works.  The things we do in the name of beauty! 

*Edit*

I took a couple pics of the kefir grains so you can see the milk cultivating.  YUM is not the first word that comes to mind.  I did get a chance to read up on kefir milk and you can use it as a replacement for buttermilk and the health benefits are amazing and one of them is allergies!  If this stuff cures my allergies, I will be preaching the stuff to everyone I know.  It will be the best present ever! 

Detoxing with Soup

I made this soup this week for my husband and me and it was so much tastier than I ever imagined veggies, some herbs, and a little spice would do!  I adapted this recipe from Alice Water's carrot soup recipe from The Art of Simple Food (this is my absolute favorite cookbook).  And it was just what I needed after a weekend of gluttony.  I think it's important to balance things like wine and bacon covered dates out with some healthy goodness that is exactly what my body is really craving.

My take on Alice's recipe....

Heat in a cast iron dutch oven:
A couple tbs of olive oil
Add:
2 onions, sliced or diced
A sprinkle of cayenne pepper (slightly more if you like spicy but don't overdo this one)
Cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add:
2.5 pounds of carrots, peeled and sliced (about 6 cups)
Season with:
Salt
Cook for 5 minutes.  Cooking the carrots with the onions for a while builds flavor.
Add:
6 cups vegetable broth
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.  When done, season with salt to taste.
Add:
A handful of cilantro
Puree with an immersion blender.