Cheese Plate 101

I don't claim to know much. I'm still trying to figure out my strengths at 27 (I get to say that for one more week). But if there is one thing I do know, it's cheese. I have always loved cheese. Not string cheese, kraft singles, and shredded stuff in a bag. I'm talking delicious, artisinal cheese. Growing up my family even referred to our house staple cheese (Port Salut) as "Ali Cheese," and now my boyfriend even calls it that.

One invaluable skill every gal should know is how to curate the perfect cheese plate. It's great for easy entertaining, the perfect accompaniment to a wine night in, and is hands down the best no cook meal out there. Here is my formula for the quintessential cheese platter to please any palate:

soft cheese + hard cheese + aged cheese + blue =  cheese plate perfection

{personal favorites: triple cream brie, manchego, sharp white cheddar, cashel blue }

Now, once you have the cheeses down you can get creative with accoutrements. I like to throw in some charcuterie (prosciutto, spicy sopresata, or coppa), something sweet like a jam or decadent truffled honey, a crunchy element like marcona almonds, and something briney like olives (non pitted). Pair this with some good crusty bread and thin crisp crackers and you're on your way to elegant eats. 

image via honestly yum

Cookbook Love

1/2/3/4/5/6

It's no secret that I love cookbooks. I could literally sit for hours and fawn over the glossy pages. Cookbooks put me in a good mood and relax me however silly it may sound. Unfortunately I lost a box with all my cookbooks in it, and I have been meaning to build up another collection .

In all reality I would take any cookbook I could get my hand on, but I thought maybe I should start with some that are either about topics I am interested in (whole foods cooking/lifestyle cooking ), or doable meals that lean less on gourmet and more on practical.  Future posts on attempts from new cookbooks coming in the near future!

What are your favorite cookbooks? Any must haves out there?

Menu Planning Week 2

Recipes and images from PaleOMG and Nom Nom Paleo
Frittata/Short Ribs/Meatballs/Hash/Lettuce Cups

This week's menu comes after some deliberating about trying to incorporate the "Paleo" lifestyle in our (the boyfriend and my) diet. I know I'm not willing to go 100% all in, but I think doing 4-5 days a week is pretty doable. I know there is a lot of time and prep work involved in this lifestyle, but I really want to crack down on my carb addiction.

 I searched two well known Paleo recipe sites PaleOMG and Nom Nom Paleo for easy, tasty recipes that I would actually want to make. We haven't started just yet, but I think we're both looking forward to breaking our addictions and honestly eating some "real" food. Has anyone else tried Paleo yet? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Menu Planning

In an effort to get myself in the habit of eating better and eating in more often, I have decided to go back to weekly menu planning. Years ago I did this and I saved tons of money and calories. I don't feel great about eating out a ton especially when my boyfriend and I are really good cooks. So we kind of had our "come to Jesus" moment over the weekend where we committed to being healthier in general. No better way to start than by getting a delicious and healthy menu together for the week. What are your go to recipes for fairly easy, healthy, and delicious meals? I would love more ideas!

You can find all the recipes at the links below!

Tuna Burger/Shrimp and Spaghetti Squash/Peach Salad/Summer Pasta/Korean Tacos

Paleo Dessert You Will Want to Try

Happy Monday! After last week I really needed a weekend away with friends. It was great to relax, have some quality girl time, and not partake at all in social media. Unplugging and having fun was exactly what I needed to recharge.

I am sure many of you have heard about the Paleo Diet where you eat basically like a caveman. Even though I know people who swear by it, I have always been pretty skeptical about any diet that pushes animal fat and red meat. I am more of an "all things in moderation" diet believer simply because I don't do deprivation well. At our girls weekend two of the girls were on Paleo, so many of the foods served were Paleo-friendly.

One of the girls made a Paleo fruit tart which looked really pretty, but again my skepticism got the best of me and I assumed no sugar or butter could not yield good results... I was wrong! The tart was so good, so refreshing, and so light that I had to google it as soon as I got home so I could make it too. I think trying something and liking it really peaked my interest in this lifestyle. I don't know if I could or would want to fully commit to it, but it's definitely something to experiment with. Has anyone else tried Paleo? 

Images and recipe from PaleOMG

Bar Hopping

Chia Bar, Kind Bar, Think Thin Bar, Lara Bar, Luna Bar

I have been doing a lot of taste testing trying to find the perfect protein/nutrition bar. At one point, I think I had six different kinds in my purse that I sampled throughout the week. So far I have found some good ones, but I am still on the hunt for my hands down, go to, order a case off of Amazon bar. I need your help! Which bars do you like? I want something filling, doesn't taste too minerally, and it must be palatable. Any suggestions?

It's All Good

I love cookbooks. There is something almost "zen" for me when I sit down and thumb through big, beautiful glossy pages of a new one. If I had to list calming activities, flipping through a cookbook or three would be high on my list. Every now and then I come across a special cookbook that really inspires me, and that is exactly what happened when I picked up It's All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow. It's All Good was born out of Gwyneth's need to clear out her system, heal, and reset (something I'm pretty sure many of us need to do). With the help of Julia Turshen, they created a collection of healthy comfort food recipes but without sugar, fat, and gluten. 

No sugar, fat, or gluten? Bare with me for a moment. While I am intrigued by people who willingly give up those three lovelies I just listed, until I develop an intolerance or allergy to them, I am most likely never giving them up fully. What I would like to do is cut back on all three. I am trying to figure out what works best for me and my body, but that means a lot of trial and error on my part. The golden rule of "all things in moderation" seems to be the key, but for me (a carb-o-holic) how do I moderate a fresh baguette or a side of truffle fries? Sometimes the answer for me is to have none at all, or just on special occasions. 

Anyway back to Gwyneth. The book is broken down into many sections listed by meal or ingredient group, followed by a great weekly menu section with different goals in mind (think detox week, or family-friendly week). The pictures in the book are stunning and drool-worthy even for "Millet Falafel" (I used to feed my parakeet millet when I was six so pardon me if initially I was not chomping at the bit to eat a mouth full of bird seed). What I took away from this cookbook was the concept of truly clean eating and how easy it can be to implement it into my diet. Am I going gluten-free? No. Am I giving up butter? Heck no. Can I cut back on both those things? The answer is yes I can, and I can do it without feeling deprived. I am excited to try some of these recipes out, but I am actually really looking forward to cleaning up my diet. Weird. 

Below are two recipes from It's All Good that I'll be making ASAP!

Chicken Burgers, Thai Style

• 1 pound ground chicken (preferably dark meat)
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely minced
• 2/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, very finely minced
• 1 teaspoon very finely minced red chili 
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (like canola, grapeseed, or safflower oil)

Thoroughly mix the chicken with the garlic, cilantro, shallots, red chili, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 burgers, each about ¾ inch thick.Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Rub each burger on both sides with a bit of the safflower oil and grill for about 8 minutes on the first side and another 5 minutes on the second, or until nicely marked and firm to the touch.

Carrots with Black Sesame + Ginger

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil       
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger 
• 4 large carrots cut into matchsticks (4 cups)
• Coarse sea salt
• A couple of drops of hot toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over high heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring it into the oil, until it becomes fragrant, just 30 seconds or so. Add the carrots and stir to combine them with the gingery oil. Add a big pinch of salt and ¼ cup of water and turn the heat down to medium-high. Cook until the carrots just begin to soften and the water evaporates, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil, soy sauce, and sesame seeds and serve.