Easy Summer Lunch

I've been on a huge Greek food kick lately, and only the Greeks could get me to consider a salad for lunch. I'm not a salad person in the slightest, maybe have one four times a year. I just don't find its enough sustenance or flavor and a lot of salads have so many preservatives on the lettuce that I just can't take.

Here's my take on a quick easy delicious Greek salad you can make for a weekend or work lunch. Next time I'll be adding grilled chicken for protein and so its more filling. Definitely try and enjoy it outside if you can!

Greek Salad
Serves: 1
2 cups of lettuce (romaine works fine)
1/3 cup green olives (halved with pits removed)
1/3 cup Greek pepperoncini (halved)
1/3 cup halved seedless cucumbers
2-3 slices of halved tomato
2 tablespoons Greek vinaigrette (I used store bought, but could definitely make your own with olive oil, lemon juice, dash or oregano and salt and pepper)

Toss all together and enjoy!

Food Truck Review: Smack Shack

Food trucks are definitely the latest it thing in the foodie world and as of last summer have taken over the streets of downtown Minneapolis. I'm all for this, I think food trucks are brilliant and a great way for chefs to get their food to the masses at a low overhead cost.

This afternoon my co-worker Lizzy and I took off on our bikes for downtown in search of the Smack Shack (@Smack_Shack), a food truck serving what Bon Appetit has named one of the 50 best lobster rolls in the country. Yeah take that east coast!

The line was totally worth it (and moved extremely efficiently! They take cards and cash) and at $8 for lunch (you can't get out of Noodles for under that) it was a total steal and lovely departure from the typical lunch menu items.

If you're going, grab a friend and split the lobster roll (its super decadent and one half with shared fries is plenty for lunch) and take the hour away from the office you deserve by eating outside and enjoying summer weather while its still here.

5 minute lunches

I'm a firm believer in delicious lunches. Just because you're at work without a full kitchen does not mean you should have to sacrifice on flavor and freshness during a crucial meal in your day.

That said with my work's current temporary space (Ala plastic silverware and one microwave) my grandiose cooking skills have hit the skids. Over are the days of whipping up a croque madame in the office.

So what's a girl, who is not big on salad, soups or sandwiches to do without blowing the bank on take out lunches everyday? Learn to improvise and get creative.

This morning with scarce ingredients around after a weekend away I threw together a quick Mediterranean couscous salad. (Whoever invented that pasta and quinoa deserves a medal!).

The result was a delicious light lunch, exactly what a busy working girl needs! I also took a trip down nostalgia lane this morning when I stopped at the market to get the feta I found Koala cookies from my childhood and just couldn't resist (pardon the mess on my desk, its Monday.)

Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Servings: 1 1/2 lunch servings
Time: 5-7 minutes

1/3 cup plain couscous (could use Mediterranean/Greek flavor also)
1/4 cup water
1/2 chopped cucumber (preferably seedless, but won't make or break the dish)
1/3 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper

Cook couscous according to directions
Chop cucumber and basil
Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice (season slightly with salt)
Mix together couscous, cucumber, basil
When you pull out for lunch mix in feta and lemon oil dressing
Enjoy!

Favorite Things: Summer BBQs

The joy of living in Minneapolis during the summer is the amazingness of having a house with a backyard, grill, patio set and fire pit. You could pretty much camp in your backyard every night if you wanted.

I love hosting BBQs at my house all summer long. Having friends over, introducing new people to each other and getting to cook for all my friends makes me feel like life couldn't get any better.

The first BBQ of the season was on Friday and I can't wait for our 4th of July one!

 Mojitos are the perfect summer drink for a night of grilling!

My florist, aka my parents, dropped off my bouquets of fresh peonies that evening!
I follow Ina Garten's advice when it comes to dinner parties: make dishes ahead of time, have lots of booze and fresh cut flowers from your garden (ok my parents' garden).

Side dish: Grilled peppers and onion with olive oil and salt and pepper. Super easy and fresh!

Because it wouldn't be an event without something entertaining happening.
Friday night's main event: Katie spying into the downstairs neighbor's kitchen to see who had the better kitchen in the unit.

They have a bigger one, ours has way better lighting. I'll take ours in practice for my Food Network show.

Tuesday Comforts

Nothing better during a thunderstorm than to be home cooking a comforting meal (shrimp, basil, tomato pasta see recipe below) and blaring Adele. Now off to yoga to burn it off!

Shrimp, Basil, Tomato Pasta

Serves 2

1/2 lb linguine
7-8 pieces of shrimp
1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 can of diced tomatoes in juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup of basil, torn apart
3/4 cup of water
olive oil
salt and pepper

In a skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook shrimp 2-3 minutes remove from pan and set aside

In the same skillet heat olive oil and cook garlic for one minute then add diced tomatoes and water. For extra heat add a dash of red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes and then remove from heat and add grape tomatoes

Meanwhile bring a pot of water to boil and add linguine. Cook per instructions. Strain pasta and return to pot. Add tomato sauce and then add shrimp and basil and mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe: Everyday Food

Its the little things...

Seeing these $6.99 Tulips at Lund's yesterday made me light up and instantly brought me to here...

Photo: Keukenhof Gardens, Emma Wiedner

...my favorite place to spend Spring: Holland. What are the little things that instantly bring you to a favorite place?

Standby Dishes

Everyone has those stand by dishes that can be made with things you always have in your kitchen and can be whipped up by heart. Those dishes that equal comfort in everyday life.

Mine is lemon chicken pasta. So easy, quick and since I cook like an Italian grandmother I always have the ingredients on hand. (Recipe below)

 Lemon Chicken Pasta
Serves: 4
Cook Time: 20 minutes

1 lb penne pasta 
1 1/4 to 1 1/2lb boneless skinless chicken breast
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lemons (save some slices for garnish)
grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and put on a grill pan or grill at medium heat
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add penne. Cook according to package instructions
3. At about 3 minutes before the pasta is finished, heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat
4. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes for about 1 minute, take pan off heat
5. Drain the penne and add to the saute pan then put mixture in large bowl
6. Slice chicken crosswise into strips and add to the bowl
7. Squeeze lemon juice over mixture, then toss the pasta and chicken in bowl
8. Sprinkle Parmesan over mixture until top layer is coated (I like a lot of Parmesan so I add a lot, add as little or as much as you'd like)
9. Season with salt and pepper

Enjoy! I'd love to hear what you think!