Fake chicken as good as a the real deal?


Beyond Meat, a new company based in Maryland, has come up with an alternative to chicken meat that it claims is a dead ringer for the real thing. And unlike other meat alternatives on the market, this one aims to be cheap as well as tasty.

The idea behind this new lean, mean protein is to break away from the boring vegan options and hopefully introduce meat-eaters to a meat-free alternative. The mixture of soy and pea powder, carrot fiber, and gluten-free flour will not only be a great substitute for chicken, but will provide the same great flavor and texture at lower cost and without all of the additives found in chicken.

The lucky locals of Northern California will be some of the first to have the opportunity to try Beyond Meat chicken when Whole Foods begins carrying the product next month!

I know I’m intrigued, are you? Would you substitute chicken on a regular basis for this new vegan chicken?

Read more about this new product and listen to the podcast on NPR.

Healthy Banana Peanut Butter Cups

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been bringing homemade peanut butter cups to Thanksgiving dinner. They’re always a hit and I’ve definitely mastered the art of throwing them together quickly!

Unfortunately with my sweet tooth, I could eat 10 of them at a time.. I will eat anything with chocolate and peanut butter! Of course this means I had to figure out a way to make them healthier so I can have them more often.

Welcome my healthy banana peanut butter cups!

Yields 2 mini cups

Ingredients
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp agave nectar
2-4 banana slices, depending on the size of the banana
1 tbsp peanut flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp unsweetened, shredded coconut
2 mini muffin cups

Directions
Mix the cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, and agave nectar until well combined. Add extra agave if you prefer a sweeter chocolate. Spoon half of the mixture into the bottom of the muffin cups and spread onto the sides. Press a banana slice into the bottom layer of chocolate. Place in the freezer for a few minutes to let this first layer set.

Mix the peanut flour, cinnamon, and water until well combined. Feel free to add some agave to this mixture as well if you’d like it a little sweeter. Spoon the peanut butter mixture on top of the banana slices, but make sure not to get it on the edges! Put this back in the freezer to set again.

Top with the other half of the chocolate mixture and sprinkle some coconut on top. Back in the freezer for the last time for just a few minutes!

These get pretty melty, so make sure to serve chilled and enjoy!

What is your favorite go-to dessert?

Butternut Squash Soup

With the weather in Baltimore practically changing seasons daily, I find myself craving some comfort foods on the cooler days so I decided to breakout an old favorite! This soup is so silky and smooth, and doesn’t use any cream, so you won’t feel bad about have a second helping!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
2.5-3 lb butternut squash
2 small sweet potatoes
1 large sweet onion
~48oz chicken or vegetable stock
Curry powder
Salt
Pepper
EVOO

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the sweet potatoes and squash into 1” cubes. Spread evenly over a baking sheet and coat in EVOO, salt, pepper, and a touch of curry powder. Roast the sweet potatoes and squash for about 30 mins, or until fork tender.

While roasting, dice the onion and sautee in a large pot until translucent. When roasting and sauteeing are done, add everything to the pot along with the chicken stock and blend using a stick blender until smooth. Add the chicken stock slowly. You may not need all 48oz. so just add until you get to the consistency you’re looking for. Add curry powder, salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Ideas
I love to serve this with a nice slice of crusty ciabatta bread rubbed with a garlic clove. You could also top with some chopped scallion, toasted coconut flakes, roasted cashews, or even some diced apple for a little crunch!

What’s your favorite cold-weather, comfort meal?

Woodberry Kitchen: A Foodie’s Paradise

Last Wednesday, I was thrilled to be able to share my fabulous dinner at our favorite restaurant; Woodberry Kitchen. We have spent Nathan’s last 3 birthdays here. It’s one of the few farm-to-table restaurants in the Baltimore area and they are serious about their ingredients.

Woodberry Kitchen relies on longstanding relationships with the growers of the Chesapeake to provide the ingredients that nourish and delight our guests. At our table, you join us in supporting sustainable agriculture that respects the abundance and traditions of the region while helping to ensure its future.*

You enter the restaurant and immediately note the unique, rustic and unique decor, and the laid back feeling from the almost hipster-like staff with their plaid shirts and black frame window glasses who could not be friendlier. We were seated upstairs with a great overlook of the open kitchen, featuring a wood fire brick oven.

Each meal starts with a box of freshly made bread. As with everything else on their menu, the types of bread change everyday.

We immediately dive right into the cocktail menu. These guys do not mess around! Only the freshest ingredients to go into their seasonal cocktails and the attention to detail is surely appreciated. The silver and copper mugs really set the drinks off.

I ordered the Blueberry Daisy.

Philadelphia gin, blueberry preserves, lemon, thyme, sparkling rose, silver cup.

Nathan enjoyed their famous Gov’t Mule.

Organic VT vodka, housemade ginger beer, ginger-lime syrup, copper mug.

Ordering starters is a must. There are too many amazingly fresh items on the menu to pass up, so we started out with the Woodberry Kitchen Caesar. Believe me when I tell you you’ve never had lettuce so fresh in your life.

Big City romaine, croutons, ‘allegheny’, oyster-chovy dressing.

Our salad was immediately followed up by the Woodberry Kitchen Butcher’s Board.

Duroc salami, pancetta, bresaola, coppa, pork cracklins; smokey baguette, pickles, mustard.

We didn’t like it at all……..

And onto the main course…

The fish at Woodberry is by far my most favorite item to order. It’s always cooked perfectly and never heavy. The Viking Village Monkfish Out of the Oven did not disappoint!

The mushroom broth was light, the vegetables were portioned perfectly, and each bite was out. of. this. world.

Nathan order the Whistle Pig Hollow Duroc Pork Loin.

Polenta, ramp greens, grilled scallions, pork pan gravy.

The pork fell apart, waiting to be scooped up with the gravy-soaked polenta and fresh greens. The sauce infused each bite perfectly leaving you wanting to practically lick the plate clean!

And no dinner at Woodberry is complete without dessert.

Despite my attempt to be a bit healthier, they only serve their cappuccinos with whole milk. As it should be. I can’t argue that!

And after one sip, I couldn’t agree more. Chef Spike Gjerde and Woodberry Kitchen will be opening a new coffee house in June called Artifact Coffee, managed by Woodberry’s own head barista, Allie Caran, and I cannot wait to try it!

A Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler featuring their homemade fresh cream ice cream. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, especially if it includes their homemade ice cream!

And of course, for the birthday boy they brought out his very own Buttermilk Peach Ice Cream topped with a shortbread cookie that melts in your mouth! (Note the hands of a patient fiance ready to dig in!)

We really could not have asked for a better meal and overall experience. I would recommend Woodberry Kitchen to anyone who lives in or is visiting the Baltimore area. Do yourself a favor!

What is your all time favorite restaurant?

*From WoodberryKitchen.com

“KIND” Bar Crumbles

Before every vacation I scour the internet looking for fun, healthy snacks that are easy to take with us and with our upcoming Cali trip, I was on the prowl! Bars are always the way to go, so why wouldn’t I attempt to make one of our favorites? KIND Bars are the real deal.

I found this recipe from Peas and Thank You for homemade KIND bars and decided to take that and run!

“KIND” Bar Crumbles

Recipe adapted from Peas and Thank You

Ingredients
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tbsp flax seed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp salt
1 cup almonds, roasted & chopped
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup rice cereal <— Loved the added crispiness from this!
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix ground flax seed, flax seed, honey, agave, and salt. Mix everything until well combined. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Spread everything onto a parchment covered baking sheet in ~1/2” layer. Make sure to really smash it all together so it really sticks!

Bake about 20 minutes, turning half way through, until the bars have become slightly crispy.

Let cool completely before breaking into pieces. And try not to eat too much of it while packaging it up! ;)

When you go on vacation, do you pack snacks? What’s your favorite travel snack?

Summer Salsa

Remember wayyyyy back (an entire week ago!) when I mentioned dressing up my Crispy Almond Coconut Chicken? Well today we play dress up!

I have a new-found appreciation for pineapple and have been putting it in everything! With all of the fresh fruit coming into season now, I’ve been wanting to incorporate it more into our meals, rather than just snacks and a summer salsa was just the way to do that.

Summer Salsa

Ingredients
1 Avocado, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced
1 cup strawberries, sliced
2 Kiwis, diced
Salt
Pepper

Directions
Dice up fruits and veggies into approximately 1/2” pieces and throw everything into a bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and carefully stir everything so as to not break up pieces.

It’s that simple! My favorite way of eating this salsa is piled on top of the Crispy Almond Coconut Chicken wrapped up in a corn tortilla. It’s a nice, light and refreshing summer dinner. Top it off with a citrus margarita spritzer and you’re set! And just in time for Cinco de Mayo ;)

Do you have any big food/drink plans for Cinco de Mayo?

What I Ate Wednesday #1

Welcome to my very first WIAW! Lucky for you, or maybe me, there happens to be a birthday dinner included at my very favorite restaurant, Woodberry Kitchen.

Everything was so incredible, as always, that I’m just giving you a little taste of the delicious bites today, but there will most certainly be a post in the near future with the entire meal!

Breakfast

I tried a new recipe for the ultimate protein pancake and it was delicious and definitely kept me full! Don’t worry, the recipe is coming soon! :) I topped off my pancakes with the Tone It Up Bombshell Spell, water, and coffee.

Mid-morning Snack

This may have been the hardest kiwi of my entire life.

Lunch time!

Had a delicious salad with the most random ingredients I could find in my fridge. Super fresh mixed greens from the farmers’ market, corn, celery, sweet potato, pepper, onion, mushroom, chicken, and salsa.

We really needed to go to the store..

Afternoon snack!

Coconut water is really a fantastic little pick-me-up, and chocolate ZICO is my absolute favorite! Unfortunately, that bottle was from Tuesday and I just refilled it with almond milk. I really tried to trick my brain into thinking it was something much more delicious. It didn’t work.

I also had a Chocolate Peanut Butter Clif Builder Bar. Clif bars tend to be a little high in sugar, although it is all-natural, organic sugars, I do try to eat them less often. But they are amazingly delicious so I have to allow it every now and then!

Nathan’s Birthday Dinner

Oh, Woodberry Kitchen, I’m so in love with you.

Woodberry Kitchen is a serious farm-to-table style restaurant. They get fresh ingredients from local farms everyday, so their menu updates everyday. But more on the restaurant in my future post, along with a more in-depth look at each delicious bite!

The meal started with a couple types of bread, a butcher’s board full of different meats, and a caesar salad. And while this might not sound so exciting, keep in mind everything is homemade. Down to the caesar oyster-chovy dressing.

For my main course I had monkfish in a mushroom broth, topped off with a wonderfully (and perfectly) crafted blueberry gin cocktail.

I finished my amazing meal off with a cappuccino and a shared serving of strawberry rhubarb cobbler with fresh cream ice cream. And a little bite of Nathan’s buttermilk peach ice cream.

This might be my absolute favorite WIAW for a long, long time!

What was your favorite dish (or entire meal) you ate on Wednesday?

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

When it’s time to go the store but you just don’t have time, you have to learn to get creative! I scoured the fridge and pantry and decided there was no better time to clean out. And my favorite part about this recipe is that while this time I made it Mexican style, you can change up the veggies and spices, and make whatever you want!

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 bell peppers
1 tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
3/4 red onion, diced
4 button or baby portabella mushrooms, diced
1/2 can of corn
1 1/2 cup shredded chicken
1/2 - 1 cup salsa + 1/2 cup for topping
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Cumin
Mozzarella or cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice peppers in half top to bottom. Coat evenly in EVOO and sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Bake peppers about 7 minutes until just a little soft.

While the peppers are in the oven, add quinoa, chicken, onion, mushrooms, and corn to a large bowl and mix together. Add 1/2 cup salsa and seasonings to taste; mix until everything is thoroughly coated.

Once the peppers are out of the oven, spoon in mixture and bake another 15-20 minutes until everything is thoroughly heated through. If adding cheese, sprinkle on top of the peppers and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes until browned.Make sure to watch closely!Broilers work quickly!

Spoon some extra salsa on top of each peppers and enjoy!

What is your favorite ‘clean out the pantry’ recipe?

beermeamartini:

Last month was my first time participating in a fabulous program called Foodie Penpals started by Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean. I enjoyed it so much last month that I decided to come back for another round.

This month I received lots of goodies from the lovely Kate. I mentioned that I like healthy foods, but I do love sweets and those gnu bars hit the spot! I’d been eyeing them at the store for a couple weeks, but hadn’t tried any yet. Clearly those were the first to go!

The other sweet treats are those mini Ritter German chocolates. When you open a little package, they’re broken up into 4 even mini-er bites. I love it! I can just take 1 little square at a time. And they’re going pretty quickly.. square, by square, by square…..

I may have been most excited to try the spicy chipotle sea snax. I’ve heard so much about seaweed crisps but haven’t been able to find them and let me tell you, just as the package says, they are strangely addicting! And now I must find them!

Last but not least, I have yet to try the coconut wraps, but I can’t wait! There are so many new types of gluten-free wraps to try and the idea of using a mixture of coconut meat and coconut water is incredible! I will definitely be posting once I do finally try them.

Finally, because I know everyone wants so badly to be a part of this amazing foodie penpals program..find out how!

The Lean Green Bean
  • On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
  • You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
  • The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination! 
  • You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!) 
  • Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
  • Foodie Penplas is open to U.S. & Canadian residents.  Please note, Canadian residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from U.S. to Canada and vice versa. So Lindsay keeps the two countries separate.

If you’re interested in participating for May, CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions. You have to submit your information by May 4.

My foodie penpals treats for April! So fun :)