CUP-FAKES

Just a fun one for today. These are hysterical. Cupcakes made to look like real food. How sweet would it be to bring something like this home to your kids for dinner. I bet they would eat all the pea's right up!

I hope you are have a great week so far.

It seemed to fly by for me and hopefully it did for you too!

Enjoy and happy Thursday!Chinese take out tonight?I used to love Slurpee's! Pizza Pie-a!An apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Pie Anyone!

Healthy Curried Chicken Salad

I'm so glad its Wednesday. I swear the weekend can't come fast enough for me. I have been trying to eat really healthy all week and prepare all my meals at home. Last week was kind of nightmare in the planning ahead department and I ate really poorly. But not this week. 2 trips to the grocery store so far is keeping my healthy at home eating habits in check.
I picked up an organic rotisserie chicken from Wholefoods on Sunday and to my disappointment it was dry and had no flavor. I think someone forgot to add salt into the mix. Not the norm from what I usually experience with Wholefoods rotisserie chickens. I seriously can't eat it plain and it doesn't even taste good thrown into a salad covered with dressing. I didn't want to let the $12.00 organic chicken go to waste so with one breast left on it it and all the dark meat I decided give this chicken some moisture it's been asking for and make a Healthy Curried Chicken Salad for the rest of my lunches this week. I learned this recipe in my healthy cuisine class last semester and I make it from time to time. I just love it and I think you will too.
It is great served atop baby greens or inside a wrap. Tomorrow I plan to wrap it inside butter lettuce leaves. Curried Chicken Wraps! YUM! I'm super excited for my lunch tomorrow and super excited tomorrow is Thursday!
Healthy Curried Chicken Salad
Meat of 1 roasted chicken shredded or 3 roasted chicken breasts chopped
1 red bell pepper diced
2 green onions thinly sliced
1 carrot diced
1 handful of yellow raisins / or try chopped mango
1 handful of slivered almonds
1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup non-fat mayonnaise
2 T curry Powder (add more if needed)
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 T Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine yogurt, mayo, curry, cayenne pepper and lime juice in a small bowl. Let sit in refrigerator while preparing chicken. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl, pour curry dressing atop and mix thoroughly. Season with salt & pepper.I saved my $12 rotisserie chicken, my money by avoiding take out, and my waistline!
It's almost Friday!
Whooohoooooo!

Grilled Peach and Corn Salad

On Friday night I went to my friends house for some ridiculously delicious homemade pizza. They cook them in the oven on a pizza stone and they are just as good if not better then any pizza you could order in an Italian restaurant. They purchase top notch ingredients from Mona Lisa in Little Italy, local farmers market and Wholefoods. I knew I was in for a treat!
My job of the evening was to bring a salad and wine. I wanted to make something different and spoil the hosts of evening since they were going to spoil me. Also they needed a special treat to snack on while they were working hard in the kitchen to prepare those pizza's.
I decided a salad with grilled peaches would be the pleasing salad of the evening.
I made a champagne vinaigrette dressing for the salad and I also used it to coat the peaches with before grilling them. It caramelized the peaches and grilling them brought out all the sweet natural flavors.
I grilled the corn with salt, pepper and olive oil and once it cooled cut the corn off the cob. To Layer the salad you simply chop up butter lettuce, slices of hearts of palm, dice up avocado, grilled corn, diced shallots, and nestle the peaches into the salad and top with toasted almond slivers.
Grilled Peach & Corn Salad
2 peaches cut into wedges & grilled
2 ears of corn grilled
4 hearts of palm sliced
diced avocado
toasted slivered almonds
1 head butter lettuce
1 shallot diced
Champagne Vinaigrette
1 small shallot
1 small clove of garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
dash of ground white pepper
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
To make the dressing in a food processor or blender with metal blade process the shallot and garlic until finely minced. Add mustard, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. Process to combine and then slowly add the oil in a thin stream to form an emulsion.
Toss the peaches with some dressing and grill for about 1-2 minutes on each side until you see grill marks. Remove and let cool
Grill corn with salt, pepper and olive oil until done. Cool and cut off the cob.
Chop up lettuce and add shallots, avocado, hearts of palm, corn, and nestle in peaches. Top with toasted almonds and mix with the dressing to lightly coat the salad.Oh and I have to share with you the pizza's of the evening. Check out the ingredients involved.Yeah they don't mess around when it comes to pizza night.
I helped with putting the corn meal on the pizza peel which insured the pizza would slide onto the pizza stone easily. A rustic pizza with tomato sauce, broccoli rabe, spicy Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese.

A classic pizza made up of roasted garlic, parrano cheese, prosciutto, drizzled with white truffle oil and topped with fresh arugula.A pizza topped with shrimp, mushrooms, mozzarella, red sauce and fresh basil.Oh it was an awesome weekend indeed. Thanks to all who made it so great. You know who you are.

Lot's To Eat Up In September

I cant believe September is already here but I have never been more excited about it!

For all you foodies out there September is the month that will bring pure pleasure to your palates. The first event this month is happening on September 8th and is called
Taste Of Down Town.It's tasty a sampling event that features over 55 fantastic restaurants in the East Village, Gaslamp, and Financial District. Tickets are $30.00 in advance and $35.00 the day of and you can purchase tickets here. The event starts at 5pm and ends at 9pm.
See you there!
Another one of my favorite incredible food events is San Diego Restaurant Week taking place September 18th-23rd. Its a treasured event in San Diego and the perfect time to try out some new or old restaurants you have been wanting to check out. All discounted menus are pre-fixed and now there is 2 course lunch options for $10, $15, and $20. Dinner includes 3 courses for $20, $30 and $40. Make your reservations soon because things book up fast.
You can check out the full list of participating restaurants here.
Now if this doesn't get you excited for September I don't know what will! Lots to eat up this September....start booking!