Tag: healthyliving

I am really happy right now because I found a pair of my favorite Hollister boyfriend-style, super-low rise jeans, in mint condition for only $10.   This is the only thing “giving me life” (as the kids nowadays like to say…) on a Monday evening.  What a fucking steal!

My favorite light-wash, destroyed boyfriend jeans from Hollister (*which I have had for the past 5 years), I have literally worn to pieces. They were already “destroyed” when I bought them, but now the holes that they came with are basically the entire length of the jeans, and I’ve worn them so much that they are loose around the waist because every thread of elastic has been worn out. It’s a miracle I was able to find the same pair again since they’re no longer carried in stores. Thank God for second-hand, online retailers! It’s the small things in life….

I didn’t go home for Easter this year.  I hate missing family holidays… especially now that my parents are getting older, I’m getting older, and I’ve realized I am not and they’re not as immortal as I once upon a time thought when I was in my early twenties. It’s hard to go home for a “weekend” when you’re not off on Friday or Monday however, and therefore would either have to request off one of the aforementioned days, or take public transit and then come home same day.  Easter is a holiday that falls on a Sunday every year – it doesn’t make sense to not be granted the following Monday after off, even if it’s a religious holiday – travel time people!

I made do given the circumstances and prepared a delicious meal for two.  I know most people have an Easter ham or some sort of roast, but since It was only the two of us, and I’m still trying to refrain from eating land animals (***there have been a few slip ups when intoxicated) I decided to make seafood instead.  I’ve realized that everything looks fancier when it’s served over a puree or sauce, so in order to make this meal special for the holiday, I decided to make a split-pea puree to accompany the scallops.  I also made mussels in a white wine sauce, and a salad for some greens/fiber.

This is a meal to cook if you want to impress someone – whether it’s a significant other, your mother, your father, a good friend, or someone you really care about and generally just want to treat well.  It not only tastes fucking amazing, but it’s also a filling meal, which I find important, and the presentation is what makes it especially impressive when served in the comforts of your own home.

FOR THE SPLIT-PEA PUREE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of dried split-peas
• 1 stalk of celery, finely diced
• 1 small Idaho or white potato (peeled and cut into cubes)
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup frozen, green peas
• sprinkle of cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 Tbs. heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat the olive oil over low-heat in a saucepan/small pot
• Add in the minced garlic and cook over low heat for about a minute and a half
• add in the celery, split peas, cubed potato, and the stock and raise the heat to medium-high
• bring to a boil and cook until the peas and the potato are tender (you’ll need to taste test)
• Add in the frozen peas and cook for another minute
• at this point, most of the liquid should be absorbed, but not all of it! Some liquid is important for the process of blending… but you’ll be able to add more as necessary

• Once the peas are soft and the potato is cooked through, turn off the heat and let cool for a few minutes
• Place contents of the pot into a blender, along with a dash of cayenne pepper and some salt and pepper

• Blend on low-medium setting, until the consistency becomes thick and uniform
• Add some heavy cream and/or more chicken stock as necessary (you’ll probably need a bit more liquid)
• Make sure to taste-test to determine whether more salt, pepper, or cayenne pepper is needed
• Puree should end up being a smooth, thick consistency

• Set aside while you prepare the scallops and mussels
• Please note:  I suggest doing the mussels and salad next and saving the scallops for last, since you’ll want to serve them hot.

FOR THE SALAD

• I went basic AF for the salad here, so it’s pretty much just pure roughage
• I used: Arugula, alfalfa sprouts, and grape tomatoes
• For the dressing: 1/3 cup mayo, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, juice from one lemon, 1 Tbs. olive oil, 3 tsp. white vinegar, freshly ground black pepper – whisk together in small bowl and voila!

FOR THE MUSSELS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 finely minced shallot
• 2 dried or fresh bay leaves
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 3 cloves of finely minced garlic
• 1 lb. (1 bag) of fresh mussels
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. thyme (dried or freshly chopped)
• juice from one lemon
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1 Tbs. freshly chopped parsley
• Toast to serve (tastes like heaven dipped in the mussel sauce!)

DIRECTIONS:

• In a wok or large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over low heat
• Add in the minced shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute
• Add in the bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and butter and cook for another minute
• Add in the mussels and increase the heat to low-medium
• As soon as you’ve added the mussels and turned up the heat, add in the wine!
• Add in the fresh lemon juice
• Cover with a lid and wait about 2 minutes or so, until you see the mussel shells opening
• Add in the cream and fresh parsley and give a good stir
• Add in some pepper and salt and give another good stir
• Once mussels seem pretty opened, turn off burner and remove from heat – set aside

FOR THE SCALLOPS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. fresh sea scallops (patted dry with paper towels… they MUST BE DRY to cook, excess moisture means they won’t brown at all)
• 3 cloves finely minced garlic
• 2 Tbs. butter
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 Tbs. white wine
• Split-pea puree
• sprinkling of alfalfa sprouts

DIRECTIONS:

• Pat the scallops dry with paper towels
• Salt and pepper the scallops on both sides
• Heat butter in a shallow, saucepan over low heat
• Add in the garlic and cook over low heat for about 1 minute
• Add in the scallops and increase the heat to low-medium
• Cook for 2 minutes on each side (approximately 4 minutes in total)
• sprinkle with lemon juice and white wine, lower heat and cook for another 30 seconds
• remove from heat
• re-heat the split pea puree (microwave or stove top)
• Plate the split pea puree, and plate the scallops with sauce
• Garnish with alfalfa sprouts and serve hot

And now I am hungry again sitting here writing about this meal… that’s how good it was!

I also did some painting this weekend:

Tuna (the new kitten) is coming home this next weekend, and I think Mr. Peeper can sense that he’s about to no longer be the only child because he has been extra lovely:

Cheers.