Eating at Home: Avocado Toast with Cream Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Balsamic Glaze

Avocado toast with cream cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and balsamic glaze

Today's brunch: Avocado toast with cream cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and balsamic glaze. At this point, is it even the weekend if I don't have avocado toast?

Eating at Home: Avocado Toast with Tzatziki, Feta, and Sunny-Side Up Eggs

Avocado toast with tzatziki, feta, and sunny-side up eggs

Looks like I'm having a toasty weekend as I start my morning of working from home and afternoon of errands with avocado toast. I'm always trying to experiment with different combinations of things to eat with my 'cado, and today, I decided to mix it with tzatziki as the base, add sunny-side up eggs, and top it with feta (because I bought a jumbo container of it at Costco and need figure out different ways to use it aside from salad). Folks, this is a delight. A winner. Will absolutely make it again. Might actually get some Greek seasoning for next time and maybe add some tomatoes and olives for a Greek salad-inspired avocado toast. Or maybe some olive tapenade as the base? THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS. 

Eating at Home: Honey Butter Toast with Apriplums

Honey butter toast with apriplums

I bought a bag of apriplums last week but there were so many that there was no way I would finish all of them before they went bad, so I had to get creative. Thus, today's brunch: Honey butter toast with apriplums! (They would also work well with pancakes, but I was too lazy to make them.) As opposed to similar fruits like plums, peaches, or nectarines, these are firmer and more tart, which tastes exceptionally good with honey. Simple, sweet, and splendid. 

Cooking at Home: Farmhouse Chicken with Brown Butter 'Champ' Mash

Farmhouse chicken with brown butter 'champ' mash

My mom came over this evening to drop off some stuff, so I just told her to stay for dinner and cooked us my second Hello Fresh kit of the week: Farmhouse chicken with brown butter 'champ' mash. Okay, everything about this meal was great — the chicken was super tender and juicy and the mashed potatoes were flavourful and fluffy (maybe my best yet, actually) — but the only criticism I have to make is that there weren't nearly enough vegetables to split into two servings. The amount of veg was so paltry that I ended up having to cook another two cups of frozen broccoli just so there was enough substance. I'm just saying, the photo on the recipe sheet was TOTALLY MISLEADING. Otherwise, it was a basic but totally delicious meal. (Even mom agreed.)

Eating at Home: Avocado Toast Two Ways (Herb Cream Cheese with Cocktail Tomatoes and Fresh Dill & Tzatziki with Radishes and Everything Bagel Seasoning)

Avocado toast two ways
(Left: With herb cream cheese, cocktail tomatoes, and fresh dill
Right: With tzatziki, sliced radishes, and everything bagel seasoning)

I haven't bought avocados in months because half of them always spoil before I get to them. (Yes, even in the fridge.) But I've been craving avocado toast for the past week, so I just said, "Fuck it," and bought a bag of five last weekend. The first one has finally reached peak ripeness, and thus, for today's Sunday brunch, avocado toast two ways on sourdough (my favourite type of bread for avocado toast). The first one was topped with avocado mashed with herb cream cheese, cocktail tomatoes, and fresh dill. The second one was topped with tzatziki, mashed avocado, sliced radish, and everything bagel seasoning. Both were PHENOMENAL. Devoured in less than 5 minutes. Could've eaten at least another two.

Alas, my second avocado has not ripened yet.

Cooking at Home: Za'atar Chicken Bulgur Bowls with Baby Spinach and Chopped Olives

Za'atar chicken bulgur bowls with baby spinach and chopped olives
In an effort to both save money and be healthier, I decided to stay home for dinner and make my last Hello Fresh kit of the week: Za'atar chicken bulgur bowls with baby spinach and chopped olives. The chicken came out really juicy (again, props to my air fryer) and I don't mind bulgur (it was my first time trying it), but at the end of the day, the whole dish just tasted really... healthy. I don't mind eating healthy, but with the amount of seasoning and the addition of olives, I thought it would be more enticing. It really was just like a warm chicken salad. Also, I absolutely hate the feta that Hello Fresh includes in their kits. It's already pre-crumbled, so it doesn't look or taste like real feta. It's not a huge deal but, you know, it's a new-found pet peeve.

Cooking at Home: Pork Chops and Garlicky Gravy with Roasted Vegetable Medley

Pork chops with garlicky gravy and roasted vegetable medley

Decided to start off this week's Hello Fresh dinners with something a bit healthier after a weekend of dining out: Pork chops and garlicky gravy with roasted vegetable medley. Okay, aside from the garlicky gravy, which is DELICIOUS and ADDICTIVE AF, I cooked everything in the air fryer, and can I just point out HOW PERFECT EVERYTHING TURNED OUT? The pork, the veg, the potatoes, everything. The air fryer is really my one true love. (And this meal was only 620 calories!)

Cooking at Home: Brothy Spanish-Style Braised Chicken with Olives and Farro

Brothy Spanish-style braised chicken with olives and farro
After the indulgent burger I made yesterday, I needed to make an attempt at being healthy this week (because life is all about balance) with tonight's dinner kit from Hello Fresh: Brothy Spanish-style braised chicken with olives and farro. Okay, so this was my first time trying farro and while it's not my favourite grain ever (it's like undercooked rice?), the olives and hot sauce add a good amount of flavour here, plus the chicken was incredibly moist when cooked this way. So overall, I'd say it's pretty damn good for being a 660-calorie meal.

Photolog 2021: Day 308 of 365

Curry yogurt chicken with veggie rice pilaf

Tonight's dinner kit from Chefs Plate: Curry yogurt chicken with veggie rice pilaf. This was excellent. I'm glad they included chicken legs instead of chicken breast because it makes all the difference in texture and flavour. The curry spice blend was so, so, so delicious with the chicken. Also, I don't know why I never tried using Greek yogurt as a sauce before. I'm slowly learning that healthy dishes can be tasty, too. 

Photolog 2021: Day 265 of 365

Moroccan spiced chicken with zucchini, basmati rice, and lemon yogurt dressing
Tonight's dinner kit from Hello Fresh: Moroccan spiced chicken with zucchini, basmati rice, and lemon yogurt. Okay, I am surprising myself by loving this dish as much as I do because it is the healthiest kit I have gotten so far, but has also become my all-time favourite Hello Fresh meal I have cooked. I have no idea what the hell is in Moroccan spice blend, but it is SO FREAKING DELICIOUS, I want to marinate everything in it. The lemon yogurt complemented the chicken exceptionally well, the rice had the perfect amount of herby flavour, and the zucchini added just the right amount of crisp. It was truly a symphony of flavours and textures. I was seriously contemplating eating both servings tonight and then thought, "NO, THEN YOU HAVE TO COOK AGAIN TOMORROW. WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO CLEAN AGAIN TOMORROW." So I stopped myself. But I will have to make this again. I just have to figure out if I can buy Moroccan spice blend instead of making it...

Photolog 2021: Day 259 of 365

What to do when you have too many avocados ripening at the same time? Make avocado toast. Thus, today's brunch, avocado toast in two ways: with basil, tomatoes, and a drizzle of balsamic; and with garlic, parsley, and chili flakes. Both on ciabatta buns because I ran out of regular sliced bread. (See: yesterday's French toast.) What can I say, I'm trying to be a slightly less basic bitch.

Photolog 2021: Day 103 of 365

Hi, I bought a cute new yellow blender (you know, to go with my aqua coffee maker and my lime green toaster) to make smoothies because I thought they'd be easy, healthy, and fast meal replacements (mostly for breakfast, actually, 'cause I never have an appetite first thing after I wake up). So I made my first smoothie ever. Just frozen strawberries and a banana and some water (sadly, I can't use juice or milk as my liquid with all this fruit because it's too much sugar), but it turned out way tastier than I expected. I mean, you can't go wrong with banana and strawberries, but still. Baby steps.

Photolog 2020: Day 332 of 366

Tonight's dinner: Pan-fried peppered smoky rainbow trout fillet, soy-glazed carrots, baby potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli. (Can you tell I'm trying to use up all my vegetables before they go bad?) Surprisingly one of my favourite at-home meals yet.

Photolog 2020: Day 320 of 366

Day 2 of Birthday Weekend (a.k.a. my actual birthday)! With the pandemic still going on strong (we are officially back to Code Red tomorrow), I just wanted to have a small dinner at my condo with Ronsee and Ying this year. Ronsee's birthday gift to me every year is a really nice dinner, but we had to get creative as we were going to get takeout instead of dining in somewhere downtown. We decided to go for a seafood theme, so Ronsee and I went to Diana's first to get two dozen assorted oysters to have as our appetizers, and then headed over to Sushi Umi, a very exclusive, almost private omakase sushi restaurant, to get some "bougie sushi." (I say private because they don't take orders over the phone — you have to call the restaurant so that they can text you the link to the "secret" menu, which can't be found otherwise and is the only way you can actually make an order.) 

Hokkaido scallop ikura bonto ebi mix don
15-piece Omakase Box(Top: kanpachi x 2, maguro x 2, and shimaaji)
Middle: Hokkaido scallop, rainbow trout, and hamachi x 2)
Bottom: shime saba x 2and tamago x 2)
15-piece Omakase Box
(Top: ikura, shrimp, tamago, and maguromaki
Middle: Hokkaido scallop, maguro, hirame, otoro, and foie gras
Bottom: shimaaji, kanpachi, rainbow trout, hamachi, and buri kanpachi)

To have more of an assortment of food for the three of us, we ended up choosing the unagi tempura maki (not pictured because it might have gotten a bit unraveled due to some shuffling in the car, but it was still delicious), the Hokkaido scallop ikura bonto ebi mix don, and two gorgeous 15-piece omakase boxes, which contained some of the best quality sushi I've eaten in a long, long time. I'm so used to eating at regular sushi restaurants (that offer very limited cuts and variety of fish) that I forgot just how top cuts of superb quality fish can alter the flavour, mouthfeel, texture, and overall experience of each type of sushi. I can only thank Ronsee for making my birthday this year such a fun and easygoing — yet still fancy — affair.

Photolog 2020: Day 237 of 366

Cali Bowl

Met up with Ying for a hang out sesh today 'cause we haven't seen each other in months, so we decided to get some take out poke bowls from Poke Guys for dinner. My choice? A Cali Bowl with white rice, classic shoyu salmon and tuna, avocado, crab meat slaw, fish roe, fried onions, seaweed, sesame seeds, and tempura bits. I also added edamame, jalapeño slices, and creamy togarashi sauce to mine as well 'cause I was feeling sassy today. 💁🏻‍♀️

Photolog 2020: Day 228 of 366

Tonight's dinner: Chicken, potatoes, eggplant, mushrooms, tofu, and cucumbers in Japanese curry over rice. Also known as: How to use up all the random shit in your fridge. Conclusion: Japanese curry can make everything taste good, even if it doesn't look good. 🙃

Photolog 2020: Day 213 of 366

Tonight's dinner: Fettuccine with chicken in pesto (with half a bag of spinach underneath 'cause I'm still being healthy but it's not photogenic).

Photolog 2020: Day 212 of 366

Tonight's dinner: Pan-seared herb-crusted cod with corn on the cob, cucumbers, carrots, and potatoes. (Also, I've discovered that while I don't love ketchup, ketchup-mayo is fucking awesome. So is herb-crusting.)

Photolog 2020: Day 210 of 366

Tonight's dinner: Fusilli with cream of mushroom, pork tenderloin, broccoli, mushrooms, red bell peppers, and parmesan. (The parmesan was key here.)

Photolog 2020: Day 172 of 366

Tonight's dinner: Fettuccine with basil-oregano tomato sauce, lean ground pork, onions, carrots, and green beans. I may or may not have added a pound of parmesan on top because it seemed too healthy.