What's on My Plate: Plated Jerk Red Fish & Pork Tonkatsu

It has been about 3 months since my last Plated delivery. I missed the order for the squid ink and crab claw menu, laaaaame.  I honestly forgot I had a meal scheduled, then after several email reminders I chose a menu that looked fun and tasty.

Meal 1: Jerk Redfish with Chayote Squash, Tomatillo, and Scallion Sauté

The updates to the menus include novice vs pro prep time. With those additional parameters I decided to treat my kitchen like a cooking reality show. After unpacking all of the items and laying out all my prep tools I set the timer for 50 minutes and went at it.

My prep time is still a little long. My chopping skills are getting better each meal, but still take the majority of my time. My new ingredients for this dish were redfish and chayote squash. The Chayote Squash resembles a pear and has a similar texture but took on the flavors of the food it was cooked with. At the 50 minute mark the fish was seasoned and cooking, the veggie sauté was ready to go, and I was pouring lime sauce over the fish.

The next 7 minutes were dedicated to me plating the food. The fish cooked in about 6 minutes. I was able to plate the squash and fish before the 10 minute timer went off. 

Loved this dish. The jerk fish was a nice mix of sweet and spicy. The squash and tomatillos sauté was tart and tender. The 2 parts balanced each other really well. This created a light, flavorful dinner.

Total prep time was 57:35. Next goal is to hit the novice time of 50, then the pro time of 40.

Meal 2:  Pork Tonkatsu with Yuzu Cherry Salsa and Mizuna

The goal for this meal was 40 minutes, yeeeeeah, not in my kitchen. The hardest part of this prep was pitting the cherries. I chose to cut them free and thatt was fairly time consuming. Everything was chopped and prepped at the 40 minute mark.

I added 15 minutes to the clock to finish everything. I was able to prep and cook the pork at 10 minutes. The last 5 minutes was plating the Mizuna and Pork Tonkatsu. With an additional 15 minutes I was able to cook and plate everything. Total prep time: 55 minutes

The 2 new ingredients for this meal we're the Yuzu juice and Mizuna. My favorite part of this dish was the Yuzu Cherry salsa. I looked up Yuzu, it is a citrus fruit from east Asia, it was tart but thicker than a lime or lemon juice. The salsa was a tasty blend of sweet, spicy and tart. Another new ingredient for me was the Mizuna. This tiny green was packed with tons of flavor, tart and very fragrant. I should have decreased the soy sauce in the salad, it was too salty for me. But, when I put the salad and pork together it balanced the flavors. The Yuzu Cherry Salsa added tons of flavor to the pork and balanced out the bitter and salty taste of the Mizuna salad.

Loving cooking with Plated. Have you tried any of the home chef delivery programs? What is your favorite meal you've prepped.

Cooking with plated allows me to explore new flavors and ingredients while preventing food waste. Each menu provides the portions you need to serve a perfectly plated meal. If there are any left over seasonings I save them for slow cooking and broths. Fun, tasty, creative meals in the comfort of my own home. Taking my home cooking to a whole other level.

Health and Happiness,
Larissa

Summer Seafood at The Optimist

Had a great night out with the hubs and our friends dining out at The Optimist off Howell Mill in Atlanta .  A seafood and oyster bar that gives you the feel of a beachside restaurant in the city. Natural woods, putting green, and a live band greeted us. What a cute spot.

The in house menu was a little different from what was posted online so I had to make some last minute substituions. To start, We split an appetizer of Spanish Charred Octopus. I was expecting the consistency of squid, but I was pleasantly surprised how tasty the octopus was. It was tender and meaty, closer to the consistency of crab meat. It was well seasoned, I don't usually enjoy spicy, but it wasn't overwhelming just the right amount of spice to make it flavorful.

I followed that with my main dish, the SwordFish with corn, cherry tomatoes, and brisket. Cooking a steak style cut of fish can be tricky, but this was prepared perfectly. Firm on the outside but tender on the inside. I was excited to see how brisket was incorporated, it was a garnish, I was hoping for a lil more brisket. We also shared a side of chilled asparagus. A light and tasty combo for the evening.

I am use to bodybuilding sized servings, but I was satisfied because it was so tasty. Our friends got the Crispy Fingerling Potatoes, it looked really good. When I dine out I still try and get a good mix of protein, veggies, carbs, and fat. Next time I would definitely pair my veggies with the potatoes for a more filling meal.

Have you tried The Optimist?

What is your favorite combo?

Looking forward to our next dinner out!

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

Today Was a Foodie Kind of Friday

This Friday was all about yummy food.

How did you start your day? I went down to the city in hopes of snagging discount tickets for Taste of Atlanta.

I was 9th in line for passes at Diner at Atlantic Station

Look Diner even provided coffe for us early risers

Free Coffee and the coveted 2 for $20 pass!

Task complete! I got my passes for me and the fam. I was also able to swing by a second location and pick up a pass for a friend. Happy to share the awesome when I can.

Today is also National Doughnut Day! Where did you celebrate? I went to my favorite spot, Revolution Doughnuts!

I finally got to experience "the line" at Revolution, it was totally worth it!

It was also their 3rd birthday. Every purchase came with a birthday cake doughnut. A tiny tasty treat.

Look at this cute lil morsel!

I was able to enjoy their new seasonal treat, the peach slider. It was so good. The dough was light with a dusting of sugar. The peach fillinig was fresh and firm with a nice mix of tart and sweet with a bit of sweet cream layered in. Perfection. 

Seasonal Peach Slider from Revolution Doughnuts in Decatur

Did you celebrate national doughnut day?

Where did you celebrate?

I really enjoyed this foodie Friday and I am so excited about Taste of Atlanta 2015! 

Health and Happiness,

Larissa 

What's on My Plate: Plated Peppercorn Pork and Chicken Tikka

Another Plated delivery arrived.

This time I chose Pink Peppercorn Pork and Polenta for meal 1 and Chicken Tikka Masala for meal 2. Chicken Tikka is one of my favorite Indian dishes, full of flavor but not overly spicy. Indian dishes always seem so complex I thought using Plated would be a great way to take some of the complexity out of it. The great thing about Plated is having all of the ingredients portioned and prepped for me without any extra trips to the grocery store or farmers market.

Meal 1: Pink Peppercorn-Crusted Pork Chops with Pearl Onions and Polenta

The prep for this one was super easy. The hardest part was the grinding of the peppercorn blend. I don't have a pepper grinder or mortar and pestal so I just used a heavy pot for the grinding. Other than that I just had to peel and halve the onions. Everything else just had to be mixed or cooked.

Mmmmm, another great meal. I pan roasted the pork and it came out tender and juicy. The pink peppercorn blend gave the pork so much flavor and the white wine reduction made for a tasty sauce. This was my first time preparing polenta, but it was the perfect pairing for the pork. Polenta is a corn based dish similar in texture and preparation to grits but made with an Italian corn. Our reciep served it with goat cheese and milk. But it can also be served as a kind of fried cake. All the seasoning made for a very fragrant kitchen. Approximately 710 calories.

Meal 2: Chicken Tikka Masala

Another fairly easy prep. I cut the chicken then minced the garlic and ginger. I have never used yogurt as a marinade, but from what I read it serves as a natural meat tenderizer. All of the other spices were pre blended so all I needed to do was add them to the marinade and sauce. The scents of cloves, cumin, and cinnamon were filled our home. While the chicken roasted I prepped the sauce. I prepped the main part of the meal on Thursday. Then, Friday night I heated the meal on the stove top and after a quick saute' of the spinach and toasting of the naan and we were ready to go.

This was our Friday night dinner date. This is one of my favorite Indian dishes, it was fun trying to recreate it at home.  I forgot to add salt during the broiling of the chicken, so at first it did not quite taste right. A pinch of sea salt after really helped to bring out all of the flavors. Just the right amount of spice and loaded with flavor. Approximately 660 calories.

Have you tried Plated or any other meal delivery system? Use this link to checkout the current menu and if they deliver to your area: Plated .

I enjoy eating high quality foods and trying new recipes. If you do too, you should try Plated. Let me know what you think.

Disclosure: This blog includes a referral link to plated. If you chose to buy a Plated box using this link you will recieve a 2 plate discount on your first order and I receive a discount on future Plated orders.

Health and Happiness,
Larissa

What's on My Plate: Plated Mushroom and Leek Udon with Tofu and Spinach

This weekend another awesome plated box arrived. I chose a vegetarian dish and a hearty chef's table plate. I like to try recipes with ingredients I would not readily buy or recipes that just look and sound appetizing. Sunday night we tried the Udon.

All of the products straight out the box

Food prep always takes more time for me than what is listed on the recipe card. I like reading through the whole card and having everything laid out before I start. But, each time prep to plate gets easier.

My food prep station

The hardest part of prep for this one was the chopping. My knife skills are still pretty rough, but I am learning new tricks each time. A sharp knife makes chopping and mincing things like fresh ginger much easier.

The smell was amazing. The ginger and garlic was so aromatic. Mmmmm just thinking about it is making my mouth water again.

The final product

This was my 1st time cooking with tofu. I was not sure how my husband would react to a vegetarian dinner. Guess who loved every bite. That lets you know how good it was.

For us, it made way more than 2 servings. It made about 4. I am still eating from it. It was great as a dinner and made an even tastier lunch the next day.

Have you tried Plated yet? Use this link to check out their current menu and if they deliver to your area. Try Plated

If you love eating high quality food and enjoy trying new recipes you should checkout Plated. Let me know what you think.

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Disclosure: This blog includes a referral link to Plated. If you chose to buy a Plated box using this link you will receive a 2 plate discount on your first order and I receive a discount on future Plated orders.

Health and Happiness,
Larissa

Charleston Cooks! and Valentine's Weekend Recap

I hope everyone felt the love Valentine's weekend.

The hubs knows the way to my heart food, drinks, and yes, more food!

Friday we got dinner at Bone's. The food was so good I forgot to take photos, you know that means it was goooooood. We shared the smoked salmon appetizer. I ordered the 16oz NY Strip and the Hubs had the Dry Aged Bone-In Rib Eye with a side of Bacon Mac & Cheese. OMG the steak was sooooo tender and delicious. Best steak I have ever tasted. If you are a steak lover treat your self to a trip to Bone's. It is well worth it!

After dinner we headed out to Martini's and IMAX. I sipped on a champagne cocktail underneath the "world's largest dinosaur" before heading to the IMAX theater for "Galapagos:Nature's Wonderland".  The movie was really entertaining, those narrators did a great job, my favorite part was the mating dance of the blue-footed booby. It was a very relaxing way to wrap up the night.

The next day we took a road trip down to Charleston, SC. Before the trip I hopped on the Airdyne for some intervals, I knew the day would be full of yummy treats and that I probably would not be able to get in a workout any other time. Oh, what a yummy time we had.

We spent the evening with Charleston Cooks! an interactive meal experience. 12 participants, 6 stations, and a 6 course meal in under 2 hours. Chefs get ready to work!

It sounds intimidating, but it was a really fun experience. Like a live version of Plated. All the ingredients were measured and prepped for us. Our task was to chop, assemble, and cook 1/6 of a 6 course menu. After a quick run down of kitchen etiquette, cutting skills, and a review of each station and its recipe each couple could choose a station. Here were our choices:

• Mini Beef Wellingtons with Portabella Mushrooms and Ruby Port Sauce
• Duck Confit and Mache Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
• Lobster Tail Thermidor with Mustard Butter Sauce
• White Wine and Lemon Herb Sauteed Haricot Verts with Crispy Shallots
• Shredded Beet and Red Potato Cakes
• Nutella Cheesecake with Chocolate Cherry Crumble

We chose the White Wine and Lemon Herb Sauteed Haricot Verts with Crispy Shallots. The recipe seemed pretty straight forward and I figured worse case scenario no one will get sick or die if we got it wrong. Oh, but we did not get it wrong, we crushed it! Chef said the Haricot Verts were just the right texture and flavour. It really complimented the Lobster Tail Thermidor with Mustard Butter Sauce very nicely. 

Anthony sauteing like a pro and plating our part of the meal

Our recipes/menu, appetizer, and main course

So if you enjoy cooking and trying new foods I highly encourage you to check out Charleston Cooks! next time you're in South Carolina. We got to meet some great people, eat fantastic food, have a full menu of recipes to try at home, and created some wonderful memories.

I hope you all had a great Valentine's weekend.

Health and Happiness

Larissa