Category Archives: EAT

Watermelon & Tomato Salad

July 24, 2012

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

Picking out a good watermelon at the supermarket is like the Olympic games to me.  If I grab a perfectly ripe one, I expect to be given a gold medal and somebody better start singing the national anthem.  Plus, it’s not easy deciphering between a crap watermelon and a really amazing one.  So for this recipe, pick out a real nice one and win yourself a gold medal.  I’ll give you a champion’s secret: knock on it and see if it sounds hollow.  If it does, it’s likely a winner.

I love experimenting with watermelons because surprisingly, they pair well with lots of different flavors.  My favorite way to prepare it is blended with lime juice to make a bomb.com agua fresca.  I also love making salads with it, like this lovely recipe for example.  It’s deliciously sweet with a perfect contrast from the tangy feta and balsamic vinaigrette.  I can literally eat it all day long (and I do!).

Watermelon & Tomato Salad
+ cubed watermelon (use half of a small watermelon for 4 people)
+  halved cherry tomatoes (i use yellow ones for contrast in color)
+ torn mint leaves
+ crumbled feta cheese
+ balsamic vinaigrette*

I didn’t use measurements because I think it’s 100% your preference.  If you like lots of mint, toss in a whole bunch.  If you’re really into feta cheese, throw the whole container in.  Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl.  Swirl in the balsamic vinaigrette.  For half of a small watermelon, I usually use about half of the vinaigrette recipe below.  But if you like it extra balsamic-y, add more.

*Balsamic Vinaigrette
+ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
+ 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
+ a squeeze of honey
+ salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients into a mason jar and shake, shake, shake.

Breakfast / Milo & Olive

May 7, 2012

Filed Under : EAT

milo and olive, santa monica

On Saturday, we walked over to Milo & Olive for breakfast.  Yes, I said ‘walked’…I’m just as shocked as you but it’s only 1 mile from our apartment.  They’re mainly known for their amazing pizzas but we wanted to test out the breakfast menu.  I knew it wouldn’t disappoint but oh my goodness, it was easily one of my favorite breakfasts ever.

We started with the house made muesli and a chai latte.  The muesli was mixed with yogurt and topped with apples and almonds.  It was sweet, light, and so healthy.  But then we took it up a notch and got the cheesy eggs on cheesy toast.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.  I can’t even go there, it was so good.  How do they scramble eggs like that?  And then topped with a layer of parmesan cheese?

I almost cried.

For breakfast dessert, we got a giant jelly-filled donut.  We would’ve easily ordered a second donut but they ran out.

Kyle almost cried.

All in all, it was bomb.com.  Go there.

PS – I’m finally going to make a page of my favorite places to eat in LA.  It’s happening, I promise.

Simple quinoa recipe

April 24, 2012

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

quinoa recipe

As I mentioned in this farro salad recipe, I love me some whole grains.  I especially love them after I’ve eaten a substantial amount of donuts.  Makes me feel better about myself if I balance out crap meals with healthy ones.

I usually cook a pot of whole grains (in this case, quinoa) on the weekends and use it throughout the week in different dishes.  To make quinoa, you combine 1 cup uncooked quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once boiled, turn the heat down and let it simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Once it’s ready, I rummage through the fridge and grab any and all veggies I have, make a simple lemon vinaigrette (same one in the farro salad), and mix it all together.  Of course, I always top it off with some feta cheese.

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

And here are the veggies I used:
-2 carrots
-1/2 onion
-1 sweet potato
-handful of peas
-handful of grape tomatoes

I sauteed the carrot, onion, and sweet potato in a little olive oil and salt & pepper, just to soften them up a bit.  Then I added in frozen peas at the last minute to thaw.  I mixed these veggies with quinoa (you can use as much or as little as you’d like) and added halved grape tomatoes.  Then I added in my simple lemon vinaigrette with a handful of feta cheese and boom that was my dinner the other night.

Farro Salad w/ Radishes, Cucumbers, & Feta

April 4, 2012

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

farro salad

I have a major crush on farro right now, you guys.  It’s a healthy whole grain packed with fiber and protein.  I know this because I tweeted at Cooking Light magazine and they told me so.  They said to look for “whole” farro on the label.  Oh, technology!!

Anyway, I tend to make salads with a high ratio of whole grains in them because I’m not a big lettuce person.  I know, who isn’t a lettuce person?  Well, this lady isn’t.  I use anything from quinoa to bulgur to my current favorite, farro, and I use a whole lot of it.

I recently concocted this salad and love it so dang much that I plan on concocting it for the rest of my life.  It seems like a pretty straight forward salad but the flavors pack a punch, let me tell you.  The farro has a nutty, chewy taste and just absorbs the vinaigrette so perfectly.  The radishes add a juicy crunch and the arugula brings in a peppery undertone.  Don’t even get me started on the feta.  I was really tempted to pour the entire container of feta into the salad but I resisted.

Also, it holds up really well and just gets better the longer it marinates in the vinaigrette…aka a great make-ahead salad for parties and packed lunches.  Amen to this salad.  AMEN.

farro salad

Farro Salad with Radishes, Cucumber, & Feta
roughly 4-5 servings
1 cup uncooked farro
1 bunch radishes, quartered
1/2 cucumber, diced
handful of arugula
1/2 cup (or however much you want!) crumbled feta cheese

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

To cook the farro, combine 1 cup of uncooked farro with 2.5 cups water in a medium saucepan. Add salt to the water and bring it to a boil.  Once boiled, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, covered.  Once cooked, it will have a slightly chewy texture.  Drain out the water and scoop it into a mixing bowl.

I usually pop the farro in the fridge while I’m chopping the veggies because I don’t like my salads to be too warm.  Once it reaches room temp, add the radishes, cucumbers, arugula and feta into the mixing bowl.  To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and S&P until it’s completely emulsified.  Pour over the farro salad and mix well.  At this point, you can eat the salad right then and there.  OR, you can put it in the fridge and allow it to marinate in all it’s goodness.  Either way, prepare to be become best friends with farro.

 

It’s April

April 2, 2012

Filed Under : EAT - MY LIFE

gold bobby pins

UGH I didn’t win the lottery.  I was really banking on it.  My office pool had 200+ tickets so I figured my odds were pretty good, eh??  Just kidding but seriously, that would have been crazy.  What does one do with $640 million?

Anyway, here’s what’s been going on lately…
I have a new obsession with gold bobby pins (in the photo above) and my hair obviously starts getting quite frizzy in the springtime.

We made homemade eggs benedict BUT didn’t have any milk so we used vanilla soy milk for the hollandaise sauce.  It was weird but still pretty decent:

eggs benedict

Concocted this lemon, vanilla, rosemary home deodorizer that I spotted on Pinterest recently.  It smelled lovely:

Grabbed this mini blueberry pie at simplethings sandwich & pie shop for Kyle and I to devour during Game of Thrones:

simplethings pie

And here are a few instagrams from the last few days as well (@thestyleeater):

thestyleeater instagram

1/ my typical weekend comfy clothes
2/ a date at umami burger with cheesy tots (i usually order the original umami burger but with a portobello mushroom instead of a meat patty)
3/ an even smaller pie (this one is pumpkin) from simplethings
4/ more gold bobby pins and a new revlon lip color

PS – I have lots of new posts this week!  I know, SHOCKER.  So come back and visit for a new recipe, a fun craft project, and a semi outfit post.