What I Ate Wednesday #35: Recent Favorites

This week hasn’t exactly been the most exciting in the kitchen, so I thought for this week’s What I Ate Wednesday, I would share some of my recent favorites that I’ve had. I’ve already shared my Valentine’s Day dinner and dessert [have you made those chocolate cups yet?!] and I figured I’d save you from another week of sweet breakfast scramble 😉

A couple weeks ago, Nathan and I ventured over to BonChon, a Korean restaurant in the area that we had yet to try. As I noted last week, we love Asian food so we were pretty psyched to go! I absolutely love beef bulgogi and had never tried Bibimbob before so there was no question as to what I was getting.

Amazing. Seriously, I couldn’t have imagined it to be any better. The bottom of this hot pot [which was really hot!] was lightly lined with sticky rice that crisped up as it sat. Tons of veggies were loaded on top; picked carrots, daikon, green onion, mushrooms, etc. Finally it was topped with beef bulgogi and a single egg yolk that, once popped, cooked over the hot beef and coated everything. It was so good.. I wish I could go get one right now! I think I might have to make a trip this weekend.. Luckily for you, it’s a chain. Find one in your area and go!

Another recent favorite is, of course, brussels sprouts. I constantly wish I had an unlimited supply so I could eat them everyday. What’s with the bad rep that these delicious morsels get? I’ll never understand. Rather than roasting my sprouts, I decided to put a little spin on them and came up with a sweet and tangy twist. And how appropriate for the love your veggies month theme?

Cranberry Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

Ingredients
– 1 lb brussels sprouts
– 1/4 cup dried cranberries [dried cherries would be great too!]
– 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
– 1/2 tbsp EVOO
– Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings
– Cashews or your favorite nut
– Unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Chop the ends off of the brussels sprouts and slice in half. Once the water is boiling, drop the sprouts in and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain completely and return the pot to a burner over medium heat. Add the EVOO to the pot and return the brussels sprouts back in.

Saute the brussels for a minute and then add in your balsamic vinegar and cranberries. Cook for a few more minutes, allowing the vinegar to caramelize the brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with some nuts or coconut and enjoy!

Nutritional Information
Per 1/4 lb serving without toppings

100 Calories  /  2g Fat  /  19g Carbs  /  5g Fiber  /  8g Sugar  /  4g Protein

Food for Thought

What is your favorite vegetable?

The Best Part of Wedding Planning

Food!

Last week my mom and I went to meet with a potential caterer for the wedding, Innovative Gourmet, and were rather surprised to find out that we would not only be discussing food, we would also be tasting!

One of the first things I said to Nathan when we got engaged was “OOH!! Now we get to taste cake!” So needless to say, I was excited! Unfortunately I arrived sans camera, so my camera phone had to do.

First Course
Chilled soup / Turkey, bacon, cheddar panini on pumpernickel bread

Both delicious and such a great combo!

Second Course
Grilled and roasted veggies / Vegetable flatbread / Duck bites with crunchy pecans / Smoked brisket on french baguette

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with grilled and roasted veggies. I ate those up! The duck was fantastic with the sweet crunch from the pecans and I loved the smoke flavor in the brisket.

Third Course
Polenta bar with shredded chicken, roasted peppers, sauteed spinach, smoked gouda, and bleu cheese.

This is such a fun idea; rather than doing the typical pasta bar, you substitute creamy polenta and put out a bunch of toppings. A make-your-own so everyone gets what they want. And each piece was equally tasty.

Fourth Course
Chop salad / Heirloom tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad over asparagus with frisee and balsamic reduction

I’m not a huge chop salad fan, but the heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad is right up my alley. I love the layered, deconstructed visual appeal of the dish, and the flavors were fantastic!

Fifth Course
Brown butter rockfish over roasted corn, carrots, green beans, & red pepper / Pistachio crusted lamb over roasted vegetables and tzatziki

The rockfish was flaky and delicious, but the lamb stole the show. It was cooked perfectly; so tender and flavorful, and the pistachio crust gave it a beautiful crunch. We took a few leftovers home, but the lamb was not one of them.

Sorry Nathan. (Not really……)

Sixth Course
A beautiful assortment of petit fours

What can I say? I’m a sucker for sweets! Chocolate. Chocolate. And more chocolate. And a few other bites of desserts, but my favorites were all of the chocolates!

This has definitely been the most fun I’ve had during the wedding planning thus far and it makes me so excited for more tastings!

As for the caterer choice? Decisions still to come…

Speak Up!

If you’re married or engaged, what was your favorite part of planning? And if you’re not married or engaged, what are you most looking forward to while planning?

Don’t forget! Today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a case of CalNaturale Svelte! Don’t miss it.. entries accepted until 11:59pm EST! Four lucky winners will be chosen Friday morning!