Another Original Single Sista Dish - The RRVP (Roasted Root Veggie Pot)

I have to admit, I am VERY proud of this dish. It's very hearty, healthy and super easy to make. I got the inspiration because I had some celery and onions leftover from my post-Thanksgiving meal and I randomly decided to pick up some turnips from the grocery store. Turnips are very inexpensive by the way. I immediately knew I wanted to roast the turnip and something said, throw some other root veggies in there and see what happens.

I actually made this dish twice in one week. The first time I use turnips, potatoes, celery, garlic and shallots. Preheated the oven to 400 degrees. I cut up all the ingredients into large chunks, put everything in a dutch oven, and covered it all generously with extra virgin olive oil (roughly 1/4 - 1/3 cup). I honestly did not measure out set amounts of each ingredient, but I cut up 3 small/medium turnips, 2 celery stalks, 1 whole large shallot, 1/2 one small bag of multicolored potatoes (I cut up the potatoes into halves and thirds), and about 2 tablespoons of garlic. I didn't add a lot of potatoes to minimize the starch. I also did not put any stock or water in the pot. I made sure all the ingredients were covered in the extra virgin olive oil by stirring things around in the pot. Lastly, I added some fresh ground pepper, roughly 1 tablespoon of salt, roughly 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, and 1.5 tablespoons of Earth Balance (I use Earth Balance in place of butter in almost all of my recipes).

Since that turned out WONDERFULLY, I decided to kick things up and add Brussels sprouts and carrots to mix the second time. I added 3 small/medium turnips, half a bag of fingerling potatoes, half a bag of baby carrots, 2 tablespoons of garlic, 1/3 of an onion (or 1 whole large shallot), one bag of Brussels sprouts (wash, remove outer layer, cut off the stem, and cut into thirds), 1 tablespoon of salt, fresh ground pepper, and 2 tablespoons of thyme (you can also just add the thyme to the pot without pulling off the thyme leaves).

I had to roast things a little longer this time to make sure the carrots cooked all the way through (total cooking time was 1 hour) but it was even better than the first time.

Last night for dinner, I cut up and browned some sausage, and added that on top of the veggies. INCREDIBLE!!! A few people have asked if you can add meat while cooking it, OF COURSE. I recommend browning the meat first a little in the pot and adding a little stock or water before you add the veggies. You will also have to cut down on the amount of veggies you can add obviously. But I am still calling this my RRVP and I will continue to make it meatless :) I will probably make this at least two more times before the end of the year because it is that good and easy to make. It's also very affordable. For roughly $15 for all the ingredients, I made 6 meals. Well if you make this please let me know how you like it since it is one of my creations. Hope you enjoy!

Seasons Greetings and Salud!!!

Thank you Mandiba!!

Last week, one of the world's most renowned leaders drew his last breath at the age of 95. Nelson Mandela was a phenomenal leader in so many ways, and to so many people. I greatly admire him for everything he did during his life. But the MAIN thing I admire him for the most is not retreating and hiding after he was in prison for 27 years. He continued to fight for his people and advocate for several causes.

We all have been through storms and trials, and these experiences often impact our daily steps. If Mandiba continued fighting and rising after enduring 27 years of prison, I will not let anything limit me. I leave you all with that thought and my favorite quote by this great leader below. Do not limit yourself because something seems impossible. This may not be food/cooking specific advice, but this is advice that can go a long way. Take care!

Tis the Season for............................................Brussels Sprouts!!!!

I was talking to my mom a few nights ago and I told her that one of the BEST things that I made for my post-Thanksgiving meal was some roasted Brussels sprouts. She reminded me that she was not a fan, but I assured her that I would dazzle her taste buds with these when I got home for the holidays.

My preferred method for cooking those lovely spouts: roast them!! I have to catch myself sometimes because I will stand over the pan and eat all the Brussels spouts before I get them on my plate. I guess there are worse things to get caught eating right off the pan :)

So let me start with a basic roasting recipe and then share with you what you can with them after that. Shall we? Let's!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound (or two bags) or Brussels spouts
1/4 cup diced shallot (should be roughly one small shallot)
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (if you're cutting back on salt leave this out)
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese (optional, but recommended)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash Brussels sprouts thoroughly. Cut off the end of the sprouts and pull off one layer the outer leaves. Cut each sprout into thirds. Wash again. Place in a bowl. Add the diced shallot and garlic, and mix. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and mix again. Spread the spouts evenly on a baking sheet (you may want to use some non-stick foil if you have some to save on the clean up time). Roast for 35-40 minutes. While roasting, you may want to move some of them around to make sure they are cooking evenly.

Right after they are done, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. And ENJOY!!

So now what? Well, I've had sprouts with breakfast, lunch and dinner!! Yes, breakfast!!!

Let me show you!!

I made a Brussels sprouts and sweet potato hash! I actually used turkey bacon :) AND I made it with some Brussels sprouts that I had already prepared. I also added a few red pepper flakes for a little heat.

This was my breakfast for three mornings :)

While in New Orleans for a conference, I had this tasty meal.

Ingredients include: fingerling potatoes, Brussels sprouts, banana peppers, alligator sausage, corned beef and scrambled eggs. I had this two mornings in a row for breakfast. Yea, it was that good. When I got home I had to recreate it some kind of way. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Instead of the alligator sausage and corned beef, I used some dark meat turkey and I had a little Sriracha so I put that on top. If you have any left over turkey (or other meats) during this holiday season you should DEFINITELY give this a try. Just take some leftover potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and meat, and saute that with a little onion/shallot and garlic in olive oil. Then prepare some eggs to your liking and put that on top and voila!

And that my dear readers is a showcase of Brussels sprouts season. Add some to your next meal :)

SALUD!

My First Thanksgiving!!!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I sincerely hope you all enjoy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I will be spending my day with family and friends in the area. I also plan to get a little workout in tomorrow morning. Just a little reminder to enjoy yourself, but do not eat until you pop. Steve Harvey said it best this morning on his radio show, "your third plate should not look as full as your first plate."

I wanted to share my pictures from the first Thanksgiving meal I made all by myself. I did not go home that year and I still wanted a traditional meal. I remember calling up Bubbie (my late grandmother) and telling her that decided I would make my own meal for the very first time. The meal included a pot of collard greens, a small turkey, sweet potato souffle, seasoned rice, cranberry sauce, yeast rolls, and an apple cobbler (I didn't make the cranberry sauce or the rolls). And I served it with a glass of sparkling apple cider. This meal really meant a lot to me because I was thankful that I was able to purchase the food and make it for myself (I was a graduate student at the time). And I was thankful that I was able to use the skills I had learned from my parents and grandparents. Cooking a Thanksgiving meal was not something I thought I would be able to handle on my own, but I did. It took some time, but it was all worth it!! I was so proud of this meal! I have made several turkeys, souffles, etc since then, but this one stands out the most for me. Before I get too mushy on you all, again, have a WONDERFUL day tomorrow. SALUD!!!!!

One of My Biggest Achievements for 2013!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!! I've got TONS of blog posts that I would like to share (including what I am making for my own little Thanksgiving meal) but I definitely wanted to share one of my biggest achievements for the year with you!!!

I finished my first half-marathon!!! Yes FINISHED!!!!!!! It was a VERY humbling and spiritual experience for me. I cried a little when I finished because I almost couldn't believe it. But, I really did it!! I didn't do it for the medal, which is VERY heavy, nor did I do it to brag to people. I also didn't do it just so I could put the 13.1 magnet on my car (but I did get one for my car). But finishing that race was something I told myself I wanted to do last year, and I did it this year. Finishing gave me the satisfaction that when I set my mind to something, I can seriously do it. I have done challenging things before, but I raised the bar significantly on what I demanded for myself both mentally and physically when I decided to complete this race. I finished this race on November 10th but it really feels like yesterday (minus the few blisters I got).

I trained, hydrated, ate right, and finished a 13.1 mile race. So the take home message to you: It may not be a 13.1 mile race for you, but think about something that would require you to push yourself and go for it!! I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions because I believe in starting things yesterday. But take FULL advantage of this ONE precious life you have been given. A lot of people have told me that I have inspired them to run and become active. That seriously humbles me and warms my heart tremendously. It's VERY inspiring that people think I am inspiring. I set out to take care of myself and wanted share that by blogging. Knowing that someone, even if it is only one, finds what I say useful is a MAJOR accomplishment to me. I am a woman that loves serving, supporting and helping in the community. So on this eve of Thanksgiving, I say, THANK YOU for allowing me to give.

If you're home with your family and helping to prepare the dressing (or stuffing), enjoy! If you are just looking forward to the day off tomorrow and plan on ordering some take out, enjoy! Bottom line, enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

$$$$$$ Saving Travel Tip - BYOTOC

Gooooooood morning!!!! Coming to you live from the airport this AM as I wait to board my plane for another adventure.

So, it's extra early and cold this morning which means I need a warm drink to get me going. I stopped at some no name airport spot and only asked for hot water.  Why? Because during my work related trip earlier this week I packed up the complementary tea bags from the hotel and left them in my purse. Guess how much the exact same tea would have cost me? $2.75. Guess how much they wanted for the cup of hot water? $0.50!! You start adding up how much money you've spent on cups of just basic tea and coffee and it will make your head hurt. Moral of the story dear friends: bring your own tea or coffee (BYOTOC). For you coffee drinkers, I have become a fan of the instant coffee packs/sticks that also have the cream and sugar already added. Yes, yes, I know you love your double expresso caramel vanilla mocha non fat hold the whip grande drink from you know where (and I always say do you and too each his own) BUT every time you opt to bring your own instant coffee and just add water you could save up for something nice. Like new boots (I love boots by the way). And you can cut the calories in your coffee too. Just my 2 cents.  Well, my 50 cents in this case.

Well, lovelies I am signing off for now. I will be writing you all in a few days with a surprise :)

SALUD!!!!!!

Live from the Farm!!!

My friends and I went apple (tomato, spinach, swiss chard) picking today. We had a blast and it felt GREAT to get fresh fruit and veggies straight from the farm. I have lots of plans for the goodies I got! If you a chance, take a trip out to a local farm and pick up some REAL food. Did I mention that the prices are better than the regular grocery store?

Hope you enjoy the video and pictures! Autumn is finally upon us :)

SALUD!!!

The Single Sista is on the Road!!!!!!

Hey there! Just wanted to post this during the Scandal commercial break :)

This video contains some of my travel tips :)

And the pumpkin ice cream is AWESOME!!!! I had a thought while I was sipping on a pumpkin smoothie earlier. I can now make those on my own at home.........................USING the ice cream as my base!!!!!!!!! Gonna try that in the morning!!!

Alright Gladiators!!! Have a good one!!

SALUD!!!

Video Check-in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey lovelies!! I decided to do a video check in this time :) Please excuse the hair, just got back from a work trip.

Hope you're all well and healthy!!!!

SALUD!!!!

Single Sista Quick Fix Original - Chicken & Kale Fried Rice

You asked for it so here it is!! This recipe is SO SIMPLE!! Not even really a recipe, just a Quick Fix. I had to pat myself on the back after I made this one! It was completely off the cuff and it only took 15 minutes!!

Little background, I had some sauteed kale that I had prepared a few days before already on deck. (I sauteed the kale with olive oil, garlic and shallots). I also had some lightly seasoned (little Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic) chicken breasts. I wanted something different for dinner that night but really didn't want buy anything. So what did I do?

First, I cut up the chicken breast into cubes. I had two of them. (Sorry about the blurry pic)

 

Next, I cut up the kale. I would say I had roughly 1.5 - 2 cups. 

 

 

I added a little extra virgin olive oil to the pan and mixed the chicken and kale together. I then added a little black pepper and just a few red pepper flakes for a little kick.

 

 

For the rice, I took some frozen rice that had some veggies in it and mixed that in to my chicken and kale. The BEAUTIFUL thing is you can do this with ANY cold or frozen rice. If you make the rice right before it will make the dish too gummy. So yes, cold or frozen rice. Works VERY well with brown rice :)

Continue stirring until the rice is completely thawed/re-heated. Should take about 5 - 7 minutes.  

And there you have it!! This is super easy, simple, and yummy!!! I used leftovers and created something tasty and pretty healthy. You can add other ingredients like tofu, seafood, or just more veggies (broccoli or red peppers for example). Don't be afraid to experiment with this recipe. 

 

 

Let me know if you make this and how it turns out! And as ALWAYS, SALUD!! 

A MUST Read!! “7 Ways to Eat Good on a Hood Budget”

Morning lovelies!! I just came across this article and thought I would share it. Stic from Dead Prez wrote this article and I couldn't have said it better myself. I support and wholeheartedly agree with everything he says. I essentially learned these principles while living on a graduate student budget. These 7 concepts are basically what has been the driving force behind the Single Sista's Dish from day ONE!

Hope you enjoy this article as much as I did :)

“7 Ways to Eat Good on a Hood Budget”

SALUD!!!!

Quick Fix - Drink Edition

So, I have been working on drinking a lot more water. I normally drink about 6 glasses on average per day, but in the evenings I often want something else to drink. Aside from almond milk, I do not have any other drinks in my fridge right now to encourage drinking more water.

Well, one night I wanted something different, so I went to the lab! I grabbed a few mint leaves (5-6), the juice from half a fresh squeezed lemon, 1 tablespoon of honey, and roughly 1.5 tablespoons of minced baby ginger. I put everything in my mortar and mixed everything with my pestle for about 2-3 minutes. I added the mixture to a glass and poured some fresh water on top of it. Let's just say I have found my new evening drink ;)

If you have some fresh fruit, feel free to add that to the mix as well. Either way, this is a nice quick fix to cut down on added sugar.

Enjoy and SALUD!!! (SIP and AHHHH!!!!!)

Good morning!!

Good morning lovelies!! And how are we this morning? Me? Oh I'm fine!
So what did you have for breakfast? I had some baked blueberry oatmeal. Added some almond milk and VOILA!!!

I posted the recipe for this recently but just in case you missed it here is it again: Baked Oatmeal
I chose to add blueberries instead of raspberries. You can also do this with apples or peaches. I added some flaxseed for a little added bang for my buck. 

This is an EASY fix! After you bake it, you can portion it off in containers so that all you have to do is grab one of the containers out of the fridge, just add a little milk, heat it up, and enjoy. I have also taken it to work so this is another nice fix for those of you always on the run. 

Well, I am off to the farmer's market for some fresh treats!!

Have an AWESOME day!!

SALUD!!!!!