Wendy

Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Curry

November 9, 2015 by Wendy 6 Comments

The winter is approaching, which for me translates into warm comforting meals like this Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Curry. This curry totally hits the spot and is the perfect balance of creamy goodness (thanks to the butternut squash and red pepper puree.) You can enjoy this with a side of rice, greens or pita bread. Note that you can also throw the butternut squash in the oven along with the red peppers, if you prefer to roast vs. boil them.

Butternut squash is the perfect touch in those winter months. It is usually a beige colored gourd with a similar taste to sweet potato. This will get the curry creamy with a subtle dose of sweetness.

Begin by cooking your butternut squash until tender. Move on to your red peppers by placing them on a tray and roasting for 30-40 minutes. After the peppers cool, remove the stem and seeds. Next, place the peppers and butternut squash into a food processor with garlic. Take the onions and tomato next and sauté them in olive oil for a minute or two. Add curry to the mix and then add coconut milk. Stir the mixture and slowly add the pepper and squash puree. Toss in the chickpeas and cook for another 15 minutes. Finally, finish off with a dash of salt, cayenne, and spinach!

Add your favorite grain as a side. We like this dish best for those cold, comforting evenings, but you can also bring it to work for lunch or enjoy with the fam on those busier nights. What’s your favorite way to enjoy this curry? Let us know what you think in the comments below! xo

Roasted Red Pepper & Squash Curry

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 cup of butternut squash, peeled and cut
2 red bell peppers
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 cup of coconut milk
2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1 cup of fresh spinach, finely chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

Instructions

In a small pot with water, cook butternut squash for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
Set the oven to 465F. Place the 2 red peppers on a tray, and roast for 30-40 minutes. The edges should be browned.
After the peppers cool, remove the stem and seeds, and place into a food processer/blender with the cooked butternut squash and garlic.
In a pot, sauté onions and tomato in olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add curry to the mix, and then add in the coconut milk.
Stir and slowly add in the pepper & butternut squash puree.
Add chickpeas, and cook for 15 minutes.
Finish off by adding salt to taste, cayenne pepper, and fresh spinach. Enjoy with brown rice!

Recipe Notes

You can enjoy this with a side of rice, greens or pita bread. Note that you can also throw the butternut squash in the oven along with the red peppers, if you prefer to roast vs boil them. Enjoy!

New Orleans, Louisiana

November 8, 2015 by Wendy 4 Comments

New Orleans is just one of those places that you must visit, especially if you’re a lover of food. We’ve been a few times, and it’s always a memorable experience. New Orleans wins for having the best food I’ve ever experienced in the states. Restaurants, cafes, food trucks- we were never let down. Like the food, the culture in New Orleans is vibrant and full of life. There is live music wherever you go, during all times of the day, and people take great pride in being from here. Here are just some of the treasures we came across during our trip in 2012.

Rum House

The Rum House is a Carribean Taqueria…what does this mean? Well, they have a plethora of Carribean-inspired plates, many with an added Mexican twist. The extensive menu has everything from jerk, curries, roti, patties, quesadillas, tacos, and more. The dessert was out of this world. We enjoyed the Chocolate Molten Fritters and the Banana Bread pudding. Seriously amazing stuff.

Cafe Abyssinia

Cafe Abyssinia is a family-owned Ethiopian restaurant that has a very down-to-earth chilled vibe. They offer plenty of vegetarian options, and plates are meant to be shared family style. The food was incredibly tasty and affordable.

Slim Goodies

This daytime diner is located on Magazine Street and has tons of great Southern dishes, many of them suitable for vegetarians. I went out to explore the backyard, and found chickens roaming around. Definitely that kind of vibe.

Dragon’s Den

We hit up Dragon’s Den for some dancing. We sweated it out for a few hours, then hit the streets to listen to live music.

Blue Nile

We came across this amazing spot for live music. It’s located in the historic Frenchmen Strip, and each night they feature different musicians, DJ’s, and artists.

Cafe Du Monde

Cafe Du Monde is a coffee shop in the French Quarter that is popular for its beignets- a deep-fried French pastry. It’s been around since 1862 and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Definitely consider visiting when that sweet tooth kicks in.

Commanders

If you’re feeling fancy, Commanders is where you want to be. They offer Creole-inspired dishes, and have live jazz for brunch. A perfect excuse to dress up, enjoy great food, and if you’re up to it- sip on a cute cocktail.

Drago’s

Drago’s is a restaurant known for its seafood, and more specifically, for its charbroiled oysters. I am not lying when I tell you these are the best oysters I have ever had. We even went a second time during this trip for more.

Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico

November 8, 2015 by Wendy Leave a Comment

One of our close friends was getting married in Valle de Guadalupe, and so we decided to make it a road trip to the wedding. We flew into San Diego, spent a couple of days exploring, and then drove across the Tijuana border (about 30 minutes from SD). From Tijuana, the drive to Valle de Guadalupe was about 90 minutes.

The best way to describe this majestic place? Endless vineyards, beautiful mountains, desert vibes, excellent wine, and yummy food. Voted as a top wine travel destination, it is considered to be the Napa of Mexico. Valle de Guadalupe is pretty isolated, and you definitely won’t be seeing tons of tourists. Here are some of the gems we experienced:

Where we stayed:

Hotel Boutique Valle de Guadalupe

We stayed at Hotel Boutique, which is located in the heart of Valle de Guadalupe. The hotel has bikes that you can use to ride through the vineyards, has a restaurant with great food (and live music on weekends!), and the views from our room were breathtaking.

Troika

The first stop we made was at Troika, a food truck located near the Vena Cava winery. Let’s just say it was quite an adventure finding this place. It’s literally a taco truck in the middle of nowhere- not even google maps came to the rescue for this one. Once we finally found it, we had tasty tacos, grilled vegetables, and local wine.

La Cocina de Dona Esthela

The following day, we had lunch at La Cocina de Dona Esthela, which is a simple and traditional Mexican restaurant. We felt like we were eating in someone’s kitchen. Tortillas are made fresh on the spot, and we enjoyed them with eggs, nopal (cactus eaten as a vegetable), refried beans, fresh cheese, and salsa.

Finca Altozano

The wedding was at Finca Altozano, a beautiful farm that has a restaurant on site, great trails for exploring, and an array of artisanal beers and wines.

Chateau Camou

The following day, we went wine tasting at Chateau Camou. We enjoyed beautiful views, while tasting locally-sourced wine.

We had such an amazing time at Valle de Guadalupe, and can’t wait to plan our return visit. There are so many hidden treasures to be experienced!

Mexico City, Mexico

November 8, 2015 by Wendy Leave a Comment

We planned a quick stop 2 day stop at Mexico City, as part of a longer trip we took to Puerto Vallarta. After spending the couple of days in Mexico City, we tried everything we could to change our flights so we could spend more time there. We fell in love with the architecture, food, culture, art- pretty much everything. Mexico City isn’t very touristy- which is a plus in our eyes. There is a booming restaurant scene, and there wasn’t a place where the food didn’t blow our minds. Here are some snapshots of our experience:

Pyraminds of Teotihuacan

Shortly after arriving, we caught a public bus from Mexico City to Teotihuacan, an ancient city located about 45 minutes away. Aside from seeing the breathtaking pyraminds, (the Pyramid of the Sun is one of the largest in the world!) you will be able to learn about the history of this majestic place. Thank goodness we dressed fairly comfortably because the hike up the pyramids was no joke.

We enjoyed lunch at Restaurante Gran Teocalli, which offered great views of the pyramids.

Casa Azul

The following day, we hopped on the subway and headed to Coyoacan to visit Frida Kahlo’s home. Frida is basically my spirit mother, so I had to make this a stop during this trip. Coyoacan is a vibrant neighborhood, with shops, great food, and other museums. After visiting La Casa Azul, we took a stroll through the neighborhood before heading out.

After visiting La Casa Azul, we took a stroll through the neighborhood before heading out.

Food Market

La Condesa & Roma

La Condesa (where we stayed) and Roma are trendy neighborhoods with cool shops, restaurants, and nightlife. We were able to see the most beautiful buildings and homes, and stopped by a few places to experience food, drinks, and music. Although we don’t recall the exact names of the spots we checked out in these neighborhoods, they are definitely worth a visit.

How to Become a Vegetarian

November 3, 2015 by Wendy Leave a Comment

In their second podcast episode, Registered Dietitians Wendy Lopez, MS, RD and Jessica Jones, MS, RD talk about why they became vegetarian, top mistakes people make when making the transition, and tips for making that transition healthy and smooth.

References:

Grow NYC
How to be a Healthy Vegetarian for Beginners Video

Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges

November 3, 2015 by Wendy 2 Comments

You’re going to love these Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges. This acorn squash was a farmer’s market find. As the winter months approach, there are fewer options at the market, which can be exciting because it forces me to create new recipes with ingredients I wouldn’t usually cook with. I enjoyed these wedges with a pesto dipping sauce. So good.

Acorn squash is a winter squash packed with Vitamin A, B6, C, and potassium. They’re so flexible, and can be used in stews, soups, salads, and more. These wedges work perfectly as a side for whatever main dish you want! They go with almost everything. They’re nice and simple so you can whip them up easily.

Begin by cutting the acorn squash in half and removing the seeds from the middle. (Note: you can always keep the seeds and roast them as a light snack to munch on throughout the day!) Cut each half of the squash into wedges and place the wedges on a nonstick baking tray. Drizzle on that olive oil and sprinkle your spices. Bake for 20 minutes, flip, and then bake for another 20-25 minutes until these babies are nice and crisp.

Top the wedges with some parmesan cheese to make them even more delectable. As we said before, you can make these and enjoy with the dipping sauce, as a side, or as a nice crispy snack. You’ll love any way you decide to make these! Try them out and let us know in the comments below what you think! xo

Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges

Total Time

50 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 medium acorn squash
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cut the squash in half, and scoop out the seeds in the middle.
Cut each half into 1/2 inch wedges.
Place the wedges on a non-stick baking tray, drizzle olive oil on the wedges, and sprinkle the spices.
Bake @ 450F for 20 minutes, and then flip the wedges. Bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the wedges are a crisp brown.
Finish off with salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Acorn squash is a winter squash packed with Vitamin A, B6, C, and Potassium. They're so flexible, and can be used in stews, soups, salads, and more. I enjoyed these wedges with a pesto dipping sauce. So good. Hope you give em a try!