I ♡ date night

I've mentioned in the past my man and I love a good date night (who doesn't). Even though we've been living together for quite some time now, it's nice to make an effort to get out and about and enjoy each other the way we did when we first got together.

We made our way down to Venice to our favorite 'dirty' BBQ place, Baby Blues. We stuffed our faces with their C-RAZY ribs, spicy shrimp, cornbread and their "knock your socks off" mac and cheese, without thinking twice.

Upon entering this Southern styled eatery, you wouldn't be wrong for assuming that you had been transported to another State entirely... Surely there can't be this much butter and oil in health conscious LA?! With the sweetest smelling meat being BBQ'd to perfection and an array of beers both light and dark to compliment this stomach swelling meal, you can't go wrong. There's something about this family style low key dining that rings true to me. By now I'm sure you've all figured out that I love a good fancy feast but sometimes it's fun to eat off plastic plates and use your hands!

the combo plate that we demolished

After a walk along the beach contemplating life in Venice, we headed home to sleep off our bbq 'baby' and dream of our perfect beachside home...

Whole Grains = Whole Lotta Good

Spring is well and truly in the air!  The days are getting longer and slowly but surely the nights are getting warmer.  The weather is usually reflected in the food that I'm drawn to and there's something about these lighter and brighter days that just makes me want to treat my body a little differently.  Here's a recipe for my favorite Quinoa vegie combination. It's filling and really couldn't get much healthier! Pair it with some grilled fish or shrimp and you can almost feel your eyes get brighter and your insides scream, "thank you"!


Enjoy!


tash's vegie quinoa delight!

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of crushed red peppers
1 medium diced red or yellow onion, whichever you prefer
two large crushed cloves of garlic
two diced zucchini's
one large handful of seasonal mushrooms
one large handful of cherry tomatoes
a pinch of fennel seeds (optional)
dash of lemon juice (optional)
two or three red bell peppers diced
1 cup of quinoa 
two cups of chicken stock (I prefer better than bullion. This chicken base might just change your life)


Put the quinoa in a saucepan with two cups of chicken stock and bring to the boil. I prefer to use  Better Than Bullion. This paste might just change your life! I use to cook rice, cous cous, soups, gravy and it revolutionizes even the most "blah" dish. It's also available in vegetarian options. Check it out! Turn down the heat and continue to cook for approximately 15 minutes until the quinoa is soft and the stock has been absorbed. Set aside.


Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook onion and mushrooms until soft and translucent, make sure that the heat is not too high. Add zucchini, garlic, crushed red peppers and cherry tomatoes and continue to cook until soft. Be aware that the vegetables don't become too mushy as you still want them to hold some of their shape. Turn off heat and add the peppers, fennel and lemon juice (if you wish). 


Pour the vegetable mixture into the quinoa and mix well.  Serve warm or allow to cool to room temperature! 


Bon Appetite!